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In his latest report for SI.com, Jon Heyman writes that the Mets may ‘actually be the favorite’ to acquire Johan Santana.
Heyman mentions the Yankees and Red Sox ‘restraint,’ and their “willingness to live without Santana,” along with the abundance of high-ceiling prospects the Mets could potentially send to the Twins, as the main reasons the Mets have moved to the front of the pack.
…it’s pretty much what we’ve been hearing and what Cerrone has been saying all along, in that the Mets are a favorite as long as the Yankees and Red Sox are not…
…ideally, the Mets would send their best offer to the Twins and say take it or leave it, in hopes they wouldn’t turn around to the Yankees and Sox and try to coax one final offer from them…realistically, the Mets giving that type of ultimatum would probably hold little weight and the Twins could easily ignore it…so, if the Yankees or Red Sox decide to swoop in at the last minute and trump the mets offer then that’s that…
…of course, none of that matters until the Twins make up their mind to accept one of the offers and then make the last round of phone calls (cue jeopardy music)…
Heyman also discusses how the Mets, as well as the Yankees and Red Sox, may approach Santana’s contract extension.
…added to by Matthew Cerrone…
In a post to his blog for the Star-Tribune, La Velle E. Neal III adds that all three teams have been in contact with the Twins during the last few days.
“For now,” Neal writes, “The Twins have stepped up their efforts to make a deal with one of these teams before camp opens.”
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Is there a modicon for snoring? lol
How about one for ritual suicide? This is reeeeediculous already. Now, I’m no fool. I realize the monetary and onfield reprucussions of this trade….but C’MONNNN already. Countries have been formed and destroyed in less time. If you like the Yankees deal take it. If you like the Sox deal, take that then. If you like the framework of the prospects we have then lets hammer out a deal. The Twins remind me of the guy at the poker table who cant decide whether to call or fold, then asks their buddy standing behind them, then asks the table, then says “Man, what a tough decision”, then leans his head on his hand and ponders some more. For the most part their options are limited. Pick the one that you feel best addresses your long term needs and LET”S GO ALREADY….
Planes Tranes and Automobiles openeing scene with the head of the company looking over the three cover options……..
Very good.
I will believe it when I see it!
what’s a modicon? sounds like something dr. who uses to clean the toilet.
I’m still sticking to my belief that he will be traded sometime between tomorrow and Jan 29th
MLB and NFL tend to try to out do one another in the headlines… especially during the high point of either season. With the overkill of Superbowl talk… How sweet would it be for Omar to grab the back page of the papers!!!
“For now,” Neal writes, “The Twins have stepped up their efforts to make a deal with one of these teams before camp opens.”
That is because Santana wants to be traded by Spring Training, I hope this means he has the Twins ear and he wants to be on the Mets.
When will this end?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
The BUZZ is back. They are talking again. This may turn serious or may be serious as we write. Good luck Omar. Do not leave any stone (or prospect) unturned to make this deal.
DO IT OMAR………PUSH IT TO THE LIMIT.
YEAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
I still say don’t count out the Twins. They are still very much a player in this thing. I really don’t think they are going to settle for anything. They’re going to get the deal that makes them a better team or they are going to resign him.
oy-vey already.
Just keep this in mind…
The New York football Giants are in the Super Bowl with a team that “experts” said may go 5-11. Sometimes sports surprises you, sometimes teams click, sometimes what you think wouldn’t be enough in fact can be. Now I’m not saying the Mets will win the NL East or that the G-Men won’t be the next sacrificial lamb to the juggernaut Patriots, but I say if we don’t land Santana, so be it. Let’s let the kids ride it out and let the “chips” fall where they may. If a projected 5-11 team can do it, then so can our beloved Mets.
Go Big Blue and Go Mets
That’s a nice pep talk, but it really should be unnecessary. A great year by the Mets would be anything but unexpected.
What the Giants season should tell us – and maybe this is your point – is sometimes changing the attitude of a team from one season to the next is more important than changing personnel.
The Giants did next to nothing last offseason, like many argue the Mets have done, yet getting out of the first-round and to the Super Bowl is all about the change in attitude thorughout the roster and with the coach and has nothing to do with splashy offseason acquisitions.
If the Mets learn from their complacency and entitlement in 2007 the way the Giants learned from their selfishness and divisiveness in 2006, you can expect similarly better results…Santana or no Santana.
That said Twins are nuts to keep him in the AL. And the Yankees are more nuts thinking they are no more desperate for him than the Red Sox. Who is beating Beckett in a big game? Wang? Or Joba and his 16 innings of experience. Let their arrogance be their downfall…and let it put Santana in a Mets uniform!
