Here we go!

[Scott K]

Johan Santana is the latest to question the Twins trade of Luis Castillo to the Mets.

The Twins ace told the Star Tribune this about management: "I'm not surprised. That's exactly how they are. That's why we're never going to go beyond where we've gone."

He didn't stop there, venting his frustrations at length and at one point saying "Why waste time when you're talking about something that's always going to be like that? It's never going to be beyond this point. It doesn't make any sense for me to be here, you know?"

The two-time Cy Young winner is a free agent after the 2008 season and the thrifty club figures to have a lot of trouble keping him around.

[Maximum12]

It's about time someone said it.

Santana also said something to the effect of "If we're always playing for the future, what about those of us who are here now?" And he's exactly right.

I respect Ryan - I think he has great baseball sense & an excellent group of scouts that are fantastic at ferreting out talent for the future. But if you've got a team with Mauer, Morneau, Santana, Nathan, etc. & surround them with weak players like Ford, Punto, Buscher, etc. - really, like Santana said, you're a player or three away from being a formidable team.

Ryan needs to recognize when the team gets to that point & pull the trigger. They have about 10 projected solid starters at the major & minor league levels. What the hell are they going to do with them all? Do something NOW. Even if the Twins fall short this season maybe it has the effect of reassuring Santana.

If the Twins do nothing - or trade Hunter - we can kiss Santana goodbye after 2008. If Ryan doesn't trade him for "the future".

[harvey lee]

The owner needs to open up his purse strings, something the Twins owners are really not willing to do pretty much like other Minnesota sports teams.

We can build them stadiums but that will not bring the better players or keep them here.

Kinda like Garnet, one cannot blame him for leaving Minnesota as he sure wants a championship before he retires.

The players are surely not to blame.

[eyepatrol]

I'd suspect this will cause some level of animosity between Santana and his teammates. Basically he's saying that the guys on the team aren't good enough to go anywhere in the playoffs, except himself.

It's true that this needed to be brought to light by someone on the team. Santana isn't going to stick around here in MN, that's almost a certainty. Not sure if Ryan and Pohlad care though with Liriano probably being seen as Santana's replacement on the roster.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I pretty much absolutely can't stand it when a player, no matter what the sport, spouts off to the media about how dumb, or incompitent, or ugly, or whatever their teams owner,manager, other playersa are. These are things that should be said in the clubhouse and in the clubhouse only.

Johan is probably right. Pohlad needs to loosen the purse strings if the Twins are going to be a serious contender, but that's his business and not Santanas.

Darn straight Black Magic just seperated himself a little from the rest of the team. Comments like his to the media are exactially what the Twins ARE NOT about.

[PierBridge]

Yohan and Castillo have become great friends.

I understand Yohans frustation.

I don't think the trade will effect us one or the other.

It would have been nice to pick up a decent player to help with the playoff drive that MOST of you threw in the towel on.

It's not Terry Ryan's fault.....

[Harmonica Bear]

I'm with you Boilerguy, Johan needs to suck it up and act like a professional. The Twins are the Twins, he certainly isn't shedding any new light on anything we don't already know. He'll be gone in a year anyway, no chance the Twins resign him. He'll be trade bait next year for sure.

[Maximum12]

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I'm with you Boilerguy, Johan needs to suck it up and act like a professional. The Twins are the Twins, he certainly isn't shedding any new light on anything we don't already know. He'll be gone in a year anyway, no chance the Twins resign him. He'll be trade bait next year for sure.

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Wow, now Johan's not acting like a professional?

Sorry boys, but your see-no-evil, speak-no-evil credo went out of fashion about 100 years ago. So if all of us know what's going on, shame on him for speaking up? Do you folks act like that at work, too? If I see something I think is wrong, I speak up, & expect the people I work with to do the same.

Nobody ever received what they wanted by sulking silently in the corner. Sometimes having a tantrum is the only way to air out what's going on!

[Eric Wettschreck]

I can't agree with ya max. Having a tantrum is what my kids did when they were 2, right before they got their whoopin.

Johan and others are professionals and are expected to act professional and support the team. That's one of the many things they are paid to do, and well paid at that.

Like I said, if they have dirty laundry to air out it happens in the clubhouse, not via the media.

[Harmonica Bear]

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Wow, now Johan's not acting like a professional?

Sorry boys, but your see-no-evil, speak-no-evil credo went out of fashion about 100 years ago. So if all of us know what's going on, shame on him for speaking up? Do you folks act like that at work, too? If I see something I think is wrong, I speak up, & expect the people I work with to do the same.

Nobody ever received what they wanted by sulking silently in the corner. Sometimes having a tantrum is the only way to air out what's going on!

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If I don't like the way things are going at work, I (Contact Us Please) to my peers, talk to my boss or the owners, I don't put it in the company newsletter or have a tantrum. Just my opinion.

[ozzie]

Who's to say he hasn't said anyhting to the higher-ups?

[Dahitman44]

Santana has a right to be upset. No question. I also think he will cool off, or I hope he will.

