Having a horking fit every 37 minutes that would rival any hork expelled by hork-master Pete Vuckovich, it is still amazing to me, here in the depths of a winter that has yet to begin on the calendar, that baseball is so fully immersive. But this news is too good to be true:

The Red Sox and Twins will resume "serious negotiations" later this morning on a blockbuster deal that would bring ace Johan Santana to the Red Sox, according to a baseball source involved in the negotiations. The package of players the Twins would receive is still in flux and there are two packages under discussion, with still varying mixes of players in each. The first deal would include left-hander Jon Lester and center fielder Coco Crisp, the other one is headed by center field prospect Jacoby Ellsbury. The Twins are still deciding which one they prefer. The Red Sox have successfully held the line on not including Ellsbury in a package with either Lester or Clay Buchholz, their other top starter.

I really hope they go with Lester and Coco but if it takes Ellsbury to make sure Santana is not a Yankee, can anyone complain? And I realize this is the same statement that I made last week but I really thought there was no way the Yankees would blow this trade.

What happened? Hank happened apparently. Yes, the son of the formerly capable charming nutter who owns the Yankees seems to have proven that he is a bigger charming nutter than his Dad - by setting deadlines in a negotiation that he should be desperate to get concluded. You will remember some of Hank's previous gems like "If you don’t understand the magnitude of being a Yankee..." and "Let's not forget what my dad did in giving him that opportunity."

I am really going to enjoy watching this guy run down the gift he was given by the fluke of birth.