emotion-AL

Al's Mets Ink a Blockbuster Deal. Much celebration at Chez Al.

Al is happy as a pig in shit...

Johan Santana passes physical, Mets and Twins finalize blockbuster trade
By MIKE FITZPATRICK, AP Baseball Writer

Santana and the New York Mets completed contract negotiations on Friday, Feb. 1, 2008, 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, they finished negotiations before the new 7 p.m. EST deadline. The pitcher is scheduled to take a physical, the Mets said.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Johan Santana was right there in the room as his agent and the New York Mets haggled over a colossal contract.

After three straight days of negotiating, the sides were $5 million apart -- and time had run out.

Maybe this blockbuster trade between the Mets and Minnesota Twins was going to crumble, just as New York did during the pennant race last September.

"We talked about a worst-case scenario," Mets general manager Omar Minaya recalled, thinking of the team's eager fan base "What are we going to say?"

So agent Peter Greenberg and the Mets asked Minnesota for an extension, a request that was granted by the Twins and approved by the commissioner's office. The deadline for talks was pushed back two hours to 7 p.m. EST Friday, and that was enough time to reach a deal.

"Without that, we wouldn't have gotten it done," Greenberg said.

Santana passed his physical Saturday, finalizing the ballyhooed swap that sent him to New York for four prospects: outfielder Carlos Gomez and right-handers Philip Humber, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra.

"We've been lacking what we consider a true No. 1 starter," Minaya said on a conference call. "It doesn't get much better than Johan Santana."


All Al can say is

Jingo

Jingo

Jingo

Jingo Ba

Lo

Ba, Ba, Lo

Ba, Ba, Lo

Ba, Ba, Lo

Ba, Lo

Ba, Ba, Lo

Ba, Ba, Lo

Ba, Ba, Lo

Ba

Jingo

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