The Twins better sign Hunter as a good first step. If they don't there is NO WAY Santana will sign. Can you blame him? We might have the best rotation in the majors, but try to SUBTRACT hunter from this team. Now you have holes at DH, 3B, 2B, LF and CF.

Not good.

If they don;t sign Hunter it will go back to the time when we called the team the Twinkies. We will lose a lot of 1-0 games.

[Maximum12]

I fully agree that if they lose Hunter we'll be back to the Dan Mastellar days for a minimum of two years, although at least the Twins will have a lot of young pitching to keep them from sinking to the 60ish win seasons of that era.

We'll just have to agree to disagree. Sometimes you have to air the dirty laundry. It's one thing for it to come from a 'tard like Reusse, another thing entirely for your star pitcher to come out & say that the team isn't doing all it can to be competitive. And be right.

[KMR85]

we already lose a bunch of 1-0 games. look at silva, he would be at least 13-7 VS his current 9-11 record if the offense could get him 2 runs per outing. Santana doesnt need to cry to the media, he needs to talk to the GM. I am sure they have easy access to each other. they should have picked up Glaus to play third because Punto has been given his chance and proven he can't hit. it doesnt matter that he is the second best defensive 3rd baseman, its better to have a decent fielder and good batter VS a good fielder and terrible batter.

[Willy]

Johan's 100% right. Everybody thinks it. Every Twins player, every Twins fan. Finally someone within the organization has said it. It just happens to be the best player to put on a Twins uniform since Kirby Puckett.

I really don't care if he comes out in the media and says it. Someone has to. TR needs to be more aggressive when the time calls for it. Not neccesarily this trade deadline, but there have been plenty of times in the past that we have had chances, yet stood pat.

Sign Torri, Extend Santana, Lock up Morneau. If at least 2 and hopefully 3 of those things are not done before next season, old Carl and Terry can expect Twins fans to start the boycott.

We finally are getting a stadium and Twins interest is at an all-time high in MN. If noone has noticed, the Twins are THE #1 sports team in town right now. It is not a Vikings town anymore. Let's keep it that way!!

[Scott K]

If ryan and pollad doesnt take that as a threat and get out the check book to make a team, the royals might just not be the bottom team in a couple years. I hate to tell these team owners its not the building they play in that people go and see, its a wining team. I can see this as push to get the ball rolling to start and get a team for either this year, or next. I believe they can still trade until the end of august, if they are in contention, they still might go out and get someone. Doubt it, but may happen.

[Coach Dog]

What better of a time for Santana to say this though. Put yourself in his position, he's got everything to gain and nothing to lose. What I'm talking about is money and his contract. We are on the verge of becoming a powerhouse team with all this young talent that we have, but are missing a couple pieces of the puzzle. If mgmt. would make a blockbuster deal to get someone in here, we could be really, really good. The comments from Santana have hopefully stirred the pot and may get TR and the Pohlads to finally do something, we can only hope!

[PierBridge]

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If ryan and pollad doesnt take that as a threat

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There not going too, they believe in their business model and will stick to it.

I understand the frustation from fans and players its not OUR money who cares if we sign a free agent and it doesn't work out which happens a lot we the fans who WHINNED for the move or moves can just Flip flop and whinne some more about how stupid the signing was.......

They don't give you a Crystal ball this isn't fake money you don't just get to keep everybody you want and to be honest who would have you guys picked up to help....not a lot of options its tougher then you think.....

Castillo...LOL.

[bassNspear]

Fact of the matter is, they need to start spending money, or everyone is going to want out of the twins organization. Im glad santana said something, cuase their was things that needed to be said.

Hopefully it will open a few sets of eyes.

[bgreen82]

i agree with the guys who liked the move by johan. i dont think you necesarily even had to trade for a huge name. remember when they were in a similar position and they got stewart. that was HUGE. didnt he come in like 2nd place in mvp voting. just a re-vitalization is what they needed. who is even batting lead-off now? i couldnt tell you.

[shivermeister]

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who is even batting lead-off now? i couldnt tell you.

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I can tell you, its Jason Tyner who over the past week happens to lead the team in runs, hits, doubles (tie), triples, average, on-base percentage, total bases, and slugging percentage among everyday players - he is even tied for the lead in home runs in that span - seems like he's doing ok...

[Willy]

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who is even batting lead-off now? i couldnt tell you.

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I can tell you, its Jason Tyner who over the past week happens to lead the team in runs, hits, doubles (tie), triples, average, on-base percentage, total bases, and slugging percentage among everyday players - he is even tied for the lead in home runs in that span - seems like he's doing ok...

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Trend or Mirage?

[bigbucks]

YES

I'd say some of both. Tyner's a decent player, but he's a role player, he's fairly hot right now though. Kind of like Punto last year or Joe Mays 4-5 years ago. One good season or part of one does not make a reliable everyday player, especially when the longer term track record says otherwise.

As far as somebody saying they don't know who's batting leadoff right now, that mostly tells me they don't really follow the team all that closely. That's fine, but it's not like the games aren't almost all televised, all are on the radio, & boxscores are on tons of websites & in most papers. If you want to know who's playing & how they're doing all you have to do is look.