Buzz: Mets and Jake Westbrook
Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors looks in to the market for Indians RHP Jake Westbrook, and points out that, if traded, “Westbrook would be owed about $6.95 million.”
Dierkes lists the Mets, Dodgers, Padres and Yankees as teams that might have interest in trading for Westbrook before the July 31 Trade Deadline.
Original Post at 10:54 am:
According to the John Harper of the Daily News, “The Indians would trade Jake Westbrook in a minute for a mid-level prospect if the Mets would pick up most of what’s left on his $11 million contract this season.”
The 33–year-old Westbrook is 6-5 with a 4.67 ERA in 113 innings.
He is eligible to be a free agent at the end of this season.
Last week, Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com said the Mets had turned their attention away from Cubs LHP Ted Lilly to Westbrook.
Harper believes the Mets should try to acquire Westbrook today, since the team is not willing to trade the necessary package of prospects to get guys like Dan Haren or Roy Oswalt.
…again, like i said yesterday, from what i can gather, the D-Backs will want most of your best prospects, including maybe even a guy like Jon Niese, while the Astros want one or two top pitching prospects, plus a bad contract, in return for you taking all of what is due oswalt, who, once he makes you pick up his option, will be due $40 million through 2012… and so, i don’t blame the Mets for balking…
…the Mets like lilly and others, but the price is still high… i think they have the horses to get one of those guys, but teams are going to milk this market and wait to the last possible minute to make a deal… and, i am not sure the Mets can or want to wait that long… and so, maybe a guy like westbrook becomes more realistic…
“Westbrook’s a veteran, and he throws strikes,” an AL executive told John Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com last month. “He’s everything you look for if you want to add an arm down the stretch.”
…i think he’d be a very, very interesting addition to the Mets rotation… he’s getting back to being the pitcher he once was… he needs a strong defense behind him, like Mike Pelfrey… i like his smarts, and that he pitches deep in to games…
