FWIW, Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune told Charlie Steiner on his XM Radio show, "Baseball Beat", that Twins officials he has spoken with on the team's Winter Caravan would ideally want a Johan Santana trade completed by next week.  His colleague, La Velle E. Neal III writes the Twins do not want to extend this into Spring Training and have picked-up the pace in discussions with the Mets, Yankees and Red Sox.

The sticking point, according to Mr. Neal, is the Twins don't want $0.20 on the $1 in terms of talent.  Unfortunately, this implies the Twins are the team being unreasonable.  Why would these deep-pocketed teams bid against themselves when they can simply let Santana hit the free agent makret next year and overpay him while keeping all those valuable 0-3 players?

That said, La Velle reports the Mets appear to be in the lead to land him.  Given Boston's offers are better in terms of player contributions in 2008 and forward, one can easily conclude the Red Sox are not serious and remain in the discussions only to drive the Yankees' price upwards.  One can easily conclude the Twins know that, too, and that is why they have not taken the deal.

The poor New York teams.  The Twins want the Yankees' lead players, Phil Hughes and Melky Cabrera, along with two more high level prospects, but the Yankees don't want to deal Hughes at all, much less adding Ian Kennedy to a package with him.  The Mets want him but need the Twins to accept their third-best offer.

Hopefully, Souhan and Neal are correct, and this soap opera ends soon.