I recently interviewed Aaron Gleeman. Gleeman is the co-founder and operator of The Hardball Times. His blog AaronGleeman.com has received over three million hits since it began in August 2002, and he is also a contributing baseball writer for Rotoworld and NBC Sports. In 2006, Gleeman was featured in a short profile in Sports Illustrated.

Gleeman is a Twins fan, so I asked for his take on the Johan Santana trade rumors.

Anthony De Rosa : Do you believe the Mets have enough to offer the Twins in return for Santana? If they were add in John Maine along with Carlos Gomez or Lastings Milledge and one of Kevin Mulvey, Philip Humber, or Mike Pelfrey, would that do the trick?

Aaron Gleeman : Sure, the Mets have enough to get Santana. Most teams probably have enough, if they make everyone available. With that said, I think the Twins would be making a mistake to get a package centering around Humber or Pelfrey, because they’re far from sure things as impact guys.

I’d ask for two of Milledge, Martinez, and Gomez, and then try to get Pelfrey, Humber, or Mulvey in as the third piece. A lot depends on what other teams come to the table with, obviously, but the Mets definitely have enough desirable young players to get something done.

Anthony : What positions are the Twins looking to upgrade by trading Santana? I would suspect CF, 2B and another pitcher would be targeted.

Aaron : I can’t say for sure what they’re targeting, but what they should be targeting is impact bats at whatever position they can get them at. Center field, second base, and third base are the main spots to target, but they could use a corner outfielder or designated hitter.

Basically, they need hitters. I’m sure they’d also try to get a top-notch pitching prospect in return for Santana, but they don’t really need more young pitching.

Anthony : As a Twins fan, are you angry with management for not giving Santana a ‘Zito-like’ offer, which seems to be what he is seeking? This seems like a discount from what Santana would ultimately receive on the open market. Are the Twins that cash strapped that they are unable to offer him such a deal?

Aaron : If Santana truly asked for $126 million and the Twins didn’t jump at it, then it’s a pretty strong sign that they don’t plan to retain him. That’s a clear discount for Santana given that Zito got that money last offseason, so if the Twins don’t think that’s doable then nothing will be.

Anthony : What is your assessment of the Oakland A’s? Do you believe they are in rebuilding mode and will look to move Haren?

Aaron : I think the A’s are always willing to be in “rebuilding mode” if Beane thinks that’ll make them better long term. Toss in his recent statements about potentially blowing the current core of the team up and it wouldn’t shock me to see Haren get dealt. I’d try to deal Blanton and Harden first, though.

Anthony : Do they Twins have any prospects that they will look to promote in the event that they are indeed in rebuilding mode? Who are the top prospects in the Twins system?

Aaron : The Twins don’t really have any MLB-ready hitting prospects of note. Their best pitching prospects are Glen Perkins, Jeff Manship, Anthony Swarzak, Tyler Robertson, and Eduardo Morlan. But none of those guys are elite, A+ prospects.

Anthony : Lastly, what team do you think has the best chance at getting Santana and what package would be the most realistic for them to offer and the Twins would accept?

Aaron : I’d say the Yankees probably have the best chance, in terms of money and young players to potentially deal. But there are at least 4-5 teams that seem to be in the running, including the Mets obviously.

I got the sense from Aaron that the Twins are more inclined to trade for offense than pitching, which I think puts the Mets in a better position to make a decent offer. I would highly consider what Aaron suggested which is two of Milledge, Martinez, and Gomez, and then try to get Pelfrey, Humber, or Mulvey in as the third piece. If thats agreeable, I say get it done.

Bugs and Cranks lists five deals that the Mets could, and should, make.

The first deal suggested is Fernando Martinez, John Maine and Jason Vargas to Oakland for Dan Haren.

While I think the Mets have a much better shot at getting Santana than Haren, and would get a better deal because Haren is signed to a very affordable contract through 2009, with a club option for 2010, I don’t know that the Mets need to give up Maine to get him. Perhaps the fact that Haren’s deal is so good that the A’s will require a bit more in return.

Haren was 15-9 with a 3.07 ERA in 222 2/3 IP last season. Santana went 15-13 with a 3.33 ERA in 219 IP.

The second deal suggested is Johnny Estrada, Joe Smith, Aaron Heilman and Kevin Mulvey to Baltimore for Ramon Hernandez and Erik Bedard

I would only make this deal unless the Mets made the next deal that is suggested, which is getting Octavio Dotel and Shawn Chacon. I would be perfectly happy if Mulvey was able to put up the numbers Bedard has, but you need to plug in the two gaping holes this deal leaves in your bullpen. Ramon Hernandez is also a very nice upgrade over Estrada.

