The 27–year-old Robertson was 0-1 with a 5.14 ERA in nine games with Arizona this past season.

Robertson is 29-13 with a 2.82 ERA in 217 career-minor league games, during which he struck out 382 batters in 305 innings.

According to Davidoff, the Mets will also ‘investigate’ free-agent set-up men LHP Joe Beimel, RHP Juan Cruz and RHP Chad Cordero.

The Rockies, Cardinals, Cubs and D’Backs have interest in Heilman, wrote Adam Rubin in the Daily News on Tuesday.

Davidoff adds the A’s, Rays and Rangers to the short-list of teams who could be interested in Heilman.

Speaking of a closer, today in the Daily News, Adam Rubin writes, “Brian Fuentes appears the clear-cut target while Francisco Rodriguez’s asking price appears to exceed the sum the Mets would find palatable.”

However, according to Joel Sherman in the New York Post, regarding the closer’s market, “Met officials departed the GM meetings confident that someone they like from the free-agent field will fall to them in this game of big-money musical chairs.”

…sherman makes an important point, in that the Brewers, Cardinals, D’Backs, Rockies, Indians and Tigers, and the Mets, are all in the market for a closer…

…however, most of those teams are unlikely to spend huge money on rodriguez or fuentes or wood, instead, they would prefer a more cost-effective option like trading for Bobby Jenks, Jose Valverde, J.J. Putz, Kevin Gregg or Huston Street…

…meaning, as sherman concludes, the Mets have a pretty clear advantage in the free-agent market…

…at any rate, i think it’s pretty clear Omar Minaya and Company are operating with a laser-like focus on upgrading the bullpen and rotation, while letting the offense sit tight for a while…

…from what i understand, schoeneweis was essentially in tears in the clubhouse after the game, and needed to be consoled by Aaron Heilman, then Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya, before getting it together to speak with reporters…

…the thing is, schoeneweis’s new-born baby was born premature and is still in the hospital, and so, coupled with yesterday’s game, i can only imagine what is running through that man’s head and heart…i just can’t imagine…i can’t…

Schoeneweis, speaking to reporters, with a blank look in his eyes, had the following to say after the game:

“This is nothing more I can say, other than I wish I could take it back.  That’s all I have to say, I have nothing else to say.  I’m still kind of in shock…again, there’s nothing else I can say.  I did my best, and it’s just one of those things.  I can’t describe it.  If I could take it back I would…There has got to be more important things in life, you know…I feel bad for everyone in this room, but, you know, I’ll live to play another day…That’s all I’ve got, that’s all I’ve got.”

…as a fan, i’m disappointed…

…however, as a person, i feel for him and pray that everything works out as he hopes…

In yesterday’s loss, Mike Pelfrey handed off a two-run lead to his team’s bullpen, but Brian Stokes let up one run in the seventh, after which Scott Schoeneweis, Joe Smith, Pedro Feliciano and Aaron Heilman combined to let up four runs in the eighth inning.

Schoeneweis, speaking to reporters after the game, said:

“There’s no explanation anymore.  I just don’t know what to say…I just don’t know what to say.

“We’re not consistently making big pitches at big times.  We do it one night, we don’t do it the next night.  There’s really nothing more to say or explain or philosophize about.  We’ve just got to get it done, somehow.”

David Wright, talking to reporters after the game, said:

“It was one of the games where you could feel, as the game went on, the momentum kind of slipped away.”

…in other words, eventually, they always know that the bullpen must enter the game…ugh…we feel you, david…

“If the season ended today, we’re going to the playoffs,” Joe Smith is quoted as saying in Newsday.

…that’s the problem, though, the season doesn’t end today…

For more on the team’s bullpen, check out Howard Megdal’s column in the New York Observer.

During SNY’s Pre-Game Show, Ron Darling noted how Manuel’s statement was most likely just a ‘shot across the bow,’ in that such a notion, i.e. using a starting pitcher to help clean up the bullpen’s mess, would be taken as an insult by the team’s relief pitchers, thus hopefully motivating them to do better.

Prior to yesterday’s game, and following Manuel’s statement, Scott Schoeneweis held a private meeting with his fellow relief pitchers to, ‘get some things out,’ as he described it to reporters.

Schoeneweis, on the meeting, said after the game:

“When Billy is not here, and even when he is here, I’m down there the majority of the game, and I feel responsible for what’s going on.  Being an older guy, being in these situations before in the past, I take it personally…I just thought that it was time and stuff needed to be said and I got some stuff off of my chest.  I talked to other guys in the bullpen and they were on the same page.  We, as a bullpen, tend to meet and talk and do things together, you know, several times a year…I thought was enough was enough, and today was a good day.”

Following the game, Manuel was straight-up asked if he was truly considering using Maine, Pelfrey or Perez in the bullpen, or was it simply a motivational tactic, to ‘light a fire beneath the bullpen,’ to which he responded”:

“Hmmm, I’m not trying to light any fires or anything like that…If a fire is lit, that’s cool with me.  I’m trying to be as honest as I possibly can with what needs to be done and what needs to happen in our bullpen.”

…manuel began his statement with a big grin, then got serious, suggesting, yes, it’s currently a motivational tactic, but it’s not totally out of the realm of possibilities…

Martinez, regarding the bullpen, while speaking to reporters following yesterday’s loss:

“With me, it’s OK.  Everybody out there was trying to reel in and win.  They never quit, and you have to give them credit.”

…i admire pedro’s view, but forgive me if i am unable to be so peaceful and loving today…

The Mets have 20 blown saves this season, which is fourth-worst in the National League.

The Phillies have blown just eight saves, best in the league.

