Thumbs Up Or Thumbs Down?

Like always, on the last day of the winter meetings, when everybody else is packing up and getting ready to go home, the Twins announce and make their annual, big, off-season deal. This time it's the signing of Ervin Santana to a 4-year, $55 million deal. No doubt about it, this is now the biggest free-agent signing in club history, subplanting the huge Ricky Nolasco deal the Twins had last year. The question on everyone's mind? Was he worth it?

My question to you is this, was Nolasco worth it? Ricky had flashes of brilliance, but overall, this past season Nolasco was a disaster for the Twins. AND YET... his metrics (the stats that matter) in every category except wins and ERA were far superior to Santana's last season. Santana's best season was 2008 and he's been living on that reputation for six years. If nothing else, that tells us he's been a shell of his former self for quite a while now. I should mention that his ERA last year was 3.99 in the National League. That translates to a full 4.50 in the American League and it's full-time DHs.

So why did the Twins sign him? Primarily he's an innings eater. The Twins fully expect him to give us 200 innings a year. That's why we sign most of our older starters. We want guys that give us 7 innings for thirty starts every year. They don't have to good. They have to be durable.

Obviously for me this a big thumbs down. It's not so much that he's bad, it's that he's average and expensive. It's the same problem I have with Hunter. For less money, and less time commitment he'd be a good third or fourth starter. We're paying him like he'll be our best. And everyone knows he not that. Between Nolasco, Mauer, Santana, and Hunter the Twins will be shelling out over $60 million dollars this season. That means everyone else on the roster, about 20 guys, will be splitting the remaining $45 million, or about $2 million each.

None of the big four are worth it. Santana is just another huge, long-term financial commitment that's delaying our youth movement. I'd rather give young arms a chance than invest in old, damaged goods.

Even if he HAS a huge, great season for us THIS year, we're committed to his aging arm for at least three more seasons. That's just another rotation spot that won't go to one of our young guns for three more years.

I'm hoping I'm wrong. I really want him to be a big deal in Minnesota. But guys like Pelfrey and Nolasco have soured my view on the Twins being capable of judging good, aging pitchers.