What the Giants did was throw 4-5 rookies into the mix and watched them light up the league (Ross, Smith, Bradshaw, Boss, etc) which could extend the analogy to the Mets keeping their youth and watching them develop. Unfortunately it’s unlikely, precisely because football has a salary cap and baseball does not.
The only problem with these analogies is that football and baseball are such different sports, with such different seasons. The NFL has relative parity where any team can beat any other team on a given sunday. Also, the regular season is 1/10th as long! There is more room for a surprising run by a hot team in a sixteen game season than in a 162 game season.
We all know the Mets will be good. Even the most critical posters know this. We want Johan to put us back where we felt we were less than two years ago — remember being 16 games in first place? That was fun. Phils and Braves want to improve to catch up? That they did last year. Now it’s out turn to jump back ahead. That’s what this is about. Being GREAT again.
Hmmmm… this Santana fellow sounds promising. We should totally sign him!
where you been, Rickey?
playin’ cards in the clubhouse?
Either we want Santana or we don’t…
And seeing as how the entire off season has all but passed us by.. one would think this is the guy we want…
But like the rest of you, I’ll believe it while i see it..
As of right now.. we’re middle of the pack in the NL East.. hard to see how we’re any better then the 88 win team that broke our hearts last year.
Why are we in the middle of the pack?
What makes us not the favorite? Was it the Phillies losing Rowand? Or the Braves losing Andruw and Renteria? Which move was it that put them ahead of the pack…I keep forgetting.
No problem let me remind you…
We only won 88 games last year…
Pedro Hasn’t pitched more then 150 innings in 2 years
Sanchez hasn’t pitched a full season in 2 years
We have a platoon OF playing full time in right field
We have a 42 year old starting in left field who we know wont play 162 games
We have one of the worst hitting catchers in baseball starting
We have not upgraded the rotation or the bull pen, sure we signed some guys we hope will stick, but they are anything from sure things…
The Phillies have Brett Meyers back in the rotation with Lidge in the bull pen
The Braves have Hampton and Glavine back, with a full year of Tex.. and they chose to trade Renteria since Escobar is a stud, and they got some nice young arms for the back end of their rotation.. and get Mike Gonzalez back from injury…
So yeah… middle of the pack sounds about right to me.. any more questions?
Just a couple. young stud replaces Renteria? Man, how is Jeffries doing these days? Young studs typically don’t hold up a second time around. Stupid trade. How many ROYs have the dodgers had in a row that fell off the face of the earth?
Losing Jones in center will hurt. Gonzalez won’t be fully healthy and oh yeah, Hampton, are you serious? How many times do you have to see him go down before you stop expecting him to pitch more than 1/3 of a season?
So that’s Atlanta.
Philly – Myers in the rotation is great, nice move on their part. They now have 2 good starting pitchers. Lidge, bandbox, psyche explodes when he gives up a homer in a calm environment like Houston. Wait until Philly tears him a new one. Um, I am not worried about their new “closer.” But Myers is a nice addition.
Rowand was a spark. A gutsy, gritty player who played a good CF and put it all on the line. You don’t replace him with Shane Victorino. That will be a tough loss in the clubhouse and in the middle of that lineup.
Finally, they needed Burrell to career in the second half to win by one. Um, not happening again.
So while your points about the Mets may be valid, (and I disagree with some, especially having Schneider and what he will bring defensively and to the rotation) let’s not pump up the other teams unnecessarily.
Any more questions?
Actually, Rowand is being replaced by Werth/Jenkins platoon. Victorino is just sliding over from RF to CF.
And for his sake, he had better be doing leg exercises if he has to play CF between Jenkins and Burrell.
I thought we let the worst hitting catcher go to the Nats.
rickey is that you???? this is john olerud….i wear a helmet like that guy you used to play with…
I almost forgot all about that classic Rickey moment. It still makes me laugh. Thanks!
Mets are interested in Johan Santana? Ya don’t say.
Next you’ll be telling me they tore down that wall that splits east and west Germany and that Texas Governor was elected President
gee I hope it wasn’t Bush. That’d be a disaster.
No F-Mart included?
Is this the most beaten-to-death non-story in the history of the world?
it be, the Brittany of Baseball!
Great Analogy!
It’s coming soon…I can just feel it.
I think I’m gonna throw up after this ride is over…must…hang…on…
How much must Bill Smith hate Terry Ryan for putting him in this spot?
I have been passively suggesting adding Heilman to the deal proposed, but then again Omar would’ve done it if he thought that Heilman is what is necessary for Santana. So this either could mean that offers are declining and we truly are front runners or that Omar just doesn’t want Johan.
