Johana, Santana, Torii Hunter, and the Problems of Modern Day Baseball

This winter, baseball fans from New York, Boston and Los Angles carefully watched to see if their team was going to be the one to acquire Johan Santana in a trade. 

When Santana was acquired by the Mets, it was front page news in every sports section around the country.

Santana swept into New York as the savior of the Mets pitching staff and was greeted by nothing short of a hero’s welcome. 

However, although Johan Santana is big news in New York, and probably will be the savior of the aging Mets' pitching staff, the Santana trade is just another indication of the disparity problem of Major League Baseball.

If you think Major League Baseball has been doing a better job in providing a more level playing field for all teams, there are two names that show the contrary—Johan Santana and Torii Hunter. 

This off-season the Minnesota Twins were forced (and yes, they were "forced") to give up two of their best players. Why? Because they couldn’t afford them.

Many people will say that there is not a disparity problem in Major League Baseball; but that there is a problem with bad decision making by front offices.

Do you think the GM of the Minnesota Twins woke up one morning and said “This winter, I think we’ll get rid of our two best players”?

I severely doubt it.

Rather, the GM of the Minnesota Twins woke up one morning and said “Wow, we have no choice but to lose our two best players this winter”.

If you’re a Mets or Angels fan, Johan Santana and Torii Hunter are great news for your team.

If you are a baseball fan, the off-season moves of Johan Santana and Torii Hunter should concern you.

The fact that there are still MLB teams faced with the issues the Minnesota Twins were faced with this off-season is a direct result of a completely ineffective revenue sharing system and the archaic idea of no salary cap. 

As long as MLB continues operating without a salary cap and legitimate revenue sharing system, small market teams will continue to be put in the exact same situation the Twins were put in this off-season.

By the way, I am a Mets fan—but I am a baseball fan first.