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According to multiple reports, the Mets may be in the driver’s seat with regards to Twins LHP Johan Santana.
…from what i can tell, it’s not the Mets or the Twins who are in the driver’s seat, though, it’s santana who is in the driver’s seat…
…yesterday’s report in the Star-Tribune really kicked up a lot of buzz, most of which i had been writing for weeks, 
and some that i had been sitting on but which is now slowly being confirmed…
…in the last day or so i have talked with people who are involved in these talks and who are closely watching it from the inside, as well as people who are connected to santana, and while a lot of details may be up left to interpretation, one thing for certain is that the Mets are seriously interested, they are the only major, pro-active player who is dealing with the Twins and things between the two sides are progressing…
According to WFAN’s Mike Francesa, speaking on air yesterday afternoon, the Twins continue to ask the Mets for Jose Reyes, which is essentially holding up the trade.
…from what i can gather, having talked with people connected to the teams and to reyes and to santana, as i wrote back in December, the Mets and Twins understand who can and cannot be involved in a potential trade…and while i believe the Mets are open to trading Fernando Martinez, though they do not want to and still feel they may not have to, the Twins understand that Jose Reyes is totally off the table - despite what francesa is saying, and others are reporting from time to time…
…by the way, thanks to Peter Wade for the WFAN information…
Meanwhile, according to today’s Daily News, as well as the Bergen Record, the Twins have yet to decide if they want major league-ready pieces or prospects.
…actually, i have heard it this way as well, which may be why some people keep fixating on reyes…i wonder if people hear ‘major-league ready talent’ and logically assume it means reyes…i rarely, if ever, hear specific names mentioned - so, to me, i have always interpreted ‘major-league ready talent’ to mean Aaron Heilman, because, from what i understand, the Twins have no interest in acquiring and paying a player like reyes, who is due roughly $20 million over the next three years…
…as for the Mets competition, as long as the Yankees hold on to Phil Hughes, which they still intend to do, the Mets are the only major, pro-active player for santana, who, by the way, still prefers to be on the Mets - as i have been writing for weeks…
…additionally, as i understand it, santana wants to know who he will be pitching for before pitchers and catchers report, especially if he’ll be switching leagues like he prefers to do - which is why i believe there will be a conclusion to this story before February, i.e., two to three weeks…
…so, if santana prefers to be on the Mets, as others have started to write of late as well, my question is: just how badly does he want that to happen…because, in some ways, he can dictate where he ends up…
Remember, in late October, he told the Star-Tribune that he will waive his no-trade clause - assuming he is appropriately compensated and is traded to a team with a legitimate chance of winning a World Series.
Later that month, reports indicated that Santana would consider vetoing a trade during the season so to encourage the Twins to make a move before opening day.
…from what i can tell, the Twins best card to play is ‘time,’ i.e., being able to drag their feet while being indecisive in hopes that a team like the Mets get nervous and overpay just to get a deal done…meanwhile, the Mets best card to play is understanding that santana prefers to pitch for them…
…the thing is, to what extent will santana go to force minnesota’s hand, which would then eliminate their luxury of time and help the Mets as well…
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I don’t seem to understand how the Twins can still be demanding Reyes, and any reports of this are avoiding the reality that the Mets are the only team negotiating with any forward progress. That can always change, but the Yankees and Red Sox seem to be leaning in other directions. If this is indeed a one-horse race at the moment, why should the Mets even budge on Martinez, let alone Reyes? It’s a staring contest and I don’t think Omar should blink first. Santana would make the Mets a contender for the foreseeable future.
Let the deal come to us rather than chase it….I like it
Good stuff. This is why you don’t just hand over every top prospect in the farm. Omar is playing his hand right. I really believe this can get done without giving up F-Mart.
I agree, but I am also afraid that if this drags on too long then Cashman is going to swoop in at the 11th hour with a monster deal…….It’s a catch 22
The Twins aren’t demanding Reyes anymore. Francesca heard it once two months ago and he keeps on repeating it.
I don’t know why Matt bothers to report on anything that guy says anymore.
We don’t know that the Twins are asking for Reyes. We don’t know if they ever threw his name in there as more than a negotiation tactic. The Twins are looking for unpaid prospects, and may not even want a guy making 20M over the next 3 yrs.
