Wednesday January 21, 2004
 

TWINS THOUGHTS

STATE OF THE UNION

FANTASY PERSPECTIVE:

American League Eastern Hitters

Over the course of the next couple of weeks, I will be providing a team-by-team look at many of the major league players from a fantasy baseball perspective. I want to do this for a couple of reasons. First, I love fantasy baseball and love discussing what I think of certain players. Second, I know that many people who take the time to read baseball sites like this one participate in fantasy baseball leagues as well.

However, I do understand not everyone gets into fantasy sports, and that’s OK too. I do not think that my “analysis” will be too “statty” so it should be enjoyable for any baseball fan to read.

I know it is a little bit early to be talking about fantasy baseball, but I know that many keeper leagues have to turn in their ‘keepers’ this month. Also, aside from Ivan Rodriguez and Greg Maddux, most of the free agents still available will be bit players and may or may not affect some of the comments below. However, there could still be some trades which could alter some of these opinions. For instance, if Jacque Jones is traded, that would greatly change the value of Michael Cuddyer. It could also affect how Jacque Jones would be valued.

Another point to mention before getting started is that there are many forms of fantasy baseball. There are the traditional rotisserie leagues, 5x5 leagues, head-to-head, simulation, keeper leagues, American League Only, National League only and many more. Most leagues probably vary in subtle ways. I am not going to try to analyze for any specific variety. I will just give my opinions on the players. When I project a round-range where the player could be drafted, it will be based on a 30 round major league draft.

If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail me.

Disclaimer: What you read below are simply my opinions. Obviously I have no knowledge of what will happen in the 2004 season, so please take the information for what it is worth (fun). Also, these opinions are subject to change as spring training approaches. All players listed are either projected starters, or starters based on my opinion. I will try to project where each player could be drafted, assuming a 30 round draft.

Here is the schedule for this project:

Tuesday - Part 1 - American League Central Hitters

Wednesday - Part 2 - American League East Hitters

Thursday - Part 3 - American League West Hitters

Friday - Part 4 - National League Central Hitters

Monday - Part 5 - National League East Hitters

Tuesday - Part 6 - National League West Hitters

Wednesday - Part 7 - American League Pitchers

Thursday - Part 8 - National League Pitchers

Friday - Part 9 - Rookies and Prospects

PART 2:

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST HITTERS

Today, we jump from arguably the worst division in baseball (AL Central) to arguably the best division in baseball (AL East). You will surely notice that I project many of these players to be drafted far higher than those in the Central. That makes sense. Better players get drafted higher!  So, let’s get going on some analysis. If you have any comments, arguments, agreements, questions or anything, please feel free to e-mail me. When this project is complete, I would like to put together a Mailbag issue with many of those comments.
 

Baltimore Orioles

C - Javy Lopez
Javy Lopez had a huge comeback year in 2003. He hit .328/.378/.687 with 43 home runs and 109 RBI. It was a contract year, and the success meant a 3 year deal with the O’s. Now I think it would be entirely unfair to expect Lopez to duplicate these numbers, however, I would expect him to still be a Top 3 catcher. Last year, I was fortunate to draft him in the 22^nd round. He will be gone by the 3^rd or 4^th round in most drafts.

1B - Rafael Palmeiro
Palmeiro will be 39 years old this season. His days of hitting near .300 were gone about the turn of the century. He is a very one-dimensional hitter at this point. But that one dimension, power, is pretty impressive. One of his 38 home runs last year was his 500^th career. He also drove in 112 runs. He isn’t the same player he has been, but he can still be productive. He is out of Texas though, so I would expect a slight dropoff in his numbers again in 2004. He will probably be drafted too early. I would wait until at least the 8^th round.

2B - Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Hairston missed just over 100 games last year due to injury. However, in 58 games, he already had 14 stolen bases. That is where Hairston has value. He was performing well until he was hurt. Hopefully he can remain healthy. That said, I would look elsewhere for my 2B, draft him late, if at all (but well before Rivas!).

