Mets Rumors

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Jenkins, Twins, Eveland

By Mike Axisa | June 25, 2010 at 12:44pm CDT

On this date 11 years ago, Orioles lefty Jesse Orosco set the Major League record for career relief appearances when he came into the 8th inning of a game against the Yankees to face Tino Martinez and Paul O'Neill. It was his 1,051st career appearance, surpassing Kent Tekulve's record. The then-42-year-old Orosco went on to pitch another four years after setting the mark, and retired with 1,252 career appearances, 74 more than anyone else.

Here are a few links from around the baseball blogosphere…

1 Blue Jays Way interviewed Jays' prospect Chad Jenkins.
Nick's Twins Blog doesn't think Minnesota needs to add relievers from outside the organization.
Pittsburgh Lumber Co. wonders what the Pirates were thinking when they acquired Dana Eveland.
The Friarhood says it's time for the Padres to reinforce their lineup with a big bat.
6 Pound 8 Ounce Baby Joba tries to predict some upcoming transactions.
Prospect Insider looks at some blocked prospects the Mariners could target in a trade this summer.
Mets Paradise says Elmer Dessens has added a lot of depth to the Amazins' bullpen.
Capital Avenue Club wonders who the odd man out of the Braves' rotation will be once Jair Jurrjens is healthy.
Future Redbirds rounded up a bevy of prospect and draft reference links.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

Mets Willing To Rent Lee From Mariners

By Zachary Links | June 24, 2010 at 7:08pm CDT

The Mets are willing to deal for Cliff Lee without requiring a negotiating window to sign him to an extension, a source with knowledge of the team's thinking told Mark Hale of the New York Post. Two years ago, when the Mets agreed to trade for Johan Santana, they secured a 72-hour negotiating window with the ace.

The source also told Hale that the club would be unlikely to trade Jenrry Mejia, Jonathon Niese, or Ike Davis for Lee. Without those three in a deal, the Mets could offer the M's a package built around prospects such as Ruben Tejada, Fernando Martinez, Wilmer Flores, Jeurys Familia, and Josh Thole.

Meanwhile, several Mets officials said that the Mariners have not yet made Lee available, according to Andy Martino of the Daily News. The same officials say that there are no untouchables in the minor league system, though Angel Pagan is now "virtually untouchable" with Carlos Beltran's health so uncertain.

Odds & Ends: Hall, Lowell, Myers, Valentine, Lee

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 24, 2010 at 2:24pm CDT

Some links for Thursday as Rangers GM Jon Daniels decides exactly how he wants to dye his hair…

The Rangers released Toby Hall, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan (via Twitter). The catcher, who last played in the majors in 2008, was in extended spring training.
Peter Gammons wouldn't be surprised to see Bobby Valentine managing the Marlins by this weekend (Twitter link).
MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince explains that big league players such as Rod Barajas, Daniel Nava and Frank Herrmann were not drafted at all.
The Red Sox are expected to put Mike Lowell on the DL to make room for Daisuke Matsuzaka, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. The Red Sox have not used Lowell much, leading to trade speculation, but the DL stint won't do much for his value.
One GM tells ESPN.com's Buster Olney that he finds D'Backs hitters hard to evaluate because Chase Field is so hitter-friendly.
Dave Cameron of FanGraphs wonders if Brett Myers might be a better trade chip than Roy Oswalt.
Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News hears from a source who believes that there's a 95% chance Valentine becomes the Marlins' next manager.
Larry Stone of the Seattle Times says Cliff Lee is becoming the "rock-solid, no-questions-asked, No. 1 trade target in baseball."
Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times says the Mets and Twins are frontrunners for Lee right now.
Michael Cuddyer expressed confidence in Minnesota's front office and said Lee would look good in a Twins uniform, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.

Mets Sign Ramon Ortiz

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 23, 2010 at 10:10am CDT

The Mets signed Ramon Ortiz to a minor league deal, according to Gerard Guilfoyle of SNY (via Twitter). The Dodgers signed Ortiz in February and designated him for assignment in May after he posted a 6.30 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9. Despite those numbers, they still had interest as recently as last week, according to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times (via Twitter).

The 37-year-old right-hander relies on a 91 mph fastball, a slider and a change, according to data on FanGraphs. Ortiz will start in Triple A Buffalo tonight. The Mets' rotation has been strong, thanks to surprising performances from R.A. Dickey and Hisanori Takahashi and Mike Pelfrey's breakout year. Ortiz provides minor league depth, in case they lose a pitcher to injury.

