OK, don't screw this up now

We're trying to stay calm about this and we won't feel comfortable until we see Johan Santana pull on a Mets cap at a press conference, but the reports about how far apart the Mets and Santana are have us a bit worried.

Newsday says Santana's agents will take the Mets to the last minute of the 5 p.m. Friday deadline. Jayson Stark of ESPN said the wait might not be quite that long but left open the remote possibility of a deal not getting done as the sides differ on the contract's length.

The Mets apparently want to sign Santana to a guaranteed five-year extension and not six, but may be flexible on the sixth year by making it a vesting year similar to what Tom Glavine had. With a reachable threshold, like 160 innings pitched, it would be all but guaranteed, and with a signing bonus you're talking seven years at around $160 million or so, pushing the average annual salary well above $20 million.

Jon Heyman at CNN SI says the sides are about $20 million apart and that pretty much everyone is in agreement that the Mets cannot allow the deal to unravel over either dollars or contract length.

Could you imagine the backlash if that ever happened? Good lord. The Mets are in a terrible bargaining position but they knew they would be. Here's the deal. The Mets got a steal on the trade and will have to pay for it, literally. But they know Santana will be worth it and then some. So do the deal and maybe sign Livan Hernandez as our fifth starter and the bullpen will be plenty grateful and loaded with El Duque back there.

Meet the Mets, Johan!

We wanted to believe it could happen. And the longer the Johan Santana sweepstakes dragged on, the more it seemed that the Mets had a legitimate shot at the two-time Cy Young winner. And now the news that the Mets and Twins have agreed on a deal that would bring the 29-year-old -- who is hands-down the best pitcher in the game today -- to Flushing.

Wow.

The deal is contingent on Santana signing an extension with the Mets and there is a 72-hour window to get that done, but right now it looks like the Mets have finally landed the ace that their rotation has lacked since Pedro Martinez got hurt. Now, with Pedro healthy, the Mets have a starting four of Santana, Pedro, Maine and Perez with either Mike Pelfrey or Orlando Hernandez as the fifth starter, unless they also sign Livan Hernandez and shift El Duque to the bullpen.

But who cares about the fifth starter now? The Mets, once a long shot, have acquired Santana and did so without giving up Fernando Martinez, their top prospect. The Twins -- who at one time were demanding the likes of Jose Reyes or Phil Hughes or Jacoby Ellsbury -- accepted in return Carlos Gomez, Philip Humber, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra.

Twins fans won't like it but the Twins had to make a deal before spring training or else risk getting nothing in return for the pending free agent. The Yankees and Red Sox backed off, no one else stepped up, and now Omar Minaya, who has been slammed in some circles for not doing enough to improve the team since its historic collapse, looks like a genius.

Even if all four players turn out to be solid major league players, it's an incredible deal for the Mets, unless Santana breaks down, and he has shown no signs of doing so.

Is there a chance that the Mets don't sign Santana? Sure, considering Santana reportedly wants a six- or seven-year extension and the Mets don't sign pitchers to deals longer than five years. But there are plenty of reasons why the Mets will complete the deal and likely make Santana the highest-paid pitcher in the game:

1. They have the money, and signing Santana not only means more wins but more fans and with that, even more money. He'll pay for himself and then some. Now the Mets have two 'must-see' starters on the staff.

2. Santana would absolutely DOMINATE the National League. Think Bob Gibson.

3. Santana, a former outfielder who has been described as a "phenomenal athlete," reportedly loves to hit and, according to Peter Gammons, would be the top-hitting pitcher in the league.

4. He'd be playing for a contender and a team (obviously) willing to do what it takes to win, which was a big complaint of his in Minnesota.

5. He'd be the highest-paid player in baseball, in the media capital of the world.

6. His agent also represents Jose Reyes and there is a feeling that the Mets will be able to creatively meet Santana's contract requests.

7. If the Mets don't sign him, their fans would burn down Citi Field before it even opens. And I'd be the first one with the torch.

Can't wait for pitchers and catchers, can you? Stay tuned, folks. Baseball is fun again!

Omar's An Overnight Success With Deal for Santana

Last night, I thought Omar Minaya was the biggest idiot GM in the history of Major League Baseball. Today I love him. Yesterday, the Mets were a little better than a .500 team. Today, they're the NL East Division favorite. Yesterday, fans of the team where wondering what exactly Omar's plan was with an off-season of relative inactivity. Today, we see his endgame.


In pulling off what has to be labeled as the biggest acquisition in New York Mets history, next to of course the signing of Tom Seaver and the trade for Mike Piazza, Omar has catapulted himself into the level of genius in overnight fashion.

And the fact that he didn't even give up the farm makes this deal all the more remarkable. While the Mets paid a high price in sending Carlos Gomez, Phil Humber, Deolis Guerra and Kevin Mulvey to the Twins, they stil managed to keep hold of Aaron Heilman, Mike Pelfrey, and star prospect Fernando Martinez, who we at MetsFanClub.com are dubbing "F-MART" before the media catches onto the term.

This deal makes up for the Scott Kazmir disaster, the "Collapse of 2007", and the 446 inexplicable at-bats from Shawn Green last year. The Mets now have the best pitcher in all of baseball in his prime. They are now the team to beat. Let the championships begin!

Has Omar just been lying in the weeds? Can the Mets land Johan Santana?

The better question for Mets fans -- are you willing to give up what the Twins are asking for?

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune is reporting that the Mets may indeed be the front runner and have offered a package of Deolis Guerra, Kevin Mulvey, Philip Humber and Carlos Gomez. The report adds that the deal would "be sealed" if the Mets ALSO added 19-year-old phenom Fernando Martinez.

That's essentially the Mets' top five prospects for Santana, who would likely end up signing a seven-year deal in the $150 million range. The Yankees won't give up Phil Hughes, the Red Sox won't break up their team and are in it only to thwart the Yankees, and the Twins would rather see Santana in the other league.

But do you give up that much? Gomez AND Martinez? Consider that scouts use names like Griffey and Juan Gonzalez when they talk about Martinez' potential. Martinez is also the gem of the system, the player the Mets envisioned playing outfield at Citi Field. But you're getting Santana in his prime. In the NL he could string together Gibson-like seasons. He comes along once in a lifetime. If we're the Mets, WE MAKE THE DEAL!