In any case, every credible source (sorry Mr. Francessa, your name doesn’t seem to be on the list) in both NY and Minn has assumed that Reyes is off the table for weeks now.
Or . . . “what Xavier said”
Guess I’m just a slow typer.
Did anyone hear Ed coleman on MLB radiocast last night? A friend of mine said he heard it and Ed said that omar hasn’t talked to the Twins since the winter meetings and anything that were hearing is false. Can someone confirm that they heard this? I mean it seemed like things were moving forward but if this report is true then it’s just media fabrication and the mets are nowhere close to working a deal for Santana.
I gotta believe that that’s just “trade-speak” if you know what I mean? The teams are being tight-lipped about it. I wouldn’t believe that stuff.
i cant imagine thats true. i mean even if the twins will only take reyes. you have to figure the two sides have talked for no reason other than omar knows he needs santana and is definitely going to do everything in his power to get him as long as he’s still a twin. that report makes it sound too much like omar said “they wont do it w.o reyes, ok i give up time to go on vacation”.
Go to Mlb.com and you can see the 10 minute interview with Coleman. He states that Omar is in Israel but he talked to him and he is easily reachable.
The 5 for 1 seems a bit steep. I wonder if the Mets can get the Twins to throw in a AA player in return with Johan, someone who is decent, could soften the blow of losing 5 guys for 1. Maybe the guy turns out to be something maybe he’s a stiff. But, getting some sort of OF or pitcher with Johan would be nice.
Any one hear the FAN yesterday when they were comparing this to about 20 years ago when the Mets traded for Viola…a 29 year old lefty Twin; 4 or 5 players for 1 stud pitcher. Very similar circumstances…
Here some E. Coleman quotes:
“There wasn’t that much to that report today (yesterday) (Star Tribune), I’m not saying it’s erroneous or totally erroneous … not much has gone on the past couple of weeks … it’s kind of been status quo … I do think you’re kind of grasping at straws at this point in time …”
Coleman said he spoke to Mets GM Omar Minaya in Israel and Minaya said “there’s not much to it.”
Just go to minnesota star tribune and read the article
The whole story (i.e. Fmart, Gomez, Humber, Guerra, and Mulvey for Santana is a package the Twins would take) comes from a writer from Minny. He said he has it from the Twins. Omar would therefore not have anything to do with it and could, as Eddie C says, not have had contact with the Twins since the Winter Meetings.
Reyes is not going anywhere. All of this is talk until Omar the Met Maker comes back to the USA. Til then its the NY writers and the Minn writers postulating.
I’d do it if they could even hang onto Gomez while trading Martinez. Ideally, of course, I’d try to hold onto Martinez. I think it’s pretty clear a deal will soon get done. Im very excited.
im a patient man, but 2 or 3 more weeks? ugh. if he ends up not being traded this will be the biggest **** tease EVER.
I think Francessa’s newspaper subscriptions ran out and he’s just looking at the same article from a month ago and continuing to make mindless claims.
I like the possible deal, we ABSOLUTELY NEED JOHAN!!! but we also need to keep one of our “Big 3″
I just have to add - Francessa is a buffoon. That is all.
Seriuosly…do you ever see them sitting there with the newspapers. They get all of their info from these newspaper writers who know absolutely nothing as we have learned. I give them a pass usually because while I only care about the Mets, they must concern themselves with every team in every sport to a certain degree.
It is sometimes frustrating listening to them because their so arrogant but they are a good team and obviously have a successful show.
Looks like the AAA team is going to Syracuse in 2009 as they are making a big push for them. Great article in the Syracuse newspaper today.
tried to post the link but don’t see it here. It’s syracuse.com, headline is “Schumer: Syracuse can get Mets.”
Whats this I read in the Post that the Mets are unwilling to part with our 5 guys???
This is what you’re referring to I think…
“The two teams continue to talk and word out of Minnesota yesterday was that, yes, the Mets could snare Cy Young Santana for the right price, but as far as the Mets are concerned, that five-for-one deal is not the right price.”
I’m glad. It’s a good thing our fans don’t make trades.
I say “sit tight Omar.” I think we may even be able to pull this off WITHOUT giving up F-Mart. We just gotta sit and wait out the Twins and hope the Yanks don’t give up Hughes. If they do, then throw in F-Mart.
