Rumor Mill: Delgado, Molina, and Starting Pitching
By Mike Silva ~ January 7th, 2010. Filed under: Joe Demayo, Mike Silva, Rumor Mill.
Spoke to Joe Demayo last night and we have some Mets nuggets for the rumor mill:
- If Carlos Delgado doesn’t get reinjured and shows solid mobility the Mets will resign him. The feeling is mutual since he prefers to play first base instead of being a full time DH.
- Many feel it’s still a matter of “when”, not “if” Bengie Molina signs with the Mets. The team is still holding on their 1 year plus option offer, and Molina wants two years. The belief is the Mets will eventually go two years if it means getting a deal done. Again, we were told everyone believes Molina will be a Mets within the next couple of weeks, however this has been said since the winter meetings. I don’t know about you, but I am surprised this is lingering so long.
- As has been reported the Mets will prefer trading for a pitcher. They are leery about the years/dollars left on Carlos Zambrano’s deal. The top trade target is Bronson Arroyo (Mike Francesa cheers in the background), although no specifics have been mentioned. We were told the Reds are not as desperate to drop payroll as many think, and the Mets don’t want to take on all the remaining Arroyo money. It’s going to make a deal with Cincinnati very difficult. Perhaps the most realistic option is signing Joel Pineiro, but the Mets will not go anywhere near 4 years. They are looking at 2 years, and maybe an option. Also, Jon Garland prefers not to pitch on the east coast, which lessons the chances the Mets wind up going in that direction. In the end the Mets want someone who can give them guaranteed innings versus the “high risk/high reward” route- this is something we have been saying all winter.
- Omar Minaya, as has been reported numerous times, continues to work on trading Luis Castillo, but there still is no match on that type of deal.
- One final note. The Mets are not happy with how John Lackey blew them off, and signed with Boston without returning their call. Clearly, it took them by surprise.
Joe Demayo assisted on the publishing of this article
