Anyone paying attention when it was reported that New York Mets' outfield prospect Carlos Gomez was pulled from the Carribean World Series and then denied permission to participate in the Series by the Mets' organization should have seen it coming and twenty-four hours later the news arrived...

     The New York Mets acquire left-handed, two-time Cy Young-Award-winning, Johan Santana and his career (93-44) record, 3.22 ERA, 1,381 K's, 1.09 career WHIP, and 8 years of MLB experience from the Minnesota Twins, who receive the Mets' 1st round pick from 2004, 25-year-old pitcher Philip Humber, 2006's 2nd Round pick, pitcher Kevin Mulvey, 22, pitching prospect Deolis Guerra, 19, who signed as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela in 2005, and outfield prospect Carlos Gomez, who should fill the void left in center by Torii Hunter's departure for years to come in Minnesota...

     ...That is, the Mets and Twins have conditionally agreed to the trade pending the Mets and Johan Santana working out a contract, that MLB.com's writer Marty Noble notes in his article entitled, "Mets land Santana for four prospects", is, "...bound to exceed $100 million," with the Mets now working, "against the clock," meaning, within a window of time, that has already started, and ends Friday afternoon at 5:00 pm EST. (Wouldn't it be great if the Mets couldn't sig...Oh that'll never happen. Right?)

     "Stupid (bleeping) Mets' fans," my brother Scout, Braves Fan and Source For All Things Baseball, says, echoing most NL East fans' response to the news of the Mets' still-pending trade. "I said, 'Lucky' Mets' fans," Scout corrects my notes, "Stupid-Lucky-Mets'-fans!"

     "I think the Twins' GM Bill Smith was just determined to get Santana out of the American League," Scout continues, "...and now I have to hear all the Mets' fans boasting about having the best pitcher in baseball...just when you thought Mets' fans were beaten down."

     I placed a phone call to my friend, the Boss, a life-long Mets' fan to see what he thought of the news...

          "What news?" the Boss asks, "What did the Mets do? Or is
          this another one of your made-up stories?"

          "No, check online," I say, "I'll wait..."

          "OH! There it is!" the Boss yells, "Please tell me that they've
          signed Santana before this is official?"

          "They have until Friday to sign him," I tell the Boss.

          "What's really important here, the Boss notes, "...Is not that
          the Mets have just signed a number #1 starter, but that the  
          1-4 starters become 2-5, with...wait who did the Mets
          trade?"

          "Humber, Mulvey, Guerra and Carlos Gomez."

          "So it's Johan Santana, Pedro (Martinez), (John) Maine, El
          Duque (Orlando Hernandez), and...they kept Pelfrey?"

          "Yes, they kept Pelfrey."

          "So, Pelfrey as the fifth starter, and they kept Fernando
          Martinez somehow? Really?"

          "Amazingly," I respond, "The Mets did keep Martinez, who
          I had heard the Twins were insisting on..."

          "The Mets were talking about including six prospects at
          one time, so this deal has to be considered a good thing.
          Right? Moises Alou is probably in his last year or so, and
          the Mets keep Martinez. Losing Humber and Mulvey could
          hurt down the line...but...Oh...wait, my Mets' fan friends
          are calling, gotta go..."

      I thought I might as well get the call to my friend, Runner, another life-long Mets' fan, out of the way, so I dialed him up...

          "Hello," Runner says, "...Don't tell me anything, I've heard
          rumors, rumors...rumors....but I want to hear it for myself,
          I'll call you back."

Fifteen minutes later...

           "It's me," Runner unnecessarily identifies himself, "...just
           tell me, because the guys on the FAN(660 AM in NY) won't
           stop talking about the damn Super Bowl."

           "They traded..."

           "Please tell me they traded Humber," Runner interrupts in
           a rant, "...cause I can't stand watching that damn
           mouthpiece again all season..."

           "That's Pelfrey," I correct, "...and the Mets kept him and
           they traded Humber."

          "It doesn't matter," Runner continues, "We (the Mets) have
          more than enough offense to get through, and now Johan
          Santana goes from mowing down AL batters to the NL?
          With his 2.68 ERA (actually, 3.22)...it's over already.

          "You keep talking about your GM," Runner keeps going,
          "...But Omar? Omar Minaya brings in Santana for four
          prospects while your GM gets nothing for Vladimir
          Guerrero and Alfonso Soriano? What is that about?"

          "Actually, Omar Minaya is the one who let Guerrero go," I
          correct Runner, "...and the picks the Expos/Nationals got
          for Vladi and Soriano helped restock the team's system."

          "At least your not the Kansas City Royals," Runner taunts,
          "...Your Nationals have four years now to get good before
          the novelty of the new stadium wears off and the fans
          expect the team to compete, Good Luck!"

     "Stupid, lucky, Mets' fans," my brother Scout reiterates.

*Johan Santana Trade Links*

mlb.com's Marty Noble's article, "Mets land Santana for four prosects", at mlb.com:

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080129&content_id=2358636&vkey=hotstove2007&fe xt=.jsp

Johan Santana's Career stats at baseball-reference.com:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/santajo02.shtml

Carlos Gomez's Career stats at thebaseballcube.com:

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/G/Carlos-Gomez-1.shtml

Philip Humber's Career stats at thebaseballcube.com:

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/H/Philip-Humber.shtml

Deolis Guerra's Career stats at thebaseballcube.com:

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/G/Deolis-Guerra.shtml

Kevin Mulvey's career stats at thebaseballcube.com:

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/M/Kevin-Mulvey.shtml