New-look Twins

Here's my projected 2008 batting order, lineup and pitching rotation for the Twins right now as it stands. I still believe all the rumblings I'm hearing that the Twins will deal Johan Santana soon. For now, let's play with him in the Twins uniform:

Lineup
1. Brendan Harris, 2B
2. Craig Monroe, CF
3. Joe Mauer, C
4. Delmon Young, LF
5. Justin Morneau, 1B
6. Michael Cuddyer, RF
7. Jason Kubel, DH
8. Mike Lamb, 3B
9. Adam Everett, SS

Bench
Alexi Casilla, INF
Mike Redmond, C
Nick Punto, INF
Brian Buscher, 3B

Pitching rotation
1. Johan Santana, LH
2. Scott Baker, RH
3. Kevin Slowey, RH
4. Boof Bonser, RH
5. Matt Guerrier, RH

Bullpen
Joe Nathan, RH
Jesse Crain, RH
Dennys Reyes, LH
Juan Rincon, RH
Pat Neshek, RH
Francisco Liriano, LH
Carmen Cali, LH

That's my guess on the 25-man rotation as it stands today. A few things need to be pointed out, however: Liriano may begin in Class AAA to check out his arm. I figure the Twins will want him in the bullpen to work his way up to starting. Because of that, Guerrier is a simple stop-gap in the rotation for now. Guerrier has always wanted to start and, frankly, there's no one else available. Glen Perkins, LH, would be a good bet to push these guys, but he's coming off a major arm injury.

I'm figuring the Twins will put Monroe in center. It makes no sense that they even have him if they aren't going to do that with him. I see him as Rondell White Jr. out there. The Twins must think if they get former Tigers after they've sucked, they can get them back to their original playing form.

The heart of that lineup looks pretty formidable with the left, right, left, right kind of mixture. If I were managing, I think I'd try batting Mauer No. 2 and move the rest of the lineup accordingly, but Gardenhire seems fixed on him at 3, so we'll assume that continues.

Bottom line: the rotation doesn't look great with or without Santana. It's nice for 2009, but if this is what we get, we'd better hope for a strong bullpen to carry the defense.

Silva Next To Leave

Spittin' Carlos Saliva is being courted by the Seattle Mariners for a whopping $11 million per year (reportedly a four-year deal is being shopped to him) and Fox Sports online is claiming he's the top free agent pitcher on the market right now.

Folks, that's a poor free agent market.

Silva, who is 28 and never passed on a buffet, averages near 200 innings per year and that's got to be what's getting the Mariners all wound up. It's quite the raise for Silva, who made $4.3 million last year.

If you're wondering: No, the Pohlad family won't be shelling out $11 million per to hang on to Johan Santana's fellow Venezuelan.

To put Silva's possible new contract in perspective, Santana made $13 million in 2007 and $8.75 million in 2006. Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia made $8.75 million last year. Arizona's Brandon Webb made $4.5 million. Detroit's Justin Verlander made just $1 million last year.

I guess you can't fault a guy for making as much money as he can, but those are some tough numbers to believe on a right-handed pitcher -- especially one who 55-46 career with a 4.39 ERA.

(Photo: City Pages blogs)

Santana trade or no-trade will benefit Twins

By Bullpen Catcher

Reports today say the Yankees are back in on talks for lefty Johan Santana. Is this really news? Steinbrenner Jr. gave the media an ultimatum for the Twins during the Winter Meetings, but who in their right mind really thought the deadline was anything but grandstanding?

My guess all along has been that Santana would be traded for a pile of folks before 2008. Keeping him is by no means a poor choice: if the team is in the Central Division race at the trade deadline, the Twins could keep him for a World Series run; if they are out of it, a deadline trade could yield a ton of return from an AL East suitor.

A trade between now and Spring Training (February) won't be depleated of talent, either.

My prediction here is the Yankees come in with chunky centerfielder Melky Cabrera, young right-handed pitcher Phil Hughes and give in (take that Hank Steinbrenner, you big dink) and throw in TWO more players -- one a minor leaguer no one has heard of and the other a big shot like super chunky right-hander Joba Chamberlain . The Chamberlain part of the trade is the part the Yankees claim to be avoiding (it's supposed to be a Twins demand the Yankees add him or pitcher Ian Kennedy).

Two reasons tell me this will happen very, very soon:

First, the Yankees are itching to make a deal. Why else would they open these talks? Boston is still lurking in the wings with an offer the Twins seem enamored with and New York can't let the Red Sox dominate them again in 2008.

Second, the Yankees are the center of the George Mitchell Steriod Report. Much of the report's controversial content is based on testimony from a former Yankee batboy turned trainer. Plus, the biggest name in the report is former (and in May probably current) Yankee pitcher Roger Clemens. Also named are Yankee left-hander Andy Pettitte and first baseman Jason Giambi. In all, 18 current and former Yankees are named in the report.

Um, that's pretty damn damning of the team.

Trading for Santana would be the perfect spin for the Yankees. Getting the town talking about a trade rather than steriods and HGH would benefit the team's PR and interviewing Santana about wearing pinstripes plays better in the tabloid New York press than Pettitte claiming he only used HGH two days (yeah, right Andy).

Heck, I wouldn't even be surprised if the Mets tried a similar tactic. They've got a snitch in the report and 12 former and current players in the report. My only hope is Billy Smith is slick enough to gobble up a real third baseman in the mix.



(Top photo: Joba Chamberlain, from Fantasy Baseball Talk; Bottom photo: Phil Hughes, from New York Newsday)