New Twins GM shows he knows how to play poker

Bill Smith refused to be bullied and did the right thing at the winter meetings, walking away without dealing his ace.

NASHVILLE - Hank Steinbrenner demanded action. Peter Greenberg was ready for a nine-figure negotiation. The media wanted details.

And yet, unless Twins GM Bill Smith slipped down to the gym for a workout between negotiating sessions, there wasn't a noticeable drop of sweat from his brow all week during Major League Baseball's annual winter meetings.

He checked in at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel with one of the best pitchers in baseball in Johan Santana available and checked out with Santana still listed as his Opening Day starter.

While many Twins fans already are worried that Smith has overplayed his hand by waiting too long, he's remained poised as he works toward a move that will have long-lasting consequences. Trading for Delmon Young was nice, but Smith is under more pressure and scrutiny with Santana. His trade -- still likely to happen -- would be viewed as a clunker if at least two positions aren't filled with what he gets in return.

"We have not been able to get anything done yet,'' Smith said, "but I think there's a lot of time left. You look at the people who are down here. We have had a lot of discussions, and we have done a lot of footwork. I think our staff is awfully thorough in a lot of areas. I think it's critical we have the patience to try and make a good deal.''

Smith deserves credit for not rushing into a deal, especially when Steinbrenner, the Yankees senior vice president, tried to bully him into a decision with an early-week deadline. Boy, I wish manager Ron Gardenhire would have been part of the meeting when that demand was made.

In this situation, a good trade is better than no trade or a bad trade. Smith will receive some criticism if he holds on to Santana and watches him leave as a free agent after the 2008 season. But the backlash will be much worse if he makes a deal that yields little over the long haul.

What do Troy Glaus, Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson have in common? They all were traded in December -- after the winter meetings -- within the past five years. Go back further, to 1998, and you'll find Chuck Knoblauch being traded in February. And that worked out well for the Twins.

So don't panic. Let teams go out and discover how much it will cost to deal for Oakland's Dan Haren or Baltimore's Erik Bedard -- two pitchers who could require just as much in players as the Twins are asking for Santana, if not more, because the acquiring team won't have to pick up a Santana-size contract.

Want to sign a cheap free agent? Buyer beware.

Smith has perhaps the best pitcher in baseball, someone who's only 28 and could dominate for several years. Greenberg, Santana's agent, will ask for an extension that might approach $150 million, but the team that lands him gets a pitcher who's one Cy Young away from being a Hall of Fame contender.

Let's see how patient Smith is, whether he wants Jose Reyes added to any Mets' offer, Ian Kennedy put in the Yankees' package of Melky Cabrera and Phillip Hughes or wants a pairing of Jacoby Ellsbury and Jon Lester in any deal with the Red Sox. Maybe he's waiting for another team to pounce. He has options.

The Marlins' six-player prospect haul last week for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis indicates what the return for top talent should be.

Teams might be learning that Smith is new to the game but shouldn't be treated as such. When asked if he sensed that teams were trying to size up the rookie GM last week, Smith replied, "I'm hoping they think I'm an easy mark.''

He was anything but that at his first winter meeting as Twins GM.

News Added: 09 December, 2007

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