31
2010
Mets Tried To Dump Ollie and Castillo Off On The Cubs
An article by 
Update 11:45 AM
Ken Rosenthal and Jon Heyman reported that the Mets were trying to push Oliver Perez andLuis Castillo to the Cubs for problematic RHP Carlos Zambrano.
They were rejected.
That’s like trying to push the Swine Flu on somebody…
Where do the Mets come off trying to trade two players who are not worthy of a Major League roster spot, and are still owed $20 million, in exchange for a pitcher with 108-74 career record and a 3.58 ERA, who just turned 29 years old?
Really? You expected the Cubs to say yes?
Don’t ask other teams to pay for your own damned mistakes. Man up for crying out loud!
If you don’t want them, then release them already and do all of us a favor. It’s no coincidence the team hit the skids as soon as they came back.
Update 10:00 AM
Jon Heyman of SI.com tweets that the Astros asked the Mets for Josh Thole and Bobby Parnell for RHP Brett Myers. Of course, the Mets rejected the offer. As Heyman notes, that’s a steep price.
* * * * *
The defending World Champion Yankees, already own the best record in baseball, and already had $203 million dollars in payroll commitments this season. But that didn’t stop them from going after Lance Berkman from the Houston Astros and Austin Kearns from the Cleveland Indians to bolster their depth and bench for the bargain rate of $13 million bucks, and that’s after you deduct the $4 million the Astros kicked back in the deal. That now puts their payroll at around $216 million, about $150 million dollars more than the second place Rays who are one game behind them. Incidentally, the Yankees gave up two non-prospects for Berkman, and a PTBNL for Kearns, but word has it they will simply give the Indians cash considerations instead.
As for the other 29 “normal” teams in baseball, here is what has happened so far leading up to today’s 4:00 PM trade deadline, along with some of the more serious rumors.
The Rays, who currently lead the Wild Card race, acquired veteran Diamondbacks reliever Chad Qualls for a player to be named later. Qualls has an 8.29 ERA 38 innings pitched this season, and the Rays are hoping the change will help him find his former self when he was the D’Backs’ closer.
The Twins are making a strong push for the Astros’ Brett Myers, despite rumblings that the Stros would prefer to keep him and his very reasonable contract for next season. The Mets were interested or are interested, but lets just say that nobody believes they will make any deal for players who have more than a million dollars left on their contract. That rules out 99.9% of available players, so do the math.
The Twins also obtained the sought after reliever Matt Capps and $500K from the Nationals for left-hander Joe Testa and highly touted catching prospect Wilson Ramos.
The Rangers acquired infielder Cristian Guzman and $2MM cash from the Nationals for a couple of prospects. The Nats have been trying to unload Guzman for a couple of years, something that the Mets have also been trying and failing to do with Luis Castillo who makes $2MM a year less than Guzman annually. However, in the Mets defense, Guzman still has knees.
The White Sox landed the slumping but promising Edwin Jackson from the D’Backs for two prospects. However, many reports are circulating that Jackson could be flipped to the Nationals for first baseman Adam Dunn. Jackson has had a rough go of it this year after a breakout season in 2009, while Dunn is having his typical great season with a .926 OPS, 24 home runs and 64 RBI.
Out on the west coast, the Padres made a deal with the Orioles that will net them former MVP Miguel Tejada and a little cash in exchange for minor league pitcher and their #7 ranked prospect, Wynn Pelzer. Tejada will slide right into the lineup and hit behind Adrian Gonzalez, who will not be traded as many of the so-called experts predicted.
Deep in the heart of Texas, the first place Rangers have been uber-busy making in-season trades to make one big push in the final lap. Last night, they acquired infielder Jorge Cantu from the Florida Marlins for a couple of AA pitching prospects.
We’ll be keeping you updated with any major happenings between now and 4:00 PM, but we will also try to stay away from the gazillion or so rumors, tweets and whispers between now and then.
In the meantime, feel free to weigh in with your own thoughts and opinions on this open thread as we wind down to the end of the deadline.
To get things started, can you please tell me how you feel about the Mets’ lack of moves leading into today. A few weeks ago I asked if the Mets were buyers or sellers, but here we are on July 31st, and we still don’t know what they are. I find it kind of strange and bewildering. Where do we stand right now? Or maybe more importantly, where are we going?
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
Went to my first Mets game, a Mayors Trophy game at Shea, in '73. We beat the Yankees 8-4 and I was hooked. I marched in two Banner Day parades, and before the Grand Slam single, there was the "Hendu Can Do" grand slam - I was there. I've collected Mets memorabilia all my life and started Mets Merized Online to feed my addiction.
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The Braves and Phillies are buyers. The Marlins and Nationals are sellers. And the Mets are the laughing stock of baseball! What a disgrace!!!
You would give up Parnell and Thole for Meyers?
This is just another example of the Mets needing certain types of players and not going after them.They want the fans to think that there in the market for said players, but nothing happens. They needed a starting pitcher before the season started and did nothing!! How can they expect fans to want to go to the ballpark and spend money to watch a poorly coached underachieving team….I can’t watch them on TV!
