…good, at least we won’t have to read about rumors involving him and the Mets for another three years…

However, while multiple reports suggest that this trade had been briefly discussed, it has since been dismissed by Jon Heyman in SI.com, Detroit’s Booth Newspapers, the Bergen Record, and Sweeny Murti from WFAN, who is the same reporter who first mentioned the deal yesterday afternoon.

However, last night, at his blog for Booth Newspapers, Tigers beat reporter Danny Knobler debunked the idea, writing that the Tigers did ‘briefly consider’ such a move, “But it’s barely worth talking about now, because it’s not happening, and the Mets know it.”

According to Adam Rubin, though, in today’s Daily News, citing ‘team sources,’ the Mets believe the Tigers may still look to ‘flip’ Willis, who was recently acquired from the Marlins along with Miguel Cabrera.

“The Mets would be interested in speaking with the Tigers,’ writes Rubin, “but no dialogue is believed to have occurred yet.”

…as i wrote last night, from what i can gather, while the Tigers most certainly would have requested a pretty significant package from the Mets, they’d want RHP Aaron Heilman, as well… 

Nevertheless, at his blog for the Bergen Record, Steve Popper writes that while talks about Willis and the Mets may be based on truth, it ‘never came close to actually being true.’

By the way, on his blog for WFAN, Murti writes, “Not a chance this happens. The Mets will have no interest in taking on that much salary and giving Pudge another year.”

…of course, despite their own beat reporter making the above statement on his blog, it has not stopped the radio station’s morning hosts from discussing the deal…

…long live the Hot Stove, i guess…

However, at his blog for Booth Newspapers, Tigers beat reporter Danny Knobler debunks the idea, by writing…

“While they were negotiating…with Florida, it appears that the Tigers did briefly consider turning it into a three-way deal in which Willis would go to the Mets, possibly with Pudge Rodriguez…The Mets love Willis, and in fact had tried to get him from the Marlins themselves…But it’s barely worth talking about now, because it’s not happening, and the Mets know it.”

…from what i can gather, while the Tigers most certainly would have requested a pretty significant package from the Mets, RHP Aaron Heilman was the only player from the Mets to be discussed with detroit, though i would guess C Johnny Estrada may have been involved eventually as well…

Nevertheless, Knobler quotes a Mets official as saying, “There’s no turning back now for them.  If anything was going to be done, it had to be done before (the trade became public).  They’ve energized their fan base now.  They can’t go back.”

…well, hats off to omar, because, from what he told reporters, the Marlins were never going to trade dontrelle to a team within their division…so, to listen, while trying to sneak him to queens, back to the NL East, behind their backs, is either really shady, or really clever, or both, i suppose…

…by the way, thanks to bad boyz for the link…

“Omar Minaya said he inquired about Dontrelle Willis, but the Marlins were not going to deal him within the division. 

“However, the Tigers have explored the idea of spinning him off, and they have contacted the Mets.  There wasn’t an official offer presented to Omar, but what was talked about, from what I was told, they talked about spinning off Willis.  In addition, though, the Mets would have to take on some salary.  The Tigers are interested, perhaps, in moving Willis and Ivan Rodriguez and dumping his salary, which is $13 million next season.  So, if the Mets wanted Willis from Detroit, they’d have to take on that salary.  The thing is, he has a no trade clause, so to get him to waive it you’d probably have to give him another year.”

…if you recall, the talk early in the off-season had been that omar was hoping pudge hit the open market, instead of getting his option picked up by the Tigers, because he would have been the team’s first choice to replace Paul Lo Duca…instead, though, the option was picked up, and Plan B through Z were pursued…

To listen to Murti’s entire interview, go to WFAN.com.

…from what i can gather, it’s not that minaya had been unaware of dontrelle’s availability, it’s that he was not available to the Mets, either a) because the Marlins never intended on trading him to the Mets, knowing they did not have the prospects to get him, or b) in standard Miami fashion, the Marlins had their scope set squarely on Detroit, and very specific players from the Tigers, so no other team really ever had a chance to begin with, let alone the Mets…

…Update…10:22 am…

This morning, on WFAN, the shows host said he was told by the Mets that Minaya had made an offer for Willis earlier in the off-season, and was told, ‘he is not available,’ because he is not being traded within the NL East.

…thanks to c hill for the tip…

“Sometimes a player is available, but, he’s not available to you. There are teams that don’t like to trade in the division.”

…hmm,.that didn’t seem to stop Larry Beinfest and the Marlins in 2005, of course…

ESPN’s Buster Olney and Peter Gammons are reporting the same information on ESPN News.

…Update…6:25 pm…

Ken Rosenthal at FoxSports is reporting that the two sides have reached ‘a preliminary agreement.’

…Update…6:43 pm…

According to Peter Gammons at ESPN, the deal is official and will send Cabrera and Willis to Detrit for Maybin, Miller, C Mike Rabelo and three other prospects.

…Update…7:14 pm…

The Marlins will also get Burke Badenhop, Eulogio de la Cruz, and Dallas Trahern, writes the Detroit Free Press.

Miguel Cabrera

However, in a post to his blog for the Booth Newspapers in Detroit, Danny Knobler believes the Marlins are simply using the Tigers to force the Angels into upping their offer for Cabrera.

…this makes sense…i mean, certainly the Marlins could get the most talent by splitting up cabrera and willis in to separate deals…plus, the word from miami continues to be that the Marlins will only trade willis if they are blown away with an offer, so coupling him to cabrera makes even less sense…

…Update…3:15 pm…

“If the Tigers wind up getting Cabrera and Willis, it would be via separate deals,” blogs Joe Capozzi for the Palm Beach Post, while detailing how such a trade could be made.

According to Capozzi, the Angels have backed off trying to acquire Cabrera, since they refuse to part with two of Howie Kendrick, Jeff Mathis and Nick Adenhart.

…honestly, i’m starting to worry about the Tigers and D’Backs, who, from what i understand, are throwing their weight around the trade market, while looking for a starting pitcher…

…the buzz from Nashville has been that the Tigers have interest in O’s LHP Erik Bedard, A’s RHP Danny Haren and RHP Joe Blanton, and apparently willis, and are dropping miller and maybin in talks, as rosenthal suggests….

…additionally, the D’Backs are rumored to have interest in the same set of pitchers, as do the Mets, but can dangle OF Conor Jackson, OF Carlos Gonzalez, and newly acquired Chris Carter, among others, during their efforts…