Wild trade rumors

[nymr83]

]Perhaps, but we need TWO of them to have success, not just one. And the odds of THAT, while gettng back a healthy Pedro, and having glavine return to solidity, and having Trax' steadiness level out at 1/2 run of ERA less, are NOT odds you really want to bet on.

We really only need 4 guys pitching well not five, the 5th starter doesnt pitch in the playoffs and i'm not worried about missing the playoffs if 4 guys are pitching well.

[metirish]

From the Chicago Sun Times..

] IS THAT A YES? Greg Maddux was asked whether his former Atlanta Braves teammate Tom Glavine had given him a private sales pitch, while Glavine was in Chicago with the Mets, about Maddux approving a trade to New York before the July 31 non-waiver deadline. Maddux got a big grin on his face before trying to dummy up. "Huh?'' he said, dragging out the word for comic effect.

[Guest Edgy DC]

You wonder if Peter Gammons is scrawling out rumors on his bedsheets.

[Theoldmole]

Then we'd have three Hall of Famers in one starting rotation.

Maybe four. Pelfrey has not ruled himself out yet.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Maddux's agreement is only part of the process.

I wonder what the Cubs would want to make such a deal?

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Edgy DC wrote: You wonder if Peter Gammons is scrawling out rumors on his bedsheets.

I was going to remark how sad it was that Gammo won't be around to lend some air-traffic control to all the rumors this summer. Even tho ESPN foolishly locked him in their pay-for-content box, if it were big enouigh we'd get Gammons' take one way or another.

This is also a sad opportunity for Gammons' would-be successors. I'm sure we'ver all seen Newsday's Jon Heyman is now doing a daily rumor update at SI.com; Ken Rosenthal is getting more face time at Fox Sports; and ESPN is using Olney as lead baseball newshound in Gammo's absence.

Of the three of them, Olney probably writes best, tho he and especially Heyman rarely manage to keep their opinions out of their pieces. Heyman's a real sourpuss who seems to take delight in reporting something that makes someone look bad.

I guess Rosenthal is the least objectionable but it's questionable whether he's capable of generating the kind of clout Gammons could with a column.

It may be Gammons is the first and last of the breed.

[MFS62]

Johnny Dickshot wrote: ="Edgy DC"]You wonder if Peter Gammons is scrawling out rumors on his bedsheets. This is also a sad opportunity for Gammons' would-be successors. I'm sure we'ver all seen Newsday's Jon Heyman is now doing a daily rumor update at SI.com; Ken Rosenthal is getting more face time at Fox Sports; and ESPN is using Olney as lead baseball newshound in Gammo's absence. It may be Gammons is the first and last of the breed.

JD, you sitting down?
Last year, I was listening in my car when Gammons was interviewed on ESPN Radio about the passing of Jack Buck. The announcer asked him who he thought were the best of the young broadcasters. The first (and only) name out of his mouth?
Michael Kay.

I hope the powers that be weren't listening. If Kay gets the national gig as Gammons' replacement, Heaven spare us.

Oh, I quickly recovered and there was only minor damage to my car.

Later

[seawolf17]

I think I would have to give up baseball for soccer if Michael Kay were given a national voice.

[Vic Sage]

From HARDBALL TIMES website:

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/mid-term-report-card-new-york-mets/

]The other thing to note about the Mets' top three starters is that they all have FIPs (Fielding Independent Pitching ERA) higher than their actual ERAs. This could be due either to luck or superior fielding, it's not easy to tell which, but some regression to the mean in the second half should be expected. Those three pitchers, though, have started 52 of the Mets' 89 games thus far. That has left 37 starts to a motley crew of crafty veterans (e.g., El Duque), good-looking youngsters (Bannister) and various Quad-A anonymities (Jeremi Gonzalez). Bannister made five starts early, going 2-0 with a 2.89 ERA, before going down with a bad hamstring. On the other side of the coin, Jose Lima was given four starts (wha?) and fared even worse than most of us thought he would: 0-4 with a 10.00 ERA. As a group the 4-5 starters have gone 9-16 with an ERA of 5.55, while pitching about five innings per start. The Mets would certainly like to shore up the bottom of the rotation, especially since Pedro has recently shown some health concerns, missing his last two starts before the All-Star Break. Perhaps Mike Pelfrey, the Mets' top draft pick in 2005 who has recently joined the rotation, will be a key performer. In any case, the Mets are rumored to be searching desperately for an established starting pitcher to bolster the bottom of the rotation.

