Recap: Minaya on Conference Call
During a conference call with reporters tonight, Mets GM Omar Minaya said…
He discussed Jon Garland with the White Sox during the GM Meetings.
He looked in to David Eckstein, because he is ‘a big Eckstein fan,’ before signing Luis Castillo.
He is working with his staff, mulling through options at catcher, where there are options available on both the free-agent and trade market.
He has left a message with Paul Lo Duca’s agent.
However, he is very happy that they were able to re-sign Ramon Castro, because he ‘has the ability’ to be an every day guy, if given the opportunity. However, he hopes to add to what they have at catcher, improving their situation by spring training.
By the way, he says other teams were interested in Castro, whose agent added that other teams viewed Castro the same way the Mets do.
Regarding Yorvit Torrealba, he would only say that a deal could not get done. He would not answer whether Torrealba had a physical, and he would not comment on whether an offer was ever actually made.
…honestly, my sense is that the team got wind of something, most likely something to do with yorvit’s shoulder, and so they backed off, and will not talk about it, either for legal reasons or out of respect to the player…again, that’s just a general sense, given all information, and the way omar stuttered and stammered through a few of these questions…
He is comfortable that he can do what he needs to with the prospects he has, and other teams view his player’s as ‘premium guys.’ Also, he says he believes he has enough talent, be it ‘a prospect or from the major-league roster,’ to acquire both a starting pitcher and a catcher via trade, if need be.
Lastly, he is comfortable ‘going young’ in right field with Lastings Milledge, or Carlos Gomez, or Endy Chavez, if need be, though, if he must fill the void, there are players in the free-agent market that he is comfortable with.
