Trade thoughts

I would just like to go on the record as saying that trading Jacoby Ellsbury for Johan Santana is a bad idea. Let the stinkins have Santana. After all, if they trade Melky Cabrera, who is going to play CF in the Bronx? Johnny Damon? If that happens, runners are going first-to-third on just about everything not hit directly at the left fielder.

And who's going to play CF if we trade Ellsbury? Sure Coco Crisp played great defensively last season, but his bat is a liability. Keep Ellsbury, trade Crisp and a prospect to Oakland for Dan Haren instead. Center field is huge in Oakland, and they could use a guy like Coco to cover it.

And even if we get Santana, what's he going to cost? Keep in mind that Santana has already turned down a four-year, $20 million offer from Minnesota. So we're talking, what, $25 million per year, for maybe six years? Here's how that contract will look in 2012: $75 million for three years for a 33-year-old pitcher. Lock up Ellsbury long term. It should cost a lot less than $150 million.