Joel Sherman of the New York Post believes the Rays have shopped LHP Scott Kazmir to the Mets and Rangers.
According to Sherman, “Tampa is trying to see if they could trade Kazmir, Carlos Pena and in the right blockbuster even Carl Crawford to free up dollars to make a bigger trade.”
…the buzz around baseball seems to be that if the crawford is to be traded, it will be in the off season, and not this week before Friday’s July 31 Trade Deadline… the same can be said for Blue Jays OF Alex Rios and Padres 1B Adrian Gonzalez…
…from what I can gather, the Rays and Mets have talked… however, i have zero idea what they’ve talked about… i believe the Mets are still looking for offense… i also believe they are skeptical, but intrigued by kazmir, because he’s making too much money considering questions about his health, work ethic and stamina…
…however, from listening to reporters, talk radio and people around the game, it sounds like the Rays are trying to essentially trade kazmir and a bat, like a crawford or pena, to get Victor Martinez from 
the Indians, among other things, and will do whatever they have to do to make it happen…
The 27–year-old Crawford is batting .311 with a .372 OBP, 30 extra base hits and 48 stolen bases this season for the Rays.
Crawford has a $10 million team option for 2010, after which he can become a free agent.
…damn, man, he is a perfect fit for Citi Field… he’s a good defender, but in the box and on the basepaths he is a tailor-made for that building, short of being yet another left-handed hitter…
I’d rather V-Mart
I don’t think the Mets will do anything big, but Minaya is up against the wall and what better way to but this week behind than to pull a blockbuster trade off.
In a fantasy world, the Mets, Indians and Red Sox pull off a 3 team trade where the Sox get V-Mart, the Mets get Kazmir and Crawford and the Indians get a boatload of Sox and Mets prospects.
Short of Wilmer and Mejia, I’d trade anyone in a package that netted both Kazmir and Crawford.
Kazmir is signed for a few more season and Crawford has an option for next year.
Imagine a healthy Reyes and Crawford at 1 and 2 in the lineup? Wow.
If you could land both Kazmir and Crawford, would you package F-Mart, Holt, Parnell and Davis plus another prospect?
Is there a third team involved that gives the Mets $15 million dollars for nothing in return?
The Rays dont want just prospects though. They were talking to the indians about lee and v-mart, meaning, they’re looking to improve right now. plus they had prospects out of the a*s, they dont need more. and i doubt that would like to enter a 3 team deal that helps the red sox, rival, the player they want (v-mart)
My mistake….not the Red Sox, but the Rays.
Meant to say Rays get V-Mart, Indians get prospects from Rays and Mets, Mets get Kazmir and Crawford.
Look that ain’t happening, but I was just fantasizing.
yeah, i guess I also turned it into a 4 team trade anyways, my bad…even more unlikely.
Well I think that would be the only thing that is cooking here, because as people have said, i doubt the rays have interest in tossing away the season, so they have to be looking to overwhelm the Indians and get Vmart.
In short, I dont give up Niese for Kazmir, but if we are talking Kazmir AND Crawford, I think you open the floodgates, but we may not even need to, the money owed would also have to help out the Mets.
On a realistic note, why wouldnt the Indians want Kazmir, especially considering they are trading Lee today?
Even though I was fooling around, I don’t really think the Mets can land both Kazmir and Crawford. Just don’t think they have the chips for it.
I think the Indians simply are going to rebuild so that’s why they may not want Kazmir.
Kazmir is due enough cash that a team like the Rays would want to get rid of, but a team with some flexibility might not see as bad. I think if he went to the Indians it would show the fans that they think Kazmir could be part of something good in a couple of years
That money also helps the Mets. Crawford has a $10 million dollar option next year as well which should be a no-brainer for anyone.
I dont think wed have to give them the farm, a lot for sure but I think we can keep Flores,Mejia, and Holt.
Crawford is only 27? man, feels like he’s been around for so long.
I’m surprised they looking to trade him, but understandbale if they dont plan on picking up his option. Most likely just seeing what they can get for him, if they dont trade him, they’ll look to do so in the off-season or at this point in 2010.
Kazmir and Crawford would certainly be a big upgrade to this team. I can’t see us making a deal like that though. Fmart, and one of Holt or Meija to start I’d assume.
