The Twins offered a 4/80 extension, right? That isn’t exactly lowballing them, hoping for a home town discount!

Maybe if they add a 5th year (5 at 20 million per)? Possibly tie that to innings pitched or something as a vesting year?

Still think it would be great for baseball as a whole for the Twins to keep him.

Besides, if he takes the 4 year deal, he isn’t likely to starve making 20/million a year, plus he would be a FA again at age 33/34 ish.

ANd if his “people” don’t think he can still get a big money deal at that age (implying that he will no longer be a top quality pitcher) they have some serious brass ones asking for a 7 year deal!

He can always finish out his career in NY if he wants to (and they want him). 34 is just about old enough to crack the Yankee or Met rotation (maybe a little young…)

And even when he was saying a deal was off the table, in the next breath he’d say that their offer was still the best offer. In one quote, after claiming that a deal was off the table, he went on to say that he didn’t want the Twins to think that the Yankees were completely out of it. He says he meant that their offer wasn’t just sitting there waiting for them to grab whenever they want to.

WTF?!

Is this guy comic relief or what?

What is lock down? I think I know – I’m guessing it means “zip it” – no more talking to the press.

But does that mean a deal is pending?

Can anybody elaborate on what is really going on with this lock down talk?!

Also keep in mind that the Twins are also the only team that can legally talk to Santana about a deal.

I’m also thinking that with all the foot dragging by all the teams involved in this thing, maybe Santana’s people are starting to realize that they aren’t likely to get near the money they were hoping for.

Maybe Santana’s agent is starting to realize that the big market teams aren’t standing in line to throw money and years at his feet. Maybe that 4 year 80 million deal is starting to look more realistic. Maybe they’re thinking they can work with it and find something between what they want and what the Twins are offering.

I guess what I’m saying is that you can’t really rule out anything.

I also wouldn’t rule out the Twins themselves.

Smith has always said resigning Santana would be his first choice. That first offer was just that a first offer. It was lowball knowing that anything they offered would likely be rejected and used to jack up another team.

My guess is that the Twins will try to make another offer before they trade him.