Ka-boom! USA Today’s Bob Nightengale is reporting the New York Mets have completed a trade for Minnesota LHP Johan Santana in exchange for outfielder Carlos Gomez, pitchers Phil Humber, Deolis Guerra and Kevin Mulvey.
The deal is pending the Mets and Santana reaching agreement on a six- or seven-year contract extension and that Santana passes a physical; they have been granted a 48 to-72-hour window to do so. Santana has a no-trade clause that he will waive if agreement is reached on a contract extension.
I’m not sure if Wally Matthews is penning an apology column to Omar Minaya and Fred Wilpon at this very moment or if he’s preparing a screed about the 33 HR’s Santana allowed in 2007. Either way, I think we can safely say even with slightly diminished skills, Santana is a more glittering prize to plug into a Mets rotation alongside Pedro Martinez, Oliver Perez, El Duque and John Maine than say, Kyle Lohse.
Knowing Two-Faced “Wallace” he’ll be writing a column about how the Mets gave up “too much” for Santana despite the fact they got him without including Fernando Martinez.
As a child of the age of irony, I, for one, look forward to reading Wally’s toughest assignment yet!
Curious as to what Steve Phillips said over the last few months about this. Did he issue one of his (always) incorrect guarantees that Santana would end up somewhere other than the Mets?
I only ask because when he comes on the TV, I reach for the grain alcohol.
I can’t remember what zipper-prob Steve had to say, but I’m gonna be the first (and last) person to opine that whenever Santana signs that 7 year extension with NY for more money than
GodBarry Zito, it will create a 24-and-1 culture in the Mets clubhouse. 24! and One!.Wow. This sure kills the buzz us Phillies fans had after acquiring Pedro Feliz (cough)
I’m delighted that the Sox kept all of their pieces but with that said, it looks like the Mets got him for not much at all. Carlos Gomez might be a star, or he might be a fourth outfielder. I say that in the NL, Santana might be the best pitcher next year. I know Mets fans who are really depressed about the trade but I think this one works out well for the Sox, Mets and Yanks.
You know Mets fans who aren’t over the moon about this one? Really? Where?
There’s a couple of yahoos on MetsGeek that think this was a bad trade, because it leaves the farm system barren.
Since the Mets top prospects (other than F-mart) were all mediocre at this point ANYWAY, I’ve gotten over my initial hesitation. Let’s worry about 2009 and later after Pedro’s arm falls off.. and let’s go for broke NOW with Santana.
Would having Phil Humber or Mulvey as fallbacks should El Duque or Pedro get injured be nice? Sure. But are either of them the missing cog of a championship run? Almost definitely not.
Plus, we all know Willie won’t ever use a young pitcher as long as Jason Vargas or some other washed up shitbox is sitting in New Orleans… so getting rid of any guys almost ready to make the big club means nothing.
I should note that “Wallace” today said that it was his “column” that ripped the Mets for “doing nothing” is what made Minaya trade Santana even though reports before his “column” was published on Friday said that a deal was going to be done in the next two weeks.
Why do him and Mushnick still have jobs?
Jose Lima is still out there. Just sayin’.
i look forward to reading what Mets Geek has to say about this just as soon as I get done with all the articles criticizing Danny Ainge for gutting the heart and soul of the Celtics in order to obtain Kevin Garnett.
Balls yes, Rickey is fully engorged. Tumescent even!
(But yes, Lima and Livian Hernandez are both still out there. And there’s a chance Willie might put Santana in the pen)
Wallace Mathews: a pretty good writer, lousy reporter . His columns appear in the “Sports Section” only because the Daily News doesn’t have a “Fiction” section