I think his plan for signing a contract was something along the lines of buying out his first two years of free agency, but at a value comparable to what he would make on the market. Santana is after money, hands down. But the market set the going rate for pitchers of his calibur. Benson surely didn't deserve the cash he got, neither did Lowe. But they got it and Johan will be looking for more than that.

And i'm with ya, AJ. I THINK he'll put up numbers like this year after year, but what if he is a fluke? What if hitters start to get a better read on him? I'm inclined to think he'll do nothing BUT improve or at least sustain the numbers he is putting up. I just fail to see the Twins being able to hang onto him. You KNOW they Yanks will go after him once he is available. They've already hinted at it. (collusion? hello? HI!)

Well, see. I think if he puts up numbers this year the Twins will try very hard to resign him. I'm not too sure about him going to the Yankees. If the Yankees don't win the WS this year I think they may start to rethink their spending habits. I mean they've spent more money than any other team in past ball for the past 6 seasons or so, and what's it gotten them? Nothing but a bunch of whiney overpayed players who have no idea what a TEAM is.

I could still see him pricing himself out of the Twins plans though. If they DON'T lock him up, he'll just keep getting arbitration deals. Those $$'s are gonna rise each year if he is consistent. Before you know it, in 2 years he is a free agent.

No i don't think he goes to the Yanks next year, but if they don't lock him up soon, he WILL test free agency. He's already stated that he will if not given a fair deal.

I somehow doubt George will stop spending. He may opt to blame the front office if they fail this year. Cashman and Torre are gone if they lose, in my opinion. I don't believe that is fair, but George has to blame SOMEONE. May as well be Torre and Cashman once again. It goes in cycles.

Hey Malmstorm, it was nice to meet you too, put a face to the picture of the dog crapping.

That was a very nice thing for Larry Wayne to do. I wonder if his stripper wife got the idea? I agree with the "prove you are healthy" deal, too. I mean, Toronto should have done that with Cordel Koskie, he is falling apart. Good ballplayer, but not made of the strongest Canadian lumber.

Johan will never be a Giant. I mean, the Giants stumbled on Jason Schmidt by accident. Maybe after Barry Bonds explodes from all the steroids, the Giants will start focusing on something other than acquiring geriatric players with waning defensive skills.

Santana is not a fluke. And he might be after money, but he DESERVES it. Not like Kris Benson, who just has a slutty wife. Why does he need any money when his wife is going to have a reality series?

Waning defensive skills? 5 Golden Gloves in SF.

I never said Santana was a fluke, I hope he's not, but the Twins are smart for not giving him the big bucks. They need to make sure he's the "real deal."

I agree that Santana deserves it, based on what he has put up thus far. Any team in their right mind would be wanting to lock him up for at least 5 years.

And we don't know if he is a fluke. He has to put up consistant number to prove otherwise. I mean, he only has 1.5 years of full time starting. But he is amazing, i do know that. I hope he puts up numbers that make peoples jaws drop on a regular basis.

BTW- Chipper has remarried. I don't know what his current wife does, but his ex was the Hooters girl.

Chipper remarried again? He really is trailer trash.

Santana is not the Real Deal, everyone knows JD Durbin is.

