Catcher: Mets asked about C Gerald Laird
In today’s Newsday, Ken Davidoff reports the Mets contacted the Rangers earlier in the off season about C Gerald Laird.
“There hasn’t been much discussion there lately,” writes Davidoff, noting, instead, how the Mets have prioritized ‘the renovation of their pitching staff.’
In early November, at SI.com, Jon Heyman wrote:
“Some Mets people are concerned about their catching. But some in their hierarchy don’t like that the best free-agent options… Pudge Rodriguez and Bengie Molina don’t exactly make them younger.”
The Dallas Morning News has written the Rangers will listen to offers for all of their catchers, including Max Ramirez, Laird and Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
However, in all cases, the Rangers will want a top-flight, proven, under-contract, young pitcher in return, such as Red Sox RHP Clay Buchholz, according to the Boston Globe.
For what it’s worth, according to Ken Davidoff in a previous report for Newsday, the Rangers have shown interest in RHP Aaron Heilman, who will turn 30 later this month, and who is not eligible for free agency until after 2010.
The 29–year-old Laird hit .276 in 95 games for Texas, while hitting six HR and 41 RBI with a .329 OBP.
In 2008, he threw out 28 percent of runners who tried to steal against him, compared to a 39–percent success rate in 2007 and a 45–percent success rate in 2006.
