MLB Free Agency: Would It Be Crazy for the Yankees to Trade for Johan Santana?

We all know the New York Yankees' top priority this winter will be pitching; we've talked about all the ideas the Yankees can explore in the free-agent market.

There's the top prize in CC Sabathia, who is likely to opt out of his contract with the Yankees and become a free agent again.

Then there's C.J. Wilson of the World Series Rangers and Yu Darvish from Japan as the other top targets. After that, there are veterans such as Roy Oswalt of the Phillies and Mark Buehrle of the White Sox.

But even those aren't guaranteed options. The market is pretty thin if the Yankees want to get a pitcher on the market. Well, aside from re-signing Sabathia, of course.

So what do the Yankees do if they need to bolster the pitching? They need trade options.

And I have an idea. A really crazy idea.

Some of you might think I have lost my mind with this idea, but we need to think outside the box for options.

What about Johan Santana from the New York Mets?

Let's examine the pros and cons and see if it could work.

Pros

1. Santana, when healthy, is one of the game's best left-handers in the game.

2. He hasn't pitched since 2010, so he's well rested.

3. 133-69 career record.

4. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2004, he's had five seasons with over 200 innings.

5. Also since that same year, has had over 230 strikeouts five times as well.

6. Two-time A.L. Cy Young Winner (2003 and 2005).

7. His circle change-up is one of the nastiest pitches in the game.

8. The Mets are looking to shed payroll and could look to move Santana's contract off the books.

9. The Yankees are one of the few teams who can afford him ($24 million in 2012 and $25 million in 2013).

10. If ready, it wouldn't block Manny Banuelos or Dellin Betances from a promotion.

Cons

1. Santana is not a cheap contract to absorb, as there is another two years and $49 million left on his deal.

2. He hasn't pitched since September 2, 2010

3. He had rotator-cuff surgery on September 14, 2010, which he didn't recover from in 2011.

4. Does he even have ace-like stuff anymore?

5. It's an extremely risky and expensive reclamation project to take on.

6. The Mets would almost certainly ask for the Yankees to take on the rest of the contract for Santana

7. Aside from taking on the contract, what players would the Mets ask in return from the Yankees?

8. He'll be 33 by the time spring training gets going.

The Yankees Once Tried for Johan Santana

After the 2007 season, the Yankees wanted to make a bold move to improve their starting rotation.

Santana, who was then a member of the Minnesota Twins, was put on the trading block and Yankees GM Brian Cashman made a very aggressive attempt to pursue Santana via trade.

Cashman's offer to the Twins was Melky Cabrera, Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes, Jeffrey Marquez and Jhonny Nunez.

The Yankees gave the Twins a deadline to accept the deal for Santana, which passed and the Yankees pulled out of the trade negotiations with the Twins, mostly because of Minnesota not backing off on who they wanted in the deal.

The Yankees were reluctant to include Hughes and Cabrera in the deal, and Austin Jackson was considered off limits at the time.

On February 2, 2008, the Twins traded Santana to the New York Mets for Carlos Gomez, Philip Humber, Deolis Guerra and Kevin Mulvey.

Clearly, the Twins got robbed in the trade, as Gomez and Humber never amounted to anything with the Twins.

Yankees-Mets Trading History

In recent time, the Yankees and Mets haven't made that many trades with each other; since 2000, there have been three.

• On December 7, 2001 the Yankees traded outfielder David Justice in exchange for third basemen Robin Ventura.
• On July 16, 2003, the Mets sent troubled reliever Armando Benitez to the Yankees in exchange for minor leaguers Jason Anderson, Anderson Garcia and Ryan Bicondoa.
• On December 3, 2004, the Yankees got left-handed reliever Mike Stanton from the Mets in return for left-handed reliever Felix Heredia.

The trade in 2004 was the last deal between the neighbors.

Is Johan Santana to the Yankees a Realistic Option?

So after it is all set and done, would the Yankees have a legit chance to make a deal for Santana?

Most people's initial gut reaction would probably be no, but think about it: Who else can the Yankees get on the market that would make a major impact?

The Dodgers have Clayton Kershaw under contract and is arbitration eligible, and most feel he is the one Dodger who is untouchable.

The Mariners have Felix Hernandez and the Yankees have been rejected a few times by Seattle when inquiring about his availability.

The Rays have James Shields, and the Yankees have called and asked, but Tampa will not trade their starter to a division rival.

So if the Yankees couldn't pry them away, then Brian Cashman really needs to get creative.

The Yankees could just take on the salary for Santana, but would they really want to inherit another $20-plus million cotract, to go on top of trying to sign Sabathia if he does opt out?

Plus, the Mets and GM Sandy Alderson are going to want players in return for their ace pitcher. Still, the Mets are trying to lower payroll because of their financial situation after the whole Bernie Madoff Ponzi-scheme that has the Mets owners hurting with money (with one lawsuit against the Mets initially seeking $1 billion).

So shedding Santana's contract could be something that would help the Mets' financial situation out, especially if they are serious about trying to re-sign star shortstop Jose Reyes this winter.

The Yankees could still offer the Mets Phil Hughes, but would the Mets even be interested in taking Hughes this time around?

I don't think the Yankees would even entertain trading any of their top pitching prospects like Manny Banuelos or Dellin Betances.

But Jesus Montero would be another possibility, though trading Montero for two years of Santana might not be the best for the Yanks.

Right now, I'd say the Mets putting Santana on the block isn't the likeliest situation right now.

But if Alderson would be willing to entertain the thought of putting Santana on the market and entertain trade ideas, for the right price (which wouldn't cost the Yankees any major prospects), then I think the Yankees should see if they could land the lefty and try to team him with Sabathia to form a really good 1-2 punch in the rotation.

It's a really crazy idea, but I don't think it's the worst idea. Will it ever happen? Who knows.

Hey, it was outside the box for our normal trading ideas.