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NEW YORK — Johan Santana appears to be a contract extension and a physical away from joining the New York Mets.

Minnesota would receive speedy outfielder Carlos Gomez, and pitchers Philip Humber, Deolis Guerra and Kevin Mulvey if the trade is finalized.

Both the Twins' and Mets' Web sites confirmed the tentative deal.

"If it's true, obviously, you're getting arguably the best pitcher in the game," Mets third baseman David Wright said. "We're going to welcome him with open arms."

What originally appeared to be a bidding war for the two-time Cy Young Award winner early in the off-season turned into something more akin to a negotiation of attrition in which first the Yankees and then the Red Sox appeared to lose interest.

The Mets emerged as the top candidate after December's winter meetings, when the Yankees withdrew their offer, which included pitcher Phil Hughes and outfielder Melky Cabrera, and the Red Sox refused to improve their proposals, which would have sent pitcher Jon Lester or outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury to the Twins with other prospects.

Santana can become a free agent after this year's World Series, and Minnesota offered him an $80 million, four-year extension that he turned down early in the off-season.

Twins general manager Bill Smith last weekend asked teams to make their best offers.

"It's out there, but the bottom line is that we're trying to look at ways at improving our club," Mets GM Omar Minaya said. "That's all I'm going to be able to say about it right now."

WASHINGTON — A lawyer for Andy Pettitte's former personal trainer said Tuesday he believes the pitcher will tell Congress he discussed human growth hormone with Roger Clemens between the 2001 and 2002 seasons.

The lawyer, Earl Ward, said Pettitte talked about HGH with trainer Brian McNamee following a conversation with Clemens, who has denied that he used HGH or steroids. McNamee worked with both Clemens and Pettitte.

"We're hopeful based on Andy's reputation that he will corroborate Brian's statements with regard to Roger," Ward said in a telephone interview.

Pettitte's meeting with a congressional committee investigating drug use in baseball was postponed until Monday. He originally was slated to appear for a deposition or transcribed interview today but the date was changed Tuesday by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

● Catcher Johnny Estrada is negotiating with the Nationals, who learned this week that Paul Lo Duca will be sidelined for up to six weeks. Estrada, 31, is coming off knee and elbow operations and became a free agent last month when the Mets declined to offer him a contract. New York acquired him this off-season in a trade with the Brewers.

● There is no joy at Doubleday Field. Major League Baseball has struck out.

Nearly 70 years after the tradition began, the Baseball Hall of Fame Game will end after this year's game between the Cubs and Padres on June 16. Officials at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum said Tuesday that Major League Baseball decided keeping the game was too difficult because of the complexities of the major- league schedule and "all its inherent challenges."