3B - Melvin Mora
Mora represented the O’s in the All-Star game last year. He hit .317 with 15 home runs. However, he played in just 96 games because of a hand injury. Yes, he had a very strong season last year, but even with it, he is a career .262 hitter with little power. I would expect his numbers to fall in the middle somewhere. One positive about Mora from a fantasy perspective is that he will probably be playing 3B this season, and has eligibility in the middle infield and the outfield. Post-25^th round selection.

SS - Miguel Tejada
The 2002 AL MVP moves from the West Coast to the East Coast. Last year, he had a terribly slow start but still ended with a .278/27/106 line. Moving into hitter-friendly Camden Yards, I would expect big numbers from Tejada. Behind A-Rod, I think Tejada will be the clear #2 SS. In the past four years, he has averaged 30.5 homers and 116 RBI. Expect at least that, so I wouldn’t hesitate to take him in the 2^nd round, maybe even the end of the first.

LF - Larry Bigbie/Jack Cust
The 26 year old Bigbie has spent parts of three seasons in Baltimore. Last season, in 83 games, he hit .303 with 9 home runs and 7 stolen bases. The lefty hit lefties at a .326 clip, while hitting .294 with 8 of his homers against righties. He may just need the chance to play every day. Cust, 25, has played parts of the past three seasons in the big leagues as well, just with three different teams. In 73 at bats with the O’s last year, he hit .260 with four homers. Another situation to watch in spring. If Bigbie gets the full-time job, draft him late as a sleeper. Cust? No thanks, unless he gets a lot of time as DH.

CF - Luis Matos
Speaking of sleepers, my choice is Luis Matos. Although he has played in parts of 4 big league seasons, Matos only got full-time duties in the second half of 2003. In 109 games and 439 at bats, Matos hit .303 with 13 homers, 23 doubles, 45 RBI and 15 stolen bases. I see him as becoming this season’s Vernon Wells. I would start considering Matos as your third or fourth outfielder around round 20.

RF - Jay Gibbons
Gibbons has been a solid player since being a Rule V pick in 2001. Last year, he hit .277 with 23 homers and 100 RBI. He actually had 28 homers in 2002, in 135 less at bats, but his batting average went up 30 points. I would expect that Gibbons will hit about .280 and approach 30 homers. Another benefit to Gibbons is that he is eligible at 1B and in the OF. I would take him after the 15^th round.

DH - Marty Cordova/David Segui
Cordova is a perfect illustration of the player that the O’s traditionall get. He had ¾ of a good year with the Indians in 2001, so the Orioles forgot that Cordova had an injury history and gave him a 3 year, big money deal. After hitting .253 with 18 homers in 2002, Cordova played in 9 games in 2003. Or, David Segui had a solid year in 2000 with the Rangers and Indians, so the O’s forgot that he had an injury-history and signed him to a long-term, big money deal. In his 3 years with the O’s, he hasn’t played in more than 82 games in a season. In other words, don’t draft either of these players and assume both will get hurt and before mid-season, Jack Cust will be DHing.

Team Fantasy Summary -

The Good - Tejada and the upside of Matos.

The Bad - Injuries and age for the DH situation.

The Questions - Will Bigbie be given a shot. Can Lopez come near his 2003 numbers? How much does Palmeiro have left? How will Mora back up last season’s success.
 

Boston Red Sox

C - Jason Varitek
Take away an injury-filled 2001 and Varitek has been a very solid, consistent catcher. Looking at those four seasons, he has averaged 16 homers and 72 RBI. Last year was his best though, when he hit .273 with 25 homers and 85 RBI. Consider Varitek in the second wave of catchers, probably about the 15^th round.

1B - Kevin Millar
The former St. Paul Saint has done well for himself. Like most Red Sox, 2003 was Millar’s career best. He hit .276 with 25 homers and 96 RBI. I would not expect him to duplicate those numbers in 2004, but even if he just performs to the average of his previous three seasons, he would hit about .300 with about 17 homers. That puts him below the average 1B, but right in the same neighborhood as the Twins Doug Mientkiewicz. Draft him in the 22^nd round.

