Mets Land Santana...Bye Bye Tina C.

It looks like Johan Santana will be pitching for the New York Mets next season. The Twins apparently did not want to face the lefthander during the regular season (think of the boos from the fans!), so even though the Mets offer was not as strong as those of the Red Sox and the Yankees, Minnesota accepted it. The Mets have until Friday to sign the southpaw, and he must go through the formality of taking a physical, but neither will impede the deal in ANY way. This automatically makes the Mets the favorite to take the NL East, if not the National League pennant itself. And the fact that Santana did not go to that other New York team, you know, the ones who wear pinstripes, makes me a happy guy. The Mets NEEDED Johan Santana. The Yankees and the Red Sox WANTED him. There's quite a difference. Going to Minnesota will be the Mets' number two overall prospect, pitcher Deolis Guerra, and righthanders Phillip Humber and Kevin Mulvey. Centerfielder Carlos Gomez rounds out the quartet of young talent.

In Boston Red Sox news, on-the-field reporter Tina Cervasio will be leaving Boston when her NESN contract expires in March. She's from New Jersey and wanted to be closer to her family. Of course, we wish her all the good luck in the world. She'll do a great job wherever she lands. And she will land on her feet...we ALL know that!

Click on the title of this post for the Boston Globe's Gordon Edes' great article on the end of the Santana wheelings and dealings. Have a great Hump Day Wednesday, my Constant Readers (thank you Stephen King), as we start our slide towards the weekend. And as always, BE WELL.