I’d love Carl Crawford but the Mets should wait until he’s a free agent to get him. Alex Rios would be good too as long as the Jays eat a portion of his contract. And I like I said a million times before about Kazmir, thanks, but no thanks. We have enough injury prone players on the team already.
If we are going to sell the farm for someone this week or during the upcoming offseason it should be Adrian Gonzalez.
Why shoud we wait until he is a free agent so we could bid against the Yankees and Red Sox. I would get him and give him an extension if possible
Yankees and Red Sox will have Holliday and Bay respectively locked up on long term deals in LF by the time Crawford hits free agency.
Yea like that would stop the Yankees from pursuing Crawford. They bid on everybody.
If Putz was healthy he could have been a factor in these talks.
If Omar landed Crawford, I’d take back every single nasty thing I’ve ever said about him.
That would be an OUTSTANDING trade. Crawford is a solid hitter with great speed and he plays great defense. I’ve been a fan of his for years, and have been waiting for his contract to expire so the Mets could sign him!
whatever, i doubt omar is going to make a big move like this. he’s not trading away our top prospects, i just dont see it happening.
I hope im wrong…(for the right move)
If I could get Crawford by including FMart I do it. He basically gives you a young OF going into his prime. In a deal like that you wouldn’t need FMart you can wait on Flores who will be in the OF or 1B by that time. An OF of Crawford, Beltran and Francouer would be nice. Of course doubt it happens because right now they are more likely looking to get back pieces to help now. Offseason could be another story.
Matt, I’m not sure him being a lefty is an issue.
IF (and I know it’s and IF) the Mets remain in contention, and they get their guys back they will be decidedly RIGHTY in their lineup if they’re starting all of Wright, Sheffiled, and Francouer in the same lineup especially on days when Santos starts.
Sounds like the Rays aren’t asking for a haul, just a team willing to take on the salary
I’ve been yelling Crawford name from the rooftops for a while now. Can you imagine . . .
Crawford
Castillo
Reyes
Beltran
Wright
Delgado/Francouer
Francouer/Murphy
Santos/Schnieder?
That speed and gap hitting ability in Citi? Wooo, Whitey Herzog may take notice.
The top 5 guys have 20+ base stealing ability!!!!!
Good point if Crawford could be gotten Reyes would be able to move down in the order where he would be more of a guy who could drive in runs as well as score them/create havoc
id give them everything they want
+ ollie perez
In other words, everything they want and something they surely don’t?!
To be honest, Kazmir and Crawford get me more excited than Halladay. Don’t know what it would take to get it done, but WOW would Reyes/Castillo/Crawford look good at the top of the lineup!
Reyes
Castillo
Crawford
Beltran
Wright
Frenchy
Murphy
Santos
P
Santana
Pelf
Kazmir
Maine
Ollie
Sounds tempting to me, especially if the Rays are looking more to dump salary than aquire players. We wouldnt need to sign Type A FA in the offseason and forefeit more draft picks. I’ll drive to FL myself for these guys.
great minds . . .
if that happened and we could stay in it until Reyes and Delgado came back that is one dangerous team all around
Then when Wagner and Putz are here its just an unstoppable team. I guess we can dream
Our GM can’t even hold a press conference, do you really think he’s capable of improving this team?
I dont think there is another outfielder in baseball that would be a better fit for Citi Field than Carl Crawford. Reyes and him at the top of the order would be nastyyyyyy
I know people may question Kazmir’s health outlook but it all depends on the cost. For the right price, he’d be worth the risk.
Absolutely
Why am I the only one who likes Pena best of these 3 for the future of this team? We have a gaping hole at 1B next year (not sold on Murph) and he has sorely needed pop and can pick it.
All 3 of these guys look nice for the 2010 Mets, but I find Pena really intriguing….
Can the team take on all three salaries, even with money coming off the books. Plus the prospect haul would be pretty high.
I rather bring in Kazmir and Crawford if possible and resign Delgado on a year to year basis…. I think that would make for a sick lineup..
Murphy, KMART, and NIese to the Rays for Crawford and Kazmir… What do you guys think of that??? GIving to much or not enough????
Dave, Pena will be 32 next season he is a low .200s hitter that has HR power, that is not good enough at CitiField.
