Kevin Mulvey Traded = Santana Trade Was A Bust

Last week the Twins acquired Jon Rauch from the Diamondbacks in exchange for cash and a player to be named later. A couple days ago, the Twins announced they would be sending AAA pitcher Kevin Mulvey to Arizona. Kevin Mulvey is a name familiar to Twins fans because he was dealt to the Twins in The Great Santana Trade of '08.

Here's what Alright Hamilton said about the time Mulvey was trying on his new Twins cap:

Kevin Mulvey, P, 22 years old - He could be alright. Mixes four pitches (not at once.) He could be anywhere between the number 4 starter for the Twins to the number 3 starter for the Red Wings.

The writer of that post encouraged us to 'wait and see' how the players develop before we label the trade a disaster. With the departure of Mulvey, I think it's fair to say that we've waited long enough, and we've seen enough.

As noted above, Kevin Mulvey was projected to be a number one starter. It's been a huge disappointment for the entire organization to watch the centerpiece of the trade languish in the minor league's. After Billy Smith saw the writing on the wall, he finally agreed a change of scenery was the best option for the young phenom. And in admitting that, he admitted that the Johan Santana trade was indeed a disaster.

The public is already against Billy Smith, and he's going to need the other three players from the trade to make a difference. Smith is now Delmon Young's biggest fan.