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Last week, citing ‘the word in baseball circles,’the Minneapolis Star-Tribune wrote that the Twins recently made a five-year, $93 million offer to Johan Santana.
Today, though he doesn’t provide a link, in his blog for ESPN.com, Buster Olney cites a ‘report,’ which states Santana recently rejected the deal.
According to Olney, the Mets, Red Sox and Yankees will aggressively pursue Santana.
Of course, in a recent chat for the Boston Globe, in-the-know Sox columnist Nick Cafardo writes that, while the Sox will have interest in Santana, “It seems to me they won’t give up both Lester and Buchholz and certainly not Ellsbury.”
However, the only relevant, on-record statement from the Yankees has come from their senior vice president, Hank Steinbrenner, who told the New York Times that his team will not trade Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy for a ‘position player,’ which Santana is not.
…if the sox will not include lester or buccholz and ellsbury they are not in the running to trade for santana…which means, and i shudder to say this, but, the Mets top competition to land santana could be the Yankees…
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The only player I would be sad to see go (other then wright or reyes… of course) would be LMillz…
While I would be hard pressed to argue that he should not be included… I really think he can be special and it would be great to have him in RF next year.
F-Mart, Gomez, and Maine might begin the conversation.
Why is Beltran not on that list untouchables. It is one of the most lethal hitters in the NL. I don’t see Miliege or Gomez being better than him. If not for he and right last year, we would have not been talking about the collapse. We would instead be talking about why were never in first place all year. Why…why…does Beltran get no respect?!! He’s given us great thrills! He didn’t get in done in the final out last 2006, but hey, again, we’re not there without him and I believe, that in that same spot again, it’s either him or DW I want in there. I watch baseball to see pitching, hitting and defense. Beltran gives you 2 of those more than once every fives days.
I think it’s because he’s not a young player with a relatively manageable salary, and, therefore, his name doesn’t even come to mind when thinking about pieces to send to the Twins.
I’m sorry. I’m just venting and projecting a bit here. Last night I was trying to respond to a post of someone suggesting that Beltran and Maine should be traded for Santana and Matt Garza. Will, that trade would not make sense to the Twins since the reason they would be trading Santana is because they could not afford him. But more importanly, the trade would make so sense for the Mets because Beltran is really a core of the franchise player. He’s a real star. I really enjoy watching him play. If he were a 300 hitter, he’d be the MVP of the NL period. But otherwise he along with DW and reyes makes the Mets line up very tough for opposing pitchers. Now if Delgado somehow found a way to adjust his swing and approach, then the Mets line up is lethal. We need an Ace, but we better be damd sure we’re getting one before we mortage the future and fun of watching our best everyday players play.
Um, I’d actually rather have Santana than Beltran given the choice. That five day/one day thing is a bit of a red herring. An ace controls every fifth game, stops streaks, etc., etc. We can get carried away waxing poetic about Beltran’s defense, too. The fact is, he’s among the best defensive CFs in the game and an ultra-talented but extremely streaky hitter. Think the Red Sox wish they had Hanley Ramirez back instead of Beckett?
I couldn’t agree with you more about Beltran. The guy gets absolutely no love from the fans at Shea unless he comes up with a big hit. I wonder if there is a little resentment that word leaked out that they went to the Yanks to see if they wanted him at a discount. Gee, I wonder who leaked that out…Cashman/Steinbrenner?
Bottom line is, he gets his All Star respect all the time. He even made the All Star team his first year with the Mets when he was horrible. But he doesn’t get the hometown respect he deserves. That being said, Twins would never do Beltran and Maine for Garza and Santana, even if Beltran was making $3MM. Beltran, Maine, and Ollie maybe.
The soxs had Pabblebum, Ortiz, Manny and a couple of other “Aces” in their staff. Ramiez was not going to be a factor. The mets not having Beltran would have been a big hole. He allow DW to bat third. Which lenghens the line-up. I watched Beltran all year and I think he was no were near being extremely streaky. Yes, he’d have his slumps but they were mostly due to injury in most cases, I believe. If you don’t have Beltran and just have Santana. You might win every 5th day in is 25 out of 35 starts, but IMO, you’d have a lot of games he’d have to throw a shut out for the Mets to win. I guess we just see things differently here. I am a fan, that enjoys pitching, but I find it more fun to know that I have a team that at least always have a chance with their offense.