2B - Mark Bellhorn/Pokey Reese
Did you know Bellhorn played in parts of five seasons with the Oakland A’s before bursting onto the scene for the Cubs in 2002. That season, he hit .258, but had 27 homers. Last year, he started as the Cubs 3B, but he struggled immensely through 51 games, hitting just .209 with 2 homers. He was traded to the Rockies, where in 48 games, he only had 110 at bats, he hit .236 with no homers and 4 RBI. The Red Sox picked him up, I’m sure hoping that he can return to his 2002 level. Now, Pokey Reese has an incredible glove, but he hasn’t hit, well, ever, and that’s what matters in fantasy baseball. His career average of .251, with very little power. His value would come from stolen bases. To summarize, don’t draft either of these guys, unless Bellhorn looks like he’ll turn it around.

3B - Bill Mueller
If anyone tells you they predicted Bill Mueller’s success last season, they’re lying. After being a very solid hitter for four years in San Francisco, he had two poor, injury-filled seasons with the Cubs. Last year, he led the AL with a .326 average and added 19 homers and 85 RBI. To think he will back that up would be silly. But, I wouldn’t expect a major drop-off either. I would consider him starting in about the 7^th round.

SS - Nomar Garciaparra
The last two seasons, Nomar has hit about .305 and averaged 26 homers and 113 RBI, at the shortstop position. Certainly the situation revolving around he and Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez could make things different, but Nomar can hit. His batting averages his first four seasons were .306, .323, .357 and .372. In other words, he is an unbelievable talent. Because he is a shortstop, he is worthy of a first round pick! If he were to go to the Dodgers, he would drop because of their stadium.

LF - Manny Ramirez
I am no Manny Ramirez fan, but the man can hit! Last season, he hit .325 with 37 homers and 104 RBI. You pretty much know he will hit well over .300 with 35 homers and well over 100 RBI. His OPS has been above 1.000 each of the last five seasons. It has been above .950 each of the last nine seasons. He’s a definite first rounder.

CF - Johnny Damon
Damon is a mid-level outfielder. His batting average hasn’t been great the last three years, but he does steal bases and score runs. He usually hits double-digits in home runs too. He provides a lot of different phases to a fantasy team, but those 30 SBs a year can be huge to a fantasy team. I would draft him in the 18^th to 20^th round.

RF - Trot Nixon
Yet another Red Sox player who had a career year last year. In 2003, he hit .306 (previous high .280), 28 homers and 87 RBI. He just became an all-around better hitter. The only negative about Nixon is that he can’t hit lefties and Grady Little was smart enough to platoon him. That is probably why his numbers are better. However, platoon situations are not good for fantasy sports. Therefore, wait until after the 15^th round to pick Trot.

DH - David Ortiz
One of my favorite former Twins, I was so thrilled to see Ortiz play so well last year. He played such a huge role for the Sox down the stretch. He finished the season with a .288 average, with 31 homers and 101 RBI, in just 128 games. Injuries were always his problem in Minnesota, and the 128 games is about what he played for the Twins in 2002 and 2000, but last year he was played very smartly, and was healthy and able to play every day in September and in the playoffs. He has always had the talent. I would actually expect Ortiz to put up very similar numbers in 2004, but I would wait until after round 15 to pick him, especially if DH’s are counted with 1B.

Team Fantasy Summary -

The Good - Nomar and Manny. The 2003 seasons of the ‘other players’.

The Bad - The 2B situation. Todd Walker was a terrible 2B, but he worked in fantasy baseball.

Question Marks - Will Varitek, Millar, Mueller and Nixon play to the level they did last year? Will Nomar and Manny get traded to bring in A-Rod? Can Bellhorn hit well again?
 

