Carlos Silva Wants Four Years

UPDATE, 10-26-07: Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune debunks Walters’ report of the offer.  No offer has been made to Silva, though 3/21 sounds like a reasonable starting point.  Christensen also has some Torii Hunter tidbits regarding a cryptic quote he made.

FROM 10-24-07:

Charley Walters notes today that the Twins offered Carlos Silva a three-year deal worth slightly more than $7MM per year.  That offer attempts to equate Silva with Miguel Batista, Adam Eaton, and Jason Marquis from last year’s free agent starting pitcher class.

However, Silva wants a four-year contract.  Rightfully so.  Last year Kei Igawa, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Ted Lilly, Gil Meche, and Jeff Suppan received four years or more.  We can toss out the unique situations of Igawa and Dice-K, leaving Lilly, Meche, and Suppan as Silva’s comparables.  Silva is younger than any of them and his fine 2007 sets the bar at four years, $40MM.  Stretching that to $42-44MM would not be ridiculous.  Silva shouldn’t be compared to the three-year group given his age, effectiveness, and health.

Silva’s supposed status as a Type B free agent should make him more attractive as well.  Last summer, teams such as the Phillies, Cubs, Braves, Diamondbacks, and Mets had trade interest in him.