The players that were out there were for quick fixes which is NOT what the Mets need. They don’t need a older player that might put them over the top because they are not ready to compete.They should be sellers not buyers. One older, whose contract is up after the season is exactly NOT whst the Mets need to give up young talent for…The Mets being cheap actually worked out well for them this time…..Now if you want to bring in younger free agents during the off season, I am all for that….
Disgrace? So you would give up Parnell and Thole for Myers? Thole for Lilly? Niese for Lee or Oswalt? How does this make the team better overall?
Weel sais Mr. Maxx…..I don’t know how fans and this site can think that the Mets are buyers……LOL ….What a joke!!!!!!!! The Mets ARE the worst run team in professional sports and will be just that until we get rid of the Wilpons!!!!
That was supposed to say Well said…….
Omar doesnt want to use up this months anytime minutes.
it’s the weekend. Doesn’t Omar’s plan give him free calls?????
touche..lol
How much longer are the Yankees going to outspend every team in baseball? It’s outrageous. They throw obscene amounts of money for part time players having below average seasons? What other team operates that way? They are out of control. Baseball is not a sports, it’s just a really bad reality tv show. Sports is supposed to be about competition on a level playing field. The Yankees have ruined baseball, NOT saved it like we keep hearing.
They play by the rules, I am not saying the rules are right, but why not play by them. I wish that the Mets owners would want to win, instead of putting every dollar in their pocket!!!!!!
I believe in a salary cap for baseball, just like basketball, football & hockey. It levels the playing field, restores parity and competition and promotes fiscal responsibility.
Having stated that position, I do think that the salary cap should be set reasonably high, so as not to eliminate the benefits of free enterprise entirely.
But you really can’t blame the Yankees. They are playing by the rules, and can outspend their mistakes notwithstanding. The Mets, on the other hand, are cutting their nose to spite their face, when they allow roster spots to be consumed by overpaid, sub-par ballplayers merely because of the value of their contracts. That’s flat out poor business that hurts the parent club, ties the managers hands and stifles player development in failing to promote younger players more worthy of a place on the team.
the Astros asked the Mets for Bobby Parnell and Josh Thole and it was turned down. Rightly so.
For Brett Myers I mean
We were giving up a catcher with 3-4 homerun potential who is bad defensively, and a middle reliever who is a failed starter for a solid starter who is reasonably priced for 2011 at $6mm. Myers is an upgrade over Pelfrey and Niese. Thole is a career backup, and Parnell is a dime dozen middle reliever.
No way we make that deal…….You must be under the illusion that we are contenders that is one player away…..Even if they were Jerry would not know what to do with them……..I can’t believe that there are people on here that think that we have a shot!!!!
I can only wish for that!!!!!
The Mets should be selling, not buying. Don’t trade away the future, for a guy that you are still going to finish in last place with…..The Mets are not that one player away from competing!!!!!!
The Mets offered the Cubs Oliver Perez & Luis Castillo for Carlos Zambrano. Cubs turned it down – they didn’t want Castillo.
If there is a swap that brings Zambrano here and gets Ollie P out of town, Mets fans who are in favor of that better remember that if/when Zambrano either bombs or gets out of control. Zambrano has a no trade clause and a longer contract than both Luis & Ollie P… so if it does NOT work, a greater problem is created
I don’t like the idea of it but at this point I say why not just give it a try. I’m thinking more about 2011, and if Z can spend time with guys like Santana and get his head straight he could be a nice addition next yr
That deal is 100& dead now. Mets are better off releasing Perez at the end of the year over owning Zambrano’s contract anyway.
What’s silly is that the Mets were willing to take on a pitcher that has a heavy contract, lost his fastball and is crazier than a mad woman’s breakfast rather than simply releasing Castillo & Perez outright.
Just stooooopid.
What harm would there be in releasing Castillo & Perez, starting Cora during the interim and promoting Pat Misch & Reese Havens when he recovers from his oblique strain?
Mets turn down Pirates for a Octavio Dotel deal. Pirates wanted class-A pitcher Robert Carson. Mets like Carson and said no.
Dave, Mets like everybody it seem, lol. Cohoon, Holt, Familia, now Carson. We lead the league in untouchables.
Eliot Ness has nothing on our untouchables apparently lol
I mean seriously, why don’t the Mets hang a sign that reads “Closed For Business”. If they are going to reject every offer and protect every single minor leaguer mentioned, just have your phoneline disconnected so other teams dont have to waste their time trying to make the Mets offers.
The Cubs and Jays wanted Thole for Lilly and Downs respectively but the Mets say no. I am not going to hold my breath on any Mets trade today.
Perez for Zambrano straight up?! Hell yeah!
Cuhs shot it down.
Joe – The Mets are never going to be serious about any changes until this issue is resolved.
