Should He Stay Or Should He Go Now?

"Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble
An’ if I stay it will be double
So come on and let me know!
Should I stay or should I go?"
- The Clash
By Bullpen Catcher

Joe Strummer could just as well be singing his classic lyrics to Twins management.

Should Torii stay or should he go?
Should Johan stay or should he go?
Should Joe Nathan stay or should he go?
Should Terry Ryan stay or should he go?

The answers are as simple as the tune by The Clash: If any of them go it may be trouble; if they stay it may be double.

Longtime Star Tribune fossil/grump Sid Hartman made up something the other day (as is his usual wont), telling the WCCO-AM radio crowd Torii Hunter is for sure to be a Twin next year. He claims the Twins are readying money and lining up an offer for the Gold Glove centerfielder and put him under the TC lid for the rest of his career. Facts have never been Sid's best friend. Neither have common sense. If Hunter goes, sure there'll be trouble (ticket sales, jersey sales, center field defense, good quote), but if he stays it could be double. Double in the sense that it will cost the team from bringing whatever money they would dole out for Hunter to such better investments as Johan Santana and Justin Morneau.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported Wednesday there are absolutely zero talks between Hunter's agent and Twins GM Terry Ryan. A Chicago Tribune story yesterday claims the White Sox's top free agent pursuit of the offseason will be to re-tool center field with Hunter. The Dallas Morning News had a story claiming the Rangers' top need of centerfield will be addressed this winter with Aaron Rowand, Andruw Jones or Hunter being their top picks.

There are six weeks left in the 2007 season. The Twins pulled to within six games back in the Central. As Tom Powers adequately pointed out, the season is all but over for this team.

As Hunter's stock rises for offseason bidders, Johan Santana's takes exponential leaps. Santana becomes a free agent at the end of the 2008 season. I believe, as several Hall of Famer's claim, Santana is the best pitcher in the Major League right now. Every day the Twins don't lock Santana up to a long-term contract costs them money -- or Santana. The two-time Cy Young Award winner could fetch upwards of $20 million per season for a five-year contract.

Should they stay or should they go now? Heck, with decisions like this Terry Ryan might be thinking about leaving as fast as his hair.

(Torii Hunter photo courtesy of http://www.mlb.com)