The Santana Race Is Over
Somewhere out in Yankee land, a deep sigh of relief is heard rustling through the still icy air. Relief that the Yankees were not going to pony up millions, or trade away Kennedy, Jaba, or Melky. Relief that the Red Sox did not win the battle and end up with a rotation of Beckett, Dice-K, Schilling AND Santana. Though some Yankee fans will remain a little annoyed that our neighbors in Queens will steal the back-page headlines for a few days now, and during the press conference when he first puts on that Mets jersey with Willie shaking his hand, and possibly during inter-league play, overall, most would agree that this could be the best-case scenario.
Now with the Santana possibility out of the picture, there is the rotation to consider. Will Wang, with his post-season failure, still be a number one starter? Where will Petite, with the off-season steroid headlines fit in? Is Moose a number 5? What about Jaba - grooming for Mo's job or starter? How will the pitchers adjust to the new pitching coach? The press often noted the good relationship Guidry had with Wang; breaking through the language barrier he often was able to make Wang smile and take himself a little less seriously. Joe Torre also added that calm vibe. What will Joe Girardi bring to the mound?
Much to consider and just about two short months away from opening day...
