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In a recent report for the Star-Ledger, citing officials with 
three major-league teams, Dan Graziano wrote, ‘Mets GM Omar Minaya has been calling around this week to gauge the availability of players he thinks could help the Mets improve,’ such as O’s 1B Kevin Millar, and Pirates OF Jason Bay and Xavier Nady.”
However, during an appearance on WFAN’s Mike and the Maddog, SI.com’s Jon Heyman said of Millar:
“He’s a feisty guy, I’d like to see him come in to that clubhouse, and be a guy who can shake things up. But, you know what, there’s some detractors in that front office on Millar. So, I’m not gonna give that a better than 50–50 shot…If you recall, Tony Bernazard came from the Player’s Union…and, I have talked with Tony about Millar, and I don’t sense that he’s a fan. I’ve heard from others that, because Millar crossed the picket line (in 1994) and he was a replacement player, but I didn’t get that from Bernazard. You can make a case against him with out that. But, I’ve heard this, and I wouldn’t be shocked if that was an issue.”
In 233 at bats for the O’s this season, the 36–year-old Millar is hitting .249 with 11 HR and 33 RBI.
To listen to Heyman’s entire interview, click here.
Yeah! He’s old enough! YEAH!
OK, so we’re gonna trade some more prospects to get a right handed Delgado? No, thanks.
Sign Bonds.
I know its trendy to say right now, but I gotta beleive we can find a fiesty guy thats a bit younger. Personally, I’m starting to get pretty tired of dealing with the health issues (and therefore consitency issues) of the older players…
Nothing like bringing another washed-up 35yr old first baseman aboard. Hell, we should just bring hatterberg and julio franco in too.
If Tony B. doesn’t like him, I’m on board. Sign him immediately.
jeez, its like the Mets are running a retirment/pension fund for old players
“If you’re over 35 and are declining, make your future secure by joining the “New Mets!”
forget millar, deal for bay or nady.
Obviously, I’d love to get Nady back. He can play 1B and play OF when Alou needs a rest. If they signed him for a couple of years, he could take over 1B next year while the young uns come through the minors.
But I imagine the Pirates will want an arm and a leg for him.
I would expect that too. Then you have to determine if he is actually worth 2 AA prospects? Our best offer would have to be one of the AA hitters and Neise. Is that too much from our perspective, too little from theirs?
I am not sure I would want him at 1B for an entire season but he would look good in the OF with Beltran and Church. That would be a good offensive and defensive OF.
Then maybe you can let one of the hold overs play 1B or trade for a young guy.
That would leave a lot of money for pitching next saeson.
Yea. Basically look i would love to have nady back but frankly a guy like him is at this point a GLARING need of ours and just about every team knows this. As ive been saying dont expect teams to line up and help us out..what i mean by that is the pirates will definatly ask for fernando martinez plus im sure another prospect in order to get bay or nady. They are not worth it IMO. This is where omar has to get creative in persuading them to take chips that we dont have or overselling our talent(heilman). I seriously dont expect to see nady in a mets uniform much less bay. Also keep in mind nady is doing VERY well over there..why would they trade him to the mets to help them out…..
Throwing Heilman in there actually may go a long way…He is a capable reliever, but he has gotta buried at this point…Maybe him plus a AA’er can get the job done…
I hope so ravi but something tells me if that was the case omar would have pulled the trigger on that already…i think the pirates are asking for a lil bit more than that.
I would gladly trade FMart+Heilman for Jason Bay, but it’s not going to happen. Bay is a stud, Pittsburgh is going to want an arm and a leg for him.
give them Heilman’s right arm and Alou’s left leg….deal done!
that’s fine, GIVE them the arm and a leg, who cares? get rid of half this team to get nady. as you said, he can play 1st. that’s perfect, let’s get him back here!
Well, I can’t stand scabs–never could. But that’s not the main reason I cringe at the thought of Kevin Millar. He’s older than Delgado, and he’s not that great mashing lefties. Not much of a fielder anymore, either.
Plus, who would we have to give up for him?
But he’s “feisty.” Forgot about that. Then again, so is Billy Wagner. Look where that’s gotten us.
If Millar can provide leadership, direction and perform when his name is called, then by all means – YES!!
This team needs a shot in the arse badly… something has to be done!
Leadership and direction are things that develop within a team among its key players, over time. You don’t get that in a mid-season trade, I don’t care who you’re talking about.
Hate, hate, hate tony bernazard
YOUNGER NOT OLDER YOUNGER NOT OLDER YOUNGER NOT OLDER.
