Here’s the kicker though…Why would they do that? The Sox already have a younger ace in Josh Beckett, who also happens to be the best postseason pitcher currently in baseball. They have a ton of money invested in Dice-K, and are counting on getting something more from that money than they have thus far. Remember, Beckett’s first year in Boston was underwhelming, so I believe the front office truly has high hopes for Matsuzaka in ‘08. Then you throw in Lester – winner of the World Series clincher – and Buccholz – no hitter in his third major league start…This is an organization whose fiscal conservatism wouldn’t allow them to budge on 3-year offers to either Johnny Damon or Mike Lowell. Do they really need to invest another 150 million in Johan Santana? With TWO world series titles in four years, no, I just don’t see it. Unless you are going to tell me that they will let Manny walk when he hits free agency and build the team around pitching and papi rather than going out and finding a right handed slugger to replace Ramirez.

In some trade scenarios, you might see a team jump into the bidding in order to entice its rival to surrender more than it would like. however even if a bluff from Boston provoked the Yanks to give up the farm, the Sox can’t claim any victory with Santana in pinstripes. Thus I can’t see the Sox getting heavily involved unless they truly want to put this guy in a Boston uni, and I’m also skeptical that the Yanks will want to surrender their valuable young pitching if they don’t feel a threat from the Sox. Would the Yanks move aggressively just to keep Santana away from the Mets? I don’t think that would bother them as much.

And then there’s the Mets, who make no mistake, are prepared to offer everyone in their system. Lastings Milledge, Carlos Gomez, the much hyped Fernando Martinez, Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber, Kevin Mulvey. Throw in Pat Neshek and you can have all six. Why dazzle them with quality when you can overload them with quantity? Better yet, how about we just sign over control of our A-ball teams to the Twins. You can have the lot.

And I don’t believe I’m just saying this because I’m a Mets fan. But if the Sox and Yanks are not prepared to surrendered the Buccholtz and Hughes of the world, and they’re asking you to take guys like Melky Cabrera and Coco Crisp, suddenly the Mets offer doesn’t look so terrible. And wouldn’t you rather ship Santana to the NL if the offers are comparable? There just clearly isn’t the same sort of desperation in Fenway and the Bronx as their currently is in Flushing. You’re gonna have two juggernauts trying to get a bargain discount from a rookie Minnesota GM, and you’re gonna have Omar Minaya offering the keys to the kingdom, basically saying, “Here, take what you like.”

And let’s not forget teams like the Angels and Dodgers, who so far have balked at the 4-player packages the Marlins are seeking for Miguel Cabrera, but whom certainly have the kind of prospects and young talent to get involved in talks for Santana.

Bottom-line, I don’t see this bidding war breaking down as a Sox-Yanks derby. While both could potentially offer the Twins the best package, I’m not convinced they will…in which case teams like the Mets and numerous others across baseball become increasingly likely landing spots for the Minnesota ace.