NEW YORK — Johan Santana is a money pitcher, and the Mets are paying for it.
Santana and the Mets agreed Friday to a record contract for a pitcher. It is the last major step that was needed to complete the team's blockbuster deal with the Twins.
Terms of the contract were not revealed.
After the sides were granted an extra two hours to work on a deal, the Mets announced about 30 minutes before the new deadline that negotiations had concluded. The two-time Cy Young Award winner was scheduled to take a physical today.
The acquisition of Santana for four prospects gives New York the durable ace it has sorely lacked.
The Mets came within one win of the World Series in 2006, despite an injury-depleted pitching staff, then missed the playoffs last season after blowing a seven-game lead in the NL East with 17 to play.
People are also reading…
Now, New York is a National League favorite again. As long as players in the trade pass physicals, Santana will lead a rotation that includes three-time Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez, crafty right-hander Orlando Hernandez and a pair of 15-game winners, John Maine and Oliver Perez.
The lineup includes 2007 All-Stars David Wright, Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran, plus veteran sluggers Carlos Delgado and Moises Alou. Closer Billy Wag-ner anchors the bullpen.
Santana is 93-44 with a 3.22 ERA in eight major-league seasons, winning the AL Cy Young Award in 2004 and 2006 with the Twins. He has been less successful in the playoffs, going 1-3 with a 3.97 ERA.
The left-hander slipped a bit last year, finishing with a 15-13 record that included marks of 0-5 against AL Central champion Cleveland and 1-3 vs. Detroit. He dropped seven of his final 11 decisions as his ERA rose from 2.60 to 3.33, his highest since 2001. He also allowed a career-high 33 homers — most in the AL.
"He's good but he's not unbeatable. He got hit around last year," said pitcher Tim Hudson of the Atlanta Braves, one of the Mets' chief rivals in the NL East. "We've just got to be concerned about ourselves."
The Twins agreed Tuesday to swap Santana for speedy outfielder Carlos Gomez and right-handers Philip Humber, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra.
horse racing
Hall of Famer Baze wins 10,000th race
ALBANY, Calif. — Russell Baze extended his dominance as North America's winningest thoroughbred jockey, riding his 10,000th winner Friday at Golden Gate Fields.
The Hall of Famer survived a photo finish in a three-horse duel to the wire with Two Step Cat, winning by a head bob in the mile race for claiming horses.
Baze has been North America's career leader since December 2006, when he surpassed Laffit Pincay Jr.'s record of 9,530.
Baze's mounts have earned nearly $153 million during his 34-year career.
● In New York, Aliysa beat Peerless by 1 1/2 lengths Friday in the $64,750 Squan Song Stakes for fillies and mares at Aqueduct. Trained by UA alum Todd Pletcher, Aliysa paid $2.90 and $2.30 as the 2-5 favorite.
women's basketball
No. 9 Duke wins easily over Va. Tech
DURHAM, N.C. — Wanisha Smith and Joy Cheek scored 14 points each to lead Duke to an 85-50 win over Virginia Tech in its last game before hosting rival North Carolina on Monday.
Chante Black added 11 points, and Krystal Thomas contributed 10 for the Blue Devils (16-5, 5-1 in the ACC), who got their first victory since losing to No. 2 Tennessee 67-64 on Monday.
amateur golf
Blind golfer, 92, has a hole-in-one
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Making a hole-in-one is hard enough. But think how difficult it was for Leo Fiyalko, who is 92 years old — and blind.
"I was just trying to put the ball on the green," he said.
Fiyalko, who has macular degeneration and has been playing golf for 60 years, scored the ace with a 5-iron on the 110-yard fifth hole at Cove Cay Country Club on Jan. 10.
Fiyalko tees off every Thursday with a group of golfers ranging in age from 70 to more than 90. He used to have a 7 handicap, but now needs help lining up shots and finding golf balls, because he has peripheral vision only in his right eye.
tennis
Johansson decides it is time to retire
STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Davis Cup player Joachim Johansson retired from tennis because of a shoulder injury, ending a career in which he reached a No. 5 ranking and the U.S. Open semifinals in 2004.
Johansson, 25, has had three operations since 2005. Johansson won three ATP events.