…i’m officially sick…do you realize if the bullpen had blown just half of that number, the Mets would be in first place by eight games, and have the best record in the league…

…one more time, in case you missed it: if the bullpen had blown just half of that number, the Mets would be in first place by eight games, and have the best record in the league…

This season, while Billy Wagner has blown seven saves, Pedro Feliciano is 0 for 2 in save situations, Aaron Heilman is 2 for 4, Carlos Muniz is 0 for 1, Scott Schoenweiss is 1 for 4 and Joe Smith is 0 for 3.

What’s worse, During the 10–game winning streak in July, opponents hit .191 against the bullpen – but, in the 22 games since, opponents are batting .289.

Multiple reports continue to suggest that the A’s are open to trading RHP Huston Street, the Rockies will still consider offers for LHP Brian Fuentes, and the M’s may be soliciting requests for RHP J.J. Putz.

In the Chicago Sun-Times, Joe Crowley writes that the White Sox have targeted Street, “But one-on-one talks with the A’s apparently broke down over a lack of depth in the Sox’ farm system.”

Crowley adds, “According to a source outside the organization, Williams was talking to a handful of teams Wednesday afternoon in hopes of acquiring a back-end reliever in a three-way deal.”

…so, the market is so clogged, it may take a third team to simply return a ‘back-end’ reliever…

…jeez, it’s going to be one of those days, isn’t it…

Other relievers who are reportedly available include Braves LHP Will Ohman, M’s LHP Arthur Rhodes, Cubs LHP Scott Eyre, Royals LHP Ron Mahay, Pirates LHP John Grabow, Giants LHP, Jack Taschner and Jays RHP Scott Downs and Brian Tallet.

According to Cafardo, the Tigers could be interested in Schoeneweis.

…there had been an idea floating around that the Mets could trade shoney to the Tigers for an outfielder, than acquire one of the many relief pitchers on the market to fill in the bullpen…

…however, it just occurred to me, that by the Tigers acquiring RHP Kyle Farnsworth from the Yankees for Ivan Rodriguez, they must no longer be seeking a relief pitcher, like schoeneweis…

That said, according to a recent post from Dan Graziano at the Star-Ledger, the Yankees, Tigers, Rangers and Rays have all talked to the Mets about Schoeneweis.

…so, i guess the above model, which includes the Mets getting an outfielder, could still be in play…

However, Stark points out that several other left-handed relief pitchers are available, including M’s LHP Arthur Rhodes, Cubs LHP Scott Eyre and O’s LHP George Sherrill.

According to Stark, the O’s are seeking a ‘highly regarded shortstop prospect’ in exchange for Sherrill, such as Erick Aybar, Maicer Izturis or Jason Donald, “But neither the Angels nor Phillies seem compelled to ‘overwhelm’ the Orioles or anybody else in the next few days.”

…the Rays, Mets, Cardinals, Angels, Red Sox, Tigers, Yankees, Marlins, D’Backs and Phillies have all been linked in rumor to a variety of relief pitchers in the day’s prior to the Trade Deadline…

Speaking of left-handed relief pitchers, according to Nick Cafardo in a report for the Boston Globe, citing a team official, the Mets would be willing to part with LHP Scott Schoeneweis if they could obtain an outfielder.

On Sunday, in a post to Baseball Prospectus, John Perrotto wrote that the Mets have made trade proposals for A’s RHP Huston Street, while also checking in on Rhodes and Rangers LHP Eddie Guardado.

Additionally, the Mets have also expressed interest in Jays LHP Brian Tallet and Giants LHP Jack Taschner, according to Dan Graziano in a recent report for the Star-Ledger.

In a new post from Graziano, here, citing an NL official familiar with the Mets plans, he writes that the Mets have also explored trading Scott Schoeneweis and Aaron Heilman, most likely for an outfielder, while acquiring new pitchers in an effort to ‘overhaul’ their bullpen.

Cafardo, who provides a ton of information regarding the trade market, believes the Tigers could be interested in Schoeneweis.

That said, the Tigers are looking for help in the bullpen, reports Jon Paul Morosi in the Detroit Free Press.

In a post to his blog during March for ESPN.com, Jayson Stark wrote: “The Mets love Marcus Thames, but they’re not going to trade Aaron Heilman for him.”

Thames, 31, is batting .250 against left-handed pitching and .269 against right-handed pitching, while hitting 20 HR and 43 RBI in 70 games for the Tigers this season, during which he has played left field, right field and first base.

…like SNY’s Ted Berg just said to me, ‘Thames is like Adam Dunn, but without the walks,’ which is a good point…

…my problem with thames, for all of his power, is that he is so inconsistent…his year-in and year-out stats are all over the road…he could hit 20 home runs in 60 days for the Mets, or hit five…neither would surprise me…

…personally, i just don’t think it would make sense to weaken the bullpen for a .260 hitter…unless, of course, the Mets can upgrade the bullpen, from schoeneweis, in a separate deal, and then get thames, who can play every day in right, allowing them to solidify their bench…

For what it’s worth, yesterday in a post to Baseball Prospectus, John Perrotto wrote that the Mets have made trade proposals for A’s RHP Huston Street and Rockies RHP Brian Fuentes, while also checking in on M’s LHP Arthur Rhodes and Rangers LHP Eddie Guardado.

Additionally, the Mets have also expressed interest in Jays LHP Brian Tallet and Giants LHP Jack Taschner, according to Dan Graziano in a recent report for the Star-Ledger.

…hmm, so maybe the play is to trade for a guy like tallet or tashner, and then trade show for an outfielder, like thames…

…i’m always skeptical of these ‘moving parts’ type rumors, but who knows…