[新聞] Monitoring Rodriguez, Mets Look for Trades
Monitoring Rodriguez, Mets Look for Trades
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/13/sports/baseball/13mets.html?_r=1&ref=baseball&oref=slogin
David Wright is one of the few Mets who spend the off-season in New York.
Naturally, that makes it easier for him to attend the team’s promotional
events, oversee his charitable foundations and embrace the community
endeavors that have helped cement his status as the team’s most visible
player.
After appearances on a morning television program and on talk radio, Wright
arrived yesterday at a local hospital, where he dealt with the other side of
being the face of the Mets. It was he (or Mr. Met, but he was not saying
much) who was left to face the tape recorders and television cameras and
discuss, among other things, his role in the Mets’ long-shot pursuit of Alex
Rodriguez. He said he came away from a conversation with General Manager Omar
Minaya expecting to play in 2008 where he played in 2007 — at third base.
“That’s what I took from it and that’s how I’m going about my business,”
Wright said at New York University Medical Center, where he was visiting
children. “I wanted to let him know that in no way, shape or form does he
have to go through me about anything. His job is to make the trades, sign the
free agents, and I told him that I want to win, first and foremost. But as
far as talking about changing positions, talking about Alex Rodriguez, his
name did not come up once in the conversation.”
For now, the Mets are only monitoring Rodriguez and have no plans to move
Wright or shortstop José Reyes to accommodate him. With the free-agent
signing period beginning in earnest today, the Mets are preparing to forge
ahead on the more pressing issues of identifying a catcher and a second
baseman and improving the pitching staff.
Rather than overpay in a weak free-agent market, the Mets say that they will
try to resolve a majority of their deficiencies through trades. They feel
that they have enough attractive trading chips among their pitching prospects
and young outfielders to acquire a front-line starter, bullpen help and
perhaps a catcher or a second baseman.
As always, Minaya is on the lookout for pitching, but there may be only one
member of an underwhelming crop of free agents that he may seriously
consider. That would be Liván Hernández, the half-brother of Orlando Herná
ndez. Liván Hernández could offset the expected loss of Tom Glavine, who
has pitched more than 198 innings in each of the last four seasons. The 204
1/3 innings Hernández pitched for Arizona last season were his fewest since
1999 (199 2/3).
He would pitch at the back end of the Mets’ rotation. A No. 1 starter like
Minnesota’s Johan Santana or Baltimore’s Érik Bédard, or even Oakland’s
Joe Blanton, would command some of the Mets’ top prospects.
The Mets remained hopeful yesterday that they could re-sign their backup
catcher, Ramón Castro, but do not envision him as a full-time starter.
They are interested in Colorado’s Yorvit Torrealba, whose profile increased
during the Rockies’ run to the World Series, and could pursue a deal for
Baltimore’s Ramón Hernández, Pittsburgh’s Ronny Paulino or Texas’ Gerald
Laird. They could also re-sign Paul Lo Duca, who, despite turning 35 in April
and having his least productive full season in the majors, is a strong
clubhouse presence and is well-liked among the pitching staff.
“Paul does not anticipate signing with the Mets anytime soon,” Andrew
Mongelluzzi, Lo Duca’s representative, said in an e-mail message. “I don’t
believe that Paul is a priority for the Mets at this time.”
The Mets are confident that Luis Castillo’s right knee, which required
surgery, will not affect him much next season, but they intend to test the
trade market before re-signing him. Castillo, who batted .296 and committed
two errors in 50 games, could receive a four-year deal, which may be too
steep for the Mets.
If Arizona made Orlando Hudson available, the Mets would probably be
interested. Minaya has a good relationship with Arizona General Manager Josh
Byrnes; they collaborated on separate deals for Orlando Hernández and Shawn
Green, and discussed a few possibilities at the trade deadline.
Wright said he could not help with the vacancy at second base.
“If shortstop opens up, I played shortstop in high school,” he said. “But
no, no second base.”
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