If the Sox really think that Santana isn’t worth the guys they’re talking about giving up they’re idiots. You’re talking about a TOPS #2 guy who has showed that he isn’t adapting to the majors and has a terrible BB rate and WHIP. He’s a league average starter. Esslbury is not an impact player who’s being hyped like crazy for no good reason. He can hit for average and steal bases but that’s about it. Think Brett Gardner with twice the homers, but if you even thought about putting Gardner in a santana deal you’d get laughed outta the room. The fact that people are buying into those 2 being top tier prospects is just a testament to how stupid and repetitive boston fans/media are. If you tell a lie often enough people start to believe you.

Cano must stay. 2B is the weakest offensive position in baseball after catcher. Besides Utley, the 2B “stars” are slap hitters like Polanco and Pedroia. Cano is a rare 2B who, like Utley, can hit for power. He has a dynamite arm and should only get better defensively. I wouldn’t get rid of Cano for anything short of Verlander, Beckett, Peavy or Pujols.

Just think about this the next time you throw up “let trade Cano and we can get similar production from XXX” no you can’t. Cano is in fact better than Soriano (in the sense that he could stay at second) , and just look at the 2B production we had in the next two season without Soriano. we got REALLY lucky in 04 with Cairo. then we got Womack.

your XXX is MUCH more likely to be Womack than Cairo.

Cano through age 24 season: 509 hits .314 average 48HR

Carew through age 24 season: 498 hits .307 21HR

Jeter through age 24 season: .308 588 hits 39HR

you do realize that Carew go to 3000 hits and Jeter has a awsome shot right? Jeter played almost half a season more than Cano up to this point. Cano actually wins in his hit rate by a good margin. (of course. his lack of patience actually plays to his favor here.)

He is also a tool for the RedSox front office.

Pete reported from the Winter Meetings that by virtue of their clearly superior offer..The Red Sox had won the Johann Santana Sweepstakes and would soon consumate a deal…only minor details to work out.

Was Mr. Insider Peter Gammons duped…did he just blow it…or was he shilling for Epstein to get the Yanks to up their offer and overpay for a 1 yr rental of Santana’s services.

Shame on Peter…Incompetent…Ill-informed or abusing his position (willfull conflict of interest much!)

Let’s be clear…Hanko & Cash called the Gammons/ESPN/Epstein/Smith Bluff!!!

Redfaced with Bosox Botox…Gammons strains credulity with his new perspective (after reporting failure).

Cash is going to Fenway in this Hot Stove appearance to have a good laugh at Epstein and Gammons for their blown gambit.

At the Winter Meetings he was breaking news about how the Bosox had won the Santana sweepstakes because of their clearly superior offer to the Twins. The supposedly agreed upon deal (justing working out a few minor details) between the Sox & Twins could only have been made easier to consummate when the Yankees said go ahead…we’re out.

Old Man Gammons was just using his ESPN public address system to try and get the Yanks to overpay for Santana.

Now after stating the Santana to Boston deal was in the bag…he says maybe the Redsox are better without actually trading for Johann.

Excuse me Pete Gammons (Mr. Insider) but you either blew it; was used by the Red Sox or deliberately misled the public.

The truth is Hanko & Cash called the Gammons/ESPN/Epstein/Smith bluff and now Peter is looking to reclaim some shred of credibility with this cockamamie new “commentary” on the Red Sox failure to deliver!

With a full no-trade clause, Santana controls the process…It’s clear now…the Twins have no leverage…if Johann wanted to go to Boston…he would be on the Roster today.

The Twins blew it…Epstein played it just as poorly and Gammons has egg on his face.

I’m sure Cashman is going to Fenway to have a good laugh at Gammons and Epstein for their bumbling.

If you think that the Santana situation somehow inhibits the Yankees ability to do business you are sadly mistaken. Granted, Hank does like to hear himself talk, but, as has been stated ad nauseum here, the ‘deadline’ that you are so scared of still contained the caveat that the Twins would call the Yanks before making a final deal.

Chicken Little much?

This is a very bad development for the Yanks. Thanks to Hank’s careless statements, the Yanks will no longer be able to play the “deadline” card again, which could have been a potentially useful negotiating tool in the hands of a competent negotiator. Hank is awful.