Top News:
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Mets agree to terms with Santana — Club to ink ace southpaw to lucrative contract extension — NEW YORK — An offseason that had been all about who wasn't on the Mets' roster has executed an about-face and now is distinctive because of who almost certainly will be.
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Sports Illustrated:
Let's make a deal — Mets closing in on six-year contract with Santana — Johan Santana and the Mets continue to make progress on a record-setting contract that is expected to make the two-time Cy Young winner a $150-million man, SI.com has learned. People with knowledge of the talks …
Mets Blog:
Mets give Johan $150.75 million — It took an extension to get the extension done. But it got done, and now Feb. 1, 2008 will go down as one of the most glorious days in Mets history. — Because that is the day the Mets overcame the last significant hurdle to assure Johan Santana would be their ace.
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
It's Official: Santana and Mets Have a Deal — It took every bit of their allotted 72 hours, an additional 90 minutes and $137.5 million, but the Mets finally secured the best pitcher in baseball. They reached an agreement with Johan Santana, the dominant left-hander acquired Tuesday …
Sports Illustrated:
Mets reach extension with Santana — Pending physical, deal could be worth $150,750,000 — The Mets and superstar pitcher Johan Santana have agreed on a record multiyear contract for a pitcher — a deal that could be worth $150.75 million — to complete his blockbuster trade to New York.
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
News: Johan is in the Room — According to Ken Rosenthal from FOXSports.com, during an appearance on SNY's Daily News Live, Johan Santana is in the room with Mets representatives and his agents while negotiating what could end up being a seven-year deal in total, with an eighth-year option.
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Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Sources: Santana extension talks stuck on number of guaranteed years … The Mets and Johan Santana's agents continued to negotiate furiously Friday, as a 5 p.m. ET deadline to complete terms of a long-term contract bore down on them. — And as that deadline drew nearer …
NY Daily News:
Johan Santana, Mets agree to record-breaking $150 million, seven-year contract — Johan Santana and the Mets agreed Friday evening on the terms of a record-breaking $150 million, seven-year contract arrangement. It clears the biggest hurdle in the team's acquisition of the two-time Cy Young Award winner.
NY Daily News:
Lupica: Easy to see why Mets think Santana is final piece — PHOENIX - You can win because of this trade. And if that is true, if Johan Santana puts the Mets over the way Curt Schilling put the Red Sox over the first time and then Josh Beckett put the Red Sox over this time …
Howard Ulman / Associated Press:
AP INTERVIEW: Red Sox manager glad Santana headed out of AL — BOSTON—Terry Francona sat in Fenway Park's quiet visitors clubhouse, a room where Johan Santana won't be sitting unless the Red Sox and Mets meet in the World Series. — No wonder Boston's skipper smiled.
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Casey to Sox in one-year deal — The Red Sox today agreed to one-year, $800,000 deal with lefthanded hitting first baseman Sean Casey, pending a physical. — Casey will serve primarily in a backup role to Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis. Casey is known as “the mayor” …
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Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com:
Bucs claim Olmedo, designate Burnett — Infielder spent 2007 season with Toronto organization — PITTSBURGH — Though he was looking for one more chance to meet the expectations placed on him after he was chosen No. 19 overall in the First Year Player Draft back in 2000 …
Keith / The dish:
Farm Systems, Ranked, Sorta. — So everyone's asking me for a ranking of farm systems. This just a very rough cut, and if anything, I'm overvaluing my top 100 as an input to this, so take it for what it's worth. — 1. Tampa Bay — 2. Texas — 3. Boston — 4. Cincinnati — 5. NY Yankees
Matt Eddy / Baseball America:
Seattle Mariners — Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel. All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible.
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