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 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.