After what he described as a "slow holiday season" for baseball business, Hank Steinbrenner is returning to his office Thursday to begin working on "a final decision" regarding a trade for Johan Santana. And he believes the Yankees have made the top offer for the Minnesota ace. "I think the Twins realize our offer is the best one," Steinbrenner said Wednesday in a telephone interview. "I feel confident they're not going to trade him before checking with us one last time and I think they think we've already made the best offer." Steinbrenner said the offer "does not include two of the three young pitchers" - Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, from a group that also includes untouchable Joba Chamberlain - "but it's still the best one. And let's face it, we're the best able to handle the kind of contract (extension) Santana will be after." Steinbrenner would not divulge the Yanks' offer, but multiple reports have pegged it as Hughes, outfielder Melky Cabrera, pitching prospect Jeff Marquez and another prospect. Santana, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, probably would require a huge extension with his potential new team to waive his no-trade clause. Some reports have said it could be as much as six years for $120 million. The Mets remain in the mix, too, with prospects such as pitchers Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Kevin Mulvey and outfielders Carlos Gomez and Fernando Martinez. However, Jose Reyes won't be involved in any potential trade, GM Omar Minaya has said repeatedly. Some in the game believe the Mets eventually will land Santana, if only because they might need him the most and might be convinced to overpay. There has been only minor dialogue between the Yankees and Twins lately, Steinbrenner said, but that figures to heat up soon. "We're not desperate, so we're not going to chase anything," Steinbrenner said. But, he added, "In the next two weeks, we're going to have to get everything done. "I either have to do it (a Santana deal) or don't do it, same thing for the Red Sox, I guess," Steinbrenner added. "I think the Twins would like to keep him, so I don't think there's any hurry on anyone's part. It all depends on what he asks for in an extension. You obviously have to be very careful with pitchers, for obvious reasons." There has been a popular theory among some in baseball that the Red Sox have talked to the Twins about a trade only to drive up the price on the Yankees, but Steinbrenner says he doesn't believe that's true. "At the same time, we won't be in it to keep him from them," Steinbrenner said. "Each team is in it for what they can handle. We have great young pitching, that's the main plan. Do we want to put Santana in there, who's 29 (in March), to be an ace for a few years? "I know a majority of fans don't want to lose Hughes." Steinbrenner reiterated that he would be delighted to get Santana but also happy to "stay the way we are. We're going to have the best pitching by far in baseball in two or three years and we'll be tough this year. "We obviously already have position players." http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/ BY ANTHONY McCARRON DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER --

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