[duncan_idaho]

Random thoughts today:

I still don't place any likelihood on it - especially since Santana's agent has taken the hard line stance that they want 4 years and $50 million and will wait until the day after the draft to sign, so the draft pick compensation doesn't apply - but signing Santana certainly would increase the upside for this season. And would likely have to be balanced out by trades that move guys like Hochevar and Davis and maybe even Crow for whatever return can be gained at this point, no matter how minimal it might be.

At that point, I think you see Chen start the year as the No. 5 starter, with both Ventura and Duffy in Omaha. Whichever of those two is performing better likely gets the call at the end sometime between end of April/middle May to take over the 5 spot, with Chen sliding to the bullpen.

And even if all that happened, I wouldn't be surprised if Vargas has a better season than Santana.

Anyway... on the subject of pitching... I have a little bit of optimism about John Lamb for the first time since Spring training of last year. He has to show he can maintain it over a full start/outing and over the course of a season, but if his velocity is back in the 90-94 range, that's a really nice cherry on top from a guy almost everyone had left for dead.

TINSTAAPP still applies to all of thse pitching prospects, but the more you have, the better your chances of hitting with some of them.

Unless you're the Mets. In which case your current trend seems to be that you hit with every single one of them.