Kernan: Yanks Missed Boat On Beltran & Santana
Via Kevin Kernan -
This could have been so different.
Johan Santana will start today in the first game of the Mets’ doubleheader against the Braves at Shea Stadium, and Carlos Beltran will be in his usual spot, center field.
They both could have been in the Yankees lineup over in The Bronx. The Yankees could have had both superstars. What a difference that would have made for both the Mets and Yankees.
Until the Yankees turn it around and get back to the postseason, the decision not to sign Santana will haunt them. They decided to go with kid pitchers Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, and that proved to be disastrous.
When you throw in the fact that Beltran was available in January 2005 and wanted to play for the Yankees, but the team opted to spend their big dollars on Randy Johnson, that’s another decision that will haunt the Yankees.
The book is still out on Johan Santana. But, Beltran? I’ve seen him play the last four seasons for the Mets. And, he’s soft. I’m not sure he could have helped the Yankees. In fact, he was terrible for the Mets in 2005. Granted, he was a stud in 2006 – until his last At Bat in the post-season. Further, Beltran in 2007, and this season, has been no better with the bat than Johnny Damon was in 2006 or this year.
The Mets can have, and keep, Carlos Beltran. It’s no big loss for the Yankees.
The Mets can have, and keep, Carlos Beltran. It’s no big loss for the Yankees.
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agreed
Beltran in the Yankee lineup would have been ideal for him. Earning all that money, he’s the focus of the Mets offense. Put him in with a bunch of other overpaid guys and he’d be more than fine. In fact, he’d be a lot like Bobby Abreu. “Soft” is a good word for Abreu, too. And he doesn’t like to be the focal point of a team. He wants the big bucks while he can just fit in to a lineup and play without all the pressure. And last but not least, Shea stadium isn’t nice to power hitters from the left side. Yankee stadium was designed for power hitters from the left side.
Skipping Beltran when Boras was offering him at a discount was most definitely a mistake. And since then you’ve wasted time on a AAAA player, wasted money on a guy who really can’t play CF anymore (but almost certainly will have to next season), and now are hoping that a highly touted prospect will just slide in and be a star in 2010.
Here’s hoping you pass on Teixeira, the latest superstar available to fill a glaring need.
Santana talk again? Santana is crappy at Fenway and his signing would have required 3 things: 1 giving up a gaggle of prospects 2 adding a centerfielder (because of losing Melky) 3 adding up to 40 mill in payroll(before luxury tax). All of those things don’t add up somehow. Santana’s dominance in the AL was waning. As I’ve said before, Bill Smith actually preferred Boston’s package so the Yanks had to give up even more than they had to. But lastly, the Yanks had a hitting problem NOT a pitching problem per se this season.
Once was at that point the Yanks still had Bernie and were trying to fill other needs. Beltran would have been a good addition to the Yanks, but quite frankly so was Damon.
Teix would be a good pickup for the Yanks no matter what. They need a first baseman and he is a player in his prime that can get it done. They will overpay BUT they are reimagining this team for next season and need to add a spark or two. And even subtract someone like Abreu who is “soft”.
Agreed Steve re: Beltran. And his defense is atrocious at times as well.
Skipping Beltran when Boras was offering him at a discount was most definitely a mistake.
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How so? The “discount” was $17M less than what the Mets got him for but with luxury tax would’ve still been more than the Mets are paying him now.
The Yankees wouldn’t have been any better off with Carlos Beltran over the past four seasons. It’s certainly not Melky that cost them playoff series wins against Anaheim, Detroit, and Cleveland from 2005-2007.