Heyman: Santana Deal Imminent

Update 5:00 pm:

The Mets and Twins have been granted a two hour extension until 7 pm to conclude contract talks which would lock up Johan Santana into his mid-30s.

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Jon Heyman of SI.com is reporting the Mets are closing in on a deal of six years at about $22 million per season:

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 say they expect a deal to be completed by the 5 p.m. EST deadline.

Santana and the Mets are discussing a contract extension for six years that is expected to pay Santana close to $22 million a year, according to sources familiar with the talks. In addition, it is believed the Mets may add about $7 million to Santana's $13.25 million salary for 2008.

That expected new $20 million salary for '08, and the six additional years at $22 million, could bring Santana's total haul to $152 million. The previous record for a pitcher was Barry Zito's $126-million, seven-year deal signed last winter with the San Francisco Giants.

Some reports say the Mets are holding strong to a deal of five years and a sixth year as a vested option, but if Heyman's report is accurate, Omar Minaya cannot be blamed for trying. They are throwing the kitchen sink at Santana, and a deal will therefore get done soon, if it hasn't already.

I know plenty of Mets fans, and though we like to take shots at each other from time to time, I have to offer a kudos on picking up the best pitcher in baseball. With the NL and that stadium, Johan will be an absolute stud for them. Citi Field and not Fenway Park is all the Yankees care about.