[Actionbrett]

Crisp, Lester and 2 top shelf prospects not named ellsbury and bucholtz for J. Santana.

[Willie Bee]

The Twins would be fools not to have either Ellsbury or Buchholz in return for Santana.

[Chico1856]

Love to see this deal get done. Adds the premier LH starter to a solid starting rotation, and keeps him outta New York

[Actionbrett]

It will be interesting to see what happens with Santana. From what Ive read on the internet and radio talk shows the Redsox have made it known that Ellsbury and Bucholtz are untouchable as well as Cano and Chamberlin. I think it will come down too who the Twins want more Crisp or Melky Cabrera to play CF. I can see the Yanks giving them Hughes to prevent JS from going to the BoSox...

[Helmut]

It will be interesting to see what happens with Santana. From what Ive read on the internet and radio talk shows the Redsox have made it known that Ellsbury and Bucholtz are untouchable as well as Cano and Chamberlin. I think it will come down too who the Twins want more Crisp or Melky Cabrera to play CF. I can see the Yanks giving them Hughes to prevent JS from going to the BoSox...

Bullshit!!!!!

Twins are not trading a two time cy young winner for that shit!

[biggamer3]

Bullshit!!!!!

Twins are not trading a two time cy young winner for that shit!

Twins will have to trade him or they will lose him next year and get nothing

Hughes and Melky is sure better than nothing

[Robert Schroeder]

They cant afford this Guy , or more like refuse to pay him the money. He stays he pitches HALF -ASS , the twins should hop on that deal with the red sox "if true". I would like to the Cubs give up Hill and Prior for Johan I dont see that happening Santana, Zambrano,Lilly, Best in

[rjt721]

This would be the steal of the century if the Sox can get Santana without giving up Buchholz and/or Ellsbury.

1. Beckett
2. Santana
3. Daisuke
4. Schilling
5. Buchholz (who will be a 20-game winner one day)

Not bad. Not bad at all.

[Ragnarok]

There is a zero possibility of this trade going down.

Twins get next to nothing.

Crisp - Offensive liability, great range but throws like a girl

He is going to be the headliner in a trade for Santana? The best pitcher in baseball? No. Let's get real.

Lester - OK, possibility of being a strong #2 in a rotation. Has he fully recovered yet? He just came off a serious illness. Early reports said no, his performances last year were very shaky. Walking batters everywhere and only a few strong moments. Furthermore, he got to start for an elite offensive ballclub when they were already in control of a division. Despite getting Young, Minnesota doesn't have the team to take all pressure off a pitcher.

The other guy they're talking about is Justin Matterson, both Yankees prospects Ian Kennedy and Alan Horne were rated relatively significantly higher than him in the minor leagues (Eastern Leagues, he was #13 with Kennedy #5 and Horne #7).

Lowry I don't know much about but he's not major league ready.

This report stinks of bidding up the price for the Yankees. All their prospects that ARN'T untouchable (Kennedy, Horne, Hughes) that they would throw in a package are better.

Without Jacoby or Clay they won't get Santana, not for CoCo, Lester, and two minor leaguers it's just not what you get for a future HOFer.

[Willie Bee]

This would be the steal of the century if the Sox can get Santana without giving up Buchholz and/or Ellsbury.

Absolutely you do it if you're the Red Sox and can avoid dealing Ellsbury or Buchholz in the deal. But without really knowing who else the Twins might be after -- I've heard Justin Masterson -- it's difficult to understand why they would take Crisp in any deal for Santana. Crisp is pretty much a No. 4 outfield and Boston should not be able to get much for him in return at this point because all other 31 teams know he's excess baggage in the Beantown dugout. I'd rather have Hughes and Cabrera from the Yankees, get them to throw in some low-level prospect even.

If Minnesota's smart, they will sit back and let the bidders drive the value up at this point.

[Actionbrett]

They have to get rid of Santana otherwise they will lose him next year and only get a draft pick. You would be surprised how many people around baseball consider Crisp to be one of the best defensive CF's they have seen, I know Francona thinks that.

Like I said, they have to move this guy so which ever deal they like more from the Yanks/Sox will get Santana. Minnesota Likes Michael Bowden (Pitcher in sox orginization) and want their minor league SS (his name escapes me) to replace theirs in 2009.

[Dead Money]

I have heard Masterson's name flying around too as one of the prospects. ( Kid has potential)

I think they should deal Buchholz, I have seen him pitch in AAA Portland a few times. He has little chicken legs, this guy is going to have major arm problems eventually, ala Pedro.

If they have to get rid of Buchholz to get Santana, GO FOR IT. You can't get something for nothing.

[swifty]

I would trade manny for Santana right now

[Willie Bee]

Like I said, they have to move this guy so which ever deal they like more from the Yanks/Sox will get Santana. Minnesota Likes Michael Bowden (Pitcher in sox orginization) and want their minor league SS (his name escapes me) to replace theirs in 2009.