Can they not get this through their head? Delgado is going to give you as much as Millar, why even do it?
Go get a young AAA 1B. I looked at Kendry Morales stats based on someone else’s suggestion. He would be perfect.
we shoulda traded Heilman a month ago to the ANgels for him. RIght when they got all their injuries on that staff, a heilman mighta enticed them….now, forget it
They still need bullpen help. I think they would bite. Especially if it was Heilman and Show for Morales and a prospect.
I do Heilman and Schoe for Morales yesterday.
Maybe instead of collecting broken down former Expos, the Mets can try to corner the market on 22YO 1B guys?
Would the rockies bite on a trade that revolves around Holiday for Beltran?
Holiday is a free agent after next year, and the Rockies have already decided that they can non/will not sign him. Instead send Beltran and some cash to the rockies to play center field and hit 60 hrs in that band box. With Holiday we get a 28-yr old guy that has been to a WS and can bat cleanup behind Wright.
If only we hadnt traded Gomez, then he could play center…
Do you know why the Rockies won’t resign Holliday? They can’t afford him. So why would they want Beltran? Besides Beltran gives so much more on defense and Holiday’s home away splits are terrible.
Not to mention Beltran has a no trade clause.
You also get a dude incapable of playing anything but LF while giving up, arguably, the best defending CF in the NL today.
Not sure what the hate of Beltran is about. People got this idea in their head that he’s supposed to hit 50 homers a year or something and he’s not that player. What he is is a guy that’ll hit .270 with 30+ homers and drive in around 100 a year, so I don’t get the hate.
I think it’s because he’s batting cleanup right now, so people expect “cleanup numbers” from him. In a better lineup, Beltran’s a 3.
Also, he makes so many difficult plays look so easy that I think it makes a lot of fans assume that anyone could do what he does. If he did the exact opposite and made easy plays look hard, fans would love him (see: Jim Edmonds in his prime)
Its not his fault that our ideal cleanup guy spit the bit.
I’ve been wishing they would switch Wright and Beltran for about six weeks. IMO Beltran would benefit from hitting ahead of Wright more than Wright benefits from hitting ahead of Beltran.
Why are so many people hellbent on trading beltran??
Is it that hes playing out of role in the #4 hole
Is it that he gives us great defense in Center
Is it that given the opportunity he has the best percentage to steal??
please tell me why we gotta get rid of him??
I figure it’s because he has the most value and they figure it we’re not going to be good enough to win a championship this year, or next year, we might as well trade him for prospects now. But I don’t see what the point of trading him for Holiday would be. I wouldn’t make sense for either team.
I just don’t get why we can’t make moves right now with this year and next year in mind?
I don’t mind Nady or Bay as they could play LF next season. You can’t be making gut moves that don’t help us in the future.
Nady could play 1B next season, with F-Mart in LF.
I don’t think we would want an entire season of Nady at 1B. Maybe you get Morales or one of the AA guys that is left could do it. Or maybe even you go get Nick Johnson.
F-Mart is only 19, and has a career minor league line of .275/.330/.418. He’s nowhere near ready, that’s a total pipe dream.
He only has 717 minor league atbats for godsake. He might make it in another 2-3 years, but until his power develops, no chance.
only problem is im sure if we get nady..f-mart is playing LF for the pirates in 2009
Who can we gove up? We don’t have enough parts to trade for Nady or Bay. The conversation has to start with either Niese or F-mart. I don’t see that happening.
That’s why I said you have to decide if they are worth it in the long run. Are Bay or Nady impact players for this year and in the future? If you think they are then Niese and others are up for grabs. I would think you hold Fmart for a bigger more definte impact player.
Bay is definitely that impact player. If the Pirates are willing to take FMart+Heilman or a AA pitcher (not Niese) then do it.
to me it sounded like Heyman made up the Bernarzard is still mad about the scabs thing up and then when maddog called him on it “that was a long time ago..”, Heyman backpedaled into “I’ve heard it” I think it’s another of the long list of creative theories that guys like Heyman and Gammons peddle without sources and pawn it off on a rumor mill, which is probably the rumor mill that those guys themselves keep spinning.
either way, this guy’s not going to make a difference with his .250 average. Oh yeah, I know, he’s a “gamer”.. whatever. We need a miracle, not another retread.
why every team wait until the trade deadline to make trades? can they just trade now? it could be too late if the mets wait until the deadline
Because the teams that are out of it are going to be sellers and we would have a better chance of landing someone better than if we would trade earlier while teams still think they can compete. More guys become available because they are thinking of next year knowing they are out of the race.
I’m beginning to think the Mets will be sellers.