The next deal is to sign Mike Cameron and Tony Clark.

I don’t see this realistically happening. I think Clark would be a nice addition to our bench, and would fit in nicely as a backup for Delgado at first base, but I don’t think you can reasonably have Cameron as another outfielder on this team, it simply does not fit. The right field position should belong to Lastings Milledge next year. Not to mention Cameron is set to serve a drug suspension that will have him missing time to begin with. Pass.

The last and least likely deal suggested is Lastings Milledge, Mike Pelfrey, B-level prospect and high draft pick for Scott Kazmir.

Dream on, Mets fans. Never gonna happen. Our best shot at ever getting Kazmir back is via free agency, when he’s way too expensive for the Rays to hold onto. The Mets will then have to prove they’re able to go head to head with the Yankees when he becomes available in 2010.

The Devil Rays might look to trade him to get something in return, but I don’t see that happening until he’s a year away at the most. He’s too valuable to them now, and it doesn’t make sense moving him yet, unless they’re absolutely blown away by what someone is offering in a trade. This deal probrobly wouldn’t even come close to getting it done.

I have to admit, I laugh at 99% of the deal people call into WFAN with, they always come up with deals that benefit the Mets and do nothing for the other team. The Haren deal in my opinion is the one the A’s are most likely to accept, and the best offer they’ve come up with here, in my opinion. I’m just not sure the Mets would be willing to deal Maine.

Here is a recap of some Mets Hot Stove rumors from Jon Heyman’s latest article on SI.com:

Buster Olney on his ESPN blog writes of the matters that could complicate the trading of Johan Santana.

Among them is his no-trade clause, which he could use as leverage to block any deal where he doesn’t feel he will get his best return on a new deal.

On top of that, a team would need to part with a number of their best prospects, a proposition that could present another roadblock due to the fact that the Yankees are reluctant to give up Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy, and Phillip Hughes, and the Red Sox may be unwilling to trade Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester, and Jacoby Ellsbury on top of a $150 million contract extension.

The Mets seem more willing to deal their prospects, as Omar Minaya has stated that ‘nobody’s untouchable’ and he intends to upgrade his rotation this off season.

A package could include either Carlos Gomez, Fernando Martinez, or more likely Lastings Milledge, who has the most major league experience of the three, as the Twins want players who are major league ready in return, along with and pitchers Mike Pelfrey, Phil Humber and Joe Smith.

Hot Foot reported earlier this week that Jim Callis of Baseball America doesn’t believe the Mets could put a package together that the Twins would be willing to accept for Santana. Callis believes the Mets should set their sights on Dan Haren instead. Ken Davidoff seems to agree, and writes of a Haren deal with the Mets on Newsday.

“Trade Aaron Heilman, Lastings Milledge, Kevin Mulvey and a lower-level prospect to the A’s for Dan Haren.The beauty of a Haren trade is that the Mets would be acquiring an ace for the price of a back-of-the-rotation starter. They would retain the payroll flexibility to go out and get Santana on the free-agent market a year from now, if Santana is still available, or Erik Bedard in two years.”

Olney wonders if a package of Milledge, Humber and Pelfrey would be enough weighed against the backlash new Twins GM Billy Smith would receive from fans for trading Santana.

Smith, in his first year as Twins GM, will look to shape his legacy in his first season. He could find that he may endear himself better to fans, however unlikely, by holding onto Santana, hoping he leads the Twins back into the pennant race next season rather than hand him over to the Yankees or Red Sox.

In an ESPN chat yesterday, Jim Callis of Baseball America could not see the Mets putting together any package to get Johan Santana back in return.

guinness0224: what kind of package could the Mets give the Twins for Santana that the Twins (and the Mets) would actually accept?

Jim Callis: I can’t see the Mets putting such a package together. You could start with Lastings Milledge but I don’t see much else that would entice the Twins.

Jason (NYC): Jayson Stark mentioned the Mets as the team to watch for Johan, Does Pelfrey plus any two of Milledge, F. Martinez or Gomez get it done? What if they sweeten the offer with either Humber or Mulvey?

Jim Callis: Not for me. Those guys don’t blow me away. Pelfrey and Humber aren’t what they were out of college. The Mets don’t have any pitching to give back.

