Mets Looking for Reliever?

[Giantmetfan07]

With their recent offensive struggles and injuries to the rotation as of late, it surprised me to hear that the Mets may be looking to deal for a relief pitcher before this weekend's deadline.

Joel Sherman of the NY Post says the Mets are worried about 2011 ticket sales and feel they need to make a move, and Sherman believes the Mets are targeting an overpriced reliever having an "ok" season.

What I hear is the Mets are trying to locate a pitcher (probably a reliever) who is overpriced and not having a particularly strong season, but who their scouts like and pluck him for little to no prospect in return.

My guess is on Monday when management and coaches met at Citi Field to discuss the road ahead, that the coaches convinced management and the front office that they are fine with Hisanori Takahashi in the bullpen and want to acquire a reliever -- and Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors thinks that relievers Kerry Wood and Chad Qually fit the bill pretty well.

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Wood doesn't make much sense to me actually. I understand he hasn't had a good year and they could get him at an easy price, but his main issue this year has been staying healthy. He's been on the DL twice this season and I don't understand how trading for a relief pitcher whose contrat ends this year would help 2011 ticket sales.
Qualls is another guy who is a free agent in 2011 -- so I don't quite understand the thinking. If they want an extra reliever as a rental and at a cheap price, both are good targets. But I think the Mets need to look into offense instead.

 

[elcheato]

Take Kerry Wood please

 

[cruzg24]

The rumor is Jeff Francouer for Kyle Farnsworth, but the Royals arent that dazzled with our overpaid players for their overpaid players. We need a starter more than a reliever because that bullpen is going to be burnt by the end of the year. So if we get a starter who can get some quality starts that would benefit us more. I really wanted Dan Haren, but the Mets didnt go after that.

 

[Giantmetfan07]

that was the rumor over the weekend. As of Yesterday morning all indications were that Frenchy wasn't on the move and that talks surrounding those two never developed.

I read a suggestion a little while ago elsewhere of putting Feliciano on the block seeing as noone is biting at the high-asking price for Scott Downs.

 

[cruzg24]

Trading Feliciano would be giving up on this season which Im fine with, but that will definitely hurt the ticket sales for the 2nd half which the Mets wont do. If the Mets wouldve just signed Jon Garland and actually appropriately handled a rotation that had too many holes then they would be buyers right now. I knew John Maine and Oliver Perez werent going to work and thats why we will end up in 3rd place. Winning the series against the Cardinals was a good start, but we need more arms.

 

[Giantmetfan07]

I don't think it'll hurt ticket sales if the move brings back something good in return, which it could.

And the arm you would bring up is LHP Mike O'Conner from Triple-A.

43 innings. 2-1 record and a 2.70 ERA. Nothing great or spectacular, but it's a decent promotion if you ship Feliciano.

 

[cruzg24]

The Mets bullpen is very inconsistent, trading Felciano would just create another hole that we would need to fill. What the Mets need is a starter like Lily or Westbrook since thats the best thing out there right now. Feliciano has been the best reliever besides Dessens which has been a good surprise.

 

[Giantmetfan07]

The Mets bullpen is very inconsistent, trading Felciano would just create another hole that we would need to fill. What the Mets need is a starter like Lily or Westbrook since thats the best thing out there right now. Feliciano has been the best reliever besides Dessens which has been a good surprise.

I see what your saying, but I think if the Blue Jays could get a top prospect back for Scott Downs that the Mets could get some seriously good prospects in return for Feliciano.

And if the Mets were able to bring in a back-end starter, that would allow them to trade Feliciano, and move Takahashi back to the bullpen.

Problem Solved.