Santana notables
1996: Had 11.48 strikeouts per-9-innings.
1998: Began season at Quad City ... transferred to Auburn, June 14 ... season-high 5-game win-streak, August 3-29 ... was 4-0, 1.72 (36.2 IP, 7 ER) in 6 starts, August 9-29 ... season-high 8.0 innings and tied season-high 10 strikeouts, August 29 at Lowell ... averaged 9.14 strikeouts per-9-innings ... led club in innings, tied for club lead in wins and games started and was second in strikeouts ... tied for second in league in games started and complete games and was fifth in innings.
1999: Was 3-1, 1.96 (41.1 IP, 9 ER) in 7 starts, April 10-May 19 ... season-high 10 strikeouts, May 8 vs. South Bend ... complete game, June 14 vs. Clinton ... selected to Midwest League All-Star Game, June 22 at Lansing ... season-high 3-game win-streak, July 10-August 12 ... had .256 batting-average-against vs. righthanders ... averaged 8.42 strikeouts per-9-innings ... led club in games started, innings and strikeouts ... was second in league in strikeouts ... acquired from Florida in exchange for pitcher Jared Camp and cash, December 13.
2000: Made major league debut, April 3 vs. Tampa Bay ... made first big league start, April 7 at Kansas City ... first major league win, June 6 at Houston ... was 1-0, 0.96 (9.1 ip, 2 er) in 5 appearances, June 3-22 ... season-high 5.1 innings and 7 strikeouts, August 10 at Tampa Bay ... first-batters-faced in relief were 7-22 (.318) ... averaged 6.70 (86.0 ip, 64 k) strikeouts per-9-innings ... was 0-3, 9.82 (22.0 ip, 24 er) in 5 starts and 2-0, 5.34 (64.0 ip, 38 er) in 25 relief appearances ... had .263 batting-average-against with 3 home runs vs. lefthanders. (Not a stellar pitching year, but a kick ass hitting year!)
2001: Injured from June 12-Sept 21
2002: Began season at Edmonton ... had 16 strikeouts, April 29 at New Orleans ... had 5-game win-streak, going 5-0, 2.00 (27.0 ip, 6 er), May 6-26 ... recalled May 31 ... season-high 3-game win-streak, going 3-0, 1.44 (25.0 ip, 4 er) in 4 starts, June 18-July 3 ... singled off Randy Wolf for first major league hit, June 23 at Philadelphia ... tied career-high 8.0 innings and career-high 13 strikeouts, July 28 vs. Toronto ... did not allow a run in 5 appearances (8.1 ip), September 10-22 ... had .195 (15-77) batting-average-against with no homers vs. lefthanders ... was 7-5, 3.24 (80.2 ip, 29 er) in 14 starts and 1-1, 2.28 (27.2. ip, 7 er) in 12 relief appearances ... pitched 6-plus innings in 7 of 14 starts ... had 7 quality starts ... averaged 11.4 strikeouts per-9-innings ... led club in strikeouts.
2003: Did not allow a run in first 7 appearances (14.0 ip),April 2-20 ...season-high 8 strikeouts,April 10 at New York ...was 2-0,1.64 (11.0 ip,2 er)in 4 appearances (1 start),April 30-May 9 ...was 2-0, 1.64 (21.2 ip,2 er)in 9 appearances (2 starts),May 29-June 25 ... named American League Pitcher of the Month for August,going 5-0, 1.07 (42.0 ip,5 er),walking 10 and striking out 44 ...career-high 8-game win-streak,August 3-September 20 ...tossed 8.0 innings in three consecutive starts,August 8-19 ...had back-to-back 10 strikeout games,August 19-24 ...had .191 (34-178)batting-aver- age-against with 5 homers vs.lefthanders ...stranded 16 of 22 (73%)inherited runners and first batters faced in relief were 3-24 (.125)...was 11-2,2.85 (110.1 ip,35 er)in 18 starts and 1-1,3.56 (48.0.ip,19 er)in 27 relief appearances ...pitched 6-plus innings in 11 of 18 starts ...had 11 quality starts ...averaged 9.6 strikeouts per-9-innings ...led club in strikeouts and tied for eighth in A.L . ..led club and league in winning percentage (12-3,.800)and set club record for winning percentage, besting Frank Viola in 1988 (24-7,.774).
2004: Launched presidential campaign, sat bitches down.

That was awesome!

Um, why does getting remarried mean you are trailer trash? Last i checked that "trash" would have lead your team in pretty much every offensive category over the last decade. Even his horseshit average last year would have been tolerable.

Hey, people make mistakes and marry young. What is with you Twins fans and hating every single player NOT wearing a Twins uni? You'd boo Elvis if he were wearing a Reds hat.

Great useless information on Johan. Too bad anything before 2002 didn't mean shit. I'd lock him up in a heartbeat, but he still has to prove he isn't a fluke. If we bet on players that had 1.5 years of DOMINANT years to be Hall of Famers, we'd all be pretty broke. But, if i were to bet on ONE pitcher becoming better than Santana, it'd be Oliver Perez. Easy.

Really, I truly do hope that he does sustain that success and that the Twins retain him. They need to at least send another statement that they won't let ALL their players leave.

I'd boo Elvis cause he sucks! Regardless of who's hat he was wearing.

What the crap? It said I was not logged in, and I lost my post. Now I don't feel like retyping it.

Just know that it was brilliant.

LOL! Ok, i believe ya. I hate the 'net sometimes. Spend 20 minutes on a crazed rant, only to have it erased or the dreaded "this page cannot be displayed" horror.

I can't say i've always been an angel at games, though. I had to boo Jamie Cerda at a Royals/Twins game only because he was a former Met. Oh well, it wouldn't be the first time i called a kettle black.

I don't think it is just "me" when i say this, but i DO think Twins fans tend to boo players JUST to boo them. Gary Sheffield and Ken Griffey JR come to mind as ones i've seen get some pretty bad treatment by MN fans. I know they are both arrogant pricks, but i tend to boo a player when they do damage to the team i am rooting for. I just couldn't put my finger on what Sheff did to Twins fans to get a "you suck!" from the fat guy in the upper deck eating 60 $1 hot dogs. (this was when he was a Brave, BTW)

Oh well. Guess it could be worse. Could be batteries tossed at players or coaches getting tackled.

I boo Sheffield cause I loathe him. I'd boo him if he wore Giants uniform, much like I still did the Darr-yl chant when Darryl Strawberry wore a Giants uniform. Hell, I did it when he I saw him in a Saints uniform.

I can understand your hatred for Gary, especially since he spent some time as a Dodger, but really, most fans here in Minnesota have no reason to boo him. It isn't as if he wore a White Sox uni or creamed the Twins in the playoffs. It is just weird to me.

Same with Griff. The Twins weren't even a contender when i heard the fans boo him.

Now, New York fans have reasons to boo Chipper, but they have reason. Really, i think MN fans just like to boo everyone.

Seriously, fuck this message board.

Ok, Twins fans hate Sheffield because they hate all Yankees, and he became one. Or at least, that makes sense, and it is why I boo him. In addition to his steroids.

I don't hate all players, I'm just mostly indifferent to people unless they play for the Yankees or the Braves (I hate the Braves, sorry, 91 World Series and all... not to say that it's a rational hatred or anything).

Maybe they are saying Boo-urns?