UPDATE (6:49 p.m. Friday): The deal has been finalized . Santana is a Met, pending a physical.
UPDATE (5:30 p.m. Friday): The Mets have been granted an extension to 7 p.m. to finish the deal.
UPDATE (5:00 p.m. Friday): Still no word on a deal between the Mets and Johan Santana, but the Mets might get an extension to work out the deal. Meanwhile, Mets fans are jumping off cliffs in paranoia.
As of right now, the Mets and Johan Santana have not come to an agreement.
According to John Heyman of SI.com, the Mets offered Santana $129MM over six years. With 2008, his total salary would be $142.25MM over seven years. Santana and his people are looking for something around $170MM.
The sides have a 5 p.m. deadline to finish the deal.
Ken Davidoff of Newsday (Long Island, N.Y.) says the sides will hammer out the deal, but at 4:59 p.m. Why not milk it?
But my favorite piece of the day comes from one of my favorite scribes, Dayn Perry of FOX Sports. You’ll see throughout the season that I find Perry to be one of baseball’s best writers because he A) breaks nothing and B) relies merely on speculation for his arguments. Also, C) his picture creeps me out. Such a great writer.
He writes:
“And while the Phillies have added Brad Lidge to the fold, they’ve also lost Aaron Rowand and, in signing Pedro Feliz, failed to solve their serious problems at third base.”
Serious problems? The No. 1 offense in the National League didn’t have “serious problems” at third base. They were workable problems. And by signing Feliz, they did solve the problem — they now have an everyday third baseman. He doesn’t need to be Chase Utley. The “serious problems” are on the pitching staff, Dayn.
“The upshot is that the Mets now boast the best starting pitcher in the division in Santana …”
I suppose that’s true.
“… the best position player in the division in David Wright (who should’ve been NL MVP last season) …”
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Where is this fact that says David Wright was the best position player in the division last season? Wait, I’ll look for these facts:
Value Over Replacement Player (VORP):
Hanley Ramirez (FLA) – 89.5
David Wright (NYM) – 81.1
That fact says Ramirez was a better position player. Now, my subjectivity says Chase Utley is the best position player in the NL East, but according to fact, Ramirez was, and I can agree with that.
“… the best closer in the division in Billy Wagner …”
The best closer in the division blew two games for the Mets against the Phillies in 2007.
“… and the best GM in the division in Omar Minaya (Pat Gillick is deliriously overrated, and John Schuerholz is now the Braves president).”
Gillick isn’t “deliriously overrated.” I don’t think anyone screamed for joy when the Phillies took him as GM. Minaya is a good GM.
Of course, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out the No. 1 starter, No. 1 offensive player, closer and GM don’t make a team’s success. Well, you know what, maybe Dayn is right. Let’s see …
I mean, I could have Santana (best pitcher in his division), ummm, let’s say Justin Morneau (arguably the best player in his division and an MVP), how about Joe Nathan (arguably best closer in his division) and, oh, let’s go with Terry Ryan (maybe the division’s best GM for years) and we have to be great, right?
Oh, wait, those guys were actually all part of the 2007 Twins, which finished 79-83 and in third place. I guess, Dayn, you’re wrong again. Way to research.
He then goes on to basically hand the Mets the NL East. Good job, Dayn, locking into your pick in early February. Don’t change your mind, now.
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