BREAKING NEWS: Mets Acquire Santana

by Eli Greenspan on Jan 29, 2008 5:18 PM EST

The Mets have acquired pitcher Johan Santana for pitchers Kevin Mulvey, Delois Guerra, Phil Humber, and outfielder Carlos Gomez. The Mets have been given a 72-hour window to get a contract extension signed, and Santana is expected to be asking for twenty million dollars annually over five to seven years. What I expect to happen is the Mets give Santana a five year deal worth 20 million dollars annually, with incentive based options added on. Because the Mets won Santana, it makes me think that the Red Sox and Yankees pulled out of the running. Their offers were much better even if they were for less players. The Twins acquired four highly unproven players in this deal and probably won't be ready until 2009 or 2010. Although this is rebuilding for the Twins, I do not see this really helping like it has for the Athletics and Marlins. Santana was 15-13 with a 3.33 ERA last season for the Twins, but a switch to a run producing NL team with a solid bullpen should do wonders for his numbers. He is entering his prime, and although it is always a risk to lock up pitchers long term, this trade puts the Mets back on top in the NL East.

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wow both the yankees and the sox had better offers on the table than what the twins just took. they waited too long and took the lesser package twins fans should be upset. they could of had either hughes from the yanks as a center piece who will be a stud for many years or either lester or ellsbury along with other very solid prospects that fit what the twins needed. im a sox fan and im happy they keep him away from the yanks and keep all that young talent to make more world series runs for many more years.

by mike on Jan 29, 2008 6:00 PM EST reply actions

"Because the Mets won Santana, it makes me think that the Red Sox and Yankees pulled out of the running. Their offers were much better even if they were for less players."

there has been reports for weeks that the sox and yankees were taking away from each offers

by Anonymous on Jan 29, 2008 6:03 PM EST reply actions

This wasn't even close to being the best deal on the table. Were the Twins that desperate to deal him to the National League?

by Anonymous on Jan 29, 2008 6:03 PM EST reply actions

Gomez is ready to go.

There are serious concerns among scouts that Santana's arm is showing fatigue. His velocity has been down and he's tiring earlier in games. These are concerns.

And Santana's contract will be low in incentives. Just the typical stuff. He has no reason to do anything else. To guess, 5 yr/$115M. He just turned down a Twins offer of 5 yr/$100M and will use that as leverage.

In many ways, the Mets are seriously rolling the dice. This empties their farm system of four of their top seven prospects, a system ranked #13 last year.

by Christo P. Ney on Jan 29, 2008 6:24 PM EST reply actions

First the Twins, you went from a legit Start in Lester or Hughes to a guy who has a losing record in the minors who will not be in the rotation in 08. The other prospects would not have even registered on the boards or the sox or yanks respectivily. Bad deal, shouldnt have waited. Now for the mets, great trade, none are in your starting lineup or a future star like Martinez might be. This gives you a shot every year at the NL East. And they got him at the same price as they would have if they traded for Blanton or Bedard. Kudos to Omar Miniya.

by Bucky, NY on Jan 29, 2008 7:07 PM EST reply actions

good for the mets

by Anonymous on Jan 29, 2008 8:35 PM EST reply actions

No, this does not make the Mets the "team to beat". They just sold out what future they had to get an overpriced, overhyped, aging arm that won't get out of the 5th inning in half of the games against Atlanta or Philly.

Bad move Mets - there was a reason why the Sox and Yanks pulled out of this deal. They knew when to RUN away - quickly!

Mets fans should be crying....

by B on Jan 29, 2008 9:27 PM EST reply actions

Their farm isn't depleted though it is definitely still light and if someone goes down with an injury, they are going to have to scramble. However, they did keep their best chip - Martinez.

The idea that suddenly he's going to go 5 innings tops and the Mets are now in trouble for acquiring the best pitcher in baseball is absolutely ridiculous and sounds too much like sour grapes. I could be wrong.

Boston didn't NEED Santana but they wanted to keep him away from the Yankees. The Yankees, i believe, just didn't want to give up young players that they think are their future.

This is going to be Glavine or Randy Johnson or even Mike Hampton.
Those guys are not Santana and Santana isn't nearly as old as Glavine or Johnson was.

You're being a little ridiculous with your "Mets fans should be crying" nonsense.

by Anonymous on Jan 30, 2008 9:57 AM EST reply actions

You guys are nuts. Santana will dominate the NL as a whole including 5-6 starts against the marlins and nationals which will be easy victories. The NL will have a hard time adjusting to his stuff. He will be 14-3 at the break and start the all star game. With the Met's line-up and bullpen, this sick bastard has an outside chance of winning 30 games. If Delgado and Alou have decent years, Mets win 106-110 this year.

by Anonymous on Jan 30, 2008 2:01 PM EST reply actions

im a yankees fan whose just happy he didn't end up in beantown..one reporter from detroit was bashing the yanks for NOT making the trade(if anything, bad job by boston, they would have had a stranglehold on the al east and world series crowns for at least 5-6 years)...great, not good trade for the mets, as far as some one said mortgaging their future, maybe...but who is more of a favorite to make it out of the NL this year?...

by Anonymous on Jan 30, 2008 4:42 PM EST reply actions