Mets Notes: Santana, Millwood, Westbrook, Beltran

By Mark Polishuk | June 22, 2010 at 9:33pm CDT

While we ponder if the Jerry Seinfeld/Lady Gaga feud will reach the heights of Seinfeld's rivalry with Newman, here are a few news items concerning the Big Apple's NL side…

Bob Klapisch of FOXSports.com wonders if the Mets should be worried about Johan Santana given a few shaky starts and some declining peripheral numbers. Klapisch notes that the Mets might look at Cliff Lee if they're worried about not having a top-tier ace to match against other clubs' best arms. It's way too soon to panic about Santana given his still-solid 3.31 ERA and 2.00 K-BB ratio, though when a team has at least $88MM invested in a pitcher through 2013, it's probably not wrong to be concerned about any dip in form.
Klapisch also quotes senior team officials who say that Jon Niese wouldn't be moved in a hypothetical Lee deal, and an unnamed Mets player who doesn't think adding Kevin Millwood or Jake Westbrook would help the team.
ESPNNewYork.com's Andrew Marchand writes that with Angel Pagan playing so well in place of the injured Carlos Beltran, the dispute between the Mets and Beltran's agent Scott Boras over "the timing and authorization of Beltran's offseason knee surgery" could be "a converging storm." Beltran is owed approximately $28MM over the rest of this season and 2011, and it was announced today that he is expected back playing by July 15.
Jenrry Mejia's demotion to Double-A and conversion back into starting pitching means the Mets will probably get an extra year of control over his rights, says Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.

Odds & Ends: D’Backs, Manny, Mets, Silva, Rangers

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 22, 2010 at 12:26pm CDT

Links for Tuesday before the Angels and Dodgers face off in Anaheim…

Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports breaks down the trade candidates on the D'Backs. How many of these players will be moved? One person in the D'Backs organization put the over-under at two.
In an appearance on WEEI, Peter Gammons suggested Manny Ramirez will be earning $5-6MM in the American League next year. Click here for more on Ramirez's free agent stock.
Mets starters Mike Pelfrey and Johan Santana told Peter Botte of the New York Daily News that they would be pleased if the Mets added an ace like Cliff Lee or Roy Oswalt, even though R.A. Dickey, Jon Niese and Hisanori Takahashi have pitched well.
As Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times points out, the disappointing Cubs would be doing much worse if not for their acquisition of Carlos Silva.
Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News says the Rangers wouldn't have to fear the Yankees, Red Sox or Twins if they add an ace pitcher.
Woody Paige of the Denver Post suggests a number of paths the Rockies could choose if their next nine games don't go well. Among the many options Paige suggests: trade for Dan Uggla.

Mets Have Discussed Carmona, Not With Indians

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 21, 2010 at 2:08pm CDT

The Mets have discussed Fausto Carmona internally, but have not yet approached the Indians about acquiring the right-hander, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney. (all Twitter links). Carmona, who is enjoying a resurgent season, makes a guaranteed $8.9MM through 2011 at which point the Indians have three consecutive club options. As Olney notes, the affordable options through 2014 make Carmona appealing as long as he is pitching well.

That has certainly been the case so far in 2010. The former 19-game winner has a 3.31 ERA in 92.1 innings with 5.1 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9. Carmona has always been a ground ball pitcher, rather than a strikeout pitcher, and he has a robust 57% ground ball rate that has helped him keep the ball in the park (six homers allowed).

The Mets are looking for top starters, but are unsure that Carmona will adjust smoothly to the pressures of playing in New York, according to an article Olney wrote over the weekend. If they prefer to acquire a veteran on the brink of free agency, they could look to Carmona's teammate, Jake Westbrook, or others such as Kevin Millwood and Ben Sheets.

Mets Will Transition Mejia To Starting

By Steve Adams | June 20, 2010 at 4:53pm CDT

ESPN's Adam Rubin reports that the Mets have optioned Jenrry Mejia to Double-A Binghamton, where he will make the transition back into a starting pitcher.

Mejia, still just 20 years old, worked exclusively as a starter across two minor league levels last season, posting a 3.14 ERA in 94.2 innings (19 starts) and notching an 8.7 K/9 to go along with a 3.7 BB/9. So far, pitching out of the New York bullpen in 2010, he's held his own, though he hasn't pitched quite as well as his 3.25 ERA following today's game suggests. He's allowed 15 free passes in just 27.2 innings of work, while striking out 17.

