Dear Mr. Carl Pohland, and Mr. Terry Ryan
I'm am writing you today to cordially say, "What the hell are you doing with Johan Santana and his contract?" Now, usually I don't like it when guys make comments to the media about money and what not but this is a little bit warranted. I mean honestly, can you really blame him?
He sees guys like Ted Lilly making $44 million over 4 years, and Gil Meche receiving $55 million over 5 years. If you do the math they are both making more each year of their contract than Johan is making yearly in his 4 year $40 million contract he is currently under. As far as performance is concerned he deserves to be making considerably more that Barry Zito, who just received the largest contract ever given to a pitcher.
Santana is like a Venezuelan Sandy Koufax. He's the best pitcher of this generation and goes weeks at a time without losing. Even years at a time without losing at home. He has won 2 of the last 3 Cy Young's and personally he's my pick to win it again in '08 barring injury. If nothing gets done Santana will hit the market as a 28 year-old in his prime and then you know that he'll wind up playing for a big-market team in a big-market venue in '08.
Santana has given you the heads up by saying that the sooner you retool his contract the better off it will be. You have to know he is true to his word, and you have to realize that each and every time he takes the mound in 2007 his price will go up. So, here is a noble idea: Ask him what he wants and throw 5%-10% on top for good measure! If you want any shot at bringing him back next year now is the time. So open your small-market wallet sooner than later. Because as far as Santana playing in Minnesota in 2008, it's now or never.
Sincerely,
The Sports Flow
3 comments:
I'm praying Johan will remain with the Twins for longer... but he could probably get at least $20 million a year on the open market, and Pohlad won't go for that. If they can even get Johan to agree to something like 4 year/$60 million, that'd be awesome.
Ryan's a smart guy, so he probably knows this as well. He knows that if the Twins are going to keep Johan, they can't let him hit the market becuase then he's not coming back.
I would say not would definately be the time to do so. Each time he takes the mound in '07 he's just going to get more expensive. He's verbally told them this so then I just don't understand why they wouldn't jump at the opportunity to keep him a twin.
Johan still does have 2 years on his contract though. S even if they decide to be stupid and not pay him, he has at least 2 more years left in Minnesota
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