Johan!

Unless owner Carl Pohlad gets President Bush's economic stimulus check early and re-signs him in the next three days, the Minnesota Twins are trading Johan Santana to the New York Mets for four prospects, including outfielder Carlos Gomez.

Of course, Santana has to agree thanks to his no-trade clause.

And then there's that six-year, $150 million deal for his services in the long run.

In the spirit of the Presidential campaigns, "I'm Fred Wilpon (Mets owner) and I approved of this message."

Santana, who is by most accounts the best pitcher in baseball, comes to the National League after eight seasons going against the most formidable lineups in the American League. Already, prognosticators and Mets fans have given him 20 wins, an earned run average under two, the NL Cy Young, NL MVP, World Series MVP and grand marshall in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. Which begs the question, better yet, two:

1. Will he have the same success in Queens against the National League East as he did in his against the American League Central? Considering that at least a third of his starts will come against his new division foes, he faces two of the league's best offenses in Philadelphia and Atlanta. After dealing with the White Sox and Tigers in their resurgences over the past four years, he has experience with the game's most potent hitters. However, new parks and unfamiliar faces will make his first go-round within the division very intriguing.
   
2. Considering that the NL is the "inferior" league, will he have similar success as Roger Clemens found in Houston (PEDs or not)? While AL teams have acquired bats via trade and free agency over the past seven years, NL teams have brought up their own through the farm. While not every offense is as anemic as Arizona's, the NL West is no longer a hitless division. The Central boasts the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs, teams with hitters such as Prince Fielder, Derrick Lee and Alfonso Soriano.

Thoughts? Comments? Questions? It's all on you.

Say What?!?!: Yeah, I know. Less baseball, more football. In all honesty, this is bigger than anything until Sunday. I'm not going to analyze Ryan Seacrest's performance on the red carpet... and why the heck is there a red carpet show for Super Bowl XLII? Or Ryan Seacrest?