Santana’d be a great addition, but he’s not worth Beltran, no way. Even if that were a likely scenario. Which it’s not.
why would the twins trade one player who will be making 18+m/year for another? they will be getting younger and cheaper.
We’re way ahead of you. This is all a hypothetical “who would you rather have” decision.
A. No trade clause
B. He and Delgado are the current reason for my username on this comment board.
Great name. I wish no trade clauses were not allowed. But given that Beltran and Delgado have one, I’m glad it at least makes trading Beltran more difficult. As for Delgado. I was most frustrated with him all year. And again, IMO, I think his lack of production in chance after, chance, after chance was the key reason the Mets did not run away and hide with the division. That being said, I look at his numbers and history and I’ll be rooting like crazy for him next season. I hope it’s a career year. If it is, Mets win hands down.
beltran (wouldn’t trade him anyway) doesn’t have a no trade clause. neither does delgado though he had one with his last contract.
at least not that i’ve seen. cots contracts is usually dead on. do you have a link that says different?
Delgado doesn’t have a No Trade Clause. He was traded to us.
zen, wasn’t the no-trade the reason he signed w/ us (as well as the piles and piles of money, of course)? He said something about why should he commit to a team that won’t commit to him. 90% sure about this (with no proof other than memory)
there is no way you can hold up a deal for Johan becuase of Lmillz. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a clown. The only player I would try to hold onto in any of these trades is Fmart. But if it came down to it and I had to move him for Johan, Bedard, or someone on that level then obiviously you have to do it.
imo, the only way the mets can get Johan is if the Yankees and Dodgers dont decide to give up there big guns. Sounds like they wont. So that means the Mets have a shot because I think Omar is willing to overpay for Johan. And the Mets do have talent so they are in the race imo.
I think the Mets rank these players in this order…
Pelfrey
Guerrera(spelling)
Humber
Mulvey
although Pelfrey hasnt looked great I still havnt given up on him. I like his stuff and he is still very young. Humber, imo, is way overated. He has a nice curve ball thats it. So as far as he is concerned he is a guy that I wouldnt think twice about getting rid of. Guerrera is a guy no one mentions. Mainly because I think the Mets dont want to hype him. He has solid stuff and has is rising in the system. Mulvey had an excellent year but he is only projected to be a 4th starter.
as for the hitters.
The mets have some chips obiviously. IMO, I would rather trade Gomez than Milledge. I dont care how fats he runs, he doesnt look good at the plate. Hes very young but I just dont liek the way he looks and his vibe as well. So if teams are high on him thats fine by me. Millz is a solid player. hes not gonna be a sta but he is a useful player. If he isnt dealt I have no problem with him playing rf for us this year. But if he is in a deal, which he will be, thats fine with me too
To me Fmart is the wild card. He is so far away but he seems to have the greatest potential of the 3. He is the only guy I wouldnt include in any of these deals except for Johan.
With all that being said, I think the Mets can get a stud pitcher with the guys mentioned above. It just depends on the combo. Under no circumstances would I trade all 3 Outfielders in any deal. A deal for Johan would be 2 of the 3 OF and their choice of the SP. If they want Humber and Mulvey insted of Pelfrey ….where do I sign?
As for the other SP out there. I would only include 1 of the outfielders and 2 of the sp along with a Heilman type. That should be enough.
the mets NEED an ace. The Scott Kazmir trade makes me throw up. If that trade didnt go down we wouldnt even be having these discussions. We would be talking about the great WS we just witnssed wit the mets and sox. The kazmir trade has set this franchise back. If your gonan trade Kazmir you get back a stud bat or pitcher…not victor zambrano. Unreal. If we had Kazmir right now forget it. Our staff would be set. And we would be able to keep all of these prospects and see if 1 or 2 of them pan out. Horrendous trade.
anyways thats my story and im stickin to it.
The Twins are supposed to be hot for Gomez, from what I’ve been reading. They want to plug him into CF.
Good thing that the Twinkies are looking for position prospects, which the Yankers aren’t very deep in, so thats one positive for Omar
POSTURING
Olney made up the Red Sox. They have absolutely no reason to trade for a pitcher of Santana’s magnitude. They have Buchholz and Lester who have a lot of potential and I think they have another guy in their farm.
