Mets Acquire Santana

Johan Santana is coming to New York, but he will not call the Bronx home. The two-time Cy Young winner is heading to the Mets after Omar Minaya pulled the trigger on a deal sending Carlos Gomez, Phillip Humber, Kevin Mulvey, and Deolis Guerra to Minnesota in return. This brings a the Yankees’ long pursuit of the elite lefty to a close. This team still lacks a proven shutdown starter at the top of the rotation. It is time to take a look at how all relevant parties fared in this deal.

Winners

Johan Santana: The lefty is going to get the big contract he covets, play in the world’s biggest media market, and go to the weaker hitting league.

New York Mets: The Mets somehow landed the game’s best pitcher without giving up their top hitting prospect, Fernando Martinez, or their top pitching prospect, Mike Pelfrey. They gained the dominant ace they had lacked and added an anchor to a thin pitching staff. This move is the big splash that will finally allow the fans and media to start looking forward and forget their dramatic 2007 collapse. In one move, Omar Minaya has made the Mets the team to beat in the National League in 2008.

Boston Red Sox: They would have loved a Beckett-Santana combination to top their rotation, but their starting pitching looks great as currently constructed. They did not need Santana. Their only concern was the Yankees using him to counter Beckett. Now the Yankees did not get Santana, and they get to hold onto their prized prospects.

Yankees Fans: Fans of the Yankees have grown tired with the marquee acquisitions. Over the past three years, it has been deeply satisfying for them to watch their young, homegrown stars develop. Now they will get to see Phil Hughes turn into one of the game’s top pitchers instead of buying up an established star who made the leap years ago.

Losers

Bill Smith: The Minnesota general manager has to top this list. He could have had the game’s next great young pitcher in Phil Hughes to pair with Francisco Liriano for the next five years at the top of his rotation. He also could have had an adequate young centerfielder in Melky Cabrera to compensate for the loss of Torii Hunter. He could have replaced Hunter with Jacoby Ellsbury, a future All-Star in centerfield, or received a future 2 or 3 starter who has won a World Series clincher in Jon Lester. He could have topped off a deal with the Red Sox by acquiring an above average shortstop prospect in Jed Lowrie. Instead, Smith ended up with a couple of middle of the rotation starters, a project pitcher, and an overrated centerfielder prospect with great speed but no power or discipline at the plate. Smith deserves to be tarred and feathered by his fanbase. This was awful evaluation. He picked the worst package.

Hank Steinbrenner: Hank lost out on the pitcher he coveted. He has nobody but himself to blame. His pompous negotiations and through the media, unprofessional public complaints about the Twins’ front office, and setting of fake deadlines helped to torpedo any chance the Yankees and the Twins could sit down and amicably negotiate a way to get Santana to the Bronx.

New York Yankees: The Yankees still do not have a shutdown starter at the top of their rotation. It would have been foolish to trade a future ace like Phil Hughes for a guy that much older and more expensive. It still made no sense as to why the Yanks were willing to give up Hughes but not make Robinson Cano the centerpiece instead. Cano has firmly established himself as an elite second baseman at a young age. The hitting challenged Twins gladly would have listened had the Yanks put Robbie in the package in place of Phil. Cano is a terrific hitter, but the Yankees have plenty of offense. Giving him up for a shutdown starter should have at least been considered. Their refusal to do so might have cost them Santana. Second basemen are easier to find than pitchers of Santana’s caliber. It is more important to have an ace in October than it is to have a .300 hitter at second base.

Major League Baseball: The fact that the small payroll Twins could not afford to keep a player so important to their franchise speaks volumes about the problems Major League Baseball has. One cannot blame teams like the Mets, Red Sox, and Yankees. They are using a flawed system to their advantage just like any other business would. Baseball needs to get more equitable rules because this is awful for fans of the Twins.

