Johan Santana is Officially A Met

Santana agrees to $150.75M, seven-year deal with Mets

NEW YORK -- Johan Santana and the New York Mets agreed Friday to a $150.75 million, seven-year contract, a record for a pitcher and the last major step needed to finalize the team's blockbuster trade with Minnesota.

After the sides were granted an extra two hours to work on a deal, the Mets announced about 30 minutes before the new 7 p.m. EST deadline that negotiations had concluded. The pitcher was scheduled to take a physical Saturday.

Terms of the agreement were disclosed by a baseball official with knowledge of the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made.

Santana's contract topped the previous mark for pitchers, set when Barry Zito received a $126 million, seven-year deal from the San Francisco Giants last offseason. Santana was due $13.25 million in the final year of his contract with the Twins, and would have been eligible for free agency after the World Series.

The only players with larger packages are New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez ($275 million), Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter ($189 million) and Boston outfielder Manny Ramirez ($160 million).

Santana's average annual salary of $21.5 million is second only to A-Rod's $27.5 million. Among pitchers with multiyear contracts, it topped the $18.3 million of the Chicago Cubs' Carlos Zambrano.

Mets officials met with Santana's agent, Peter Greenberg, in Manhattan for the third straight day as the sides worked on a contract for the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner.

The Twins agreed Tuesday to swap Santana for four prospects: outfielder Carlos Gomez and right-handers Philip Humber, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra.

Santana and the Mets were then given until 5 p.m. EST Friday to negotiate a contract. For the deal to become official, the left-hander must formally waive the no-trade provision in his current contract.

With talks ongoing Friday, the Mets asked Minnesota for two extra hours to work on an agreement, a request that was granted by the Twins and approved by the commissioner's office.

Minnesota offered Santana an $80 million, four-year extension this offseason, but he turned it down.

GREAT, it's a done deal! As a New York Met Super Fan, "I am thrilled". This looks like it might be a really good baseball season, despite the steroid bs etc. I will post further Mets updates here as I get them throughtout the season.

Let's Go Mets,

Bobby Sharpe "Dragon, Book Of Shang": Dragon, Book Of Shang Is Coming Soon! www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

NY Mets Deal For Santana

New York Mets, Minnesota Twins Reach Tentative Deal for Johan Santana

NEW YORK (AP) -Johan Santana is a contract extension and physical from going to the New York Mets.

After months of deliberation, the Twins reached a tentative agreement Tuesday to part with the two-time Cy Young Award winner for outfielder Carlos Gomez, and pitchers Phil Humber, Deolis Guerra and Kevin Mulvey, two people familiar with the deal said, speaking on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made.

"If it's true, obviously, you're getting arguably the best pitcher in the game," Mets third baseman David Wright said.

The next step is for the Mets to negotiate a contract extension with Santana, who is eligible for free agency after this season. The three-time All-Star is owed $13.25 million this year and likely will seek an extension of five-to-seven years worth at least $20 million annually.

New York and Santana have until 5 p.m. EST Friday to reach an agreement, a baseball official told The Associated Press, also on condition of anonymity. If the Mets and Santana strike a deal, the players would have to pass physicals and the pitcher would have to formally waive his no-trade clause.

The Mets emerged as the top candidate for a trade after the winter meetings, when the New York Yankees withdrew their offer, which included pitchers Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, and the Red Sox refused to improve their proposals, which would have sent pitcher Jon Lester or outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury to the Twins along with prospects.

Minnesota general manager Bill Smith called teams last weekend and asked them to make their best offers. Smith informed the Mets on Tuesday that he was accepting their proposal, which included their Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 7 prospects, according to Baseball America's ranking. New York did not include its top farmhand, outfielder Fernando Martinez.

A left-hander who turns 29 in March, Santana gives the Mets a replacement for Tom Glavine, who left New York to return to the Atlanta Braves. New York, trying to bounce back from a record-setting September collapse last season, has a projected rotation that also includes Pedro Martinez, John Maine, Orlando Hernandez and Oliver Perez.

Santana is 93-44 with a 3.22 ERA in eight major league seasons, winning the AL Cy Young Award in 2004 and 2006. He has been less successful in the playoffs, going 1-3 with a 3.97 ERA.

"For our younger pitchers to develop under a guy like Pedro, a guy like Johan, you can't ask for any better situation," Wright said. "He's going to go out there and he's going to give you seven or eight innings every five days and he's going to get you a win. That's just what it comes down to. I've gotten a chance to get to know him a little bit the past couple years. He seems like a great clubhouse guy. He's going to fit in perfectly with the chemistry that we have."

With Santana gone, there is a big opening in the Twins' rotation. Francisco Liriano is on track to return after missing last season following elbow surgery, but Carlos Silva signed with Seattle as a free agent, leaving youngsters Scott Baker, Boof Bonser and Kevin Slowey as the starters with the most experience.

Humber, a 25-year-old right-hander, has made one start and four relief appearances for the Mets during the past two years, and went 11-9 with a 4.27 ERA last season for Triple-A New Orleans. The 22-year-old Gomez batted .232 in 125 at-bats with New York last year and .275 with 19 steals in the minors.

Guerra, who turns 19 in April, was 2-6 with a 4.01 ERA at Class A St. Lucie, and Mulvey, who will be 23 in May, was 12-10 with a 3.20 ERA in 26 starts at Double-A Binghamton and one at New Orleans.

On a day filled with political rhetoric and general bs, it was great coming across this story. Especially since I am a "mega" Mets fan. Now, if they will just get the dealio done by the Friday deadline, I can really look forward to spring training. Let's Go Mets!

Mets Rule,

Bobby Sharpe "Dragon, Book Of Shang": Dragon, Book Of Shang Is Coming Soon! www.myspace.com/akuasharpe