Mark It Down: Santana Will Be A Met By Month's End

If he does go to the Mets the whole NL needs to watch out.

Yeah when the Mets collapse down the stretch like they did last year

laughs...they can have Santana...I actually like the franchise though...but those collapses...shocka

hahahhahhaha, yes... that collapse was great. I was in the Philly right field bleachers watchin the scoreboard on Sept 30 as it all went down and the fightins took the crown.

Ohh, it also helped that Mets lost 8 straight to us too.

Wait, when the last Philadelphia championship? 1980. Ok, I feel better.

The Phillies, a great team filled with great fans in a great city...NOT!...I hope we play them at Fenway this year or Philly, doesn't matter...I would love nothing more than hitting a train to Philly with 15 Rsox fans and SEE WHAT HAPPENS...to the death...Philly, and sports aside, has a national consensus of being the shithole of major cities

Gee, I've always liked Boston (basically any team that can beat a New York team)-----I too would like to see a Boston/ Philly series. You and your 15 Red Sox fans would be welcome! A word of advice, don't dress up like Santa!

Yeah that's makes a lot of sense.....

don't mess with Dicekmania dude...you need more awareness

Well, if the Mets do trade for him, they'll have to trade away their whole farm system. They don't have the top prospects that the Yanks and Sox have. Carlos Gomez is decent but just not the quality of Ellsbury, Lester, or Hughes.

PhillyPhanatic,

It will probably take both Gomez and Fernando Martinez in addition to 2-3 pitching prospects to get it done so that is indeed a majority of the farm system there. But given this team's makeup and weighing the difference Santana will make this season on an already good team, you have to get this done if you are Omar Minaya.

I do agree with the idea that most of what the Yankees and Red Sox are doing is "posturing" on their parts, but I just don't know if I see the prospects that the Mets are willing to trade being enough to land Santana. With Fernando Martinez, there's no question about his upside, but at age 20 is still a year or more away from contributing at the Major League level. I think it's a realistic possibility, that the Twins would require the Mets top 4 prospects from '07 (Pelfrey, Martinez, Gomez, and Humber)...or may ask for any combination of those 4, including Jon Niese, Mulvey, or Guerra....asking for 3-4 of those 7 players.

But, if the Yankees or Red Sox would be willing to offer some of their stud prospects, I believe the Twins would have to entertain those offers, first and foremost. I'm sure the Twins would prefer a trade that would provide players that will be able to contribute as soon as possible...and outside of Gomez and possibly Pelfrey, I just don't know if the "updside" of the remaining players would be enough for the Twins to pull the trigger on trading Santana to the Mets. All in all, however, I think the Mets do have a realistic shot at landing Santana...and I still think the Dodgers are "players" too, so watch out there.

cincysportsart,

Definately have to agree that the Yanks, Sox and Dodgers can construct superior packages to the Mets, but I think in the end the mets willingness to deal will lead to Santana in orange and blue. Remember, Santana has the most value right now when a team can sign him to a long-term extension. He has implied he won't talk extension in-season so that puts more pressure on the Twins.

While a team may swoop in last minute, its more likely the Twins will probably take a 5-1 mets offer rather than risk getting far less for Santana in-season.

I can't believe the Twins would want to trade Johan Santana and not get Jose Reyes in exchange. I don't understand why they seem to be in a "re-building" mode, when they were just a few good batters away from being a contender. Dumping Santana now will leave the Twins starting staff young and inexperienced. I could see them not having a pitcher with a sub 4.00 ERA, assuming Francisco Liriano doesn't come back in lights-out fashion. Not only will their pitching staff struggle, but their offence has yet to be improved upon from last season.

But none of this matters as the AL Central is going to be outrageously tough anyway and either Boston or NYY will have the Wildcard.

If the Mets traded Jose Reyes for Johan Santana, they'd be in the same situation. Right now, their pitching is their weakness with their offense their strength. If they made that deal, their pitching would suddenly be their strength and their offense would become a weakness.

Personally, I wouldn't trade Reyes for Santana if I were the Mets. So they are making the correct move by marking him as 'untouchable'.

JScore,

A lot does hinge on how Liriano comes back from injury but all the reports this offseason have indiated he looks real good. If he can replicate even 80% of his 2006 performance the Twins have a viable ace to put in front of some good young arms like Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey, Boof Bonser as well as the guys they get back in a Santana trade or even perhaps a subsequent Joe Nathan deal.

Their lineup looks strong and they could very well be competitive as early as this year given their offensive potential and excellent bullpen. However, like you said the AL Central is stacked and will probably only get one team in the playoffs...

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Twins have to trade Santana before the season begins, they obviously are trying to get the best deal and hopes someone bites and gives them the farm. I think team are just waiting until spring training nears and then a deal will get done, because the Twins have to do it. Santana already said he won't waive his no-trade clause once the season begins.

everyone always goes back to the last championship, but that doesnt affect me Shakespeare, it really doesnt. I was a part of a killer season this year for the Phils, who won a division after overcoming a 7.5 game deficit with 17 left. That's unreal. But I'm glad you feel better. Some say that self-medicating is a good way to avoid suicide.

If you hit the reply link on my comment, you can comment directly to me, rather than having it show up halfway down the page.

We Philly fans aren't the worst fans, NYsportsFan. Philly fans are the most passionate fans.

Sadly, no one will ever take that and think you're right. Philly fans will always think they're the most passionate fans with New York fans being the most arrogant and New York fans will always think they're the most passionate fans with Philly fans being the most arrogant. And it being the same throughout the rest of the sports cities in America. It will never change. Only God knows who the most passionate fans are as a whole.

this was a good line:

"Essentially, the two teams were (to borrow a great line from season 2 of The Wire) "pissing on each other's leg" as they engaged in a high stakes game of keep-away."

I hope the mets will get Santana and I think they will eventually get him, but they will still win the NL East with out him.

well, your "deadline" is looming...only about a week left before january is over with. your mets better get their ears back on the phone. i've heard a lot of rumors that they've turned their attention to the orioles and bedard, due to a smaller "number" for an extension for bedard vs. santana. but, i guess we'll see.