But in the world of dealing with Hankenstein, I’d give them Heilman.
Omar knows more than me.
Fear not
We ARE getting Santana….guaranteed
I’m starting to feel the same way, but what happens to our outlook if we don’t?
“guaranteed”? You know someone in the Twins organization?
That is a strong, bold statement. Hope you are right!
Guaranteed?? Patrick Ewing…… you blog??
ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz….haven’t I heard this one already? Wake me up when they make a decision.
Why do I see this terrible headline in the future…”Yankee’s Trade for Santana and work out a 5 year extension 1 day before pitchers and catchers report”
Sub text “Mets decisde on Bartolo Colon”
This is my nightmare……
Sick.
Of.
This.
iSht.
AMEN…AMEN
I’m sick and tired of this banter. Just sign him already?!?!?!?!
It is quite possible that the only viable offer on the table at the moment belongs to the New York Mets, and that Bill Smith is doing everything in his power to suppress that fact. (I think both Ellsbury and Hughes are off-the-table right now. And Lester/Crisp is inferior to the Mets package).
It is quite possible that the Mets have already learned, through Santana’s close friend Luis Castillo, or through agent Peter Greenberg, or through Greenberg’s client Jose Reyes, that Johan intends to go to the Mets.
It is likely that Johan has already refused to be traded mid-season.
It is also likely that he has ruled out a long-term deal with the Twins.
It is also likely that Johan’s patience is running out.
I don’t know if any of the above statements is actually true. But these are the kind of contingencies that will determine the ultimate outcome.
The only information that really matters is information that we don’t have.
Well, if they pick up Santana and you we are pleasantly surprised by the package going back, then I will be happy.
SOmething like Gomez + Mulvey + Heilman + 1 or 2 lower teir guys would really set the team up for 2008 and beyond.
I won’t be shocked if the Mets get him, but I would be shocked if it was for the commonly bandied about 4 man package.
You may be right.
My point was that everyone assumes that Twins GM Bill Smith is sitting there mulling over several packages. I don’t buy it.
Something else is happening right now. I don’t think he has packages (plural) to mull over.
I think he’s hoping for a Hail Mary. He’s terrified of selling the Mets package to Twins fans. And he’s even more terrified about losing Santana for draft picks.
Why would he be terrified about “selling our package to Twins Fans?” Have you read any of the Twins blogs lately and read the comments. The Twins fans actually seem to prefer our package of prospects to those of the Yankees and the Red Sox. Not 100%, but to me it seems like the consensus is pretty even.
Bloggers are not general fans is the problem. The average fan does not know, nor have the patience to find out about, the quality of prospects. The average fan in Minesota only knows what they see on the field in results. They are not going to even remember where they got F MArt from when he is hitting 25 homers for them in 2-3 years. The blogger will remember because they read about baseball every day…but it is the average fan the twins will have to answer to.
im excited. we can’t lose this opportunity.
bring on johan!!!
I will continue to blame the media for this. I love that ESPN featured this segment last night, but they need to turn up the heat. The twins feel little pressure to make this deal. ESPN and others need to make the lack of a story MORE of a story and get the Twins fans riled up. Then and only then, will Bill Smith cave and make a move.
Who is this Santana guy people are suddenly talking about?
If he was important, you’d think we’d have heard about him before.
johan santana stinks we dont need that bum.
My thoughts exactly. Cy Young Awards WREAK of putrid mediocrity…
I agree with most of the talk here. I feel that the Mets should add Martinez to the deal if that’s what it will take. I look back at the Marlins-Red Sox deal with Beckett & Hanley Ramirez. If the Red Sox knew what a talent Ramirez would turn out to be I think they would still make the trade. Personally, I don’t think Fernando Martinez will be as good as Hanley, but for an “ace” it must be done. Pitching wins championships.
Reyes is not a spokesperson, he’s a baseball player ( & a damn good one at that). There’s less than 5 guys in the league that I would rather have.
I see less than three qualitatively meaningful messages on this link. We are all getting seriously fatigued with this story……
Does anyone else feel like they are in the movie Groundhogs day? Every day wake up to the same story in the newspaper. Twin’s makign a decision, between Mets, Yanks, and BoSOx…….
Kalihan42 would you include Martinez in the deal? If not, why not?
If we scaled back the deal I would include him or if we got a legitimate prospect in return Maybe a catching prospect in return? Not sure who the twins have but we could use one I think and they don’t need one right now…
Johan, if he comes this way, with all of this being dragged out BETTER win a ws. If not, this ENTIRE thing is a waste.
