MLB: Hot Stove Time

[OzzyKP]

Have you guys seen this?

http://www.unitedcountriesofbaseball.com/images/UCOB-1280x960.jpg

I dunno how accurate it is, but it looks damn cool.

[-Jrabbit]

That is actually pretty cool.

[reismark]

I'm surprised the Cubs haven't invaded and annexed the White Sox already.

[Arrian]

SI.com (specifically Jon Heyman) is saying that the Yankees have taken the lead in the Santana derby by putting Phil Hughes (rather than Ian Kennedy) on the table along with Melky Cabrera and a third player TBD. The Red Sox have dropped back due to their refusal to part with Ellsbury or Buchholz.

****. ****! Goddamnit! Noooooooooo! You fools!

This is idiotic. The Yankees can (most likely) purchase Santana's services next year, when all it will cost is Steinycash.

Oh, and Reismark... Hughes >> Kennedy. What you saw was a healthy 22 yr old Kennedy make 3 (?) September starts versus a 21 year old Hughes throw a 6 1/3 inning no-hitter, get hurt, get hurt again, come back and be inconsistent in a larger sample of starts... and then finally get it in gear in September and October.

Kennedy is really good, and I like him a lot. But Hughes is on another level - with Joba.

-Arrian

[Arrian]

Now there are reports that Pettitte is coming back to the Yanks.

I really, really, really hope the Santana deal falls through. Hughes + Melky + ? for one year Santana (yes, I know, the deal will involve an extension) is too much.

-Arrian

[Ming]

It will be interesting to see what Minny does. They "claim" that if they don't like the offers, they will just keep him for the year. Can they really afford to get nothing for him?

But if they decide to keep him, the Yankees would then be in the driver seat, because it seems nobody can offer the money like the Yankee ATM can.

I think Boston is just staying in the hunt to jack up the price for the Yankees

[Arrian]

Santana countered their claim by telling them he will not waive his no-trade clause for a deadline deal, meaning if they don't trade him now, they can't trade him at all. High stakes.

But yeah, in the end I think the Yankees (and Red Sox) have more leverage than they (Yankees) realize. The Twins could well end up getting 2 draft picks for Johan, and that's it.

And I totally agree with you about Boston. Theo is just trying to bleed the Yanks. So far, it appears to be working. I smell fear from the Yankees, and it's making them do something stupid, IMO.

-Arrian

[Imran Siddiqui]

Theo is a genius.

He'll get the Yankees to give up Hughes and Melky, when it's quite obvious that the Red Sox don't care all that much about Santana (yeah, they'd love to have him, but their pitching situation is pretty nice already).

[Arrian]

Now the rumors are that the Yanks-Twins deal is all but dead, whereas the Twins and Boston are close on this:

Lester+Crisp+Lowrie/Masterson for Santana.

First off, I'm happy the Yankees refused to give in to a demand of Hughes+Kennedy+Melky (which is patently insane) or Hughes+Melky+Austin Jackson+Allan Horne. Walk away.

Second, if the Red Sox get it done for that package, **** the Twins... and so be it. As scary as Santana, Beckett, Matsuzaka, Shilling, Buccholtz is, to hell with it.

-Arrian

[Ming]

We shall see... The Yankees closed the door on ARod, and look what happened.

It ain't over until it's over, and I don't think we have heard the last word from the Yankees yet.

[reismark]

Yeah, I'll be cursing out the Twins if they gift-wrap Santana for the Red Sox with that package, which isn't even close to the Yankees' final offer (and to think that Minnesota wanted either Kennedy or Jackson and Horne on top of Hughes and Cabrera)!

The only silver lining if it goes down this way is that all the Yankee haters will be forced to admit what we've known all along - that the Red Sox are just as bad and, in certain ways, worse.

[-Jrabbit]

I have bottomless hatred for both franchises. Although my Yankee hate is far more matured.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Well, the Yankees are walking away, while the BoSox have made no such threats.

[-Jrabbit]

The outcome of this deal will have no effect on my hatred for the New Boston York Sox.

[Deity Dude]

Tiger just got Miguesl Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis for Miller, Maybin and 4 other minor leaguers. Do the Tigers have the best line-up in baseball now

Grandrson - CF (20,20,20,20)
Polanco - 2b (3rd in the batting title)
Cabrera - 3b (consistant 30, .300, 100)
Ordonez - RF (Batting Title, 2nd Place in MVP)
Sheffield - DH
Guillen - 1b (consistant .300, 20, 90)
Renterria - SS (.332 last year)
Rodriguez - C
Thames or Perez or Inge - LF

Not to mention the Pitching Rotation Verlander, Bonderman, Rogers, Willis, Robertson