Yankees sign Cano to a four year deal

The New York Yankees locked up their second baseman, Robinson Cano with a four year deal worth more than $30 million dollars. The deal includes two option years that could add another $25 million to the pot. This is a great sign from the new Yankee regime. In recent years, the Yankees shyed away from giving multi-year deals to their young players, and instead, went with aging stars and flash-in-the-pans (too many names to mention here…you all know ‘em). The Yankees seem to be planning for the future, banking on the success of the home-grown players that the fans simply love. Chien Ming Wang is up next, with guys like Melky Cabrera, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, and one Joba Chamberlain also to hopefully be locked in for years to come.

We really don’t know what to expect from the Hank Steinbrenner era, but this is most definitely a step in the right direction.

On an even brighter note. pitchers and catchers report in 19 days……

Yankees Set Payroll Record

The New York Daily News reports that the Yankees set a Major League record last season with a $218 million payroll.

While its streak of AL East titles ended at nine, the Yanks wound up with a record payroll of $218.3 million.

The World Series champion Boston Red Sox were a distant second at $155.4 million, according to information received by clubs from the commissioner’s office.

In addition to the largest payroll, the Yankees have the highest revenue in the majors. The Bombers took in $415 million last year, giving about $100 million of it away in the sport’s revenue-sharing plan.

To summarize, even though the Yankees did not even win their own division in 2007, their spending is destroying all competitive balance in baseball. Small market teams do not have the financial resources to compete even though the Yanks gave them around $100 million, much of which was pocketed by cheap owners.

Potential X-Factor: Brett Gardner

The Yankees are a star-studded team, but a lot of their 2008 success will depend on how a number of lesser known players develop. Before the season begins, this blog will profile some of these players and discuss how the team will need them to develop. Today’s player is Brett Gardner.

Brett Gardner figures to begin 2008 playing centerfield for Scranton. While his utter lack of power keeps him from being mentioned in the same light as Jose Tabata or Austin Jackson, Gardner is a legitimate prospect. At worst, he will probably be a useful bench player. At his best, he will be a decent leadoff hitter and centerfielder.

Gardner has a .288 career batting average and a .381 on base percentage in the minors. Those numbers were .300 and .392 respectively last season in 203 at bats at AA Trenton and a pedestrian .260 and .343 in 181 at bats for AAA Scranton. He proceeded to tear up the Arizona Fall League with a .343 average and a .433 on base percentage, suggesting he is close to being ready for the Majors. With a minor league slugging percentage of .374, he has little pop, but his eye could make him a useful bench player or even a cheap centerfield option if Melky Cabrera gets traded for Johan Santana. There are concerns over holes in his swing as he has 211 strikeouts in 1,107 at bats. How much his contact rates improve will probably determine how good he becomes.

Gardner has terrific speed, which translates really well on defense. His range in center is second to none within the organization. He also has used this speed to steal 114 bases in his minor league career in 136 attempts. This is where his primary value will probably lie for the Yankees at least in 2008.

Gardner probably will spend most of the season in Scranton. The Yankees already have four high quality outfielders, and Shelley Duncan can play there in an emergency. Brett might not be a major prospect, but it would be best for his development if he got to play on an everyday basis. During critical games in September and October, he could become a factor.

It has been a while since this team had a legitimate stolen base threat off the bench.  It is a big weapon to have in tight games. Dave Roberts in the 2004 ALCS is the most famous example. The ability to get a runner into scoring position without giving up an out can be the difference between winning and losing. With a lineup as powerful as the Yankees have, an extra hitter to the plate with somebody in scoring position means an good chance to score. Gardner’s work as a pinch runner could give this team that extra opportunity in a big game.

Mattingly steps down as hitting coach for LA Dodgers

Citing family reasons, Don Mattingly stepped down as hitting coach for the LA Dodgers today. He will stay on with the LA Dodgers as an advisor, but has been replaced as hitting coach with Mike Easler (Triple A Dodgers). Pinstripes will remain the only uniform he has ever worn….

