Hurry Up and Wait
Day 3 of the Winter Meetings and Johan Santana is still a Twin. The Twins were expected to get back to the Red Sox with a decision either way on whether they would accept 1 of 2 offers from the Red Sox for Santana.
I'm beginning to think this deal will not happen. Why? Well there are reports that the Twins are actively engaging other teams about Santana which makes me believe they aren't satisfied with either Red Sox offer. ESPN's Keith Law said on ESPN News this am that the Twins have reached out to the Mets, Dodgers and Angels to see if they could put together a better offer.
If I'm the Red Sox, I think it is time to look at ways other than Santana to improve (as if they haven't been all along). The Twins are stalling for a better offer. This is good new/bad news because the Red Sox are in a position of power here, but there is nothing to say the Twins might simply end talks and keep Santana for themselves. The public decree by Hank Steinbrenner that the Yankees were out of the running has probably has something to do with this situation.
The StarTribune.com is suggesting, however, that despite Hank's public declaration, the Yankees have not told the Twins they are out of it.
With all of this in mind, they Red Sox might let out a giant sigh of relief if Santana gets trade elsewhere or doesn't get trade at all as the volume and quality of prosects they are offering would be a big price to pay. Maybe the ideal situation would be for Santana to land in Los Angeles. If he were a pitcher for the Dodgers, that would mean the Red Sox would see him in the regular maybe once every 3 years or in the World Series.
Peter and I have discusses this a bit off-line and agree that no matter which teams gets Santana, that team will be fired up to get such a talent, but the cost is so high both in terms of talent and money, that if the Red Sox don't get Santana, it's not exactly as if they are going to be left with a weak team. They have a pretty good rotation already, all of whom are signed for $10mm per year or less, and with Jon Lester, Clay Buccholz and some of the other young arms coming up route 95, they might just have talent for the next few years. Same can be said of the Yankees. One of the Yankees fans made this point on our comments section that if the Yankees do not get Santana, they start the year with a rotation that went 51-25 to send the season in 2007. Not too bad.
Regardless, the Twins are starting to drag their feet and business can't be done by the Red Sox if they are in a wait mode. Time to do your business Minnesota or get off the pot. Quit jerking the Red Sox around (or shame on the Red Sox for allowing themselves to get jerked around).
Other meeting news: The Red Sox will approach Jason Varitek about a contract extension. It is hard to believe that JV is in the last year of his deal and even harder to believe that I think this would be a great idea. I think a 2 year, $20mm offer is more than fair. His bat has dropped off, but he is still a great defensive catcher and can call a pretty good game.
The Red Sox are shopping Julian Tavarez who reportedly wants to start for someone in the National League.
