In reality, SI.com is simply linking to a report about Silva, which speculates that the Mariners would love to unload his salary.

According to the referenced report in the Pioneer Press, citing ‘the word in baseball circles,’ ‘Silva has been lost without pal Johan Santana,’ leading the reporter to write:

“Don’t think the Mariners wouldn’t love to unload the right-hander, who has a $48 million, four-year guaranteed contract, on the Mets so he could rejoin Santana.”

What’s worse, SI.com titled their blog post, “Potential Mariners-Mets deal,” and so I can understand why some people would deduce that, well, there is a potential deal with the Mets.

The thing is, there is nothing in the Pioneer Press that would suggest any such deal is likely to happen, or is even being talked about.  The writer is simply speculating that the M’s would ‘love to’ dump Silva’s salary, and that the Mets would be a good fit because Santana and Silva were once friends – as if that is how the Mets determine who is and isn’t a good fit for their staff.

Oh, by the way, Silva is on the disabled list with elbow tendinitis.

However, according to Todd Zolecki at his blog for the Philadelphia Daily News, there is nothing to the above report from Yahoo!.

Meanwhile, in a report for Newsday, Ken Davidoff writes that the Mets ‘do not seem particularly interested’ in free-agent starting pitchers Livan Hernandez, Carlos Silva or Lohse, ‘unless their prices drop.’

In 34 starts for the Reds and Phillies last season, the 29–year-old Lohse was 9–12 with a 4.63 ERA, while striking out 122 batters through 192 innings.

Silva was 13-14 with a 4.19 ERA in 33 starts with the Twins in 2007.

Last week, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported the Cardinals also expressed interest in the 28-year-old Silva.

…ever since silva hit the open market this offseason, i’ve been in favor of the Mets signing him…silva ,more times than not, has provided a quality start – 20 of 33 last season – and although not a power pitcher, he does strikeout twice as many as he walks…

…the concern is, he does have a propensity to give up the long ball, roughly one per start, but with a move to the lighter-hitting national league, and a bigger ballpark such as shea, those numbers could greatly improve…

…Update…1:10 pm…

The Mariners are in ‘serious negotiations’ with Silva on a four-year, $44 million contract, according to ‘major league sources,’ writes Ken Rosenthal at FoxSports.com.

…thanks to chattman for the link…

…the buzz around baseball continues to suggest that pitchers like silva and lohse are seeking similar deals to what Ted Lilly and Gil Meche got last season, such as four years and $40 million…

…from what i recall, the D’Backs, Braves, Cubs, Mets and Phillies all expressed interest in silva during last year’s trade deadline…this off-season, silva has been linked in rumors to the Angels, Mets, Phillies, Cardinals and Tigers, among others…

In 259 career appearances, spanning six seasons, including 125 starts, the 28–year-old Silva is 55–46 with a 4.31 ERA, during which he has struck out two batters for every one he walked, while opponents are hitting .300 against him.

Multiple reports have suggested Silva has received a three-year, $20 million deal to remain with the Twins.

The Mets, Cubs, Phillies and Mariners have all expressed interest in acquiring the 28-year old right hander.

…i’d be very interested in the Mets bringing silva aboard…silva more times than not has provided a quality start (20 of 33 last season) and although not a power pitcher, he does strikeout twice as many as he walks…the concern, as cerrone has noted before, silva does have a propensity to give up the long ball, roughly one per start, but with a move to the lighter-hitting nl and a bigger ballpark, such as shea, those numbers could greatly improve…

Silva was 13-14 with a 4.19 ERA in 33 starts for the Twins last season.

Rogers also reports on the shirking Alex Rodriguez market.

According to Davidoff, Minaya will speak to the agents for free-agent RHP Carlos Silva this week at the GM meetings.

…the buzz from orlando continues to suggest that pitchers like silva and Kyle Lohse are seeking similar deals to what Ted Lilly and Gil Meche got last season, i.e., four years and $40 million…

…silva is interesting…the concern surrounding him is that he borders on allowing a home run at least once per start…otherwise, i will not be surprised to see him be a total bust, on a four-year deal, nor would i be shocked to see him pan out to be a huge bargain at $10 million per season…

In 259 career appearances, spanning six seasons, including 125 starts, the 28–year-old Silva is 55–46 with a 4.31 ERA, during which he has struck out two batters for every one he walked, while opponents are hitting .300 against him.

…i consider tim’s opinion, because he keeps a very close eye on more or less every story written when it comes to, well, MLB trade rumors and free-agents…

According to Dierkes, in his opinion, the Mets will re-sign Luis Castillo this off season, add RHP Carlos Silva to their rotation, and replace Paul Lo Duca with Yorvit Torrealba, though, “A Ramon Hernandez trade seems to be a popular alternative.”

Among other predictions, Thoma writes…

“Carlos Silva will get a four-year contract for at least $40 million. That deal will not come from the Twins. If the contract comes from a National League team in a pitcher’s park – San Francisco, San Diego, the Mets, Los Angeles – Silva will make that team’s general manager look smart. Otherwise, not so much.”

…silva is interesting…he’s this off-season’s version of the Gil Meche-level of starting pitchers, which we obsessed about during last off season…the concern surrounding silva is that he borders on allowing a home run at least once per start…nevertheless, the sense i get is that people see him like meche, i.e. a guy who is on the verge of getting it right, and that a four-year, $40 million deal could seem like a bargain in a few years…

In 259 career appearances, spanning six seasons, including 125 starts, the 28–year-old Silva is 55–46 with a 4.31 ERA, during which he has struck out two batters for every one he walked, while opponents are hitting .300 against him.

Lastly, Thoma writes…

“The Twins will trade a young pitcher – most likely Boof Bonser or Kevin Slowey – for a center fielder. Slowey should be the more valuable trading chip. Most likely trading partners: Mets, Tampa Bay, Cincinnati, Arizona.”

…mets…for whom, Lastings Milledge or Carlos Gomez…i mean, would they even want gomez right now…odd…

Slowey entered last season ranked third among Minnesota’s strong pitching prospects by Baseball America.

According to BA’s report…

“If he learns to use his secondary pitches effectively, his command could make him a frontline starter.”

In 11 starts for the Twins this season, the 23–year-old Slowey was 4–1 with a 4.60 ERA during his first-ever stint in the major leagues.

…as for bonser, he may be good, who knows, but i will never be able to take a person seriously who goes by the name boof – mostly because it makes me think of Teen Wolf…