Minnesota Moves

While the New York Mets pulled off a stunner yesterday and have til 5 o'clock on Friday to finish the deal. Former Cy Young winner Johan Santana will be leaving Minnesota for the Big Apple for centerfielder Carlos Gomez, and pitchers Phil Humber, Kevin Mulvey, and Deolis Guerra a package deal that is being ridiculed by experts as the 4th best offer the Twins have received this off-season. I am not one to ever question the Twins with any of their moves with the way that they bring up the kids from their farm system, but this one really has me scratching my head. Maybe the Twins know something that we don't, Santana did finish the year with a 15-13 record, down from years past. But, the real stat that bothered me was that he has thrown alot of the years without an injury and shockingly at the end of last season Santana got wrapped 4 of his last 5 games with an ERA over five during that stretch. So, is Santana done and the Mets just got used goods, we shall only hope for the Twins sake.

Minnesota has had some questionable decision making moves for all their sports franchises during the years that must drive the Minnesota fans to listen to more Prince. Let's take a look at some of my favorites:

RANDY MOSS TRADED TO THE RAIDERS for Napoleon Harris a 7th round pick and another late rounder obviously not that big of a deal since i couldn't find out who they picks at those spots. This shock wave sent one of the game's best young receivers to the Raiders for absolutely nothing. Harris, who only played for two seasons with the Vikings never recorded more than 60 tackles and 3 sacks in both those seasons. With Moss' actions very questionable at times, it still bothers Vikings fans that they parted with a future Hall of Fame player in Moss. On a personal note I saw Moss' final regular season game with the Vikings live at Washington where he left the field early because he disapproved of the coaches decisions in the 4th quarter.

KEVIN GARNETT TRADED TO THE CELTICS for Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair, and a 2009 1st round pick. Back in July last year the Boston Celtics wanted to get back to the play of the old Celtics by acquiring the 10 time all-star and 2004 League MVP. Kevin Mchale, the general manager of the Minnesota Timberwolves, will always be remembered if the Celtics win the championship this year as the gm who helped his old team get back to the NBA Finals. Garnett is regarded as one of the best all-around players in the game today. The 12 year veteran is still only 31 years old and I am pretty sure that with the players around him this will be his final stop where he will eventually win a championship.

ROD CAREW TRADED TO THE ANGELS in 1979 was a huge shock to the Twins. Though it ended up being a wash/wash trade, all of Minnesota was up in arms especially when he was sent to Aneheim for 4 no-name players. Carew who was with the Twins since '67 had done so much for that state and winning the batting title 7 times, the AL MVP once, and being the Rookie of the Year were just some of the things that he did in Minnesota. Carew was very upset with the organization when the Twins kept trading their young stars, and the racist comments that were made by owner Calvin Griffith. So the Twins granted the future Hall of Famer a trade surely disappointed Twins fans to see a man that did so much for their team only to watch him hit his 3000 hit against them.

THE RELEASE OF DAVID ORTIZ was something that the Twins weren't too concerned with at that time, despite questioning why they didn't try to get something for him. Ortiz played with the Twins from 1997-2002, his release came 9 days after Christmas. Ortiz has since become a 4 time all-star and holds the Boston Red Sox record with 54 homeruns in a single season. On top of winning the World Series twice and being runner up to the AL MVP Award twice. Will probably go down as the biggest release in MLB history and if Ortiz can keep up his ways will ultimately become a Hall of Fame candidate. On a different note of sort, I won't mention that the Seattle Mariners in 1996 traded him to the Twins for a player to be named later, Ortiz was that player...but remember i never mentioned it.

HERSCHEL WALKER TO THE COWBOYS better known as "the trade" was the largest player trade in the history of the NFL. Involving 18 players and/or draft picks made on October 12, 1989. Walker only stayed with the Vikings for 2 and a half seasons then got moved again to the Philadelphia Eagles and the Viking were hurting for years during and after the trade. The big drafts slots that the Vikings ended up trading to Dallas was 3 first round picks(13th overall in 1993, 11th overall in 1991, and 21st overall in 1990) and 3 second round picks(47th overall in 1990, 38th overall in 1991, and 40th overall in 1992). This trade ultimately was one of the major turning points for the Dallas Cowboys for their rise to the top of the NFL for many years to come thereafter. The picks led to key components Emmitt Smith, Russell Maryland, Kevin Smith, and Darren Woodson. So don't ever forget this trade especially when you are approached by a piece of crap Cowboys fan who knows that they won Super Bowls in the 1990s but really they should have gave the Lombardi Trophy to the Vikings for their help.