New York Yankees

C - Jorge Posada
Posada is in the same level of catcher as Mike Piazza now, and I think ahead of Pudge Rodriguez. In 2003, he his .281 with 30 homers and 101 RBI. Certainly not typical catcher numbers. Plus, he has played in at least 138 games each of the past four seasons. He has power and drives in runs. Being in the Yankees lineup helps with the runs scored and RBI numbers, as well as gets him better pitches. He is a legitimate 2^nd round pick.

1B - Jason Giambi
Jason Giambi had a ‘bad’ year last year. He had eye problems to go with his late-season knee problems. Yet, in that bad season, Giambi still hit 41 home runs and drove in 107 RBI. If he is healthy, he should be a late first-round selection. Even with his sub-par numbers from last year, he warrants a 2^nd round pick. In his last four seasons, he has averaged 41 home runs and 122 RBI.

2B - Alfonso Soriano
Soriano made $800,000 last season. Yesterday he signed a one year deal with the Yankees, avoiding arbitration, for $5.4 million. Nice raise! A lot of people are down on Soriano because of how sick he looked at the plate in the playoffs last year. Don’t listen to anything they say! In the last two seasons, Soriano has averaged 38.5 homers and 96.5 RBI. The kicker with him though is that, in his three full seasons, he has averaged 40 stolen bases. He is an obvious first-round pick in any fantasy draft. I have seen him ranked as high as #2 overall.

3B - Aaron Boone
Boone really struggled, hitting just .254 in 54 games with the Yankees. However, he had been really good the previous year and a half with the Reds. So, don’t let his struggles in a couple of months with the Yankees make you forget what he had done before that. Even in his bad season last year, he hit 24 homers and drove in 96 runs. He also stole 23 bases. Boone is a guy that could drop a few rounds. Consider him a steal in the 10^th round!

SS - Derek Jeter
Is Jeter paid too much? Absolutely. But I think a lot of people think about that too much. He is a career .317 hitter who hits between 15 and 20 home runs, drives in about 75 runs a year, and usually steals 20-25 bases a year. That’s a pretty well-rounded fantasy player. I would take him after A-Rod, Tejada, Garciaparra and Renterria, but that still makes him a second round pick.

LF - Hideki Matsui
Should Matsui have won Rookie of the Year last year? I don’t think so. Is he a star player? I don’t think so. But he is a very solid baseball player who hits for decent average, hits some home runs (I would expect him to increase dramatically up from last season’s 16). However, because he is right in the middle of the Yankees lineup, he has plenty of opportunities for RBI (106 in 2003) and should score runs. I would draft him after about the 6^th round.

CF - Kenny Lofton
I know the Yankees needed to get Bernie Williams out of centerfield, but Lofton is not much better out there. Offensively, Lofton has not been good since about 1999. Last year, between the Pirates and Cubs, Lofton his .296 with 12 homers. He also stole 30 bases. He should score a lot of runs, since he should be the Yankees leadoff hitter. Don’t expect too much from him though. I wouldn’t draft him until about Round 20.

RF - Gary Sheffield
Gary Sheffield had maybe the best seasons of his remarkable career in 2003 for the Braves. He hit .330 with 39 homers and 132 RBI. His consistency is incredible though. You know he will hit over .300, with over 30 home runs and especially with the Yankees, he should get well over 100 RBI. Sheffield has had some injuries in his career and at 35 years old, there may be some risk. I think Sheffield is a good 2^nd round pick.

DH - Bernie Williams
Bad shoulders. Bad knees. Williams’ body is beaten down. I think last year was the first time that it actually showed in his numbers. In 119 games, he hit .263 with 15 homers and 64 RBI. Not having to play as much in the OF may mean that he could stay healthier the whole year. IF that’s that case, he could return to his former .320+, 20+ HR, 100+ RBI self. The risk drops him closer to the 15th round.

Team Fantasy Summary -

The Good - Posada, Giambi, Jeter, Soriano are all high draft picks.

The Bad - There isn’t much. I mean, when Aaron Boone or Kenny Lofton are your worst players, you shouldn’t be complaining too much..

The Question Marks - Can Giambi and Williams be at 100%? Where will Soriano hit in the lineup? There aren’t a lot of question marks.
 

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

C - Toby Hall
2003 was Hall’s first season as the Rays full-time starter. He played in 130 games and hit .253 with 12 homers and 47 RBI. I would expect much the same in 2004. In other words, if you don’t get one of the top 5 or 6 catchers, wait til late in the draft to pick one, and if Hall is there really late, then pick him.

1B - Tino Martinez
Tino Martinez wasn’t as bad in St. Louis as many made him out to be. He did deal with some injuries. I think he found out that being away from the Yankees hurts your numbers. Also, he will be 36. He will have some baserunners on in front of him this season, so he could get some more RBI again. He’s playing at home, so I’d like to think he would relax and return to his old self. He also could try to do too much and just look old. He seems like a great guy, and I like the Rays, so I hope it’s the former. Don’t draft him before about the 25^th round.

2B - Rey Sanchez
This is easy. Sanchez has never hit for average. He has never hit for power. He has never even been a real stolen base threat. Don’t draft him. I’d almost rather go without a 2B!

3B - Geoff Blum/Jared Sandberg
Blum platooned with Morgan Ensberg in 2003. In 123 games, he hit .262 with 10 homers and 52 RBI. Sandberg has been given a few chances by the Rays the past few years. In 2003, he played in just 55 games (after playing in 102 in 2002), and hit just 6 home runs (after hitting 18 in ’02). I think this could be a straight platoon. Don’t forget that they also signed Fernando Tatis to a minor league contract this month. I don’t know why Sandberg hasn’t been given a chance. Don’t draft any of these three unless you are desperate.

SS - Julio Lugo
Lugo is better than you’d think. Last year, he started with the Astros, but after getting accused of beating up his wife or girlfriend or something, the Astros released him and he was signed by the Devil Rays. Combined, he hit .271 with 15 homers and 55 RBI in 139 games. He also stole 12 bases. Of course, if he doesn’t do much, BJ Upton will just be waiting at AA for his call. I’d draft Lugo before Cristian Guzman, so somewhere around Round 20.

LF - Carl Crawford
I think 2004 is the year of Carl Crawford. In 151 games last year, he hit .281 with 5 homers and 54 RBI. He strikes out too much. He doesn’t walk enough for SABRmetricians. What makes him so valuable in fantasy terms is his 55 stolen bases. ESPN.com says that he is a definite keeper in fantasy leagues. He is also 6-2, 219, so I really think that he could develop some power too. I’d draft him in Round 18.

CF - Rocco Baldelli
Rocco Baldelli has a great name and drew comparisons to Joe Dimaggio. OK, that isn’t really fair! But he had a very solid rookie season. In 156 games, he had 184 hits, batted .289, 11 homers and 78 RBI. He also stole 27 bases. He doesn’t walk much and strikes out a lot. He should be able to maintain this level, but I don’t see big improvements from last year. I would draft him right after Crawford.

RF - Jose Cruz, Jr.
Cruz hit a lot of homers in the early part of the 2003 season with the Giants before cooling off drastically in the 2^nd half of the season. In 158 games, he hit .250 with 20 homers and drove in 68 runs. An encouraging sign is his 102 walks. If he continues with that kind of patience, he could score a lot of runs. I would probably draft him about the 16^th round, just ahead of the other two outfielders.

DH - Aubrey Huff
.311 with 34 homers and 107 RBI. He also had 47 doubles. Aubrey Huff had an incredible 2003 season. The hitters around him should continue to improve, meaning more RBI opportunities. I was fortunate to draft him last year in the 21st round. This year, I think he should go in the first five rounds.

Team Fantasy Summary -

The Good - Huff, Crawford, Baldelli.

The Bad - Sanchez.

The Question Marks - Which Jose Cruz will show up? Can Crawford and Baldelli continue to improve? How good can Aubrey Huff be? When will BJ Upton and Delmon Young get called up?
 

Toronto Blue Jays

C - Greg Myers/Kevin Cash
Greg Myers has been in the majors since 1987. Last year, he played in 121 games, the most of his career. It was the first time he had played in 100 games in a season for 10 years. It was by far his best season. He hit .307 with 15 homers and 52 RBI. I can’t imagine that he would duplicate those numbers, but he may bet that much playing time again. If that is the case, draft him around round 25. Kevin Cash played in 34 games last year for Toronto and hit .142, so don’t draft him.

1B - Carlos Delgado
Carlos Delgado was my choice for American League MVP in 2003. .302 with 42 HR and 145 RBI. In the past six seasons, he has averaged 39.5 HR and 123.5 RBI. He plays almost every day. I could write an entire entry on Delgado, but I will keep it short. He’s a 2^nd round pick, at worst.

2B - Orlando Hudson
There was a lot of talk a couple months ago that teams like the Twins and Red Sox were trying to acquire Hudson. Not exactly sure why. Last year, in 142 games, he hit .268 with 9 home runs and 57 RBI. Certainly better than Rivas, but nothing spectacular. I would take him in the 24^th round.

3B - Eric Hinske
After winning the 2002 AL Rookie of the Year Award, Hinske fell victim to the Sophomore Slump. Yes, he was injured for part of the season, but he didn’t hit when he was healthy. He hit just .243 with 12 homers and 63 RBI. He did steal 12 bases though. Can he get closer to the 24 homers he hit as a rookie? I think so, but I still think he could drop into the 15^th round, if not later. Grab him there.

SS - Chris Woodward
Lost his full-time starting job to Mike Bordick last year. He hit just .261 with 7 homers and 45 RBI in 104 games. In 2002, he actually had 13 homers and 45 RBI in just 90 games. If he can play that productively for 150 games, Woodward would be worth drafting in the 20^th round. I don’t see it happening, so get him in the last round, and only if you don’t already have a SS.

LF - Frank Catalanotto
Catalanotto had a solid year after being hurt much of the 2002 season. Always a solid hitter, Frank hit .299 with 13 HR and 59 RBI. I think he will be closer to 100% in 2004 and probably better these numbers. I don’t think he is worth drafting though.

CF - Vernon Wells
Vernon Wells went from very solid major league centerfielder to superstar in 2003. He was solid in 2002, his first full season when he hit. 275 with 23 homers and 100 RBI. But in 2003, he was incredible; .317 with 33 homers and 117 RBI, with 49 doubles. I would expect Wells to stay at that all star, super star level. Take him in the 3^rd round.

RF - Reed Johnson/Alexis Rios
In part time play (114 games), Reed Johnson hit .294 with 10 homers and 52 RBI. That made Bobby Kielty expendable. I think Johnson will be given the first chance to start every day. But Alexis Rios will be up soon, and when he is, he will play. Last year, at age 22 at New Haven (AA), Rios hit .352 with 11 homers, 11 triples, 32 doubles and 11 stolen bases. He’s a 5 tool guy, and it will be interesting to see when he gets the call.

DH - Josh Phelps
I think a lot of people expected big things from Phelps last year, and it didn’t quite happen. He hit .309 with 15 home runs in 74 games in 2002. In 2003, he got off to a slow start and was actually demoted to AAA. However, in 119 games, Phelps did his just .268 but still had 20 homers and 66 RBI. So, that’s not too bad. I would expect him to have a good year in 2004. He probably warrants a 22^nd round draft pick.

Team Fantasy Summary -

The Good - Delgado and Wells.

The Bad - Woodward and Hudson.

The Question Marks - Will they get any production from the middle infield? Will Hinske and Phelps perform to expectations?

Well, that is it for Part 2 of my Fantasy Baseball Preview. I hope you’ve enjoyed it. The same format will be used for the rest of the teams in baseball. Tomorrow I will discuss the American League Western Division. Please let me know what you think. Any comments or suggestions would be welcomed! E-mail me.
 

