AN MD80 CAPT; LNDG AT SAT HEARD BUT COULD NOT SEE A MOONEY THAT HAD BEEN CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD ON THE SAME RWY. WHEN QUESTIONED; SAT ISSUED A GAR.

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WE SWITCHED TO SAT TWR ABOUT 7 MI OUT ON VISUAL FINAL FOR RWY 12R. ANOTHER CARRIER WAS JUST LNDG. COMING UP ON THE MARKER; I HEARD THE TWR GIVE 'POS AND HOLD RWY 12R;' CLRNC TO A MOONEY AND THOUGHT THAT IT SEEMED A BIT TIGHT. WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO LAND ON RWY 12R; BUT I SENSED AN IMPENDING GAR; SO I BRIEFED THE FO (PF); TO STAND BY FOR IT AND EVEN BRIEFLY REVIEWED; 'TOGA; FLAPS 15 DEGS; POSITIVE RATE; GEAR UP. WE'LL CLB STRAIGHT AHEAD AND CLB TO 2000 FT; 3000 FT; OR 4000 FT; DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY WANT.' AT ABOUT 1000 FT AFL; WHEN NO FURTHER CLRNC HAD BEEN GIVEN TO THE MOONEY; I ASKED SAT TWR; 'IS THERE AN AIRPLANE ON THE RWY?' MUCH CONFUSION ENSUED AS THE CTLR TRIED TO RAISE THE MOONEY; CLARIFY ITS POS; AND GET IT TO CLR THE RWY. AS WE PREPARED TO GO AROUND; THE TWR GAVE US THE GAR CLRNC AT SOMEWHERE AROUND 500 FT AFL. I NEVER DID SEE AN ACFT EITHER ON THE RWY OR HOLDING SHORT; BUT GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT THERE WERE ACTUALLY 2 MOONEY'S INVOLVED. I DID NOT CALL THE TWR AFTERWARDS (THE FLT ATTENDANTS HAD ONE OF THOSE RIDICULOUSLY SHORT LAYOVERS).