Players’ names flying fast and furious

We’ve got two reports this morning filled with names. Remember: This is all just pure speculation. based on information from anonymous sources. It does however help paint a picture of trade talks that, as Buster Olney noted yesterday on a radio appearance, are still just preliminary.

Let’s start with the ones that are more shady. We’ve got a tip that a fantasy baseball site calling itself The Grand Jury knows what the Yanks are offering. Supposedly, the Bombers want to send Ian Kennedy, Melky Cabrera and Jose Tabata to the Twins for Santana. That sounds too good to be true, and other reports seem to indicate that the Twins want more.

Those other reports come to us via Pete Caldera at The Record. Caldera has word on what the Twins want. Caldera notes that these are players who might be included in the trade: Robinson Cano, Phil Hughes, Jeff Karstens and Tyler Clippard for Johan Santana and Matt Tolbert.

While Caldera notes that AL executives see Cano as the starting point to any deal between the Yanks and Twins, this list of players is pure speculation. And right now, all we’re trafficking in is rumor and idle minds trying to sell papers. The Grand Jury report, unsourced, has no more basis in reality that we can confirm than the list of players Caldera says is his take “on what deals might be discussed” between the Twins and Yankees.

“Might” is a long way from a trade, and meanwhile, both the Red Sox and Mets are planning to make offers for Santana. Since the Twins don’t have to make this trade now or ever, Minnesota won’t pull the trigger until they hear all the offers or until one team blows them away with a package of prized players. Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves.