Baseball Prospectus, Why Must You Taunt Me?
November 21, 2009 at 5:44 pm | Posted in Carlos Santana, Casey Blake | 20 CommentsToday’s front page article:
We’ve been over the travesty of trading the Indians a better prospect for Casey Blake than they received for C.C. Sabathia a ton of times here, so I won’t bore you with it again. (Once again, this does not mean I hate Casey Blake. It means I hate the trade. I can’t believe people still get that confused.) Still, when you see comments like this about Santana from BP prospect guru Kevin Goldstein…
Year in Review: One of the top catching prospects in the game, Santana only helped his reputation with a monster showing in his first year at the upper levels.
The Good: Santana’s bat is so special that if he was a first-base prospect, he’d still be elite. His approach is big league-ready, as he never swings at a bad pitch. As one scout put it, “When he does finally swing, special things tend to happen.” His power is plus to plus-plus to all fields, and for a player with his strength, he maintains an outstanding contact rate. He’s a solid defender with above-average arm strength.
…it really pours salt on that open wound – especially with Russell Martin’s career in a nosedive.
But hey, at least we can stop blaming Ned Colletti for this and put more blame on the McCourts for putting Colletti in this situation, right? Right?
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I will stay calm… When he has his breakout year with the Indians… Then the RAGE will come out…how many ex-Dodger player/prospects have we seen flourish with other teams? I know every team has them, it just seems we got more than anybody!
Comment by Mud — November 21, 2009 #
I was furious with Colletti at first, but now, yes, the McCourts are solely to blame.
Though I do grow tired of everyone not getting over this trade. It’s done. Dodgers were stupid. We’re not getting Santana back.
Thanks for posting this, though.
Comment by FHR — November 21, 2009 #
You’re completely right. I DO need to get over this. It’s just that when I see how GOOD Santana has become just as we’re having a problem at catcher…
I mean, we could be starting Santana at C next year, and have traded Martin, Elbert, McDonald, and Hu (just spitballing there) to Toronto for Halladay.
But no, McCourt had to save $2m. God, he’s horrible.
Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness — November 21, 2009 #
I would love to see the divorce go sour and the McCourts forced to sell the team. He might be a jackass, but Mark Cuban would be awesome. The guy pumped tons of money into the Mavs and made them a contender (being a Spurs fan, it really pains me to say things like that). But honestly, anyone who actually HAS money would be better than the McPennyPinchers.
Comment by Justin — November 21, 2009 #
The problem is, every asshat at ESPN, Fox, etc… is going to remind us that we had Santana and gave him away. I am over Ned on this deal. I know that he had his walking orders, but I hope to never be in the same area code as McCourt – I might need an alibi when Frank is found broken and bleeding next to his Olympic pool.
Comment by grabarkewitz — November 21, 2009 #
Now you’ve done it, you’ve gone a gotten Torgy all riled up again.
For me, it’s not really a case of needing to get over this trade. I just try to use selective memory and pretend it never happened. Keeps my blood pressure from rising.
Comment by Babe Herman — November 21, 2009 #
I have tried, but everytime I hear the name Carlos Santana, I die a lot. This guy was going to be an All Star from his first day in the show. If I was a violent person, I might make a road trip to Holmby Hills and bust my foot off in McCourt’s cheap ass.
Comment by grabarkewitz — November 21, 2009 #
Would you calm down and stop freaking out? I’m sure everyone’s reactions would be a lot more subdued if we’d won the World Series this year. It sounds to me like a lot of this is just kicking a dead horse and getting repressed feelings of disappointment and anger out. The fact of the matter is, Carlos Santana hasn’t played a day in the majors and hasn’t proven what he can do yet. He could be excellent, he could be mediocre. Or you know what? He could be one of those guys who excels in the minors but just never manages to play well in the majors and is out of baseball entirely within a few years. STOP BEATING A DEAD HORSE AND ROOT FOR RUSSELL MARTIN LIKE A TRUE FAN!
Comment by The Fury — November 22, 2009 #
Fury, completely disagree with you here. Of course we’re all rooting for Martin; why wouldn’t we be? but you must admit he’s been declining while Santana might be a top ten prospect. To know that we lost that because of McCourt’s cheapness kills me.
Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness — November 22, 2009 #
Who is not being a true fan? BTW, what is a true fan? I don’t hear anyone not supporting Martin, but one has to worry about his downward trend over the past two years. It is all about options. If Martin is somehow broken or, as you say, a mediocre player, doesn’t it make sense to have a potential all star ready to take over? Let’s face it, neither AJ Ellis, Lucas May or even Tony Delmonico have anywhere near the same potential as Carlos Santana. It was a bad move orchestrated by McCourt and like the Pedro for DeShields deal, it will never go away. Or better yet, ask a Giant fan if they can get over Liriano/Nathan for AJ Asshat? This is more about ownership than Russell Martin or Carlos Santana, anyway.
Comment by grabarkewitz — November 22, 2009 #
I don’t go a day without dreaming of what could have been for the 2012 Dodgers and beyond
SS Gordon
Cf Robinson
1st Pujols
Rf Kemp
Lf Ethier
C Santana
3rd Bell
2nd DeJesus
With a million variables
But now I cling to hopes of a Martin resurgence, any elite 1st base arrival, and perhaps a Dewitt at third that can be league average offensively.
Though it is always heartwarming when thinking of Kershaw.
Comment by Table — November 21, 2009 #
I agree. It just doesn’t seem worth it for a lousy $2 million.
Imagine how A’s fans (they still have fans, right?) feel when Ethier hits game-winners left and right.
Comment by Justin — November 21, 2009 #
On this topic, are you going to grade ownership, Gm office and managers?
Comment by gillbert — November 21, 2009 #
Torre probably. Colletti maybe. If I try to grade ownership it’d just be 2000 words of expletives, so probably not.
Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness — November 21, 2009 #
I don’t let Ned off the hook so easily. I’ll even go so far as to lump Logan and Kim in with him. They’re all part of the FO team and the latter two should’ve had sizeable influence on that deal.
Couldn’t they have easily tossed in someone else? Was it Santana or no deal?? I find it hard to believe it was, so why give them Santana? And yes, the McCourts take top blame, as they easily lost a helluva lot more than 2 million in potential lost revenue for losing that guy.
Total idiots, the lot of them.
Comment by Captain Obvious — November 23, 2009 #
And to add to the mess, getting a better prospect for Blake than CC?? That fails the smell test right there, how could our FO be so effin stupid??
Comment by Captain Obvious — November 23, 2009 #
We were desperate. DeWitt was not cutting it, Nomar was hurt, again and we really didn’t have an option at third. I don’t blame the FO, they know who signs their checks. This was all Frank. One less kitchen remodel, less spent on flowers and stylists, one less spin doctor and we would still have Carlos Santana. In all reality, White and Colletti had to spin Frank’s line about the deal being good for the Dodgers. Sure, either speak their minds, but the world of baseball executives is a small one and not being a “team” player doesn’t help finding a new job.
Comment by grabarkewitz — November 23, 2009 #
Thanks, Mike, I am now in mid-season wanna strangle McCourt mode. I was in hibernation land regarding the McCourts. Now, I am ready to invest in someone dropping a bowling ball on Frank’s pointed head.
Comment by grabarkewitz — November 23, 2009 #
This post makes me ill.
Comment by Erich — November 23, 2009 #
Is Carlos Santana the new Pedro Martinez?
Who cares, he’s gone. We’ve got Russell. End of story. Get over it.
Comment by Shmolnick — November 23, 2009 #