Santana

The Mets finally land Santana, and after the initial shock and joy has passed, I'm now wondering how this can go wrong.
* Elbow chips?
* 5+ ERA to close the season?
* Highest HR rate of Santana's career last year? 

Then reality sets in.  Nothing, of course is a sure deal.  But Santana is moving from the power happy AL central (despite a home park that has been surprisingly pitcher friendly) to the NL East, with two caverns, a band box in Philly, and God Knows What in DC.  He's still in his 20s - at least for 2008.  He's got a strong up-the-middle defense behind him, and one of the best offenses in the NL.  I still believe Wagner has some gas left in the tank to help close things out.  Plus Santana can hit and run a bit too. 

Of all the potentially available players in the market this winter, the Mets just landed the best of the bunch and the one that fills their biggest need.  So the Castillo signing can move to the backburner along with the Milledge trade.  This team that darn near made the playoffs last year with Glavine leading the rotation and with Pedro only for a month now has Pedro, Santana, plus the wildly underrated John Maine, and the enigmas that are El Duque and Ollie Perez.  Pelfrey waits in the wings, Sanchez should be back in the pen, and Ryan Church has to be an improvement over Shawn Green.  I like the makeup of this team. 

Stay healthy, Endy.