yes, you only need 4 pitchers for the playoffs. But you still have to get there, and while we might not blow the entire lead, we may end up playing little better than .500 over the 2nd half because of the lack of starting pitching, and we'll certainly be putting a strain on an already overworked pen. Thats not the way you want to go into the playoffs. If Pelfrey continues to pitch OK, then maybe he fills one of those slots. But i'm not sanguine about ElDuque/Main/etc filling the other slot in a way that gives me enthusiasm for our post-season chances. I don't mind handing one slot out of 5 over to rookies and has-beens, trying to catch lightning in a bottle, but handing over 40% of the rotation for the 2nd half of the season to huge question marks (when the remaining 60% are so fragile) is just begging for a 1st round knockout.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I don't have any worries about missing the playoffs. The possibility is too unlikely.

But arriving in a battered state and getting knocked out in the first round is all too real a possibility.

I wouldn't let Pedro return to the rotation until his hip is 100%, or until September, whichever comes first.

I'd give Delgado a bunch of days off over the next few weeks.

Give Glavine an extra day of rest wherever possible.

I'd pull Wright, Beltran, and Reyes in the late innings of any lopsided games.

[Vic Sage]

those are all good ideas, but i think they're window dressing. The view outside the window, however, shows storm clouds in the distance.

This is why i say we need another decent starter.

[Guest Edgy DC]

cleonjones11 wrote: Maybe Pelfrey is all we really need. They dont have to do anything.

Welcome to the fold, cleon.

[Frayed Knot]

]... Gammons was interviewed on ESPN Radio about the passing of Jack Buck. The announcer asked him who he thought were the best of the young broadcasters. The first (and only) name out of his mouth? Michael Kay.

You mean that an ESPN employee being interviewed on an ESPN outlet gave a plug for an ESPN broadcaster?

Well color me shocked!
ESPN so rarely allows cross-promotion like that as part of their programming.

[Guest Rotblatt]

I think we need to keep Trachsel & Glavine on regular rest (they work better that way) and give Petey as many days off as we can until we hit the post-season to keep them fresh. If there's any physical question about any of them, we need to delay their starts and be quick to throw them on the DL if it looks at all necessary. I think we should also carry another long man in the bullpen to help ease the strain on our middle relievers.

As for our #4 & #5, I can really see the appeal of a solid innings-eater there solely to counterbalance the kid glove treatment we're giving to our top 3 guys. I'd also like to see us use one of those slots to try out some kids.

In short, I think trading for a near-average, inning-eating schlub could help us a lot. The problem is that our specific targets, Lopez & Livan, have been having crappy years and averaging under 6 innings a start. Now, leaving the AL will probably help Lopez, but will it be enough?

Maddux could fill that schlub role too for me, but I'd want to pay for him like a schlub and not like a future HOF--meaning I don't want to give up a top-tier prospect for him. Same deal for Vazquez (they have very similar numbers, actually, although adjusted for league, Vazquez has almost certainly been better).

Don't get me wrong--I'd love a pitcher who's actually GOOD, I just think they're going to be hard to come by, and I'm not sure I'm willing to give up a Milledge or a Pelfrey (who's at a minimum almost ready) for him. Unless he's also young (I'm looking at you, Willis).