The Yankees got A-Rod which means they could make anyone an ace. Pettitte will likely return. If he doesn’t, you don’t need to mortgage your future to trade for him. I don’t see the Yankees trading 2 of their 3 young pitchers for 1 pitcher.
Mets need Santana. They need an ace to bridge the gap from Pedro/El Duque to Maine/Perez/Pelfrey.
i have all the respect in the world for lester after what he went through but that aside i dont think hes gonna be a great pitcher…the redsox should certainly give him up for a talent like santana…i just hope we somehow land this guy or even bedard or haren…pleaseee.
Anything that is said from the Yankee organization I just can’t believe. After the drama with Torre and A-Rod, in which they contradicted everything they said, how can you?
I agree with you about Lester not being all that great. Will Minnesota really trade this guy to the Yankees? I think that gives us the edge, much like the Marlins trading us Miguel Cabrera or Dontrelle seem improbable. Granted, we are in their division, the the Yanks have been a nemesis for the Twinkies. Just a thought.
I think a better comparison would’ve been the Braves trading us anybody. The Marlins traded big name players to us two years ago. If they’re looking to unload Willis and Cabrera, I really don’t think they’ll care who the takers are, just the highest bidder (best trade).
Lester is only a year removed from chemo-therapy. He may not be a great pitcher but he could still be good pitcher and worth holding onto.
“which means, and i shudder to say this, but, the Mets top competition to land santana could be the Yankees…”
well, that settles TAT…santana will be a yankee. mets will fold like they did with arod.
If onyl we had a local(ish) division rival with a shrewder GM and annoying fans that embarassed us last year . . . maybe we’d be motivated to compete, too. . . .
jesus you are a moron, can you stop saying the Mets folded on ARod, my god do you read news or articles and understand that likely he was asking for an ungodly amount of money and obviously didn’t want to return to the mets? WOW
I meant to say he obvioulsy DID want to return to the Yankees, but I think you get the point..
most everyone else on this site realizes that ARod was never going to come to the mets, you don’t…get over it, it wasn’t the Mets fault
genius, your username should be in sanitary quotes: “genius”
Are you mistermet with a new screen name?
Omar
Go get Santana. Don’t worry about anything. Send them anybody but Reyes and Wright.
if we trade milledge… who plays RF next yr… and dont say endy…
How bout Gomez and/or F-Mart? I know F-Mart is supposedly a long ways away, but why not? Give the kid a shot. The Braves did it with Andruw Jones, the Marlins did it with Dontrelle and Miggy, the Yanks did it with Jeter. Why can’t we let a guy develop in the majors? I wouldn’t be adverse to that at all. We’ve seen big numbers in the minors turn into mediocrity in the majors on way too many occasions. May as well get them the experience and find out what they can do. Definitely won’t happen though.
Gomez? Fukudome? Rowand? Green? (unless I missed something) Some other free agent type guy? Mr. Met?
we’ll get somebody, I’m more worried about an ace than a right fielder. If we get Santana Omar could put Shawn Green back out there for all I’d care.
I’d be OK with including Milledge in a deal for Santana, but I wouldn’t want to also include one of our current starters, like Maine. That wouldn’t be enough of an upgrade to our rotation to justify giving up Lastings.
If the Yankees add Cano to the mix with Hughes and Melky lets say, the Mets don’t have a shot to match that offering unless they include Reyes. I just hope and pray Santana makes it to Free Agency next year.
Watch the Yanks put Cano in that deal, sign Kaz Matsui who will go .320, 27HR, 95RBI, 120R once he puts on the pinstripes and forever live in Yankee lore as the guy who hit the game winning HR of Subway Series 2, MVP’d by Johan Santana.
Just a thought, in case any of you want to throw up your turkey tomorrow night.
I am Thankful that this will never happen.
shush
You’ve kinda got an iferiority complex don’t you?
Do people really undervalue Reyes this much? Cano and Cabrera combined cannot do what Reyes does. One year ago, he was an MVP candidate and one of the most exciting players to watch. Just because he had a bad second half doesn’t mean he’s finished. Neither Cano or Melky can field. Neither is very selective at the plate. Neither hits for power. They are not special players. Cano is a nice complimentary type, but Cabrera will not put up the numbers if he starts. As for Hughes, did anyone notice how much his velocity dipped when he returned? He is injury prone at a young age, like Carl Pavano. Not that Pelfrey has endeared himself to us, but at least he’s healthy.
one factor that may work in our favor is that the Twins would almost undoubtably prefer to get Santana out of the American League. Not to say we can low-ball, but we may not have to completely outbid the Yanks
To echo what DarkStar and others have written in another thread: the Twins are not in the driver’s seat here. They won’t be able to demand the best prospects in baseball for a one-year rental. I don’t understand why people persist in believing that Johan will meekly sign with whatever team is chosen for him by the Twins’ front office. It’s possible, of course, but doubtful.