Glider’s right. Sit tight, try to hold your ground, but if the Yanks do offer Hughes the Mets can’t top that without including Gomez and Fernando. They just can’t - Hughes is a sure thing and he’s young, he could be the ace of almost any team in baseball within 2-3 years. The kid’s a stud and if the Yanks start dangling him with cabrera (who is being undervalued, btw) and some mid levels again, I’d be willing to give up these 5 guys for him. The Mets just need Santana. For those of you who don’t want to ’sell the farm,’ what do you want? To have the same hole year after year? I just don’t get it, the Mets aren’t winning anything without a boost in SP and the probability is that only 1 or 2 of these 5 prospects will pan out anyways
agree 100%, if we dont trade for santana we’ll need an ace EVEN MORE next year bc pedro will either be gone or even OLDER. who knows who will resign by next offseason so we could be looking AGAIN for an ace after 09. this is a huge need that will not go away until its filled. but i do agree about sitting tight. only offer fmart+gomez if you have to ie hank the skank offers up hughes +.
Is Francesa really that stupid and out of touch? Or is he trying to make mischief by repeating the story about Reyes?
Are you really asking that question?
I think Francessa just reports his personal fantasies as if it’s news:
“Well, Dog, ran into Cate Blanchett last night, and she wants to lap dance me in the studio next week.”
I’m sorry, but I think Fat Fran-SEH-ser was actually referring to Kate Smith, not Cate Blanchett. Can someone please explain to me how it can be so easy to see through someone…..SO FAT?? He’s a Yankee fan, blow-hard, and shill. But most of all….he’s a disgrace.
The only thing that is going to get me out of the Baseball Depression I have been in since September is Santana, not Blanton or anyone else…
Collapses like last year MUST be compensated for, theres only so much a fan can take.
The Mets Ownership owes us this, I just hope I’m not getting setup for a huge disappointment here.
I still think we should find a 5th starter that we can get for 2 years in the mean time so we can posture that we are happy with out team as it is. It will give us a bit more leverage. The thing that I wonder is why not see if we can trade Maine, Gomez and maybe Mulvey and/or Pelfrey. The Twins NEED Major league ready starters with what they are loosing this off season. We can sign a guy like Silva in the mean time and not give p the whole farm. Not sure they will take it but a rotation of
Santana
Pedro
O.P.
SIlva
El Duque /Humber
is not too bad. It is also the type of rotation Minaya like (Hispanic heavy)
Either way I am happy trading just about anytthing for Santan (even if we are over payinig). A chance to lock up a guy like Santana does not happen very often
I’m pretty sure Silva already signed somewhere, FYI.
Silva already signed.
woops, missed that, but the premise still stands…lock in a pitcher now for the bottom of the rotation and be willing to upgrade to save more of the farm. SInce the Twins need pitching bad that is major league ready I think it could save us either F Mart or Gomez
Not sure they would do this type of move but I think if Santana is gone regardless Maine looks like at least a fill to their rotation….
how does trading Maine for Santana make sense? You’re creating another hole by trading away fifteen wins for 4 more wins. It doesn’t make the team appreciable better.
The idea is to add to Maine and Perez, not make a swap.
mulvey, guerra, gomez, humber and the entire city of syracuse should get it done.
What I’m not getting is that everyone else has been saying that the Yanks will give up Hughes, but NOT Hughes AND Ian Kennedy. Matt keeps saying that they won’t trade Hughes. I guess it doesn’t really matter, since the Mets are the only proactive team in this whole charade…
I think I share everyone’s anxiety in wishing this situation would just resolve itself. Though I guess these things take time, and we should be patient if we want Johan on our team.
Consider this: if we get Santana (or even if we don’t), since Omar has said El Duque is in the rotation, who is our long man in the pen??? This may seem secondary, but I think it’s of huge importance, especially since over a long season starters (Duque, Pedro) can and do wear down. I’d love to get Jeremy Affeldt for this role, or perhaps we can try Pelfrey out?
Duque may be “in the rotation”, but as #5 he’s only needed for 1 start in the first 16 games. That allows the team to carry 14 players and 11 pitchers for the first 3 weeks, leaving Pelfrey and Humber in NO for regular work.
that is what they did last year, and Milledge got about 4 ABs while rotting on the bench.
currently it would be Sosa
Sosa