Trouble in Metville?

Johan Santana has all the leverage.

And his agents know it.

The Mets need a #1 starter. They had that horrible collapse last year, and they're opening a new ballpark next year. What/who could be a better palliative than the best starting pitcher in baseball? Plus, the cat's out of the bag for their fans that baseball's best pitcher is en route to Queens. Except, of course, for the small detail of the contract extension. Barry Zito got big bucks last year, and he's no Johan Santana. Carlos Zambrano's contract is worth approximately $183 million according to some esoteric Players' Association calculation (source: Buster Olney's blog on ESPN the Insider).

For the Mets to get this done, we're talking the A-Rod zone in terms of money and length of contract.

Read the linked article and get the update. This negotiation may go up to or beyond the deadline. No, the talks aren't dead, but the sources haven't ruled out that the parties could part without a deal. Somehow, I do think that the Mets will ink Santana, and, in the process, make a huge bet on the long-term health of his left wing.