If the Mets don’t trade for Sabathia, the Yanks get him. This idea that the Twins keep him instead is ridiculous. Santana was on the trade market for a reason, and the BoSox and Yanks were throwing the best packages at them. The only reason they picked Minaya’s worse offer was because they didn’t want to have to deal their Ace to the two teams they’d most likely meet in a short series. Regardless, if the Mets don’t step in, he still ends up getting dealt, most likely to the Yankees.

With the Yankees getting a great Santana, there’s virtually no way they get Sabathia the next year, and the Mets would have the money they would have allotted to Santana to throw at him. Frankly, the Mets may have even gotten him earlier; instead of the Brewers being able to make the trade for CC in 2008 (and subsequently beating out the Mets for the WC) the Mets might have thrown their Santana-lite package at him instead.

I agree that the managers wouldn’t be back or stick around as long, and that ridiculous extension Minaya signs probably doesn’t happen. I don’t want to extrapolate too far, but you can kiss Jason Bay goodbye right there. And FWIW, I kind of like the trading for Peavy scenario; leaving Petco and the NL for US Cellular in the AL was an awful turn for him, but I think he could have been right at home in Citifield.

who knows what happens if we don’t get him but I doubt we get Livan Hernandez in 08 or AJ Burnett the following year, among other things. Seems like a silly what if to premise, considering Omar was crazy and somewhat unpredictable

Duaner Sanchez doesnt get in that cab and orders in. Well that gives us a ring in 2006. Probably more funds to upgrade the team for 2007 and beyond. Not a sniff of Ollie Perez in orange and blue.

our discussion sure would be different had the Mets clinched and not collapsed in part of Johan’s brilliant effort against Miami Barflins.

there’s always a risk to any long term contract in all sports