NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The best team in baseball is getting closer to acquiring the best pitcher on the market this offseason.
The World Series champion Red Sox are working on a deal to acquire two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana from Minnesota for a package that could include left-hander Jon Lester or outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury.
Twins general manager Bill Smith wouldn't discuss the talks. Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein has also declined to comment on Santana, saying generally that “a lot of the rumors out there are just that.”
“It takes two teams to make a trade,” he told Boston-area reporters. “I know there's a lot of speculation that we're close to something big. Until we reach an agreement, then we're not that close.”
If the teams agree to the players, the Red Sox would try to work out a contract extension with Santana, a 28-year-old lefty who is eligible for free agency after the 2008 season.
The New York Yankees had also been pursuing Santana before setting a Monday night deadline and pulling out of the negotiations.
Probably.
“A deadline is a deadline. It was pretty much done as of this morning,” Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner said. “He's a fine pitcher, but there's a lot of things that go into this. This isn't fantasy baseball.”
New York had offered pitcher Phil Hughes and center fielder Melky Cabrera. The Twins wanted pitcher Ian Kennedy to be included, but even after dropping that demand the sides couldn't agree on a third player.
“To tell you the truth, toward the end, Minnesota negotiated in good faith. They really did,” Steinbrenner said. “I have no problem with them.”
In Boston, Santana would join a rotation that already includes Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Curt Schilling and Tim Wakefield.
“A rotation featuring Beckett, Santana as the top two is pretty much as good as it can get. The thought of pitching behind these guys has to fire ya up,” Schilling wrote on his blog, 38pitches.com. “How much is too much when you're talking about trading for the best left-handed pitcher in the game? How much is too much when you consider what he and Josh could do over the next 5-6 years.”
Also Tuesday, agent Scott Boras said he has added Ellsbury as a client. Ellsbury had previously been represented by Joe Urbon.
In other news, Boston's David Ortiz was honored for the fifth consecutive season as designated hitter of the year. Ortiz batted .338 with 33 homers and 113 RBIs as a DH in 2007, adding a .629 slugging percentage and 51 doubles.
Jim Thome of the Chicago White Sox was second, and tied for third were Toronto's Frank Thomas and Cleveland's Travis Hafner.
The trophy is named for longtime Seattle Mariners DH Edgar Martinez, who was honored five times before he retired in 2004. Ortiz is the only other player to win five times, and the only one to win it five years in a row.
Twins general manager Bill Smith wouldn't discuss the talks. Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein has also declined to comment on Santana, saying generally that “a lot of the rumors out there are just that.”
“It takes two teams to make a trade,” he told Boston-area reporters. “I know there's a lot of speculation that we're close to something big. Until we reach an agreement, then we're not that close.”
If the teams agree to the players, the Red Sox would try to work out a contract extension with Santana, a 28-year-old lefty who is eligible for free agency after the 2008 season.
The New York Yankees had also been pursuing Santana before setting a Monday night deadline and pulling out of the negotiations.
Probably.
“A deadline is a deadline. It was pretty much done as of this morning,” Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner said. “He's a fine pitcher, but there's a lot of things that go into this. This isn't fantasy baseball.”
New York had offered pitcher Phil Hughes and center fielder Melky Cabrera. The Twins wanted pitcher Ian Kennedy to be included, but even after dropping that demand the sides couldn't agree on a third player.
“To tell you the truth, toward the end, Minnesota negotiated in good faith. They really did,” Steinbrenner said. “I have no problem with them.”
In Boston, Santana would join a rotation that already includes Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Curt Schilling and Tim Wakefield.
“A rotation featuring Beckett, Santana as the top two is pretty much as good as it can get. The thought of pitching behind these guys has to fire ya up,” Schilling wrote on his blog, 38pitches.com. “How much is too much when you're talking about trading for the best left-handed pitcher in the game? How much is too much when you consider what he and Josh could do over the next 5-6 years.”
Also Tuesday, agent Scott Boras said he has added Ellsbury as a client. Ellsbury had previously been represented by Joe Urbon.
In other news, Boston's David Ortiz was honored for the fifth consecutive season as designated hitter of the year. Ortiz batted .338 with 33 homers and 113 RBIs as a DH in 2007, adding a .629 slugging percentage and 51 doubles.
Jim Thome of the Chicago White Sox was second, and tied for third were Toronto's Frank Thomas and Cleveland's Travis Hafner.
The trophy is named for longtime Seattle Mariners DH Edgar Martinez, who was honored five times before he retired in 2004. Ortiz is the only other player to win five times, and the only one to win it five years in a row.
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