He does however believe a package of Lastings Milledge, Aaron Heilman and Kevin Mulvey would be enough to get Dan Haren.

Here are some other interesting answers from Callis

1) Reds minor leaguer Jay Bruce will hit 50 home runs one year.

2) Dodgers pitching prospect Clayton Kershaw is the minor league pitcher most likely to win a Cy Young one year.

3) He chooses David Wright and Jose Reyes over Miguel Cabrera and Jimmy Rollins, long term.

4) A Cubbie package of Rich Hill, Matt Murton, Felix Pie and Donald Veal would be enough to get Haren as well.

The Mets might not have the best package to put together for Santana, but the teams like the Yankees who do have the pitchers to give up to get Santana in return do not seem to want to part with those players.

It may simply come down to who is willing to pay the price.

In the San Francisco Chronicle, Eric Chavez describes the A’s as being in ‘rebuilding mode’
As for the team’s immediate future, Chavez has no doubt that Oakland is in rebuilding mode. That doesn’t scare him, because he’s used to seeing major contributors depart each winter.

“…you get used to guys moving on. I already know we’re reloading, that’s black and white to me, but we’ve been doing this for years and we’ve still been able to win. A lot of other teams have proven you can win at any phase you’re going through, look at Colorado.

“You can’t question what Billy’s doing - somewhere down the road, Dr. Evil has a plan.”

Hot Foot relayed an article from San Francisco Gate’s blog “The Drumbeat” last Friday inferring that the A’s plans could be predicated on how improved the Los Angeles Angels are by the Winter Meetings.

Oakland A’s General Manager Billy Beane had said at the GM meetings, as reported by Tom Verducci on SI.com, that the Oakland A’s were ‘at a crossroads’ and he would decide on breaking up the team before the Winter Meetings on December 3rd.

Buster Olney writes in ESPN that Oakland executives will sit down early next week to consider what they might get in return for trading pitchers Dan Haren and Joe Blanton.

The A’s would draw great interest in Dan Haren if he were made available. Haren was the starting pitcher for the American League in the 2007 All Star Game, and finished the season with a 15-9 record, 3.07 ERA, and 192 Ks in 222.7 innings.

San Francisco Gate blog “The Drumbeat“, writes

“ARod staying a Yankee, Bonds likely to be unsignable — have been bad news for the Angels’ power hunt. Thus, the reasoning goes, a healthier A’s team could stay in the race in next year, and Billy Beane won’t be blowing it up after all.”

The Angels were interested in both players and will have to look elsewhere now to add power to their lineup. They’re now forced to decide if they will give up Howie Kendrick and prospects for the best power hitter left on the market, Miguel Cabrera.

Kendrick who was rated the 12th best prospect in the minor leagues in 2006 by Baseball America. Kendrick hit .285 with 4 HR 30 RBI in his 2007 rookie season.

Beane had said at the GM meetings, as reported by Tom Verducci on SI.com, that the Oakland A’s were ‘at a crossroads’ and he would decide on breaking up the team before the Winter Meetings on December 3rd.

“We’re either going forward and going for it or cutting it down and rebuilding. There is no middle ground in our market. When we hit the bottom, small market teams like us don’t bounce.”

The A’s would draw great interest in Dan Haren if he were made available. Haren was the starting pitcher for the American League in the 2007 All Star Game, and finished the season with a 15-9 record, 3.07 ERA, and 192 Ks in 222.7 innings.

In case you were wondering, Haren keeps a blog.

Kevin Kernan in the New York Post suggest that the Mets make a push to get Oakland A’s pitcher Dan Haren.

Billy Beane has long coveted Lastings Milledge, and Aaron Heilman could be included in a deal to get Haren as well.

Haren and Johan Santana each had 15 wins this past year. Haren (76) allowed fewer earned runs than Santana (81) as he posted the third best ERA in the AL at 3.07. Santana was seventh (3.33). Haren surrendered 24 home runs while Santana gave up 33.

I’d be shocked if Beane made Haren available, he’s discussed Rich Harden with the Mets before but Haren has been pretty much untouchable. If he was available, I would have to think the Mets would have lots of competition for his services and there are teams who have more chips than the Mets to go get him. This seems like a pipe dream to me.

The Knox News writes that one Met offical said that Rich Harden rumors may have been mixed up with Dan Haren also of the Oakland A's

Hat tip to Reyes1212 for the great find.