Blowin' In the Wind?

Update

Here is some extra credit reading. Something that I'll even admit that I've overlooked.

Is it only a matter of time before there is a press conference with Johan Santana putting a Sox jersey on over his suit? As of this morning, the Twins had requested to see the Red Sox medical records on Jon Lester, showing that progress had been made in trade talks for the two-time Cy Young Award winner.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the story of Jon Lester. It’s incredible. A guy gets cancer, beats it and comes back the next year to pitch a winner in the game clinching contest of the World Series. It could be made into a movie I suppose. But moving him to Minnesota for Johan plus giving up Coco Crisp and two minor leaguers is almost a no brainer, right?

I’ve maintained for the past two weeks since Boston threw their hat into the ring that they were in it to drive up Santana's worth so the Yankees would bite and pay way too much for him. Now with Hank Steinbrenner putting a time limit (last night) on talks with Santana, it looks like the Sox are left standing with a golden ticket. Looks like Steiny didn’t want to see the degradation of the Yankees good name play out in public and have Sox GM Theo Epstein play them for a fool. Probably a good move for the Yanks. Could this be a win-win then?

I’m still not 100% on all of this. I was always a bigger fan of picking up Dan Heron from the Oakland A’s and having Josh Beckett, Heron, Curt Schilling, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Tim Wakefield be the starting five. Maybe throw in a little Clay Buchholz from time to time to give the aging Wake or Schil a break. Now it seams the Sox are convinced and will only be satisfied with Santana and that they are serious about picking him up.

I’m not saying it’s done until it’s done. After getting burned by the whole A-Rod debacle in 2003 I’m cautiously reserving judgment on this potential trade. The two minor league players in question would be shortstop Jed Lowrie and “a gem in the farm system” pitcher Justin Masterson. Lowrie could give the Twins some added depth in the middle of their infield, which is needed, and having more prospects at pitcher the better, right?

So, to trade or not to trade? It it’s for Lester, Crisp and the minor league guys I’d say go for it. I’d rather keep Ellsbury, crazy as that sounds. I think keeping Crisp and picking up Santana puts the team at more of a disadvantage than jettisoning Lester and Crisp and keeping some speed on the team. The Sox needed it this year because of sub-par seasons out of an aging Manny and the oft-injured Big Papi.

Just a thought, and I'm sure it's down the list of possible concerns, but... Since Ellsbury dumped his previous agent and signed with one Scott Boras, could this be a sticking point for the Twins? I'm sure putting up with the super agent who demands a truckload of money for his clients could be more than the Twins may want to deal with down the road. Like I said, just a thought.

All I can say is that I wish they’d just get it over with. I’m not in good shape early this week after the past week when it came to my college football team (Nebraska) deciding their fate in picking a new head coach. So, let’s hurry up and get this done or move on to something else.