After a quiet couple of weeks, it looks like things maybe heating up again with Johan Santana as the Twins conclude that he must be traded.
Let’s begin with Peter Gammons of ESPN who had this to say on Thursday in a chat with the Boston Globe’s readers…
I think one issue that Bill Smith (current Twins GM) faces, is because Terry Ryan (former Twins GM) made so many great trades, he’s trying to remake the team using Santana. I think Hank Steinbrenner would trade for Santana but only at the cost that was offered a month ago. The one team that continues to try to continue to build up inventory to trade are the Mets, and Smith may be waiting to see if any offer gets better.
*** I don’t know what Gammons is referring to when he says the Mets are building up inventory. Does he refer to the recent signing of Juan Padilla and acquiring Schneider and Church? I think the Mets might be considering trading more inventory than they had originally planned. Four prospects rather than three…
John Heyman of SI.com, who is now a regular featured guest on WFAN had a few interesting thoughts on Santana as well yesterday… Besides affirming that the Yankees and Mets were still in the hunt, he went on to say that the Mets have offered the Twins any four of their best prospects. He quoted one Mets official as saying that the Mets offer is the best offer on the table for the Twin’s sought after pitcher.
Even WFAN’s Mike Francesca, weighed in saying that the Twins are still insisting on Jose Reyes in a Johan Santana deal with the Mets, and that they have no realistic chance of getting Reyes.
"I spoke to Omar Minaya yesterday, and one thing you can take to the bank is that when we get to spring training Jose Reyes will be there – anything else you hear is nonsense," Francesca said. "And they have not backed off Reyes, the Twins are still asking for Reyes, they are at a stalemate with the Mets over Reyes."
*** Who knows what the real deal is… One of the beat writers for the Twins seems to think that not only are the Mets still alive, but they are doing well. One thing is certain though… as long as these rumors continue to swirl, you can’t rule the Mets out of the Johan Santana sweepstakes just yet.
