Benson Trade Rumor Thread (Julio? Vazquez? Pudge?)

[Centerfield]

Rumors from another board are that those pitchers may be part of a package for Zito.

Let's hope.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Is it true... or is the Internet Fanboy Press Association?

[Valadius]

Heard from no one have we.

[Frayed Knot]

Centerfield wrote: Rumors from another board are that those pitchers may be part of a package for Zito.

Rumors no doubt started either from inside their own heads or relayed to them from household pets.

[Guest Beenso]

i wouldnt mind this trade if they get macdougle back. otherwise, keep benson. if they trade for vazquez im going to cry

[Guest Rotblatt]

We should be able to get more for Benson than MacDougal.

I don't want Zito if we have to give up Milledge.

Vazquez, on the other hand, I'm down with, although I'm starting to wonder if maybe the Yankees WON'T be paying part of his salary--that maybe Arizona gets to pocket that cash. None of the rags mention that Vazquez is subsidized at all, which worries me.

[Centerfield]

Rotty, I look forward to your analysis on Zito.

[MFS62]

metirish wrote: Anna will love Kansas.....

I can't wait to see Anna on the cover of The Farmer's Almanac.

Later

[Guest heep]

If the Mets are hesitant of giving up Milledge for Ramirez, they are not going to give him up for Zito.

The more I read and hear from Minaya (i.e. interview with Mike and Dog) the more confident I am that he is going to hold onto Milledge. He appears to understand that you cannot have a conglomerate of high salary guys. Wright and Reyes are not going to make 320,000 for too much longer. That is why Milledge (as a young 5 dimensional player) is so valuable.

Pitching, pitching, pitching. If Minaya can pull off a 3 team deal (Benson + Zambrano/Seo), and it appears it will be necessary to involve a 3rd team to acquire Zito, that would be a major plus.

Pedro, Zito, Glavine, Trachsel, Seo/Bannister/Heilman.

Better than last year.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I sort of agree with you -- I think Omar will try to get through the winter with Milledge still in the org and tho everyone seems to think he's an automatic goner in any deal for another starting pitcher (if that's truly what he wants), seems to me Billy Beane might find a closer-to-the-show guy with good OBP & Power (Diaz) plenty useful in a deal, especially if you realize all he's really offering is one year of Barry Zito.

[seawolf17]

From Jim Caple:

The Top 10 Things The Mets Have Done to Piss Off Anna Benson

10. With the loss of Mike Piazza to free agency and the trade of Mike Cameron, the Mets are getting rid of all the really cute teammates.

9. Kris' crude teammates keep inviting her to join them in the showers after a game.

8. The Mets stubbornly refuse to employ Abercrombie & Fitch catalogue models as their batboys.

7. For a photo spread in the team program, the Mets marketing department asked her to pose topless with a pants-less Mr. Met.

6. When they go to strip clubs, Kris' unpatriotic teammates refuse to stand for their lap dances.

5. Unpatriotic concession stands refuse to rename the fries "freedom fries."

4. General manager Omar Minaya asked, "If I said you have a great body, would you hold it against me?"

3. She's still upset about finding out they didn't sign with the New York team Rudy Giuliani roots for.

2. For the 19th consecutive season, the unpatriotic Mets didn't visit the president in the White House.

And the No. 1 Thing The Mets Have Done To Piss Off Anna Benson ...

1. Shea Stadium still sucks.

[Guest Edgy DC]

He's reduced to Freedom Fries jokes?

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

He should leave the jokes to Letterman.

[HahnSolo]

You mean he was trying to be funny?

[Valadius]

Barry Zito: Mets in the Hunt
RotoWire.com Staff - RotoWire.com
Wednesday, December 7, 2005

Update: The Mets are clearly in the hunt for Zito, with their possible trade of Kris Benson to the Royals being used to clear salary room, paving the way for a potential deal with the Athletics, the Bergen Record reports.

Recommendation: According to a person close to Zito, whose contract expires at the end of 2005, he likes New York and would be open to signing a contract extension with the Mets, who would require a window to negotiate that, if a deal could be completed. The A's and Zito's agent Arn Tellem are believed to be open to allowing that window of negotiation but the bigger question is whether New York will surrender Lastings Milledge, the likely beginning asking price, for Zito.

[Elster88]

They have Benson's (Kristin) interview with M&MD on the FAN. He came off well, and got me excited talking about the Mets and next year. I hope he sticks around. I like him.

[metirish]

Just heard it now Elster, and I second what you say.

[metirish]

