Mets Hot Stove: Baez, no wait, Sanchez!

We hear again that a trade of Jae Seo for a reliever is close to being finished, but now that reliever isn't Danys Baez.

New York Post: Same old Devil Dogs
Michael Morrissey reports that Tampa Bay doesn't believe a package of Jae Seo, Kaz Matsui and most of Mastsui's money is enough in return for their overrated closer Danys Baez. The want an additional "bona fide prospect", or Aaron Heilman rather than Seo. Hasta la vista, baby. Obviously shedding Chuck LaMar hasn't really changed anything in Tampa.

Newark Star-Ledger: More Baez
Dan Graziano is also reporting on the Mets pursuit of Baez, also stating that the Rays prefer Heilman to Seo. With the Braves also in pursuit of Baez, in dire straights for a closer, and in possession of plenty of quality prospects that Tampa Bay craves, it's surprising that they haven't consummated anything yet. Maybe John Schuerholz doesn't think Baez is worth as much as the Rays think he is, either.

Newsday: Seo for Sanchez?
Ken Davidoff is reporting that the Mets have all but given up on doing a deal with Tampa Bay, and are now looking to deal Jae Seo to the Dodgers for Duaner Sanchez. Sanchez is another of those "potential" guys, 26 years old with good stuff but a less than impressive stat line. Here's the dish on Sanchez according to Davidoff:

Sanchez pitched in 79 games for the Dodgers in 2005, going 4-7 with a 3.73 ERA, walking 36 and striking out 71 in 82 innings. He throws a fastball that reaches about 95 mph on the radar gun, and he also displays a curveball, slider and changeup. He instantly becomes the Mets' primary setup man to new closer Billy Wagner.

With two-plus years of service time, Sanchez is not yet eligible for arbitration, a further asset for the Mets, who would still take Boston's ultra-expensive outfielder Manny Ramirez in the right deal.

You can't talk about anything regarding the Mets without Manny injecting his fat ass and ridiculous demands into the situation. I wish something would happen with him, because honest to God, I'm just sick of it.

Davidoff informs us that a trade will "probably be announced by the end of this week." Of course, we were hearing the same thing about Baez a few days ago, keep that in mind.

I'd be really sorry to see Seo gone, I've always liked him somewhat, and am impressed with what he accomplished after being sent down last year. But I also know it's crucial to get more quality arms for the bullpen, as Marty Noble discussed yesterday in the Mailbag. Sanchez' stat line is unimpressive, and I hear his secondary pitches need a lot of work, but he's a young pitcher that the Mets can control for a few years, and has the potential to be at least as good as Baez, if not better. He should cost less in talent, too.

With the inflated market for relief pitchers that the Mets helped to create, it probably makes more sense to take on a project than to overpay for established mediocrity like Baez. I want to try to find some more expert opinion on Sanchez. I just haven't seen him pitch enough.

The idea that Sanchez "instantly becomes the Mets' primary setup man" is a little premature, though. If I'm running the team, I leave Heilman in the bullpen and let the 2 fight it out for the eighth inning.

Daily News: Brett Boone?
Anthony McCarron tells us that the Mets are one of three teams looking at Brett Boone, hoping to sign him to a minor-league contract:

If Boone signs with the Mets, he could push Kaz Matsui at second, or perhaps take over the position if Matsui is unloaded via trade, which the Mets hope to accomplish.

Of course, that's assuming Boone can right his career, which took a sharp downturn last season when he was released by the Mariners and Twins and hit just .221 with seven homers and 37 RBI in 88 games, 74 with Seattle. Minnesota dumped him after only three weeks.

Boone, who will be 37 in April, was once one of baseball's best second basemen and was an All-Star as recently as 2003, when he batted .294 with 35 homers and 117 RBI. In 2001, when he was third in voting for the AL MVP, Boone batted .331 with 37 homers and an AL-best 141 RBI. He has won four Gold Gloves.

Wow. Brett Boone. Younger and more athletic?

I just can't picture that one. In fact, I'll go out on a limb and guarantee that Kaz Matsui will be a better player than Boone in 2006. Of course, he won't have to play at that high of a level to accomplish that. I have an idea, instead of paying millions of Matsui's salary for him to play somewhere else, or moving him in a multi-player deal to try and hide how little trade value he has, just give him one more chance to turn his American career around, confident that the Mets have backup options like Anderson Hernandez that can cover them if Matsui can't do the job. Just a thought.