Attention Mets: Give Santana What He Wants

I know Omar Minaya is trying to do the right thing by not committing to a pitcher for more than 5 years, but he cannot, I repeat, cannot screw this up over an extra two years.

If the Mets win even one World Series during that seven year span we won't care that we overpaid for the final two years.

Get the deal done.

Santana is holding all the chips. If the Mets don't give in to his demands, he goes back to Minnesota and gets traded at the trading deadline and tests the free agent market where someone will meet his demands.

The Mets would then be the laughing stock of baseball and the ire of their fans might even be greater than the debacle that was last September.

Just get the deal done.

Give him 7 years. He's the best pitcher in baseball right now. And right now is when we need him most.

Get the deal done. The clock is ticking.

Mets Get Their Man, Johan Santana

USAToday is reporting that the Mets have reached a deal with the Twins to trade for Johan Santana. After months of waiting and waiting, Mets nation breathes a sigh of relief and joy in one breath.

Alleluia.

While details of an extension for Santana are still to be done, the deal includes Carlos Gomez, Phil Humber, Deolis Guerra and Kevin Mulvey.

Basically, the Mets have just stolen the best pitcher in baseball for 4 prospects while still keeping their #1 prospect, Fernando Martinez. Unreal.

I can't breathe right now I'm so excited. Unbelievable. Kudos to Omar Minaya for getting the job done. While I'm sad to see Carlos Gomez go, this deal had to be done and I now laugh in the face of all those "experts" who said the Mets didn't have the talent to get a deal done for Johan Santana.

I can now officially place the order for my Johan Santana Mets jersey.

For all the details, visit USAToday.

For a video display of what every Mets fan is feeling right now, click here.

Santana First, Haren Second

A lot of people are talking about how the Mets should go after Dan Haren of the A's instead of Johan Santana. They offer some good reasons including the fact that Haren will take less prospects to get and is locked up until 2010 in a reasonable contract. With Santana it will take 4-5 top prospects and a $150 million dollar contract. Both pitchers are aces and reasonably aged with Haren at 27 and Santana at 29.

To that argument I say, who would you want on the mound in game 7 of the World Series? If you answer Haren, you're on crack. You know you want Santana.

The Mets have the rarest of rare opportunities to get THE best pitcher in baseball. Period. When's the last time the Mets had the best pitcher in baseball? Hmmmm. 1986, Doc Gooden. It's been over 20 years, and the Mets in that time frame have often settled for second best (or third, fourth or sixteenth best).

Where has that gotten us? No championships. One World Series. And a few playoff births.

The Mets need to start thinking championships. We have the blue chip prospects to offer without depleting our entire arsenal. We have the money to offer Santana a big contract. And we're opening up a new stadium in a year with a potential Cy Young champ from the year before pitching opening day.

I do like Haren, a lot. And he can start for me on any day, but there's no way I'm choosing him over Santana. To those who say, "But the Yankees are already talking to Santana. We're doomed!" I reply, "Remember Carlos Beltran." The Yanks were supposed to sign Beltran. It was all but done, until Omar swooped in and picked him off.

I expect and trust that Omar will do the same here. Go get Santana. If he doesn't want to come, fine we'll go get Haren. But let's not settle for a porterhouse, when a perfectly good filet mignon is right within our reach.

Breakout the platinum American Express. Let's get the best pitcher in baseball in orange and blue.

Let the Hot Stove Begin

Finally the World Series is over! I think I watched a total of 1 hour of the World Series. I just couldn't get into it. Add that to the fact that every other person has become a Red Sox fan and I really had no interest in watching.

But now it's over. A-Rod has opted it out of his contract. Scott Boras is doing cartwheels. So it's officially time for the Hot Stove to be revved up.

I'm looking forward to an exciting off season. I hope I hear the name Johan Santana mentioned in combo with the Mets more than I've ever heard the words "Tom Glavine." I do not want to hear about trades for anyone on the White Sox pitching staff. I'm curious to see how many times Lastings Milledge is thrown into trade rumors. And I am anxious to see what becomes of Paul Lo Duca.

The priorities for free agent signings should be:
1) Marquee starting pitching (no Livan Hernandez, please)
2) Bullpen help (duh)
3) Catcher (if we don't sign Lo Duca)

This Halloween season I want all treats, no tricks, for the Mets. Go get 'em Omar.

Mets Lifer's Most Wanted

The offseason and hot stove are right around the corner. And I've got a list of things I want for 2008. Namely a few personnel improvements. Here's my wish list:

1. Johann Santana - No explanation needed. He'll be the dominant starting pitcher the Mets have missed since the age of Doc Gooden. Anytime Pedro Martinez becomes you're #2 starter, you're in a good place.

2. Luis Castillo - I like his grit, his hustle, and his ability to be the best #2 hitter in the National League. Add that with his defense and we have the best up the middle infield in all of baseball.

3. Paul Lo Duca - In the middle of the season I was ready to say farewell to Paully Walnuts, but I've looked at the available catchers and I'm not sure there's really an upgrade out there to be had. Jorge Posada? If you think the Yanks will let the Mets steal him, you're crazy. Castro is an option but his durability is questionable. Lo Duca is a New Yorker at heart and I like the fire he brings. Plus his ability to situational hit is a plus at the catcher's position.

4. Bullpen, bullpen, bullpen - no comment necessary

5. Rickey Henderson fired - I don't think he brings anything positive to this ballclub that another person can't do just as well. His me-first attitude is not something that makes a person a good coach. You need a teacher, a mentor, to be a good coach. Someone who cares about players more than themselves. Someone who is willing to give of themselves for the benefit of others. Does that sound like Rickey Henderson? Plus Reyes' decline started the day Henderson joined the club. I don't think that's a coincidence.