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Rosenthal with nothing to say but a unique way of saying it.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5796782?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=49

] Mets could trade top prospect for Zito The Mets have insisted for months that they won't trade their top position prospect, Class AAA outfielder Lastings Milledge. But a growing number of major-league executives believe that the Mets will indeed part with Milledge, 21, if they can get the right starting pitcher in return. Ideally, that pitcher would be Marlins left-hander Dontrelle Willis, but the Fish aren't biting. Besides, the Marlins would want much more than Milledge for Willis, whom they control through 2009. A's left-hander Barry Zito, a potential free agent, would be a more realistic target � the A's previously have indicated they would be willing to move Zito for a package of Milledge and Mets right-hander Aaron Heilman. Then there is Giants right-hander Jason Schmidt, another potential free agent. The Giants have made it clear that they are not interested in trading Schmidt, but perhaps they would listen if they had a chance to acquire Milledge. The Mets, armed with a new television network and preparing for the opening of a new ballpark in 2009, possess the resources to re-sign a Zito or Schmidt. The A's or Giants also could send back a young player to the Mets to help balance a deal. And, by making Milledge available, the Mets might create other possibilities with other clubs. One general manager with possible interest in Milledge says that Mets G.M. Omar Minaya has given "absolutely no indication" he will trade the outfielder. Others, however, say that Milledge triggered renewed questions about his makeup during his 24-game stint with the Mets earlier this season, prompting club officials to become more open to a trade. The greater motivation for the Mets might be the state of their rotation, which is composed primarily of older soft tossers. A hard thrower would make more sense than another finesse type such as the Nationals' Livan Hernandez or Orioles' Rodrigo Lopez. Zito lacks a killer fastball, but his trademark curve, combined with his changeup and sinker, almost certainly would play well in the National League. Will Barry Zito be walking off the mound for another team? (Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images) Moving Zito would severely diminish the A's chances of making the playoffs, particularly with right-hander Rich Harden possibly out for the season with a sprained elbow ligament. But A's G.M. Billy Beane could justify a trade by saying that a Milledge-Heilman package would be in the team's best long-term interests. The problem with acquiring Zito � for the Mets, Dodgers or any other interested club � is that he could amount to a two-month rental. If Zito follows the usual strategy of his new agent, Scott Boras, he almost certainly will enter the open market regardless of where he finishes the season. The Mets also have had recent talks with the Diamondbacks, focusing on Arizona's pitching. The Diamondbacks are open to trading right-handed starter Miguel Batista, right-handed relievers Brandon Lyon and Greg Aquino and Class AAA reliever Jose Valverde. Milledge would not figure to be involved in such a deal.

[RealityChuck]

I'd say forget about any rental players. It's not worth it, and the team could probably pick them up via free agency.

If the team doesn't win the series, so be it. They will make the playoffs, and should be at least as strong next year offensively, and have several young pitchers in the wings for when Pedro and Glavine get too old. Let's not give everything away at this point; I'd keep Milledge, Pelfry, Humber, and Bannister no matter what pitchers are being offered now.

[metirish]

The Bergen Record has a few old rumors to add...

] FREDDY GARCIA, White Sox An important part of the starting rotation that carried the White Sox to the 2005 World Series title, Garcia may nonetheless find himself in another uniform come August. Chicago has put out word that Garcia (or, less likely, fellow starting pitcher Javier Vazquez) could be had in a trade. Why? Because the White Sox want to upgrade their bullpen and possibly center field, and because they believe young pitcher Brandon McCarthy is ready to be a regular starting pitcher. Garcia would interest the Mets, who are looking to upgrade their starting rotation. But unless they're willing to ship back either Aaron Heilman or Duaner Sanchez, it's unlikely they'll make a deal. Chicago also has its eye on Phillies reliever Tom Gordon. Key Stat: Since pitching eight scoreless innings against the Cardinals on June 22, Garcia is 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA and 37 hits allowed in 24 innings over four starts. The Mets are looking just about everywhere for pitching help. They've checked in on Washington's Tony Armas Jr., an Omar Minaya favorite from his time in Montreal. They've asked the Diamondbacks about Miguel Batista, who may be available if Arizona can get a starter in another deal. And they asked the Indians about Jake Westbrook but were told he's not available

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I wouldn't want to part with Sanchez, but Heilman should be very available if anyone's interested.

The thing about Milledge is that the Mets can only trade him once, and if they do trade him they'd better choose wisely. I don't want to do it for a two-month rental. I think Zito is going to be a Met in 2007, it's not worth Milledge to advance that by a couple of months.

