Q: Do people still think the Twins made a mistake by trading Johan Santana to the Mets, as opposed to the Yankees? Carlos Gomez is a player, and the last time I checked, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy weren't doing so well.
— Neal, Hugo, Minn.

A: You make some good points, Neal. In fact, I'm writing this on the morning after Gomez hit for the cycle against the White Sox, putting him on a 13-for-30 tear. He is still a work-in-progress at age 22, but you have to like his entire package of tools led by speed, and his long-range prospects. Not to mention the rest of the package the Twins received from the Mets for Santana. (Incidentally, Gomez's cycle — the first in 22 years by a Twins player — was accomplished in exact reverse order: home run, triple, double, single.)

And as you mention, Hughes and Kennedy are struggling, with the latter having been sent back to Triple-A. Most talent evaluators around the game believed the Yankees' package was better than what the Twins ended up getting from the Mets, and down the line, it might turn out that way. Pitching prospects can take a longer time to develop at the major-league level than position players.

We won't know the complete answer until a couple of years from now, when we can look at all the players who were involved in those proposals, and see what they have turned out to be. But the Twins have a right to feel good about the deal they made.

Q: If the Cardinals fall out of contention, do you see them and Albert Pujols deciding to call it a year and have the corrective surgery done on his ailing elbow?
— Chris Williams, Quincy, Ill.

A: Wow, that's a negative line of thought, Chris. Especially with the Cardinals off to such an unexpectedly good start. And Albert doesn't seem to be hurting to me — at least not enough to negatively affect his play. But you're right — that scenario would make sense as long as the Cardinals are out of playoff contention. And while we're on that subject, two things come to mind after just watching them in a four-game series at Coors Field.

One, pitching coach Dave Duncan's genius points have spiked upward with the mileage the Cards are getting from Todd Wellemeyer, Joel Pineiro and Kyle Lohse in the rotation. And two, the mix of position players is missing an impact protection bat behind Albert Pujols, but plays right into Tony La Russa's mastermind/mix-and-match hands.

There are five quality outfielders with different skills rotating between the three spots. There are four solid, role-playing middle-infielders dividing time. Yadier Molina, Rick Ankiel and Cesar Izturis bring great defense up the middle, and of course, Pujols does it all and leads by example.

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And while I'm not necessarily a believer in spring performances setting the tone for things to come, in the Cards' case this time, that has been the case. As I wrote a few weeks ago, they won 13 of their last 15 spring games — in part due to players being focused on competing for jobs and having to impress to make the Opening Day roster. And they have built on that momentum in the first six weeks of the season.

The biggest potential source of trouble I see as this season unfolds is the fact that every starting pitcher other than Adam Wainwright is averaging fewer than six innings pitched, and that already is taxing the bullpen. Perhaps Mark Mulder and Chris Carpenter will help in that regard, but counting on either is a dicey proposition at best. New general manager John Mozeliak also has admitted they would like to add another hitter behind Pujols — the type they thought struggling Troy Glaus could be when they acquired him for Scott Rolen.

Q: Will the White Sox trade Joe Crede this season? And if so, will they get any value?
— Joey, Chicago

A: That possibility certainly exists, Joey, as I'm sure you know that the Sox also have Josh Fields — already proven to be a solid big-leaguer, sitting in Triple-A. Crede has shown that he is recovered from back surgery, and even got off to a great start offensively before cooling off a bit. He is a veteran player who has been on a World Series winner, and is excellent defensively, so there is no reason why a contender in need of a third baseman — the Dodgers? — wouldn't want him.

But I'm sure the White Sox believe they are long-term contenders in the AL Central, as both the Tigers and Indians have stumbled out of the gate. So as long as the Sox stay in the race, I don't see Crede going anywhere — unless the Sox feel he can bring them a piece that will help them win now, as opposed to a couple of prospects who might help them down the road.

As Ozzie Guillen recently pointed out in his inimitable style, the Sox carry a big chip on their shoulders when it comes to the over-zealous attention paid to the Cubs in Chicagoland, and want to win another division title as soon as possible.

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