The only way to “test” the market if you’re the best pitcher in baseball is to let actual baseball teams–several of them–bid against each other for your services. The final deal may for 9 years @ $20 million/year. Or it may be 6 years @ $28 million/year. Or maybe Johan wants to go to a city with direct flights to Caracas. Or maybe he just won’t mention what he wants until next year. I don’t know, but neither does anyone else.
The Twins, if they decide to trade Johan, will most likely be forced to settle for a second-tier package of prospects.
That we’ve got.
It’s supply and demand, and right now, you’ve got teams thinking Santana could make the difference for them this year, AND they could potentially ink him long term. I think the Twins have more leverage than you’re giving them credit for. Do really think the Mets could sign him next offseason if he spends a year across town?
For a one-year rental, demanding three, four or five premium prospects seems highly unlikely. But it’s possible, I suppose.
I’d like to know what the highest price ever paid for a one-year rental is. Anyone know?
Randy Johnson to the Astros? Didnt they give up a bunch to get him?
Well, in a way, the teams are bidding against each other for your services. For instance, when the Mets gave up Dotel for Hampton, we were perceived to have given up a lot. However, alot would have changed had we signed him long term. It will definitely be upto the team to make a very strong financial offer, so they don’t simply part with great prospects and end up with a one year rental.
If you’re Johan Santana, with a frame like you have, at 29 years old, the best pitcher in baseball, would you risk having an injury? Wouldn’t you want to sign a big money contract right away for security? I think the team that trades for him, unless it is the Marlins, Royals, or Pirates, will make a really big money offer for him to stay. Assuming it is perceived fair market value, he should probably take it given the injury-prone nature of the position.
Good points, all. But remember that when Hampton left us, we were granted a supplemental 1st round draft pick, and with that pick we drafted David Wright.
The injury issue is a real one, and might influence Joahn’s decision. But the real question is what defines “fair market value”. Last off-season no one predicted the size of the winning offers for Dice-K or Zito. They were much larger than envisioned by the collective wisdom of our nation’s sportswriters.
Now, it’s true that we don’t know if Johan’s top priority is money. But I don’t know that it’s not. I don’t know if he isn’t looking forward to being wined and dined by a half-dozen different cities. I don’t know that he doesn’t have family in New Jersey he’s hoping to be close to (or far away from).
The crux of the issue is he may want to choose where he goes, for whatever reason.
If I’m the Yankees, I don’t hesitate to trade Hughes or at least one of my stud pitching prospects for Santana.
If I’m the Twins, I prefer a combination of pitching and position players.
I think the Mets really will be part of the conversation, but I have to admit that the Yankees have more chips.
One interesting dynamic is whether or not the trading partner will be given a window to sign Santana to a long-term contract. It may be the case that the Twins will not provide that, if, for example, they know that Santana is determined to test the market after the season. In that case, I could see the Mets’ chances moving up, because they might be more willing to take a gamble than the Yankees.
Can’t post on the other thread but this is in response to everyone praising Omar for being a god for unloading Mota…….
Christ, guys – come on now! Brilliant? The genius that is Omar Minaya???? Yes, he unloaded HIS MISTAKE. The good thing is that he realized he screwed up and got rid of the guy, but why was the guy on the team in the first place? Omar? Brilliant? That’s a joke.
Omar has to prove his worth. It is not by unloading all of your talent for Santana, a one year rental. If it’s true he did not accept Gomez for Garza, he should be fired on the spot. BUT – no, we don’t know for sure, so I won’t 100% judge that non-decision.
Santana can be signed next year for the $20 million a year coming off the books in Delgado/Alou. Omar has to do anything possible to pry away a top line started who will cost nothing in $$$ terms that you control for several years and combine this young starter with Santana next year. The options???
