Jose Reyes for Johan Santana?

It's just a rumor. It is still just a rumor. Neither team has given any indication that it has any truth, or even the potential for any truth. Nevertheless, newspaper articles and internet chat boards are chock full of arguments about the suggestion that the New York Mets are interested in trading shortstop Jose Reyes to the Minnesota Twins for their two-time Cy Young Award winner, Johan Santana. While the trade rumor is still wishful thinking on the part of New York sports columnists who profit most from such speculation, the mere prospect of a Jose Reyes for Johan Santana trade makes for one hell of a fun debate.

Would a Jose Reyes for Johan Santana trade make sense?

Trading Jose Reyes for Johan Santana will benefit both teams.

The Mets need starting pitching. Tom Glavine signaled his intent to retire by declining his $13 million option for next season. Pedro Martinez, for all of his past greatness, spends more time on the trainer's table than on the pitching mound. El Duque Hernandez is, by some accounts, pushing the half-century mark in terms of years. The team needs a true Number One starter.

Johan Santana fits the bill. He is only 28 years old. Over the past five seasons, he is 82-35 with an ERA of 2.91. He's also averaged 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings. Santana won the Cy Young Award in 2004 and 2006, he is the best starting pitcher in the game and he would likely dominate in the lighter-hitting National League.

Most importantly, the Mets can pay him and the Twins can't.

That's right. Minnesota will lose Santana when he becomes a free agent after next season. They have made it clear that they won't meet his projected $20 million per year price tag. Rather than let him fly the coop for free, they should get something in return. Because the team is going to lose production when Torii Hunter becomes a free agent, the addition of Reyes could fill that offensive void nicely. Plus, Reyes is under contract for three more years at right around $6 million per season, which the Twins can afford.

But, Is Jose Reyes Overrated?

Looking over the internet discussion boards, there seems to be a lot of resistance from New York Met fans to the very idea of this trade. Those who have spoken on the ESPN and Yahoo Sports discussion groups are about 95% against the move. They don't want to see their young star flipped for a pitcher, who can only affect one in five games.

The general consensus among their fans seems to be that Reyes is "going to be" the best player in baseball "someday soon." But are they mistaken? Is Reyes, dare it be said, a bit overrated? The stats tell an interesting story.

In 2007, which was his fifth in the big leagues, Reyes finished just 14th in batting among Major League shortstops, hitting .280 and ranking behind the likes of Yuniesky Betancourt, Mark Loretta and Jack Wilson.

Moreover, he was just eighth in on base percentage (.354), 13th in slugging percentage (.421), 11th in home runs (12) and 19th in RBI (57). Those are not the the numbers of a guy who is on the cusp of immortality.

On the other hand, Reyes stole a lot of bases (78), scored a bunch of runs (119) and played shortstop well enough to earn him a Gold Glove this year. All good. All quite good.

But not great. And certainly not indicative of a player in the class of A-Rod, or Pujols, or for that matter, even Jimmy Rollins, who far outdid his fellow shortstop in every offensive category except solen bases.

Met fans may soon have to face the fact that perhaps Reyes is not as good as advertised. To say that a guy whose overall numbers were barely in the top 10 among shortstops is destined to be the game's best player is perhaps to deceive oneself.

If the possibility of the trade materializes, New York might be wise to pounce on the opportunity to land the game's best pitcher.

No matter what happens, it sure is a juicy topic.

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