Buzz: Red Sox still Favorites for Santana
In a recent report for the Pioneer Press, citing ‘team insiders,’ Charley Walters writes that the Red Sox remain the favorite to acquire Johan Santana from the Twins, offering Jon Lester, Coco Crisp, Jed Lowrie and Justin Masterson.
According to Walters, citing ‘buzz,’ a Santana 
trade ‘could be made within days.’
…of course, people close to santana thought he was close to going to boston last week, as well, yet nothing happened…also, during the Winter Meetings, reports suggested a deal was close and, again, nothing happened…which is why i will only anticipate news when news actually happens…
…meanwhile, i have talked to some people who believe that the Mets and Twins have not talked in weeks, while others believe they have…my sense is that things are quiet, though this may have more to do with family issues involving team officials and agents than it does with a break-down in talks…
…last week, we were led to believe that it would cost Fernando Martinez or Carlos Gomez, or both, plus up to four pitchers, including Aaron Heilman, to get santana…now, according to people connected to the team, that number could be more like five pitchers…which is confusing to me, because i can’t name five quality pitchers for the Mets to actually give at this point…
…i realize i am a Mets fan, but, i just don’t understand why gomez and four pitchers, including heilman, is not better than what the Red Sox are offering, especially since, from what i understand, the Twins like gomez as much as ellsbury…
…nevertheless, word is that the Mets are ‘monitoring the situation,’ yet remain positive…
…from what i can gather, Omar Minaya wants a top-line starting pitcher as much as you and i do, despite his recent praises of John Maine and Oliver Perez…what’s worse, i think the players want a pitcher like santana as well…i sense a bit of panic, because, as i understand, Dan Haren may actually have been this team’s top choice, though they never stood a realistic chance of getting him…meanwhile, for the same reason haren was too difficult, Erik Bedard is not a realistic option as well…plus, if Mets prospects were not attractive to oakland in a deal for haren, i can’t see why they’d be suddenly attractive now in talks regarding Joe Blanton…therefore, as crazy as it may seem, santana, the best pitcher in baseball, may be minaya’s only option…