Matt Cain (forget Win loss – look at ERA/SO’s/k/9)
Tim Lincecum
Erik Bedard
Matt Garza
They’re not on the market? MAKE THEM ON THE MARKET. You’re the GM of a New York baseball team that has money and enough talent to force the other guy’s hand due to a surplus of specific positions that will block eachother. If I hear Omar say the words “Livan” or “Silva” I may strangle him with the tie he never wears. It’s time to prove your worth Omar.
Make something happen. You can not wait out ’till the end of the winter meetins then go bargain hunting. Earn your paycheck…..then…and only then…I will applaud you, Omar.
Omar has to make a deal, but to think he can just bully teams into making a deal is ludicrous. First off, teams don’t *want* to trade their awesome young pitching. If we had it, would we trade it? That’s the difficult aspect of making a trade for a Cain or Lincecum or whoever. We can’t just unload the whole farm and expect that to work out for us, we’d have a pitcher, yes, but where’s the guarantee? and where’s the farm? Trading for a guy like Garza makes sense though, won’t cost as much and has talent.
A scout by the name of Ellis Clary once said that the reason it’s hard to make a trade is that everyone wants to give you a biscuit for a bag of flour.
Where do you come up with this stuff? One self-inflated baseball insider purports the Twins want Gomez for Garza and all of a sudden it is fact. Please. Not one of those insder clowns has had any real inside info that has been fact. Also, the Mets don’t have enough talent to “force” any trade. What dillusional world do you live in that being in NY gives the Mets an edge of any sort. I live in SF and there is absolutely no way the Mets could acquire Cain or Lincecum after giving up whatever it would take to get Santana. They would have to trade Humber, Pelfrey, Guerro, Mulvey, FMart, Millz, Gomez and more to get any two of those guys. SF fans would revolt if they traded either of those guys for less than a proven superstar.
The nonsense that has been flying around in here every off season gets geometrically more insane.
geometrically more insane is the truth. I don’t think anyone saw the Moto/Estrada trade coming. And then for all the talk about him Estrada staying, we find out he might not even be in the plans. By-the-way. I think we all went through ACE pitcher dream with Zito last year. Year we wanted him, but he cost too much and he really didn’t want to be here and would likely not be a good fit. I’ll trying to be patient. I want to win, but I want success over the long term. It might be in the Mets interest to perhaps trade for prospects as much as it is to trade for an ACE today. Perhaps we should look for a very good starter and keep an eye out for more kids like Maine and Perez. We get a couple more like them, pick up a free agent next year and we could be winners for and perhaps champions a few times in the next 10 years.
Pray Pettite goes back to the Yankees of oyu really want the Mets to get Santana.
Pettite going back makes it easier for the Yankees to trade from a position of strength.
If indeed it comes down to the Yanks and Mets for Johan, wouldn’t another added benefit for the Twins to trade with the Mets be that Santana would then be moved the NL? That definitely carries some weight.
And you gotta believe if the Mets somehow are able to land Johan. that they will make every effort to keep him. He is a guy we should have no problem “over paying”.
i am still a big believer and supporter of milledge but if he is what it takes to get santana than you have to do it. OF is something that we actually have organizational depth in. and its the least crappy of the FA positions this year too.
any trade for santana is still a long ways away tho.
Milledge is clubhouse cancer. Talented? Sure. But he is precisely the type of player we need to move. He just doesn’t get it.
What makes you think you get it. Are you in the clubhouse. Dolt.
He high-fived the crowd for hitting a game tying HR. He doesn’t hustle, he celebrates HR’s like Terrell Owens celebrated TDs. Did we forget the rap song? Did we forget the little note left in his locker?
I can’t wait until he has his break out year (260-15-55) so that he can cartwheel around the bases, demand 15mm per and tear the team apart from the inside.
baloney.
Didn’t he walk away from Randolph when he was giving him a talk?
For someone who hasn’t even played a full season, the list goes on and on.
btw, it’s bologna.
no, trust me: in this case, it’s absolutely baloney.
It’s a joke. Relax jamie.
So what’s your case FOR milledge?
sorry, I haven’t seen you post much before, so I’m unfamiliar with your sense of humor (or whether or not you had one–many don’t around here)
Has less to do with reasons for him than rejecting your reasons against him. Deciding a guy’s a cancer with less than 2 years of mlb service (and who’s 21 years old) is, to me, baloney. They’re not all DW or JR, and as you said, he has a ton of talent. Keeping and using that low cost talent (not withstanding trade for pitching) is good business and good baseball.