He better be god damn 2004 caliber Johan Santana for FIVE years.
well, based on the hype, expectations, and cost (prospects and $$), you are right that if the Mets don’t cruise into the WS, there will be a major backlash.
And Santana can’t claim to be an innocent bystander. He is posturing for the richest pitching contract ever, so if he doesn’t put up a dominant, Cy Young quality performance this year, then he will (deservedly) be roasted.
And regardless of how Santana does, if the Team doesn’t hit the WS, Omar will also be roasted.
Actually, Omar runs a bigger risk if he does get Santana than if he doesn’t, since that will set up the win now or else mentality. If he stands pat, there is an espectation of building for the future.
Basically, if you push your chips all-in, then you better have the best hand!
Coming over to the national league and being in a pitchers park, i think Santana will be fine. The hittng on the other hand is less than what we’ve had, so there may be something to watch out for here.
He does tend to start slowly, IIRC, so hopefully he has a thick skin.
Johan Santana. Johan Santana. Johan Santana.
*Johan Santana jumps out of the mirror*
aghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
I think we can all utter a collective “we’ll believe it when we see it” a la “beltransmole” re: this deal. (Re: betransmole’s inspiration, we’ve all seen Beltran’s mole itself, and I still can’t believe it.) I still think there could be an unidentified suitor, no-trade clause or no, and I don’t put anything past Epstein if he sees the Yankees stir. They are both just lying in the weeds. . . . It would be interesting if we actually got reliable, detailed info (which is impossible to get — no slight to Matt. He’s been doing a great job.) As it stands, it’s just an oscillating rumor cycle — Mets surprise front runner, Yankees have best package, Ellsbury may be available, Mets surprise front runner, rinse, repeat.
why don’t we just trade church and schneider for milledge and lo duca?
;)
Does everybody here really think we are getting Santana? Wouldnt we have made the deal already? The more time that passes I am less confident we will get Johan. Smith obviously doesnt want to make a deal for our prospects and doesnt like them. Why else would he wait to make it?
It’s actually quite the Opposite, I’ts becoming clear that Omar doesnt want Santana, the only reason he isnt saying this is because it would be suicide for him.
Omar is gonna go with the same crap from last offseason “We have what we need” everythings OK, we will be FINE! Relax! Purchase Tickets! Spend Spend!
All the crap in the news about the Mets being the front runners is nothing more than the failed attempts of the Mets to come back in the bottom of the 9th, they get painfully close but fail it the end…
Almost as if to torture us fans.
Because he’s trying to get Boston and the Skanks into a bidding war that doesn’t seem to happen. He’ll take our prospects if the war doesn’t happen, instead of just getting 2 picks in the draft.
why would Smith like our prospects when the Mets dont even like them,,,,,, We liked Milledge when he was a double ‘A’ prospect , that and a metro card will get you on the 7 train. I cant wait to trade em all, then draft 3 new 1st round prospects for the media to hype up, then trade them too.
I really believe that if anyone gets Santana this off season it’s going to be us.
The Red Sox & Yankees (except for Hankee) don’t want to pay the price in both prospects & money. Even Mariano Rivera was quoted today as not wanting to the Yankees to trade for Santana because he strongly believes that those young Yankee pitchers are going to be great. I’m telling you this is the Mets deal to lose. The Red Sox & Yankees are just in it to keep the other honest & make sure neither one get him for a song.
Ok isnt it around that time that the phantom team sworms in with a real offfer? Who did Joe Torre sign with again?
Because this is too good to be true, lol
Who is this Johan Santana guy?
Thursday’s Boston Herald:
The Mets, and not the Red Sox or Yankees, remain the front-runner as the team most likely to succeed in pulling off a trade for Minnesota ace Johan Santana, according to baseball insiders in touch with both the Mets and Twins in recent days.
A package the Twins could receive will probably not include both of the Mets’ top outfield prospects, Carlos Gomez and Fernando Martinez. There are indications that Martinez would be in the deal, along with major league outfielder Ryan Church and at least two other prospects. Starter Mike Pelfrey could be part of the deal as well. . . .
Why I think it would be great to hold on to either F-mart or Gomez and getting Santana, if we trade Church that would leave a BIG hole in right field. I guess we would need to trade for someone like Nady then, which I hope they do.
straight out of left feild with that one, Reyes dont hablo engles, well maybe just a little mentally retarded
I KNEW I should’ve wore deodorent today!
Dude, we won’t engage you. Frankly, we understand your braying here is only an outlet for the frustration of living in that cesspool of a third-rate “city”. So, knock yourself out, you poor, unfortunate soul.