If thats the case who do we have to sell…..and the scarier part who the hell would want to buy what we have to sell…..
I don’t think they will but they should.
Omar has a better shot selling ice cream outside Shea than getting rid of anyone not named Jose David Johan or Carlos (Beltran).
Hmmmm… OP for Nady?
Would not work at all. Why would the Pirates trade for someone they would lose at the end of the season?
Not only that..someone that has not performed well here and someone they DUMPED ON US A YEAR AGO. The only way pirates make a move is if Fmart is in the deal. Supply and Demand.
I am pretty sure this was a joke….
I agree with the posters that don’t want another old guy on this team, but the fact that Bernazard(has anybody actually ever seen this guy?!!!) doesn’t like him makes me want to go get him, now!If it’s true, how dare Tony Bernazard judge Millar, he’s not a player rep anymore, his job is to help build a winning team. Please, please, please if people are going to lose their jobs for the disgraceful play of this team, make Bernazard one of them…please!
I would do Beltran for Holiday. We could always pick up Lofton to play center. But what are the chances this would happen? Slim.
Why on earth would you trade Beltran for Holliday? He is in line for a contract as big as Beltran’s. His numbers are quite Beltran like away from Coors and he can’t play anywhere near the defense that Beltran can. Now if you want him for LF then try and trade for him.
FMart, Neise and a prospect for Holliday is about the best you can offer.
the chances are zero
Holliday is hitting .283/.374/.402 away from Coors Light, his numbers are a park illusion. He’d come to Shea and hit what Beltran did and then we’d have all the haters come out of the woodwork saying “Holliday sucks, we should trade him for (insert overrated hitter here)”.
Beltran, meanwhile, plays fantastic defense in centerfield, saving who knows how many MORE runs than the team’s already giving up. If Omar had signed a REAL cleanup hitter, Beltran could bat 2nd, where he’d be awesome, and we’d rarely hear how much people despise him.
No wonder the dude wants out of NY so bad.
The only guy I see us capable of getting us Dunn, and they will require a ransom given the situation EVERYONE knows we are in.
Dunn would be a good answer as well as long as we intended on resigning him. That would allow a lineup shake up.
Reyes, Church, Wright, Dunn, Beltran, Delgado/Alou, Schiender/Castro, Castillo?/??
I’d wanna see Wright move to the #2 spot and have Beltran hit 3rd, Dunn 4th, Alou 5th, Church 6th, Delgado 7th. If Alou is out, then you gotta slide Church into the #2 hole and move Wright into #4, Dunn at #5, Delgado #6.
Just replace him with Lofton? Are you serious? Trading Beltran would be a big mistake and would set them back even further. He is not being used correctly, I wish they would move him from the 4 spot just for a few games but willie is stubborn.
The Beltran hating is tough to understand, he is off to a slow start but so is everyone. He is not a long term problem but a long term strength. You may as well trade Wright as well.
Two words…Barry Bonds!
You have a good point.
What about Jay Gibbons – he’s only 31, and plays OF and 1B. Article on espn today about how he’s literally begging for a shot someplace.
“Article on espn today about how he’s literally begging for a shot someplace.”
Yeah, the gluteus maximus.
how about we trade oliver perez and heilman for hideki matsui?
I love it on paper. but you know they would be lites out in the Bronx. And Hideki we would find out is really five years older…
the mets should also consider magglio ordonez, he’s only 34
The mets are hanging their hat on Fmart to take the LF position. You cant block that entry for him by someone who is older and still has years left of productivity. What we need is someone like omar has been doing that is serviceable, that will give us what we need outta the corner and when fmart is ready he can take the LF job full time w/o having to cut the person we got to handle that job before.
Hmmmmm. Interesting. Would we rather have Damon because he can play 1B? Their contracts are identical.
Oh and by the way, I think they would be more interested in the Show than Heilman.
I see
we need power!!!!
I understand that but by getting maggz..when do you think we will see fmart(youger key word) play???
We would have the same problem a few years down the line that we have now by again being to old.
WE DONT NEED ANOTHER F’N .249 HITTER. Omar, if you’re going to make a move, make it worth something. If no one is avaiable then dont make a move. In fact, with your talent evaluation skills, (ala Bannister, Lindstrom etc.) dont do a thing.
Have you actually looked at Bannister or Lindstrom’s numbers this season?
Bannister’s numbers are a bit high, but he’s had like 4 bad starts where his nos have been inflated. Otherwise he’s been good. I’d rather have him then Burgos.
