The Mets are focused on adding pitching and will not pursue a trade for a second baseman, a source tells Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. Luis Castillo has missed almost the entire month with an injured left foot, so 20-year-old Ruben Tejada has filled in at second. The youngster has hit .260/.327/.320 and played well enough defensively for the Mets to feel comfortable focusing on other needs.
Mets executives are engaging in preliminary talks with other teams about pitching help. Cliff Lee would fit in New York, but Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that the Mariners aren’t ready to “throw in the towel” yet (Twitter link). That said, Zduriencik is “not a fool” and will sell if the Mariners don’t go on a Texas-sized winning streak (Twitter link).
Ty Wigginton said he would not mind playing for the Mets, but the O’s are reportedly asking for a young shortstop in return. Infielders such as Kelly Johnson, Akinori Iwamura, Craig Counsell, Willie Bloomquist and Adam Kennedy could become options if the Mets change course and pursue a replacement for Castillo.
dont sleep on the M’s. that division is no juggernaut, and now that felix, vargas, and lee are all going well, they could pick up ground
Why yes, it would be nice to see the Mets address their greatest weakness.
How much could the Cubs conceivably get in return for Ted Lilly? Hopefully some nice, usable pieces.
With Ruben Tejada why would we need a new 2b. and sorry M’s we aren’t selling half the farm for 5 months of cliff lee.
I would ask for a negotiation window with Lee from the Mariners, and if you can agree on an extension, get the deal done, otherwise, look elsewhere, like Oswalt.It’s not like it’s going to be half the farm anyway, it will probably be F-Mart, Gee or Mejia (more likely Mejia), and Flores or Familia. That still leaves a pretty good minor league system.
Are you kidding? Martinez, Mejia, and Flores for a rental?
That’s why I said get a negotiating window, if you can extend him, that make sense, and honestly Mejia is the only one on that list I see having a future with the Mets, F-Mart gets injured too often, and the Mets don’t have room for infielders, so this won’t hurt the Mets as much as it seems IF they can get a negotiation window and ink an extension with Lee. Although, now it seems like Lee won’t do any extension talks, so the point is moot anyway.
Also, I said Mejia, F-Mart, OR Gee, so it would most likely be Mejia and Flores, or F-Mart and Familia.
A negotiating window isn’t worth nearly as much as people make it out to be. How many teams are realistically in the running for Lee? Four? Five? His free agent contract is already going to be excessive, as it takes him into his late thirties. Mejia and Flores is way, way too much for a rental, even if you get a negotiating window. That’s significantly more than they traded for a whole year of Santana plus a window.
While a negotiating window isn’t worth as much as people think, the Mariners will probably ask a lot for Lee because they can, and so if I’m the Mets, and I’m giving up that level of talent, I don’t want to only have Lee for three months.
I would ask for a negotiation window with Lee from the Mariners, and if you can agree on an extension, get the deal done, otherwise, look elsewhere, like Oswalt.It’s not like it’s going to be half the farm anyway, it will probably be F-Mart, Gee or Mejia (more likely Mejia), and Flores or Familia. That still leaves a pretty good minor league system.
Take Gurhrie or Millwood and give us Havens +
HAHAHAHA. No Deal
Tejada has a higher OPS then Castillo right now and is much better with the glove. They’ll be fine.
What’s been impressive about Tejada is that at 20 years old, and playing what is normally a light-hitting position, he is not an automatic out at all. He’s actually gotten some key hits already. Little things like this have been just as key to the Mets’ resurgence as other more noticeable things.
As for addressing the greatest need, agree with comments above, about time. I wouldn’t give half the farm (and it won’t take half the farm) but I’d be willing to trade Mejia. The way Lee is going right now, he could make a huge difference and they’re going to have to give up something. If I had to trade Mejia better it be to a team in the AL West where he couldn’t come back to haunt me so much down the line.
What’s been impressive about Tejada is that at 20 years old, and playing what is normally a light-hitting position, he is not an automatic out at all. He’s actually gotten some key hits already. Little things like this have been just as key to the Mets’ resurgence as other more noticeable things.
As for addressing the greatest need, agree with comments above, about time. I wouldn’t give half the farm (and it won’t take half the farm) but I’d be willing to trade Mejia. The way Lee is going right now, he could make a huge difference and they’re going to have to give up something. If I had to trade Mejia better it be to a team in the AL West where he couldn’t come back to haunt me so much down the line.