I’ve seen several Mets fans suggest lately that if Johan Santana pitches well, he’ll be dealt at the trade deadline.

The Mets owe Santana $55 million over the next two years (including the $5.5 million buyout). That is, I believe, the most any pitcher in baseball will make over that stretch.

For the Mets to find a taker for Santana’s contract in 2012, he’s going to have to stay healthy and pitch extremely well — think vintage Johan Santana. And even then, it might be tough to find some team desperate enough this July to take on Santana, coming off shoulder surgery, and commit to paying him the $31 million he’s owed in 2013.

Which is to say: It’s probably not worth fretting about the possibility that Santana pitches well and the Mets trade him during the season. Not only is it unlikely, but it’d be a huge boon for the Mets. Santana is awesome, granted, but there are better ways for a rebuilding team to invest $31 million than in one season of a 34-year-old with past shoulder issues.