We have to ask ourselves a few questions in trading for Johan Santana!Q:By trading for Santana does he improve our team enough to WIN the World Series in 2008?
A:No I don't think so. What he does is makes the Mets the favorite to win the NL east.
Q:Could the Mets acquire Santana via free agency and be able to keep their top prospects?
A:I think the answer is likely yes to both of those questions.
Q:Does this trade make us better then the top teams in the AL in 2008?
A:At the very least I think both the Tigers and the Red Sox will still be better. The Angels, Indians and Yankees will also be tough!
Baseball America has ranked Martinez, Guerra, Gomez, and Mulvey, listed 1 through 4 respectively, and Philip Humber at 7. That's 5 of the Mets’ top 7 prospects! Wow...and if more than one of them can become an everyday player, the trade becomes truly lopsided. Can you see a Twins outfield of Martinez, Gomez and D. Young?
Plus the Mets likely need these kids to help fill future holes. After the 2008 season the Mets will have 5 HUGE holes to fill. At firstbase, I don't believe the Mets pick up Delgado's team option for 2009 at $12m, not when the Marlins will have to pay Delgado's $4m buyout. Leftfield, Alou will not be back and very likely will retire. And three (3) Starting Pitchers will be needed! Martinez, Hernandez, and Perez are all free agents. That's $41.5 million off the books not counting Perez to go after free agents like Teixeira and a front line SP (Sabathia, Santana, Burnett, Lackey, Sheets) maybe we go after Crawford for LF.
Pedro Martinez was traded at the age of 27 for Carl Pavano and Tony Armas Jr., granted that was in 1998. I would love to have the best pitcher in baseball in Santana, but right now the price is far to high. We need more then just Santana to beat the AL.
So we get Santana and loss all of our farm. And we will still have the same holes to fill in 2009, and no kids from the minors to fill those holes at all.
So again I say stand fast on Santana, wait until he's a FA and see if his numbers decline again in 2008. If his number decline again he'll come to us cheaper and without giving up the farm.
"Sources told the N.Y.Post they would not make such a trade, sending away all those top-level prospects. They also have made it clear they are not trading Reyes."
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