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“The Braves, Dodgers and Mets are believed to be among teams that have inquired about Rangers starting pitchers Kevin Millwood and Vicente Padilla,” reports Jon Heyman at SI.com.
In May, Peter Gammons wrote at ESPN.com that 
the Rangers wanted Aaron Heilman, Mike Pelfrey and Deolis Guerra in a deal last off-season for Padilla, who will $12 million this season, after which he will likely be a free agent.
Millwood will earn $11 million in 2009, and $12 million in 2010, after which he will be a free agent.
Millwood had a 5.07 ERA in 2008 for the Rangers, a 5.16 ERA in 2007 and a 4.52 ERA in 2006.
The first comment from a reader to Heyman’s post says it all:
“I find it somewhat laughable that these teams are pursuing two of the pitchers the Phillies shed in the last 5 years in building their World Series team.”
Heyman also says, “The Mets are believed to have inquired about Derek Lowe, Randy Wolf and Jon Garland.”
The Yankees, Red Sox, Braves, Phillies, Giants, Mariners and Dodgers have all shown interest in Lowe as well.
those guys stink. Might as well just give the job to Heilmann, or use someone else picked up off the scrap heap (non-type A FA) or out of the minors and save the trade chips.
Randy Wolf is still playing?
Seriously, Heilman is cheaper and can’t be any worse than these guys. He obviously is no good as a reliever anymore. Why not give him a shot?
Wow, so we haven’t even gotten to the winter meetings and already the team is focusing on the dregs? I hope this is not all there is when it comes to starters.
You know, it never hurts to put out feelers for anyone you think can help your team. That doesn’t mean the mets are “focusing on the dregs,” just that they’re looking into padilla and millwood as 5 starters.
Omar is clearly focused on K-Rod/Fuentes, Lowe/insert other starter here, and Street/Wood/whoever else you want for the 8th. He can’t spend all day every day on the phone with K-Rod’s agent. That might be a little overbearing.
Ouch. Please tell me they aren’t conceding Lowe to the Yanks or Sox at this point.
Additionally, I would take Garland over these two clowns without a second thought.
Hey I’m in the ship that i’d take Garland over Lowe. He’s nearly as productive over the last 7 seasons, if not the same. He has pitched in and Won a World Series. And his contract would only carry him from the age 29-33 and be cheaper.
I don’t know when Lowe became this Lock #2 SP. He had a career year last year, like most guys try to do in their free agent year. Other then that he’s pretty mediocre.
I would pick up Millwood or Padilla. Rather them as the 5th starter than Niese. Let’s not forget, Texas is a bandbox.
Maybe so, but I’d rather give Niese a shot. He showed some nice flashes or quality in his limited time here. Even that first game where he gave up a bunch of runs – it was obvious it was due to nerves and not lack of talent.
If we can’t complete a trade for Vasquez, I’d argue Niese should be our 5th starter this year. I wouldn’t want to give up any prospects for Padilla or Millwood.
Also – anyone else think the Mets were interested in resigning exiled reliever Juan Padilla? Anyone know how he pitched in the Atlantic League last year after he was released?
Well hopefully Omar wouldn’t give up anything close to a top prospect for either of those 2.
I don’t under any circumstances want Neise as the #5 starter. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again. Not one rotation in baseball goes through a whole season without someone landing on at least the 15 day DL. You figure you will have someone or some combination of guys make about 10 starts a year. That’s where i would want Neise. He isn’t ready to be a full time starter. So I want him called up for Double Headers, 6th starter, and to be the guy called up when someone goes down.
If you rely on Neise as the 5th guy then who do you call up. You end up getting guys like Daryl Rasner’s and the other stuff the yanks ended up with. You need your Rooks to step up when needed, unless they are fully ready. And Neise showed last year he isn’t fully ready. He showed Flashes, but he also wasn’t ready. Let him refine a little longer and call him up when they need him
Excellent points and along the same lines, I love the idea of Tatis and Murphy on the bench instead of platooning in left. Murph has played 1st 2nd 3rd and left. Tatis the same plus right field. Both pinch hit well last year. Lack of depth has killed us the last 2 years. The two of them plus endy, castro, and a 2nd base/shortstop guy (Eckstein?) is a heck of a bench. im not saying they have to stay there, just that it would be nice to to start the season without relying on them to start. If we could pick up Juan Rivera or someone similar lets let Rivera, Church, Tatis, and Murph battle for playing time all year. Also, all this talk of trading for guys like Guillen and Padilla scares the heck out me. I sincerely hope its a product of baseball writers with too much time on their hands
I find it laughable that the Rangers thought they could get two top prospects for Vicente Padilla. Are you kidding me?
that seems like the jon daniels is one of those drive-time sports radio callers who won a contest–
“I’ve got a trade proposal. . .marlon byrd for albert pujols, a clone of lou brock (in his prime), and the T206 Honus Wagner card…the cardinals need an outfielder, and we could use a first baseman, plus the brock clone can replace byrd…”
“Congratulations! you are now GM of the Rangers”
have you seen what they got for Gagne and Kenny Lofton? It’s not that laughable.
Didn’t they trade for Saltamacchia 4 days after they got Ramirez (maybe they wanted depth? Flip Salty to first base? Be able to have 4 catchers to dangle around?). Sure, he’s a three time minor league all-star; he also hit.217 last year in 46 abs in the bigs.
And while Gabbard was 4-0 with Boston before the trade, he’s 4-4 with an era around five for the rangers in the nearly 100 innings he’s pitched over the last two seasons in the majors.
