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Santana could be had for Buchholz, Lester, prospect and $130 million

Nov 28th, 2007 by Bill Burt

If the Red Sox want Johan Santana, probably among the top five starting pitchers in baseball, they can probably have him.
But it’s going to cost them.
According to two separate sources the Red Sox would have to, in the very least, give the Twins two of their best young pitchers, Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester, and another “major league” prospect … Oh yes, and about $130 million over six (or seven) years to Santana. I believe Coco Crisp would also be part of that package.
The Red Sox have apparently told the Twins that Jacoby Ellsbury is off limits.
The New York Yankees are the front-runners for Santana. But the Sox are not out of it if they don’t want to be.
Is that a trade you would make, including the contract to Santana?

Posted in Red Sox | View Comments

  • kman

    No.

    I would be willing to trade

    anyone from the group of
    Lester, Coco, Delcarman, Masterson, Bowden and Lowrie

    I don’t think that will get it done though. I’m hoping the Mets step up and take him away from NYY.

  • Steve from North Andover

    I would make the deal. Santana guarantees the Sox of having the best staff in baseball as long as he and Beckett are together.
    Don’t the Sox have another arm or two on the farm?
    If Santana is on Sox next year, they would be prohibitive favorites.

  • Colin

    No. It’s a risk the Red Sox don’t need to make. Lester has already proven he can succeed in the majors, and Buchholz is on his way to doing the same. It’s not the traditional case of trading prospects who may turn out to be busts. Starting pitching is clearly not one of Boston’s weak points, and there’s no reason to mortgage the future to bolster an already strong staff.

  • Scott

    Such a hard decision. I’d do it if it was Lester OR Buchholz, Crisp, and another top tier minor-leaguer. Definitely don’t want to give up Ellsbury, I’m glad he’s off limits. Having Santana on the staff would be incredible though, I just hope the Yankees don’t get him.

  • Kevin

    I think it’s more fun and exciting to see whether Buchholz and Lester can become great pitchers than to spend 7 years hoping Santana stays healthy. Plus, the more the Red Sox keep throwing money at players, the higher the ticket prices are going to go and I don’t hear those price hikes being too popular lately.

    The greatest thing about the Patriots is that the salary cap makes the NFL a level playing field. People may not like the Pats, but no one can say that they are buying championships. It may be too late already, but who wants the Red Sox to become Yankees 2.0?

  • http://mybaseballbias.com/2007/11/28/puttin-together-a-package/ MY BASEBALL BIAS – A BIASED LOOK AT THE NEW YORK YANKEES » Puttin’ together a package

    [...] are also reports the the Yankees aren’t alone in the Santana sweepstakes. The Mets, Red Sox and Dodgers all will make a push for [...]

  • Sox Nation – West

    I agree with Kevin (blog 5), give Lester and Buckholz an opportunity to develop. Who’s saying they aren’t a Santana in the making? Give them two years to evaluate them (or one really bad one). It’s seems the Red Sox have differentiated themselves from the rest of MLB by being a “team” and not a bunch of individual all-stars put on a field and expected to win (uhumm). Does Santana fit the mould to be a Red Sock or is he better off playing for the team down the road? Don’t get me wrong his numbers are great, he’s not over the hill, and he’d look good in a Red Sox uniform … just pointing out this Red Sox team has equillibrium, let’s maintain it (with or without Santana) because it’s working!
    Also, trying to get Santana solely to keep him from being a Yankee is not a sound business decision.
    Keep the chemistry with or without Santana.

  • Marcel

    If I have to give Lester/Buchholz/Crisp and one more prospect I’d better be getting Peavy or Kazmir in return, not Santana. Santana is currently the best pitcher in baseball, but it’s not by a large margin and he’s going to be on the wrong side of thirty real soon. So adding to the ridiculous price in terms of talent, he’s looking for a deal upwards of 126MM/5. 5 years is too long for any pitcher, I don’t care how good he is. Boston’s rotation is currently 6 deep, lets keep it that way for when one of the 40 something year olds inevitabley get hurt.

  • jim – red sox nation west

    Keep the young guns…all of them. Let Santana be overpaid wearing pinstripes. We still have the best team in baseball and it will make the rivalry even better. Its nice to have options isnt it? Keep the money in the bank because it wont be long until we have to compensate these young studs. Lets get Carlos Pena back to the sox because we’re not sure where Manny will be after next year.

  • Dennis

    I have to agree with all of the above. I don’t think Santana is worth all that they are asking . the Red Sox have allready invested 2 or more years in their young faces , whats another year or 2. The Sox did fine last year with the staff thet have now and have virtually the same for next year. How Many times does that happen? If
    Ellsberry, Bucholtz,and Lester ,Delcarmen and others are traded away: What does that say to future prospects ?? No one will want to sign with them.
    As far s A-ROD is concerned ,we don’t need an ego like his in a Red Sox uniform. . He should take lessons from Mike Lowell. I’m just praying that the sox don’t give Lowell a Bronson Arryoshaft after signing him for short money.
    NYY can keep him , and for my money they can have Santana too.

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