Oh Jim Souhan…you suck!

The douchebaggery of the Strib astounds even me. Now I know Jim Souhan went to Gus McFuddies School o’ Journalism and I didn’t. Jim Souhan writes to lots of people and I write to two. However he is still a hack. Behold the following points:

Couldn’t the Twins have spent this money more wisely?

Actually, no.

While $47 million is a lot of money for a team with a target payroll of about $70 million, the Twins are …

• Under payroll this season, and are wiser investing that money in Nathan than banking it or hoping they will ever sign someone of Nathan’s caliber in free agency.

• Getting an elite closer for a little more annually than the Reds are paying Francisco Cordero and less than the Yankees are paying Mariano Rivera on his retirement tour.

• Locking up one of the players they consider vital to their future and their clubhouse through the opening of the new stadium.

• Signing a player who they believe still will be effective at the end of the contract, whereas Hunter and Santana wanted deals that their new teams might regret in three or four years.

• Don’t have enough elite players to allow any more to leave.

Why yes the Twins could have spent the money more wisely. They could have taken that money and invested in Johan Santana before last winter. While Hunter’s productivity is declining, Santana is not, by any stretch of the imagination. He might blow out his arm, but you can’t predict that and you would be an idiot if you did (I’m not pointing any elbows Souhan).

The Twins have been saying for months that Nathan was a priority because they have no other closers in the organization, and they believe Nathan’s dominance and durability have enabled them to field one of baseball’s best bullpens since he arrived in 2004. All true.

They have been saying that Nathan is a priority because most of their fans are pissed that the team let Santana, Hunter, and Silva go for cents on the dollar. Not because they lack a closer in the system. As a matter of fact this team has been pretty good at creating closers. See: Nathan, Guardado, Aguilera, etc. So don’t tell me, Jimmie Souhan, that we don’t have any closers in our system. Who the hell do we have closing in AAA, AA, High A, Low A, etc? While the Twins bullpen has been good, it hasn’t been unhittable, losing Crain and Reyes last year, along with Neshek’s sudden hittability  made the bullpen only slightly above average. Barring any unforeseen circumstances the bullpen should return to 2006 form which will put it near the top of the league again.

Finally the coup de’ gras:

This contract represents, at least, a good investment. And if Nathan is closing for a contender in the new ballpark in 2010, it should be viewed as a shrewd move, and the latest proof that the Pohlads intend to win.

If, seriously, really J. Souhan, if. The Pohlads have at best a vested interest in winning. Really there job is done, they have their stadium taxpayer funded and the value of the franchise will and already has gone up. Although I guess you can’t expect much from Hacky McSouhan.