The Mets are going to have to play Citi Field it appears, and I say appears because I still think the jury is out, visiting teams seem to crank like it is still Shea, anyway it appears like the Cardinals played old Busch.
The Mets need to get younger and more athletic, if you can get power hitters that hit for an excellent average they will be worthwhile but not .250 hitters.
Plus what do you mean “another” left-handed batter? When Delgado is gone, Murphy and Schneider are the only true lefties in the lineup – not exactly ‘stacked’
Schneider is a free agent next year (thank god)
Thank god is right. What a waste of space he is. I’d rather have Robinson Cancel.
Actually Schneider probably wont be here cause he is a free agent and HOPEFULLY we dont want him… Murphy could be included in a trade to the Rays I would hope
Would The Rays want Pelfrey, considering he already has a year under his belt, or would they look at it as one less year to control him?
NO WAY I trade Pelfrey for Kazmir… NOOOOOOOOOOO WAYYYY I get nervous thinking about it.. I could see it now we make the trade and Kazmir blows his arm out day 1
I might jump off a bridge if I found out the Mets traded Pelfrey for Kazmir
That would also fix two BIG holes this team has in LF and SP.
The offseason would consist of potential Bullpen pieces (putz?), and the bench, both of which are always in flux.
The two remaining pieces would be 1B and catcher. Do they commit to Murphy at 1B for next year? Wouldnt be hard to see them doing it if he continues to play well and the addition of Crawford in LF.
Do they resign Santos and Schnieder for this year to give Thole another year of seasoning?
This singular trade COULD potentially do much more for the mets than just fill two holes. It could “rest” the farm and allow us to upgrade through the draft as we could get through the offseason with only making minor moves and not having to sign any type A’s.
Try to think about this fantasy/potential reality trade rationally. The two question marks for next year would potentially be 1B and C, both of which could be filled through a trade at next years deadline if the murph, santos/schnied arent doing the job. Plus our prospects will be that much further along and not as many could potentially needed to be shipped out.
so much to think about…
I gotta jump on board here with the Crawford and Kazmir talks. I am not completely sold on Kazmir because he seems to be hurt this year but if Pelf improves we could slot him 3rd followed by Ollie and then Neise/Maine unless we need Neise to make the trade. Having Crawford and Reyes at the top of the lineup would be sick it would create havoc on the basepaths and with Wright and Beltran hitting behind them followed up with F-core and even Murphy to some extent (if we keep him which I think the organization probably is planning too) lots of runs will be comming home combine that with a steller pitching stuff led by Santana and we’d be in thick of things.
damn i was actually thinking about a deal for them…and then i read that mets had initial interest and nothing more…..so i guess if they barely have any interest no way they are getting kazmir AND crawford….cant blame them tho…it would cost alot and getting a pitcher who has had all sorts of arm injuries probably wouldnt be the smartest route to go
OK, let’s play the game. This would be a huge blockbuster — probably the biggest in Mets history, but would change the makeup of this team.
FMart, Murphy, Niese, Reese Havens and another Single-A player for Kazmir, Pena (a couple of $million.)
Here’s my thinking:
*Pena is protection for Delgado, and he stays for 2010. He is under contract next year for $10m.
*Kazmir slots in behind Pelfrey as #3 (for now.) He is under contract for an additional $20 through 2011.
*Crawford replaces FMart for years to come, and is perfect for Citi. He is also signed through 2010 (an option) for $10million.
That’s $30 million for 3 players for next year. Think about– Delgado, Wagner and others come off the books. The Rays throw in a couple of million to lessen the sting this year (which is the real rub, considering we don’t send any salary their way.)
The Mets won’t do it, I know, but I would.
(that trade would be for Kazmir, Pena and Crawford)
I can’t see as scenario where the Rays give up all three. They want to create room not completely bottom out.
Besides Pena is a wrong answer for something the Met fans are overly anxious for.
Look what happens when Pagan and Castillo start reaching base often it creates opportunities for Wright and Francouer, if you add Crawford to that mix and Reyes gets back you have a set of rabbits.
Crawford
Castillo
Reyes
Francouer
Wright (better hitter give franc protection)
Murphy
Santos
Pagan
If Beltran and Delgado get back gravvy. I am looking more for 2010 anyway.