The Yankees are said to be interested in Johan Santana, but would anything meaningful come from signing him?
Ah, Johan Santana. He hasn't pitched in a few years, and the last time he did he really wasn't that great. He went just 6-9 with a 4.85 ERA in 21 games with the Mets in 2012, a season sandwiched between a couple lost to injury. Still, Santana's a guy with a likable history, so the fact the Yankees are reportedly showing interest in him isn't much of a surprise.
He was a stud pretty much every year from 2003-2010, going 122-60 while never letting his ERA surpass 3.33 or his WHIP 1.23. In 2004 and 2006, when Santana was still a member of the Twins, he even won 19+ games, helping him collect a pair of Cy Young Awards before getting traded to New York in 2008.
Then again, that was the Santana of the past. The current one, unfortunately, tore his shoulder capsule prior to the 2013 season before being bought out the following winter, and though he was inked to a minor-league deal by the Orioles last year, he's still yet to return to the majors. Maybe the Yankees should be the ones to change that, or at least try to.
Just think about it. Santana, a relatively-young 36, is said to be solely focused on adding onto his legacy, and doesn't care much about the money. That being said, the simple act of inviting him to spring training and maybe giving him a temporary spot in Triple-A if he's good in March can't hurt anything, especially since the Yankees' present rotation isn't likely to stay healthy.
I mean, is anybody here actually confident CC Sabathia will get the job done next season? I personally don't even think he'll make 20 starts, but even if he does, will it be pretty? What about Nathan Eovaldi? Chris Capuano? Basically, there are many questions surrounding the Yankees pitching staff right now, so bringing in someone like Santana for the sake of his potential isn't a terrible idea.
What do you think? We all know Santana probably won't contribute much if acquired by the Yankees, but should that really hold them back from signing him?