From MLB Trade Rumors:
[The Yankees] believe a package of Melky Cabrera, Chien-Ming Wang, and Ian Kennedy would entice the Twins for Johan Santana. That’s a huge price, but doesn’t seem out of line to me for the best pitcher in baseball.
Listen, I’m the guy who thinks Johan deserves Cy Young votes and Chien-Ming Wang’s 2007 was overrated. But if I’m the Twins’ new GM, this would be a coup as my first major move. In terms of overall talent, this trade might be even for 2007. If you follow the fantasy heuristic that the team getting the best player is getting the better deal, the Yankees win. But it’s not like Wang, Kennedy, and Cabrera are anything to scoff at. Wang’s a top 10 pitcher, Kennedy should be above-average in his first full season with a high ceiling, and Cabrera’s a league-average player in center field.
Once you consider money and contract length, the Yankees might as well be giving the Twins all their YES revenue. Cabrera and Wang have one more year of making nothing, then three years of arbitration. Kennedy’s yet to officially start his first year of service. On the other hand, Santana is only signed for one more season, at $13 million. In general, the Yankees should be looking less for league-average talent and be willing to spend more on top-end guys. But if they can show just a touch of patience, they can sign Santana to a free agent deal next winter, without giving up anything now. How does a 2009 rotation of Santana, Wang, Hughes, Chamberlain, and Kennedy sound? That should rival any offense they throw on the field.
To me, the trade boils down to this — would you rather have Johan Santana for one season, or Wang, Kennedy, and Cabrera for 10?
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Sky is a baseball fan and racket sport afficianado living in upstate NY. His favorite color is orange and is just about ready to give up on his life-long dream to become the next Magnus ver Magnuson (World's Strongest Man). His favorite baseball teams are the Yankees and Red Sox, proving that there's hope in the Middle East.