Potential X-Factor: Wilson Betemit

The Yankees are a star-studded team, but a lot of their 2008 success will depend on how a number of lesser known players develop. Before the season begins, this blog will profile some of these players and discuss how the team will need them to develop. Today’s player is Wilson Betemit.

Betemit is a familiar name to Yankees fans. He came to the team at the 2007 Trade Deadline from the Dodgers. New York sent Scott Proctor back to his original team in exchange. For the last two months of 2007, the switch hitter served as New York’s utility infielder and saw time at all four infield positions.

Betemit began his career as a highly touted shortstop prospect for the Braves. Eventually he put on too much weight, which cut down on his range. He can still play shortstop adequately over a short term, but he is not a great option for the long haul. He also never hit enough upon reaching the Majors to capture an everyday role. His .260/.332/.439 (BA/OPS/SLG) career numbers are very good for a bench player, and his athleticism have allowed him to move all over the infield.

After letting Andy Phillips and Doug Mientkiewicz walk, the Yankees will presumably give Betemit significant playing time at first base in 2008 at least as part of a platoon. His career stats make him a very viable bottom of the order hitter for a team loaded with offense. His .277/.355/.486 splits while batting lefty since 2005 make him an excellent option as part of a platoon with a lefty pitching masher like Shelley Duncan. At 26 years old, Wilson still has time to develop and could hit enough to become a quality everyday player.

The issue with Betemit at first base will not be his hitting. The Yankees should expect decent production, but there is enough offensive talent to carry a subpar hitter at the bottom. Betemit’s defense at first will be very important to the team. Phillips and Mientkiewicz were both superb in the field. Their departures leave the Yanks with Betemit and a pair of players whose defensive skills suggest their best position is DH, Jason Giambi and Shelley Duncan, to man first base.

With a pair of sinkerballers, Andy Pettitte and Chien-Ming Wang, at the top of the rotation, infield defense will be very important for the Yankees. A good first baseman must not only have good range but also great hands to save errors on bad throws. In late inning situations, defense also becomes critical as one bad play can cost a team a game. Many experts believe that shortstops have the tools to excel anywhere on the field. Betemit has shortstop range from his time there and the soft hands and reflexes necessary to handle bad throws. He will need to work strenuously with Tino Martinez in Spring Training to learn the intricacies of the position.

If Betemit can turn himself into a defensive ace, the Yankees can go into 2008 feeling good about their infield. They will not have to fret every grounder in critical situations and can save runs defensively. If Betemit cannot, the defense could cost this team games or force the team to waste a roster spot on an all glove, no hit player. First base defense might not be important relative to other positions, but every game will matter in what should be a tight pennant race in a loaded American League  His comfort level at first base could be the difference between postseason and an empty October schedule.

Wang, Cano Near Arbitration

The Yankees have exchanged arbitration figures with Chien-Ming Wang and Robinson Cano reports Peter Abraham.

Robinson Cano submitted $4.55 million, the Yankees submitted $3.2 million.

Chien-Ming Wang submitted $4.6 million, the Yankees submitted $4 million.

The Yanks are playing this foolishly. They should look to negotiate 4 year extensions with both to lock them up through their arbitration years. Even though the market for high level players is ridiculous, both would likely accept multiyear discounted contracts to secure themselves in the longterm against catastrophic injuries. In exchange for the future financial security, New York can keep its homegrown stars at a relatively cheap prices and prevent them from hitting the market for an extra season.

Yankees Sign Lane

The Yankees have signed Jason Lane to a minor league contract. Lane had a nice 2005, when he hit 26 homers, drove in 78 runs, and slugged .499. Since then, he has been awful posting a sub .200 batting average to go with a sub .400 slugging percentage. He is capable of playing all three outfield spots. This is unlikely to pay any dividends, but as is the case with any minor league deal, it is worth a shot. Lane is not going to cost much and will not demand a roster spot.