Much has been made of the Mets' starting pitching woes. After receiving next to nothing from the combination of Oliver Perez and John Maine, they've turned to Hisanori Takahashi and R.A. Dickey, both of whom have excelled to this point in their respective rotation roles. However, it's likely a tall order to expect those trends to continue.

Mejia certainly has the makings of a successful major league starter. Baseball America ranked him as the Mets' top prospect coming into the 2010 season, and ranked him as the #56 prospect in all of baseball. So far this season, he's averaged 95.1mph on his fastball, and has a 66.7% ground-ball rate.

Those numbers mesh with this report from Baseball America's Ben Badler last November, stating that Mejia routinely sat in the mid-90's with a fastball that he could both cut and sink. That same pitch helped him induce grounders on 71% of his outs on balls in play during the 2009 minor league season.

We've heard the Mets mentioned in connection with available starters such as Roy Oswalt and Cliff Lee, but stretching out Mejia gives them added depth in the event that their current starters falter, or Omar Minaya is unable to facilitate a trade.

Odds & Ends: Mejia, O’s, McGuire, Rangers, Valverde

By Luke Adams 2 | June 20, 2010 at 3:48pm CDT

Links for Sunday….

ESPN's Adam Rubin tweets that the Mets have optioned Jenrry Mejia to Double-A Binghamton, where he will start their game on Wednesday.
Jeff Zrebiec tells us that Buck Showalter will interview for the Baltimore managerial job this week, and Eric Wedge will likely receive a second interview. The club has yet to ask the Mets for permission to interview Bob Melvin.
MLB.com's Jordan Bastian quotes Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos saying that despite first-round pick Deck McGuire's lack of participation in a media conference call, he's excited to have been drafted by Toronto. Anthopoulos says that negotiations, however, could go down to the wire as they did in 2009 with Chad Jenkins.
Rangers manager Ron Washington feels that his team could use another front-line starting pitcher, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. Texas has recently seen both Derek Holland and Rich Harden land on the disabled list.
Nick Piecoro tweets that the D'Backs offered Jose Valverde a two-year deal worth about $10MM before he signed for two years and $14MM with Detroit. The story spawns from some heated comments that were exchanged between Valverde and former teammate Miguel Montero.
Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times thinks Dan Haren would be a "perfect fit" for the Angels.
The Cubs will soon face a decision on whether to become buyers or sellers, writes Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune.
Within a mailbag for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Paul Hoynes says that a little salary relief is the best the Indians could hope for in a Kerry Wood trade.
Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch details how the Cardinals will handle their starting rotation for the time being. Even after signing Jeff Suppan, the club will be short-handed while they wait for Brad Penny to get healthy.
The Tigers should exercise patience when it comes to acquiring a shortstop, according to Lynn Hennig of the Detroit News.
Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets that the Tigers will have to think about trading for a starting pitcher, with Rick Porcello heading to Triple-A.

Olney On Lee, Carmona, Rockies, Torre

By Luke Adams 2 | June 20, 2010 at 10:58am CDT

In his newest blog post at ESPN.com (Insider-only link), Buster Olney tells the story of a phone call Michael Young made to Rangers GM Jon Daniels last summer. Just before the trade deadline, Young dialed up Daniels to tell him the players were happy with the young talent on the roster, suggesting that giving up the farm for someone like Roy Halladay wasn't necessary.

"Do what you have to do," Young told Daniels. "But don't do something just to appease us down here."

Here are Olney's other hot stove notes:

The Mariners have yet to shop Cliff Lee, but will soon make a decision about his availability (Twitter link).
The Mets are interested in Fausto Carmona, who is under contract beyond this year, unlike many of the oft-mentioned pitchers on the trade market. Olney warns that the "Oliver Perez factor" is in play, meaning that if the Mets acquired Carmona, it's unclear how he'd adjust to pitching in baseball's biggest market.
A hitter like Aaron Hill or Dan Uggla would fit very nicely in Colorado right now, though neither the Blue Jays or Marlins have indicated yet that they're willing to sell. Olney figures that the Rockies will try to avoid making a trade, moving forward with their current roster until Troy Tulowitzki returns.
As we heard earlier in the week from SI.com's Jon Heyman, Joe Torre appears unlikely to manage the Dodgers next season. "There are a couple of folks in power who are ready to turn the managerial page," according to Olney.

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