[Willets Point]

"Trade Rumors Gone Wild" woulda been a funnier thread title.

[Elster88]

Does Hillenbrand play second?

Crazy speculation on the FAN...maybe the Mets are looking to trade for Grudzelaneiahgdlkhagkld.....and that the Keppinger trade was setting it up.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

Elster88 wrote: Does Hillenbrand play second? Crazy speculation on the FAN...maybe the Mets are looking to trade for Grudzelaneiahgdlkhagkld.....and that the Keppinger trade was setting it up.

Setting it up? Were they trying to earn their trust first, like giving food to a wild gorilla before studying it?

[nymr83]

]I'd keep Milledge, Pelfry, Humber, and Bannister no matter what pitchers are being offered now.

I wouldn't consider Bannister anything near untouchable.

]Does Hillenbrand play second?

1B/3B/DH so far in his career, though i'd sure take him on the bench...playing time seemed to have been his problem in toronto though and we dont need to bring in an unhappy player for the stretch run unless he really fills a need which hillenbrand does not

[Elster88]

OlerudOwned wrote: ="Elster88"]Does Hillenbrand play second? Crazy speculation on the FAN...maybe the Mets are looking to trade for Grudzelaneiahgdlkhagkld.....and that the Keppinger trade was setting it up. Setting it up? Were they trying to earn their trust first, like giving food to a wild gorilla before studying it?

Don't ask for explanation from crazy people.

[Guest martin]

i know some people get irritated if you cut and pase from espn insider, so i will just post the jiucy bits about the milledge/abreu deal they say is brewing:

"t's beginning to appear that the Phillies and Mets have the makings of a Richter Scale kind of deal - one that would send Abreu to Flushing Meadow for an earth-rattling package topped by the Mets' marquee position-player prospect, Lastings Milledge..

The Mets' original deadline shopping list started (and essentially ended) with starting pitching. But clubs that have spoken with the Mets say they've concluded there is no gettable starter with better stuff than the just-recalled Mike Pelfrey....

with the Tigers and Red Sox showing no more than kick-the-tires interest, and the Yankees balking at dealing anyone in the upper tier of their prospect pool, this is the one burner on the Phillies' stove where you can feel the heat building around Bobby Abreu's fabled casserole."

[Gwreck]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: I wouldn't want to part with Sanchez, but Heilman should be very available if anyone's interested.

Certainly not for Freddy Garcia.

Perhaps in the right deal. His outings in the last 2 games are encouraging.

[RealityChuck]

Now it looks like a Milledge for Bobby Abreu is the hot rumor. According to Jayson Stark of ESPN:

]It's beginning to appear that the Phillies and Mets have the makings of a Richter Scale kind of deal -- one that would send Abreu to Flushing Meadow for an earth-rattling package topped by the Mets' marquee position-player prospect, Lastings Milledge ... Clubs that have spoken with the Mets say they've concluded there is no gettable starter with better stuff than the just-recalled Mike Pelfrey. So they have turned their attention to the one guy on their list they think could be a major difference-maker -- Abreu ... Sources who have been in touch with both clubs say nothing is imminent ... teams also would have to work out who pays what of the $37 million or so Abreu has coming. But with the Tigers and Red Sox showing no more than kick-the-tires interest, and the Yankees balking at dealing anyone in the upper tier of their prospect pool, this is the one burner on the Phillies' stove where you can feel the heat building around Bobby Abreu's fabled casserole.

[Willets Point]

Abreu's 32 -- not as old as I thought he was since he seems to have been around forever -- but still age is a factor here and I think it could be the type of short-term, short-sited type of acquisition that made the early 2000's Mets famous.

[Guest Edgy DC]

This is my friend Pat. Stand Pat.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

="Edgy DC"]This is my friend Pat. Stand Pat.

[Guest SI Metman]

Well the Philles could always do a WATP with the MFY that has been floating around the net for the last 24 hours.

Abreu, Burell, Bell and Flash Gordon to the MFY for A-Rod and Melky Cabrera....