The Red Sox added another piece to their annual strategy of throwing a dozen relievers against a wall and seeing which ones stick. Considering the Sox had the best bullpen in the AL last year, it's hard to argue with the theory.
David Aardsma, a former first-round pick, has shown some brilliance, and also shown batters some fat fastballs that get hit a long way. The Sox gave up two A-ball pitchers unlikely to go very far. In all, not a bad trade with some decent upside to it.
Meanwhile, there's that other trade possibility.
[I]t looks like the Twins want to get a Johan Santana trade done this week or begin preparing for his arrival at spring training.
We really won’t know if the Twins waited too long to trade Santana until a deal is made. For now, they insist that that they remain in contact with the Red Sox, Mets and Yankees and no team has pulled out. ...
I asked if the Twins have discussed adding a player to any deal to help move things along. I was told no.
I asked about reports that Jon Lester has been pulled from the Red Sox offer. I was told it’s not true.
Olney had been reporting that the Sox pulled Lester from their proposals. Charley Walters -- still unfairly ridiculed in some quarters, despite being the first one to break the Sox' high interest and solid offer in the saga -- has reported the Twins tried to get the Angels back in the mix, to no avail.
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"despite being the first one to break the Sox' high interest and solid offer in the saga"
did we really need some to break to us that the Sox were interested? Was there ever an offer made by any team?
Im so sick of this story at this point. I have read that the Twins have asked for team's "last and best offers" no less than 6 times. The same goes for how often ive read that a trade is imminent and will happen in the next X number of days....
Posted by: sam-YF | Monday, January 28, 2008 at 04:32 PM
Ditto.
So. Sick. Of. Santana. Saga.
Be done with it.
Posted by: LocklandSF | Monday, January 28, 2008 at 04:52 PM
Aardsma also has a sweet My Little Pony backpack:
http://myspace-817.vo.llnwd.net/00685/71/88/685178817_l.jpg
Posted by: Atheose | Monday, January 28, 2008 at 04:59 PM
Well, everyone figured the Sox were interested, but no one had exact offers -- or even knew the offer was so substantial -- until Waters broke the story, and that story has thus far held up despite nearly everything else changing half a million times.
It seems he doesn't get enough credit for that. It was a big scoop.
Posted by: Paul SF | Monday, January 28, 2008 at 05:21 PM
This is obviously just part of the Red Sox fiendish efforts to increase their brand, by ensuring that they'll be first in the 2008 alphabetical list of players.
And that looks more like some sort of Tonka truck backpack Aardsma's got on there. Papelbon already has him on the phone to discuss backpack fashion tips.
Posted by: FenSheaParkway | Monday, January 28, 2008 at 05:21 PM
Looks to me as if Santana priced himself out of the market. So either the desperate Mets oblige or he will stay a Twin, which in either case is fine by me.
Good thing he did not wind up a Yankee. He would have made that team, but instead they probably go into 2008 as they did 2007 - with question marks galore with their starters. And we all know how that turned out.
Posted by: Dirty Water | Monday, January 28, 2008 at 08:58 PM
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That seems like the only strategy that works these days. Aside from the top closers, relief pitchers are too up and down from year to year.
Posted by: Mark (YF) | Tuesday, January 29, 2008 at 10:35 AM
Olney is reporting some resolution could come to this Santana situation today. i feel like ive heard that before too. my bet is the twins resolve to keep listening to offers...
Posted by: sam-YF | Tuesday, January 29, 2008 at 12:09 PM