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Done Deal: Santana Joins Mets

Surpasses Zito deal to earn largest financial windfall ever for a pitcher

By Lev Weinstein,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 2, 2008 12:43 AM CST
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(Newser) – After a tense three days of negotiation, including a 2-hour extension to cap off the talks, the Mets and Johan Santana officially reached an agreement around 6:30 last night, the New York Times reports. The two parties settled on a $137.5 million, six-year contract extension, marking the largest financial windfall for a pitcher in baseball history.

With the deal, including the $13.25M Santana is owed for 2008, the two-time Cy Young winner will decisively surpass the $126M contract former Oakland ace Barry Zito signed with the Giants prior to the '07 season. The negotiations, begun Tuesday when the Mets acquired Santana from Minnesota for four prospects, will come to an official end with today's scheduled physical exam.

Graphic profiles career of pitcher Johan Santana; 2c x 2 3/4 inches; 96.3 mm x 69.9 mm
Graphic profiles career of pitcher Johan Santana; 2c x 2 3/4 inches; 96.3 mm x 69.9 mm   (Associated Press)
Minnesota Twins' Johan Santana pitches to Cleveland Indians' Grady Sizemore in the first inning, in a baseball game, in this Aug. 29, 2007 file photo, in Cleveland. Santana and the New York Mets completed contract negotiations on Friday, Feb. 1, 2008, the last major step needed to finalize the team's...
Minnesota Twins' Johan Santana pitches to Cleveland Indians' Grady Sizemore in the first inning, in a baseball game, in this Aug. 29, 2007 file photo, in Cleveland. Santana and the New York Mets completed...   (Associated Press)
Minnesota Twins pitcher Johan Santana delivers a pitch against Cleveland Indians' Casey Blake during a baseball game in this May 17, 2007 file photo, in Cleveland. Santana and the New York Mets completed contract negotiations on Friday, Feb. 1, 2008, the last major step needed to finalize the team's blockbuster...
Minnesota Twins pitcher Johan Santana delivers a pitch against Cleveland Indians' Casey Blake during a baseball game in this May 17, 2007 file photo, in Cleveland. Santana and the New York Mets completed...   (Associated Press)
Minnesota Twins' Johan Santana pitches to Cleveland Indians' Grady Sizemore in the first inning, in a baseball game, in this Aug. 29, 2007 file photo, in Cleveland. Santana and the New York Mets completed contract negotiations on Friday, Feb. 1, 2008, the last major step needed to finalize the team's...
Minnesota Twins' Johan Santana pitches to Cleveland Indians' Grady Sizemore in the first inning, in a baseball game, in this Aug. 29, 2007 file photo, in Cleveland. Santana and the New York Mets completed...   (Associated Press)
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MLB • New York Mets • Minnesota Twins • Johan Santana • Hot Stove • baseball

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