In a recent report for the Rocky Mountain News, Lieber expressed interest in pitching for the Mets, among other teams.

According to Rosenthal, “The signing of Lieber could signal a trade of right-hander Jason Marquis or the return of righty Ryan Dempster to the bullpen.”

In mid-December, the Daily News wrote that the Cubs had been shopping Marquis, ‘and apparently like Endy Chavez.’

…well, they can like him, but they’re not getting him…

Marquis won at least 12 games in each of the last four seasons, while compiling a 4.54 ERA and averaging 33 starts per year.

Jon

Leiber’s agent told the newspaper that his client enjoyed pitching in New York when he was with the Yankees.

According to a report by Daily News in late December, the Mets had expressed interest Lieber, whose agent admitted to having talked with the Mets as well.

…as i have said before, if a deal for Joe Blanton or Johan Santana cannot be worked out, meaning Mike Pelfrey, Phil Humber and Kevin Mulvey are all in camp, i have no problem with bringing on an inexpensive, limited-commitment veteran to round out the competition……

In seven appearances at Citizen’s Bank Park for the Phillies last season, the 37–year-old Lieber had a 5.26 ERA, compared to a 4.19 ERA while pitching seven times on the road.

He missed the final 13 weeks of last season after having a ruptured tendon surgically repaired in his left foot.

According to previous reports, the Royals, Astros and Reds have all expressed interest at various times during this off-season.

In a recent post to Athletics Nation, Nico writes the following about Blanton…

“It’s difficult to say exactly how good Joe Blanton is….He has never missed a start, he rolls (literally) out of bed and gives you 200 IP, and the guy has won 42 games in 3 years…The consensus around the league is that Blanton’s best seasons are behind him, not ahead of him…Blanton’s weight has scared off teams that think it reflects either a lack of conditioning, or a poor work ethic, a risky tendency, etc., and they believe Blanton is not nearly as good a health risk in the future as he has been in the past…Yes, Bartolo Colon and David Wells made it work for years on an ample frame, but many others didn’t. If I saw Joe Blanton at the hardware store, it would be difficult to convince me that he was a top athlete who could make the strapping young All-American boy-wonder look foolish on a slow curve.”

…so, nico, you’re saying that he literally eats innings…sorry, i had to do it…it’s an obvious joke…

Last season for the A’s, Blanton was 14–10 with a 3.95 ERA through 34 starts, during which he allowed an average of just one walk per start.

He made at least 32 starts in each of the last three seasons.

He is eligible for salary arbitration this off-season, and the two after that, and is eligible for free agency after 2010.

…he’d be a nice fit, especially switching his game to the National League East…however, gomez, mulvey and heilman is a hefty price tag for a picther who, though he did well last season, had a 4.82 ERA in 2006…

In a recent chat for ESPN.com, Keith Law said the following when asked how the Mets should proceed, assuming Johan Santana and Erik Bedard are not an option…

“I think if they’re not getting either of those guys, they should skip the Joe Blantons of the world and roll the dice on Pelfrey and maybe Humber. You liked these guys enough to take them in the first round, and both did well in the minors. Pelfrey in particular still has #1-2 potential. Jerking these two guys up and down isn’t going to help the big club or enhance their trade value.”

…to me, if santana is not an option, and the Mets are confident heilman can be replaced, i would pull the trigger on that deal for blanton, because he, John Maine and Oliver Perez will make a solid, young foundation to build upon over the next few seasons, plus it means keeping pelfrey and humber…and, it is quite clear that the only way to acquire above-average starting pitching is to overpay in prospects…

…plus, though i’d be disappointed to not get santana, starting Pedro Martinez, blanton, maine, perez and, say, Bartolo Colon, would be a good-enough rotation – especially when compared to the rest of the division…

Lieber’s agent, as quoted by the Daily News…

“We’ve been in contact with the Mets, but as we sit here today it’d be wrong to suggest something is imminent.”

…as the report suggests, multiple reports during the last week or so have linked the Mets to lieber, Bartolo Colon, Freddie Garcia and Kyle Lohse…

…my sense is that colon leads the list…in fact, from what i can gather, the team has been monitoring him quite closely as he pitches in the Dominican Winter League…although, during the Winter Meetings, there was a lot of buzz connecting the Mets and garcia, who will not be major-league ready until mid-summer…

…if a deal for Joe Blanton or Johan Santana cannot be worked out, meaning Mike Pelfrey, Phil Humber and Kevin Mulvey are all in camp, i have no problem with bringing on a veteran to round out the competition…however, i’m totally against locking in a pitcher like lohse, who may be seeking as much as a four-year deal – whereas colon, garcia and lieber will likely sign for far less of a commitment…

…regarding lieber specifically, like i suggested a few weeks ago with free-agent Josh Towers, i believe he’d do well in Shea Stadium, since he induces a ton of weak pop-ups…

In seven appearances at Citizen’s Bank Park for the Phillies last season, the 37–year-old Lieber had a 5.26 ERA, compared to a 4.19 ERA while pitching seven times on the road.

He missed the final 13 weeks of last season after having a ruptured tendon surgically repaired in his left foot.

According to previous reports, the Royals, Astros and Reds have all expressed interest at various times during this off-season.