TWINS THOUGHTS

Be sure to read Jim Souhan’s article in today’s Star Tribune.  He talked with some current and plenty of recently traded Twins about the current state of the Twins as well as their great relationships. It is incredibly interesting to read.

Twins fan Matthew Stryker put together an audio compilation of highlights from the Twins 2003 season. I would discuss it further in my own words, but I’ll let Matthew tell you what it involves:

Twins 2003 Season Audio Yearbook

This is an 80-minute compilation of Gordon, Gladden, and Carneal sound bites from the Twins Central Division Championship season.  The sound bites are set to music and held together through the compiler’s humble narration. 

The CD highlights several exciting plays (Restovich striking out and miraculously still keeping the game alive against Baltimore, Mohr crashing into Molina, Ryan getting an assist for letting a fly ball bounce off his head, etc).  It also, fairly chronologically, documents the highs and lows of the pennant race, and (while it is quite light-hearted in overall tone anyway) there is also some on-air comic relief in the form of selected broadcaster stories and jokes. 

IMPORTANT: This is an unlicensed work, and the compiler’s primary justifications for offering such a work are:

1.  He refuses any compensation, including reimbursement of postage.

2.  He knows of nobody who offers a comparable product, thus nobody can justifiably claim financial damage.

The compiler will mail a free CD to anyone who cares to take the time to e-mail him a shipping address.  His e-mail address is: mstryker84@hotmail.com

I’m definitely going to get a copy. I think it sounds great! Be sure to e-mail Matthew if you are interested.

The Twins exchanged arbitration numbers with their three arbitration eligible players. Here are the numbers:

I included the “Middle Ground” or half-way point between the asking price and the offer because most times, these cases get settled before they go to the arbitrator, and usually it is at the halfway point.  However, if these three were to go to the arbitrator, I think that Mientkiewicz would win. I think Romero would win. I think the Twins might win the Santana case though. I mean, Roy Oswalt just signed for what Santana is asking for, and Santana is no Oswalt yet (Although he could be better eventually.)

I think Mientkiewicz is in his final season with the Twins. I think that the Twins will, and should, sign Santana long-term. I think a 3 year deal worth $10.5 million ($2 million for 2004, $3.5 million for 2005 and $5 million for 2006). However, I don’t think that Santana would, or probably should, sign for that. I can see Romero signing a 2 year, $1.65 million deal so they don’t have to go to arbitration with him again next year.

Any thoughts? E-mail me.
 

STATE OF THE UNION

OK, I try not to write about politics because, well, this is supposed to mainly be about sports. But, I did watch some of President Bush’s State of the Union address last night. I watch it every year and it just ends up boring and annoying me. At first, once the President is finally allowed to talk, it is fun to watch, to see how many sentences before the first standing ovation. Then to see the average number of sentences between standing ovations. Then it annoys me to no end when the President says something and all the Republicans stand and cheer and the Democrats just sit there. How mad and annoyed did Senator Kennedy look the whole night. He fully represented the Democratic party to me last night. I have so much more respect for any of the Democratic senators that weren’t afraid to stand up and clap for an issue that kept most of the Congress on that side of the room in their seats. Free thought is a good thing! Partisanship is so annoying. That’s why, on average, I am only able to watch about the first 20 minutes of such speeches.

Also, it is clear how liberal most of the media is by their reaction to the speech before it is even given and in their summaries of what was said and their reactions. I admit, I’m pro-Bush and Republican for the most part, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t think that a Democrat can have a good idea that I would support. And vice versa. Partisanship is, in my opinion, what completely turns people away from politics and away from voting. I think that’s why Minnesotans voted for Jesse Ventura. He wasn’t a member of either party.

Anyway, enough politics, because well, it’s boring! I can discuss my opinions on anything with anyone, but you don’t want to read that here!

OK, that is it for today.  Any thoughts on politics, the Twins or anything, please e-mail me! Have a great Wednesday!

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