YES-HAN SANTANA!!!! THANKS, OMAR!!!!

While most sources were saying the Mets had No-Han chance to do it, today we learned that Mr. Santana, the best pitcher in baseball, did indeed wish to be a New York Met, this info coming first via Bob Nightengale of USA Today (you can read the story here). Omar apparently pulled off the deal that dreams are made of, as he stuck to his guns and acquired Santana while rival suitors, the Red Sox and Yankees, watched from the front row. We didn't have to give up either Martinez or Pelfrey, as the "original" offer of Humber, Guerra, Mulvey and Gomez ended up being the offer the Twins accepted. At various times, Martinez, Pelfrey, Church and Heilman were rumored to be included in the deal, and, of course, while his name was floated out there, the Mets never had ANY intention of trading Jose Reyes for anyone, including Santana.

A solid rotation just became a great one, as a healthy Pedro has to count as an ace, regardless of how fast he can still bring it, and to that is added a soon-to-be twenty-nine year old ace who has been the best pitcher in baseball over the past 4 years (and will now be pitching in the pitcher-friendly confines of Shea). Also in the rotation is an ace in waiting, John Maine, who won 15 for us last year, as did Oliver Perez, and either Orlando Hernandez or Mike Pelfrey, with whomever doesn't make it into the rotation strengthening the bullpen. All of the writers who have compared the starting rotations around the league will now have to update their rankings, as Santana's addition surely bumps the Mets up to elite status when it comes to their rotation.

We believed; other major mets sites believed; and we followed the course of things through the writings of Jon Heyman, Ken Rosenthal, Buster Olney and La Velle E Neal. Even when others ridiculed us, we thought, and believed, that we still had a chance...and we did! Those 72 hours will take forever, but since Santana shares an agent, Peter Greenberg, with Jose Reyes, there's a good chance that it won't take the full 72 hours to make this happen - we hope!!!!

I promised my dad, before he passed, that if anyone could make this happen, Omar could- and he agreed- and now Omar has made my promise look good! Dad, I'll see you at opening day in Florida...I'll bring the hot dogs, the Mets will bring Johan, and you bring the sunshine!!!

Oh yeah- take THAT, Wallace Matthews!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!