With TwinsFest under way back in the twin farms, it might be a good time to break out the first Twins chatter of 2008. My buddy K-Man reported that the Twins have signed Morneau and Cuddyer to long-term deals, which gets me thinking ... could this be the start of a push to keep Johan Santana in Twins pinstripes?Think about it -- with Torii Hunter landing in Anaheim, it looked all but certain that the Twins would deal Santana to the highest bidder. But early reports on Francisco Liriano are promising, and if they can get a full season out of two of the top lefties in the AL, the Twins could compete for a postseason berth, even in the stacked AL Central.
Inking the team's franchise first baseman and a solid RBI guy in Cuddyer to anchor the middle of the batting order lets Santana know they're not giving up on the future. And there's been some speculation lately that not only are the Yankees, Red Sox and Mets reluctant to part with enough prospects to make a trade for Santana attractive to the Twins, but those big-market teams also could be hesitant to offer Johan the $150 million or so that it would take to sign him.
So, if you're Santana, would you push for a trade and try to get every dollar you can in an environment that might not be a good fit for you, or would you "settle" for a five-year, $100 million deal with the only team you've ever pitched for, with a manager and pitching coach you like, with a clubhouse you know you fit into, and with a rabid fan base backing your every move?
Something to ponder, at least ...
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Torii Hunter probably doesn't care since he hit the jackpot in Anaheim, but deep down he's got to be a little chapped about the Morneau deal.
I'm glad the Twins decided to spend their money on Morneau rather than Hunter, who has noticeably lost a step defensively (still very good, mind you, but no longer elite and will be a shell of his former self in CF if not DH by the end of his deal).
I would love to see Santana agree to a KG-like "discount." As for a trade, it just seems that GMs aren't willing to be fleeced anymore. I do admire Billy Smith's sticking to his guns though. And it might just work out to keep #57.
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