Lindstrom has been up and down. He had a week April, a stellar May and he’s having a weak June. But his arm is incredible. Who did we get him for again?
Burgos the jury is still out on. The guy had a cannon for an arm. We got Vargas and Bostick, to young LHSP for Lindstrom and Owens I think.
But the fact that both are 25 I believe and neither have gotten a call-up even with the issues in our rotation, and I don’t remember either getting time in spring training, probably says something about how our organization treats them.
But basically the problem is we traded two power bullpen arms for two middle/end of the rotation type starters and then traded a middle/end of the rotation type starter for a power bullpen arm. They just seem like completely unnecessary trades, especially when we currently have nothing to show for either of them.
how our organization views them.*
and i just remembered they’re both out with season-ending injuries, but still we opted to sign Claudio Vargas over calling up Bostick and as far as I remember Bostick didn’t get time in spring traing.
Carp and maybe Murphy should be moved to AAA, with the hopes of calling them up the end of July
ANd Aguila or Pascucci should up in the bigs, along with WIllie Collazo and/or Muniz. Heilman and Sanchez should both accept another minor leagues stint to work out their problems
Thats about the only things to hope for this year.
I dont see the mets making any major trades. No one wants what we got
I understand why they’d want a guy like Millar on this team, since lack what he has…heart & fire. I think the Mets should contact the ’stros about Ty Wiggington’s availability. He can play almost any position, plus he’s hard nosed and gets dirty.
Are you really advocating getting Wiggy-with-it again? I think with tensions already high with this team and a hispanic/white divided on the team the last think we need is a fiery white guy. Pedro and Wagner have enough fire to motivate.
Dude, you can not say last thing we need is a ‘fiery white guy’. We need fiery individuals. I think the media has blown the racial thing out of proportion…plus you need EVERYDAY players on the field to be leaders…not a guy that pitches 1 inning or a guy that plays every 5 days when he is healthy.
Honestly I’m extremely dissappointed with Beltran, I feel to get some real return he must be traded..his zombie like leadership skills is a big reason we are where we are today.
I still say give up whatever it takes to get Bay and Nady in one deal. Maybe something like Carp, Fernando, Evans, Murphy, whatever positions players we can give. They seem to have a bunch of young pitching anyway, so we can hang on to ours in the deal.
Left field and first base solved for the next few years….Single A guys and recent drafts picks grow in that timeframe and we still have some guys like Parnell and Niese who may arrive next year. This will also leave us some money to pick up a pitcher in the offseason.
Not totally serious, just thoughts…
I agree with you, give every position player rookie except fernando martinez, to get bay and nady. however we should not trade our young pitching
Im glad your not totally serious. If omar wants out that would be the trade to do it. I would not trade the whole farm system for bay and nady because they are good but not santana good. We can find someone that is servicable in LF to allow fmart to develop and take over that job when hes ready.
-To dominicanboy fmart is the only way the pirates will sign off on that deal unless omar can become creative and sucker them into a deal IF the pirates are out of it by the trade deadline. And i doubt that will happen.
Millar = Conine
agree with basically everyone, we don’t need Millar and a revivial of “cowboy up”. We seem to have players like Carp, Val, F-Martinez and some others that are right on the brink, i say we let them get a taste of thebigs and we stick with them. stay young an play players that i actually want to play baseball especially in NY and win rings. hlaf our current players are just picking up paychecks
I think at this point this team needs to ride out what it has until the deadline and make small changes along the way. It’s not going to work out this year, although I hope I am wrong about that. If you are still 7 games back at the deadline, or close to it, then you have to make drastic changes for ‘09. It sucks to think that way, but that’s the reality of the situation.
Tony Bernazard is a moron who should be exiled to the Dominican Republic because all he can do is recognize talent. He is the reason why we’ve brought up guys too soon.
Millar? Why don’t we just scrap this team and sign the whole cast of Cocoon?
Met’s should cut Bernazard….frickin moron!
how sad… we hire known cheaters (Mota), spitters (Alomar), America-haters (Delgado) BUT we draw the line at people who want to play baseball without the approval of the millionaires ‘union’!
Who gives a sht what Tony Bernazard thinks? He’s very possibly a racist anyway. What capital has that guy possibly earned?
If the reason they don’t want to get Millar isn’t related to his production on the field but rather because he crossed the picket line a decade and a half ago, instead of sitting out with the rest of the whiny millionaires, there are some fundamental problems with this organization. Their decisions should be based on how they think the players will perform on the field, not whether Tony B thinks a guy is a good union man or not.
Well, heres a solution-fire Bernazard. Kick his incompetent ass out along with Omar.