] BY DAVID LENNON STAFF CORRESPONDENT DALLAS -- The Mets' whirlwind visit to these winter meetings had yet to land them Manny Ramirez or Barry Zito, but general manager Omar Minaya still worked feverishly to make a deal or two before heading back to New York today. Minaya's top priority was trading Kris Benson, and the Mets were moving closer to that goal yesterday with the Rangers after talks with the Royals broke down Tuesday night. A baseball official with knowledge of the discussions said the most recent proposal involved sending Benson to the Rangers for outfielder Laynce Nix and righthander Juan Dominguez. Late last night the Rangers traded Alfonso Soriano to the Nationals for Brad Wilkerson, giving them a surplus of outifelders. Texas is hungry for pitching, and the Mets are anxious to subtract one of their starters, particularly Benson, who is due $15 million over the next two seasons. Ideally, Minaya would like to clear Benson's salary in order to make other moves, with an eye toward acquiring the Athletics' Zito or the Diamondbacks' Javier Vazquez. Minaya talked with Oakland GM Billy Beane this week about Zito's availability, and was eager to make a deal. But the Mets apparently were discouraged by the asking price, and were left with the impression that Beane plans to wait before trading him, perhaps well into the season. That's not to say Zito won't remain on Minaya's radar, and it helps that the A's lefthander has told friends he would welcome a trade to New York, an encouraging sign should the Mets need to negotiate an extension before making the trade. As for Vazquez, the biggest obstacle is money, with two years and $24 million left on the contract he originally signed with the Yankees. Now that Minaya has spent his $30-million surplus on three players -- Carlos Delgado, Billy Wagner and Paul Lo Duca -- there is pressure to trim more payroll before he can add any more pieces. The easiest way to do that would be to trade Benson, or better still, Kaz Matsui, who is proving to be nearly impossible to move because of his $8-million salary this season. Minaya spent much of yesterday trying to find a taker for Matsui, but may be coming to the realization that the Mets could be stuck with him this year. Minaya is asked by reporters about Matsui's status on a daily basis here at the meetings, and either he plans on having Matsui in his Opening Day lineup, or, to say it nicely, he's bluffing other teams into believing that. "Matsui's going to be our second baseman," Minaya said. If only by default. The Mets are among the teams pursuing free agent Mark Grudzielanek, and the Red Sox dropped out of the bidding yesterday when they traded backup catcher Doug Mirabelli to the Padres for Mark Loretta. It's unclear if the Mets would sign another second baseman with Matsui on the roster, but that may convince him to drop his limited no-trade clause and embrace a change of scenery. His contract states that he can be traded to only three teams: the Yankees, Angels and Dodgers. "You know I'm fine with Matsui," manager Willie Randolph said. "He still needs to work very hard on his defense. But I'm not one of those guys saying that he can't play for me, or we need a second baseman. I haven't gone there with that because I still think he can play." Piazza, Hernandez gone. The Mets did not offer arbitration to any of their 11 free agents, including Mike Piazza and Roberto Hernandez. The Mets can't sign either of them before May 1, effectively ending their tenure with the Mets. Piazza's departure was expected but Hernandez's leaving was a bit of a surprise. Because of the escalating market for relief pitchers, they were unable to sign Hernandez by Wednesday's midnight deadline . . . Reliever Jeff Nelson, looking for a job at the meetings, talked with Minaya Tuesday and said he would consider a return to New York, only this time in Queens. Nelson, 39, was 1-3 with a 3.93 ERA for the Mariners last season.

[metirish]

Ok I have never liked Jeff fucking Nelson, I hope he's not coming to Queens.

[Elster88]

Trading Benson and his 15 million over two years to bring Vazquez and his 24 million over two years doesn't make much sense to me. I thought someone posted numbers comparing the two and Vazquez was not appreciably better.
______________________
This post had the designation 104) Brian McRae

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I got no use for Jeff Nelson either.

I wonder of some of 2003's releivers will ever get another chance -- Fortunato, Moreno, Yates. If not, perhaps these fellas wind up with Jim Duke in Baltimore.

[Guest Rotblatt]

One of the rags had a rumor of Benson to Texas for Lance Nix & Juan Dominguez.

I liked the 25-year old Nix until I looked at his numbers--78 OPS+, strikes out a lot and doesn't walk much. He's youngish, has a tiny bit of pop and plays center field, though, so we could probably flip him for someone a little more interesting.

Dominguez is intriguing--25 year old RHP from the DR who's both started & relieved (102 ERA+). He's got a reverse split against lefties, and can occasionally be dominating--he took a no-hitter against KC into the seventh in his fifth start last year. From what I can find online, he's got a good fastball (low to mid 90's) and a superb change, which helps explain his reverse split. He apparently lacks a third pitch, so he might be better suited to the pen, but he also allegedly gets a little over-emotional in tight spots. I have a feeling that's something Willie might actually be good at helping him with. Ricky P, too, now that I think about it.

He has impressive minor league numbers, but he was oldish in every stop.

Still, he seems like a legit prospect who could help us this year as a swing man.

This sounds like the best deal I've heard so far.

[Elster88]

I believe Zito is not going anywhere, though my sources that Beane won't deal him are obviously the very shaky Internet and radio. Flipping Benson for a guy like Dominguez makes no sense, especially if the replacement starter is Vazquez.

[Valadius]

Kris Benson: Trade Talks with Royals Stall
RotoWire.com Staff - RotoWire.com
Friday, December 9, 2005

Update: The Mets and Royals met again, but a deal featuring Benson and Kansas City's relievers doesn't appear to be going anywhere, the NY Daily News reports.

Recommendation: The Mets originally wanted Mike MacDougal and Jeremy Affeldt, which the Royals turned down. It appears now that New York wants MacDougal while the Royals are pushing Affeldt. With trade talks with Texas also falling apart, Benson may be stuck in New York longer than expected as the Mets try and clear salary to go after Javier Vazquez.

[metirish]

Omar not done making big moves

[Guest OlerudOwned]

metirish wrote: Omar not done making big moves

Thats seems like the 5th time that same article has been published. We get it, sports journalists of America, Omar likes building the team.

[Elster88]

From this quote:
"We put in so much work here," Minaya said, "over the next week or so, things will come out."

the Newsday correspondent comes up with the headline:
"Not Ready to Stop: Minaya hints about making more big moves after adding reserves Valentin and Franco."


Newsday SUCKS!!!

[Zvon]

I had to....lol.
I wish i could credit the original cartoonist, but the info wasnt available.
Found the cartoon on Google.
The punch line is his, I just dressed it up.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Kris has really let himself go over the winter.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: Kris has really let himself go over the winter.

Really, he has a chest to match Anna's.