With Red Sox pitchers and catchers due to report on Valentine's Day, the endgame appears at hand for Twins pitcher Johan Santana, who should know before the start of spring training what uniform he will be wearing in 2008.
His most ardent suitors remain the Red Sox and both New York teams, the Mets and Yankees. "Another Boston-New York matchup," one Sox official predicted, though privately, the Sox remain uncertain of the Twins' intentions.
The Mets, needing an ace at the top of their rotation and looking for another selling point a year before moving into their new ballpark, are the most openly covetous.
Publicly, the Sox are masking their intentions, while privately expressing conflicted emotions about not only parting with top prospects but having to pay Santana what likely will be the largest contract ever awarded a pitcher.
The Yankees, meanwhile, appear to be backtracking, general manager Brian Cashman recently saying, "My strong recommendation is we stick with our young pitching staff and keep it in house. I'm married to that process."
New Yankees owner Hank Steinbrenner also has said he intends to exercise patience with his young players, but the bloodlines suggest that Steinbrenner could change his mind if Santana appears bound for Boston.
The Twins have offered a contract extension to Santana, who is eligible for free agency after this season. Twins assistant GM Rob Antony told reporters over the weekend that the team's offer to Santana, believed to be at least $80 million for four years, remains on the table, but the two-time Cy Young Award winner appears committed to seeking a bigger payday elsewhere. The Twins, of course, don't have to do anything, but there is an expectation from all interested parties, including Santana, that that is the least likely option.
No Sox officials would comment on the record yesterday, but one club official confirmed that contact with the Twins is ongoing and that, contrary to one published report, lefthander Jon Lester remains a possible trading chip. There have been recent indications that the Sox would prefer the Twins accept a package built around outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, although logic would suggest that Minnesota, already having lost one starting pitcher, Carlos Silva, to free agency, and having traded another, Matt Garza, would want a big-league-ready pitcher in return.
Sox manager Terry Francona recently heaped praise on Lester.
"He looks like he got tall," Francona said. "He looks big and strong.
"I think if you asked Jon, I'd be very surprised if he doesn't know how well thought of he is here. He knows what we think of him. He's still here, and I don't think anyone is complaining. I think the only one that thinks he might be better [than I do] is John Farrell, which is nice. We're going to fight over who thinks he's going to be better."
Reports out of New York say that the Mets have offered a package of prospects that includes pitchers Phil Humber, Kevin Mulvey, and Deolis Guerra and outfielder Carlos Gomez. The Twins reportedly want outfielder Fernando Martinez to be included, which the Mets have so far resisted.
The Sox have so far stood firm in not offering Lester and Ellsbury in the same package. Outfielder Coco Crisp has been offered, along with Lester, plus a combination of prospects that includes pitcher Justin Masterson, infielder Jed Lowrie, and reportedly 19-year-old outfielder Ryan Kalish. Ellsbury is the centerpiece of the club's other offer, packaged with the same prospects.
One club official said he would not be surprised if a deal was struck this week; Epstein was not available for comment.
In the meantime, the Sox took a flier on a former No. 1 draft pick and acquired righthanded reliever David Aardsma from the White Sox. For a brief stretch last season, Aardsma showed the promise he exhibited as the closer who helped Rice win the 2003 College World Series and that made him the Giants' first choice that June.
Aardsma was 2-0, with a 1.31 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings in his first 14 appearances. His 23 strikeouts in April led AL relievers, and he cited a new split-fingered fastball and a better slider as the reasons for his success. But two brutal outings against the Cubs sent him into a downward spiral; he had a 16.55 ERA in his last 10 appearances, allowing 25 hits and 19 earned runs in 10 1/3 innings.
The White Sox sent him to Triple A Charlotte on the Fourth of July, and did not summon him back.
To obtain the 26-year-old righthander, the Red Sox gave up minor league pitchers Willy Mota and Miguel Socolovich. Aardsma was added to the 40-man major league roster.
The Sox have sold more than 2.3 million tickets for the 2008 season, a record-setting pace.