But we’ll see… If they get anything out of those two, it’ll be gravy on top of getting rid of Lofton and Gange.
Plus we’ll see what happens with Volquez–Hamilton was a great pickup, but did the Rangers need offense at the expense of young pitching?
Do you think that offering Milwood or Padilla for Heilman, Pelf, and Guerra speaks more to Daniels or more to the perception of Minaya league wide?
Definitely perception of Minaya league wide, which unfortunately is likely a warranted perception, although I imagine he’s improved a bit. And does it matter that they got Salty after Ramirez? They had Teagerdon, who from what I understand is the only one they have ever had any plans on keeping. in their system before they got either of them, I don’t think their point was too fill needs but to get the best prospects they could in order to build strengths they could deal from later.
i think this might be the worst story in the history of metsblog..if our big rotation acquisition is one of these 2 guys, its gonna be a miserable off season
I do not agree with that commenter in the case of the Mets. They’re looking to acquire these pitchers to fill out a rotation, not anchor it. 180 innings of Kevin Millwood or Vincente Padilla are doubtlessly better than the horrid innings that were consumed by the CHAMPION PHILLIES~ — Kyle Kendrick and Adam Eaton.
I slightly vomited in my mouth……
taste good?
Not really, I had hot dogs for dinner last night…
muilwood was dominate when he was a brave for 2 seasons but i think his time has come – and gone!!
We’d be better off just signing Wolf than taking either of those guys. Like way way better off.
I agree… and Wolf has a very solid stint with the Astros after a rough time with a very bad Padres team. I like him for the 5th spot in the rotation. Milwood, Padilla, et al… meh.
That said, I’d offer him no more than two years (one year and option), due to his inability to stay healthy. This keeps Niese in Buffalo for at least most of the season, ready to take a rotation spot in 2010.
JMO.
Fill out a rotation? You see, that’s the problem in their thinking. Why not add a few pitchers who are 1’s or 2’s or 3’s to put on TOP of the 1-2-3 you have. To say you only want to “fill in” with a 4th and 5th starter is short sighted and cheap- that’s how the Milwaukee Brewers think of things. The Mets are at worst the 3rd richest team in baseball. Not acceptable.
Worst thing that ever happened to the Mets was Nelson Doubleday being bought out. We got stuck with the wrong owner.
agreed
Business as usual- the Yankees want to sign everybody and probably will…and the Mets are thumbing through the discount rack.
1. Oh yeah, last year the Mets were really bargain hunting. That Johan Santana guy? We should have been going after a top of the line pitcher! The Yanks are the high rollers. They got nobody new at all!
2. Is that really a bad thing if they are? The Yankees have been overspending for all of this century, and also have nothing to show for it. Also, remember Barry Zito.
It’s like the Steve Phillips era all over again.
Looks like the rest of the stiffs in the bullpen will mostly be back too. I guarantee that out of Show, Sanchez, Feliciano, and Heilman- 3 will be back. Mark my words. And one of Pedro or Castillo will be back too. Omar is not going to get rid of these guys and admit he messed up- especially now since he is entrenched with a lifetime contract. That was the problem with extending Minaya- he feels no need to make big changes and change the culture. No pressure on him, it’s all gravy.
As if this offseason hasn’t been bad enough already with what we’ve heard thus far. Looks like the Mets, at best, will sign Fuentes or F. Rodriguez and call it a day. Nelson Doubleday, where are you…
keep in mind this is the same organization that showed “interest” in Jason Jennings, a dude who’s below .500 career and has abominably high WHIP. And ended up getting johan. So don’t put too much stock in these rumors. Of the lot I’d rather have heilman or garland
get sheets instead.
as long as he has to pay for his own medical expenses
Maybe it would be easier to just start naming the players who the Mets aren’t interested in? It just seems like we’re interested in EVERYBODY.
If they lose out on resigning Perez or getting Lowe then I would hope they sign Garland since he is a FA
I imagine Heilman and Schenweiss could get Millwood which would not be the worst thing in the world
of course before they start dealing relievers they have to get a few
The rotation just needs one body
Santana
Pelfrey
FA or Deal
Maine
Niese
Stokes – long man spot starter
I am cool with that
I would switch the order slightly to reflect – at least in my opinion – that the “FA or Deal” starter in the rotation fit the no. 2 slot in the rotation. I don’t think Pelfrey can be counted on to be the no. 2 starter. He’s only done it for about half a season. He’s still unproven to me.
I think that makes change makes the job a litter tougher for Omar.
agreed
garland is not an updrade over perez, considering omar has vowed to IMPROVE the pitching, if the mets can’t get lowe they will more than likely overpay for Perez
A 31 year old home run prone pitcher with bad control and little strikeout ability who’s owed millions of dollars? Where do I sign up for this… Vicente Padilla fella?
Other opinions of mine:
On Derek Lowe: Old and overpriced, he’d be a huge liability down the road. He may have had a great season, but I doubt he’ll do anything of that nature ever again.
On Wolf: If we’ve already acquired a pitcher via trade, like Andy Sonnanstine, it wouldn’t hurt to make Wolf our 5 starter if he doesn’t ask for much.
On Garland: He’ll ask for a good amount of money, but if the Mets can acquire Sonnanstine, who’s more controllable and younger, it would be MUCH better.
If Omar signs Vincente Padilla I will never watch another Mets gams…that guy is beyond terrible. I wouldn’t have traded Jorge Sosa for that looser
I read in today’s Bergen Record that the Mets may be more interested in lower cost bullpen relievers Trevor Hoffman, Kerry Wood and Huston Street.