From Anthony McCarron of Daily News:
After what he described as a “slow holiday season” for baseball business, Hank Steinbrenner is returning to his office Thursday to begin working on “a final decision” regarding a trade for Johan Santana. And he believes the Yankees have made the top offer for the Minnesota ace.
“I think the Twins realize our offer is the best one,” Steinbrenner said Wednesday in a telephone interview. “I feel confident they’re not going to trade him before checking with us one last time and I think they think we’ve already made the best offer.”
Steinbrenner said the offer “does not include two of the three young pitchers” - Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, from a group that also includes untouchable Joba Chamberlain - “but it’s still the best one. And let’s face it, we’re the best able to handle the kind of contract (extension) Santana will be after.”
It looks like the reports about the Yankees shedding payroll before adding another $140 million over 7 years for Santana weren’t entirely accurate. By saying “we’re the best able to handle the kind of contract (extension) Santana will be after”, Hank has now made money a non-issue. I disagreed with PeteAbe on this point yesterday when he said in his blog that the Yankees would probably not like to spend that much money on one pitcher. My point was, money has never been an issue regarding a player the Yankees desperately wanted.
And now, Hank’s closing statements:
“I either have to do it (a Santana deal) or don’t do it, same thing for the Red Sox, I guess,” Steinbrenner added. “I think the Twins would like to keep him, so I don’t think there’s any hurry on anyone’s part. It all depends on what he asks for in an extension. You obviously have to be very careful with pitchers, for obvious reasons.”
“At the same time, we won’t be in it to keep him from them (RED SOX),” Steinbrenner said. “Each team is in it for what they can handle. We have great young pitching, that’s the main plan. Do we want to put Santana in there, who’s 29 (in March), to be an ace for a few years?
“I know a majority of fans don’t want to lose Hughes.”
It’s 50/50 right now that the Yankees make the deal. You can sense that the pressure to improve the pitching next year with a proven ace is starting to wear on Hank. If he was satisfied with the make-up of the team, especially the starting rotation, he and the organization would have moved on already.
I’m against the move mostly because of the cost. I think seven years is way too long to sign a pitcher that’s one year away from turning 30. I think keeping the kids and developing them is the best solution for the 2008 season.
At least he’s aware that most of us what to keep Hughes.
So much for that slow January.