Jed Lowrie is the young SS prospect in Boston's system, and might be a bigger part of the trade now that Minnesota dealt Bartlett to Tampa in the Delmon Young trade.

In fact, the trade to get Young could have both Boston and New York having to rework their offers. Right now if you go to the Twins' MLB.com site, they list Young as the #1 left fielder, and I seriously doubt he will see much action in left. Right field has been his position, thanks to a solid arm, but the Twins could think about him in center...at least they could make like they're going to put him into center and force Boston and New York to make offers that didn't include Coco Crisp or Melky Cabrera.

If they could get the Red Sox to offer Lester, Lowrie, Bowden and Masterson, that would be a sweet deal for Minnesota. If Boston won't part with both Bowden and Masterson, then I think the Twins are better off taking Phil Hughes, Cabrera and a mid-level prospect from the Yankees.

Will be interesting to watch what happens this next week at the Winter Meetings in Nashville.

[Willie Bee]

Here's the latest from ESPN's Buster Olney, for what that's worth. I agree that if the Red Sox throw in Ellsbury or Buchholz, that's the best offer we've heard. But I disagree that the talks are reaching their apex...when I hear what these other teams that have only been rumored have offered, then I'll think that. And even then, Minnesota can make 'em all squirm a bit while the Twins "think about the offers" and see if someone caves and ups theirs.

Buster Olney, ESPN.com - - - Boston's offer on the table before Saturday's talks included pitcher Jon Lester, center fielder Coco Crisp and minor league infielder Jed Lowrie. A fourth player -- a minor league pitcher -- is to be determined. The Twins have wanted the Red Sox to add either Ellsbury or Buchholz to the deal, and there are indications that if the Red Sox add Buchholz or Ellsbury, theirs is the offer that Minnesota would prefer.

[harsh506]

I live in the Boston area and have heard of these players for years and still to this day, I dont understand why the sox wont do this. They are reciving possibly the most dominate pitcher since 02'/03'and maby the best in this decade. The sox wont budge with masterson or bowden, who wont see significant action for another 3-4 years.Beckett and Dicek arent going anywhere soon. If we had our way they will be here for another 10 years. Throw santana in there you create a staff better than what would be with masterson and bowden. Its not like they are reciving a Greg Maddux or a Randy Johnson.

[rjt721]

Looks like the Sox have decided to include Ellsbury in a potential deal. This should get very interesting now, as it will likely come down to who the Twins prefer - Ellsbury or Phil Hughes.

With the Minnesota Twins insisting on center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury in any trade for pitcher Johan Santana, the Red Sox have altered their offer and have told the Twins they are willing to include the outfielder.

But sources say the Red Sox have also told the Twins they will not trade left-handed pitcher Jon Lester and Ellsbury together in the package they are offering.

The Yankees, meanwhile, have informed the Twins that they are going to pull their offer off the table soon -- perhaps by Tuesday at the latest -- unless they get an answer. The Yankees changed their offer on Friday, adding pitcher Phil Hughes after much internal debate, to go along with Melky Cabrera and a third prospect.

The Yankees have told the Twins they will not give them one of their top prospects as the third player in their offer -- not pitchers Ian Kennedy or Alan Horne, or outfielder Austin Jackson, for example.

It's possible that the Twins may find that the offers from Boston and the Yankees are not acceptable, and decide, ultimately, to keep Santana. But executives involved in the trade talks fully expect that the Twins will trade Santana, and that they will make a decision within the next 72 hours on what offer they prefer. If either the Yankees or the Red Sox were to pull out of negotiations, the Twins' leverage would be greatly diminished.

What the choice for Minnesota may come down to, in the end, is this: Do they prefer Phil Hughes as the centerpiece player in a deal, or Ellsbury?

If the Twins do agree to a tentative deal, Santana must still agree to waive his no-trade clause, and in order to do that, Santana likely will ask for a six-year extension worth something in the range of a $150 million; he would become the first pitcher ever to sign for a multiyear deal for at least $20 million a year.

The Red Sox included Ellsbury in one of their proposals a week ago, but the Twins asked the Red Sox for two players among the group of three prospects -- Ellsbury, Lester and pitcher Clay Buchholz. Boston then offered Lester, center fielder Coco Crisp, minor league shortstop Jed Lowrie and a minor league pitcher.

The Twins have continued to ask for Ellsbury, so the Red Sox have flipped Ellsbury back into their offer, sources say, while removing Lester, and upgraded slightly the rest of their proposed package slightly -- perhaps to include right-handed pitcher Justin Masterson. Presumably, any offer with Ellsbury would not include Crisp.

Ellsbury, 24, played in 33 games for the Red Sox this year, hitting .353 with three homers and 18 RBI, with a .509 slugging percentage and nine stolen bases.

The Mets, Mariners, Dodgers and Angels are among the other teams with which the Twins have talked about Santana.

[Illusion]

Huge news. I would bump Boston into the front running position now. According to the report we should know within 72 hours.