We're talkin' Baseball...

The Twins finally did it... they traded Santana. Not Carlos, genius... Johan. As in "two-time Cy Young Award Winner" and "Roger Clemens without steroids". Not to Boston or the G*dda*n Yankees, but to the Mets. Traded him for four minor-league prospects. I'm surprised Bill Smith and Carl Pohlad didn't ask for a case of baseballs and a bottle of Jack Daniels!

I'm a bit mixed, emotions-wise. For starters, why the Hell didn't we lock up Santana to a long-term contract back in 2006 when he was younger (and infinitely cheaper)? We could have had a helluva rotation this year... Santana in the 1 position, Liriano would be back from Tommy John surgery and fill the 2 role. Boof Bonser would be a solid 3 pitcher, and Baker fourth. Pat Neshek would be a good set-up man and as a part-time starter, while Nathan would come in and close. Forget that jazz, Jack!

Now we're going to have a very untested pitching squad. Santana would have been the captain and keep the young turks in check. Now, we go with Liriano going into the 1 spot... which is tenuous at best because of two factors... 1) Youth and 2) Durability, especially since he's been gone for over a year due to major reconstructive surgery and rehab. Bonser's better I think at the 3 than he would be at the 2. With the absence of Silva, you also lose a solid 2-3 pitcher, and I wouldn't move Baker out of the 4 spot yet. And if Nathan goes bye-bye as expected, I see more fireworks in the Metrodome than Disneyworld on the Fourth of July!

We just spent a butt-load of dough to resign Morneau... why couldn't Pohlad pry open that wallet just a little more to keep Santana? Hell, you're worth over a billion fricking dollars thanks to foreclosing on mom-and-pop farms in the 80's, Carl. You're old... and you can't take it with you when you die so don't start going all cheap in your twilight years. Besides the State of Minnesota is building you a shiny new stadium... you owe them and all the farmers you evicted at least a competitor!

T. Denny... HELP!!!

If I were Bill Smith... I'd be on the horn trying to find some experience for that staff. Not Clemens and his roided butt. But ya gotta find someone. Hell, get Randy Johnson! He's not a 1-starter anymore, but he could be good at the 2 or 3 and he'd also give some stability to that staff.

Okay, so I'm talking out of my backside... but if you're going to trade the golden goose, why not get some instant return? Someone like Coco Crisp out of Boston (and his cousin "Sugar Golden")? Hell, we just lost Hunter to California (which might not be such a bad deal, considering he'd been on the schnide until the last year of his contract). If we're going to be giving up 2,000 fricking home runs this year, why not get someone who can help us level the playing field, offensively?

Okay, now that I've turned off Heidelberger and left Mork and Goeman in stitches at my Dennis Miller-style rant, I'll leave you to your posting... and your grief over a very long season. Anyone care to join me in a "Premo"? Or a Schmidt's "Brown Grenade?"