A little late but . . .
Milledge high fived the crowd during a game. I can’t ever remember that happening, ever. That’s such an F U to the other team, especially in such a sensitive sport as baseball. It was a tied game to boot.
Thinking back on the 86 Mets, you’re right. Man that was one fun group of guys. But there was dissension even among them. There would be even more dissension among the current Mets as Milledge’s style might fit in with the 86 Mets, but certainly not the 08 Mets.
As for Wagner, yea. He doens’t seem like the best guy in the world either. He could haven handled the situation in another manner. But he’s a proven veteran, and as the world goes proven people get more leeway than unproven rookies. Welcome to the real world.
Yeah, that was what people said when arguing that Vladimir would be a bad signing. Clubhouse cancer.
Actually it was the genius doctors who said his back would go out.
you mean it was the doctor wilpon hired to say that.
Whoever the doctor was, it wasn’t Vlad’s character issue, it was his back.
In retrospect, I’m not sure he would be able to thrive in NY.
I keep coming back to the simple analysis that it takes 2 teams to tango (make a trade). We can not bully others into fulfilling our needs unless what we have is attractive to them coming back. Its why the Mota/Estrada deal was perceived as terrific. We felt we gave them nothing for something that solved our problem or at least gave us more options than we had before.
Dealing for anyone’s ace is not easy. There has to be a value add. For example, when Boston traded for Beckett, they were forced to give a very good prospect who turned into a terrific player in Hanley Ramirez plus they were required to take the stiff with a huge bloated contract (Lowell). As it turned out….Lowell remade himself into a good ballplayer again and Beckett is a legit ace so it was worth it for both sides.
For us to use our “leverage”, we can’t simply ship out our best prospects by the boatload. Our leverage is $$$$ not prospects. That is why targeting a team with money issues or dead money on a certain player is what will work. Bedard and the orioles kind of fit the mold with their decision to redo their team and the bogus deals they have for some nice but underperforming assets in Tejada and Ramon Hernandez. BOth big money contracts and underperforming.
If we do a deal for Bedard….it will have to be because we are willing to accept some of their crap in return for the gem along with giving them a few very highly thought of prospects.
I can see a deal with the Giants for Zito and Cain. They do not have unlimited money and may already think the deal for Zito is a bust. Something along the lines of FMART, Milledge, Maine and Mulvey for Zito and Cain. Gets them some today pitching, gets them 2 ML ready players in Milledge and Mulvey and gives them a gem of a prospect in FMart. Also saves them $100 Million dollars.
This assumes Zito can be traded (No trade clause??)
Now I am not saying that is the deal to get but we must look for the money busts as a way of helping out the teams saddled with crappy contracts in a particular underperforming player and they have an ace.
Anyone think of other examples like this that may work?
I think that the Dodgers fit into the Bedard trade group much better than anyone. The Dodgers could take Tejada, for a third baseman, and get Bedard, all while having the trade bait to interest the Orioles.
Realistically, I see if this deal doesn’t happen, the Orioles are simply asking way too much, and will go into the next season having made no trades.
i agree, the orioles want top prospects for miguel tejeda. i mean hes a nice player but come on his contract is crazy and hes clearly passed his prime and is a suspected steroid user. he would have to be a salary dump attachment to bedard which is fine with probably anyone that makes that deal only the orioles dont feel that way.
The only way that the O’s trade a guy like Bedard is if they are overwhelmed with substantial talent to replace him.
Why would a team in a rebuilding mode unload a top prospect under their control contractually for a few lesser prospects? It doesn’t make any sense. I don’t think that a Beckett/Bedard comparison is fair, considering that Beckett was a bit more established when he was traded than Bedard is now. Beckett already had a WS ring.
And nobody is going to take a flyer on a guy like Tejada until after the results of the Mitchell report are released.
And why, for the love of God, would you want to ship out most of our top prospects and bring back a horrible pitcher with a terrible contract like Zito?! No thanks. We dodged a bullet on that one the first time, let’s not revisit it.
If parting with Hughes, Kennedy, and/Chamberlain will net them Santana then I assure you that the Yankees will pull the trigger on the deal and the Mets will be no competition for them. Trading prospects for other teams’ established studs is their MO.
All things being equal, the Yanks have to be considered the favs to land Santana should he actually be traded.