Top Ten Sunday Rumblings

1 · Johan Santana is still property of the Minnesota Twins.

2 · A Twins beat writer says Santana will be dealt within the next 10 days.

3 · Tonight, another Twins lefty ace - Francisco Liriano - says he's 100% healthy since undergoing elbow surgery over a year ago. This can only make Santana more expendable.

4 · Buster Olney reports the Red Sox pulled Jon Lester off the table "for good."

5 · Meanwhile, the Daily News implies the rest of baseball Mets will not acquire any starting pitchers until the Santana fiasco works itself out - and that means you Livian.

6 · According to the Beacon Journal, C.C. Sabathia could be a sweet second place prize for those teams who lose out on Santana.

7 · In Yankees pseudo-news, Bernie Williams and Brian Cashman are at odds about how the former's professional career came to a close. Neither side is wrong, but but both look bad airing their dirty laundry out in public.

8 · A Fox Sports columist posted a list of the top 10 young ballplayers poised to break out in 2008; Phil Hughes ranks fourth, though the writer ineptly predicted 200 innings from him?

9 · A month ago, the same Fox Sports writer compiled a list of the top 10 rookie candidates of 2008. Clay Buchholz ranked #1 and Joba Chamberlain #2.

10 · Less than 18 days until pitchers and catchers arrive for Spring Training workouts.

Report: Santana Wants $140 M.

Johan Santana is reportedly seeking a contract no less than $140 million and seven years, says Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

The agent for Johan Santana has told the Yankees, Red Sox and other teams interested in Twins star pitcher that the price to sign him is a minimum of seven years at $20 million per year, for a total of $140 million guaranteed.

Hardman continues to say the Twinkies want both Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buchholz. Seeing as the Sox won't part with a package containing both Ellsbury and Jon Lester, it's obvious they wouldn't pair the centerfielder with Buchholz.

Maybe the Sox can package Ellsbury, Lester and the 29 lap tops Clay boosted from his high school.

Today's Pitching Matchups

1) Yankees vs. Orioles

• Andy Pettitte will try to improve his win total to 14 on the year, and draws an unlikely matchup as Brian Burres is essentially a reliever being asked to start. For Burres, his last start saw him go seven shutout innings, the first scoreless appearance of his career. He is 1-0 with a 2.53 ERA against the Yankees this year, but also has put together such gems as his August 22nd outing against Texas in which he went 0.2 innings, allowing 8 runs on 8 hits.

2) Tigers vs. Indians

• Following losses from both Boston and Detroit last night, the Yankees find themselves two out of the division and five up in the wildcard races. Cy Young hopeful and Cleveland's ace, C.C. Sabathia, draws pedestrian southpaw Nate Robertson. Robertson has a losing record and an ERA approaching 5.00, while Sabathia looks to notch his 18th win and lower his 3.21 ERA.

3) Red Sox vs. Blue Jays

• Clay Buchholz made history in his last start, joining a short list of rookie pitchers who tossed a no-hitter. The Red Sox hope Buchholz can stop the bleeding, as the Yankees have crept just two games out of the division lead. In July and August, Pat Litsch posted a 2.48 ERA. But his past three starts were all losses due to an ugly 10.37 ERA. Boston won't provide much breathing room as Litsch has a 7.20 ERA in two starts against the Red Sox.