Cry from Alphonso: I AM BURNING IN HELL

Dear Mr. Cashman and chief Overlord Gronk Steinbrenner,

It is my understanding that the two of you are hoping to execute your own ( baseball ) version of the Eli Manning trade.

That is: you mortgage the next ten years of the franchise for a " name " player who is assumed to be the savior of the franchise, and the asset base from which that mortgage is repaid. It can be our own mortgage derivative fiasco and meltdown.

In the case of Ernie Accorsi (Brian's counterpart at the Giants precedent-setting giveaway), he convinced the Giants to give up a prime prospect who was in their organization (Philip Rivers), and three critical draft picks whose absence from the Giants explains why the team has such a limited talent base today. Only the Minnesota Vikings ever made a dumber trade, giving up 10 years of potential for 10 years of failure with the esteemed Herschel Walker trade. Dallas, of course, went on to win 4 Super Bowls with the talent and draft picks they acquired for this " name " player.

Here is the lesson of history; " He who gets the name player gets nothing. He who gives him away to the Yankees (or Giants) gets it all."

Now you have a plan to give up our "Phil" (Hughes) plus: Ian Kennedy; Jose Tabata; Melky ; and several others for the "name player" of the Twins; Johan Santana. Did you see Eli Manning last Sunday? Wait until you see Santana pitching for us, and going 0-10 at home.

It was only last year that you declared a new strategy for the Yankees. Our depleted minor league system cried out for stability; we had traded all our prospects for over the hill " name " players who inflated the payroll, disappointed the fans, and failed to deliver anything beyond more " one and out " post season experiences.

So now we are ready to repeat the failed approach that has served us so well in the past? Facts and reality no longer intercept your ideas on how to rebuild this franchise? I think this willingness to trash a sensible, compelling approach elevates you as a possible replacement for our Secretary of State.

Maybe baseball isn't really your bag.

As long as you are now planning to sell this franchise down the river, destroy the hopes and enthusiasm of the fan base ( i.e. preventing us from ever getting to see the young talent you have accumulated wearing our uniform ), and guarantee ( fan ) hatred and failure for this "name " pitcher, I suggest you go all the way. Kind of like invading Iraq without a plan and without a reason.

I say the trade should be thus:

We get Santana for 27 years at $22 million per year. You can increase Arod's package if he complains.

The Twins get:
Melky C.
Ian Kennedy
Phil Hughes
Jose Tabata
Action Jackson
Joba ( he might just "seal " the deal and keep Johan from Boston )
Robbie Cano ( we don't want any players under 35 on this team, except Johan.)
Tyler Clippard
BJ Cox
Humberto Sanchez
Chase Wright
Dillon Bettances
And this year's number one pick (currently in surgery)

This will do it for at least 10 years, and we'll never have to go through another off-season of terror, where we have nightmares that the usual bureaucratic and ownership stupidity will compel the Yankees to give up any prospective young guys for more names.

My only question is why you didn't have this in mind when Derek, Bernie, Jorge Andy and Mo were in our system.

What were you thinking?