“Wife of former employee sues Mets owner, claiming 401(k) was wiped out after investment with Madoff – NYPOST.com”
Headlines like this have been in the press ever since Madoff was hauled away in handcuffs and apparently the whole Wilpon family was involved in his ponzi scheme. However, Fred Wilpon and his family, including Jeff, will not discuss any issue of Mets finances. The last time they did, was on Mike Francesa’s show a bit over a year ago, when Jeffy promised Mike that the team would get back into improving the team. That must have been a lie, for it has not happened.
I know it must be difficult for the Wilpon family to admit that they were ‘had’, but they were and the cover up is worse than the crime so to speak. If Fred would only come out in a real press conference and discuss the real state of Mets finance, he might find some peace.
Until then, the chaos and confusion over the state of the Mets and the empty promises will continue.
Dissapointing. That’s the best term to describe the mets. They treat each prospect as if they were the second coming of Darryl and Doc. Carson for Dotel? they didn’t do that deal? Ridiculous…If they did that deal and the Mets collapse in August, they’d still have until August 31st to flip him for a decent prospect. Wake up Omar!
Josh Thole? I am wrong in thinking of Josh Thole in his prime being s Jason Kendall?
Bobby Parnell I can see; throws hard, nice clean delivery. Develops into a good set-up type guy. But Thole?
What’s the attraction there? I’m not seeing it?
What’s this fascination that Met scouts have with poor defensive players with marginal offensive power production? Thole? Murphy?
It’s bizzare! Lets just say for arguments sake that everyhting worked out. Right now Daniel Murphy would be playing 1st base and Josh tHole catching. Get My point? There is no way that the Mets could have wanted Murphy and THole to play long term for them! Ike Davis was always the choice long term for 1st base. He had to be! So why all the nonscence last year Omar saying< "Daniel Murphy is our 1st baseman" I remember hearing,
"We are committed to Daniel Murphy…" Its astounding to me! Why all the hush-hush top secret nonsense regarding long term plans?
Knowing that Ike Davis was a year or two away The Mets could have easily included Murphy last year in a trade to address pitching concerns. Right? ANd now I get the feeling the Mets are doing the same thing with Thole. Why? It makes no sense? Or am I missing something?
I’m stunned that Thole’s no longer hitting .500.
After all, he chokes up on the bat, and learned to hit baseballs in a barn in Illinois!
Part of the problem is where the Mets are in the standings. They are close enough that a turnaround is possible but far enough out to make it a long shot. So giving up prospects for a rental like Lilly or Myers can be called somewhat questionable. If they were 2-3 games out in the wild card of 3-4 games in the division I could see Omar dealing Thole and maybe another decent prospect. Obviously there is considerable debate in the front office as to whether or not a deadline trade will even help at this point. And besides that, the Mets problem the last 4 weeks has been offense and another pitcher, be it a starter or reliever, isn’t going to address that. IMO, this team HAS the talent to turn the season around, but it’s going to be up to the players we have now to make it happen.
Why do they have to be one or the other?
Their best solution for next year is to stand pat right now.
If they’re sellers, then next year they’ll be even worse than this year. It makes even less sense for them to be buyers; the trip to the west coast ended that.
The team should entertain offers and take any good ones, buying or selling.
The trade deadline is just about here and while I would love to have obtained a quality starter, do I want to see the team get fleeced in a deal like the Astros wanted to make. would Brett Myers be worth losing Bobby Parnell and Josh Thole, no friggin way!
Sure we would love to have gotten a good pitcher but Omar is not going to give away our blue chip minor leaguers. Unfortunately, nobody wants a Nick Evans or a MIke Jacobs or a Daniel Murphy to give up a big time pitcher.
We are a solid team at the corners, at first and in the outfield. Thole looks like our future catcher. When we solve the starting pitcher problem we will be ready to compete for real
I am thinking that the team will wait and try the next free agent market looking towards next season.
Alan do you really like Thole that much as a long term starting catcher?
I’m not understanding by calling the Yankees an “abnormal” team and the other 29 “normal” It is wrong to be good and spend the money you get from being the best team in baseball? People don’t like the Yankees because they are jealous and wish they could be good like them, but there is nothing attractive about losing, which is why less people go to see a losing team than go see a winning team. So get over it. The Mets have that money and they are awful at spending it.
It’s not that Thole will be a star at catcher but he is the only one on the roster right now that can hit and if you just want to play out the season with Blanco and Barrajas not hitting and having that hole in the lineup then go ahead and give up on the season.
Same thing with Parnell, he has looked this year, better than last year and he throws hard, something no one in Mets BP can do.
If you want to dump these guys to get a pitcher that might help while making the BP and catching worse then go for it.
Thole and Parnell are not stars but they are good players and even if Mets don’t make playoffs you want to have your best position players playing and trying to finish the season over .500 and playing hard for the team and the fans.
Joe D THE mets are neither buyers or sellers they are nowhere.That is where they want to be. The team was never serious about picking up any players I have been saying this for months.Every year they act like they will make improvements at the deadline and never do.You would figure on %’s they would fall into a move somewhere.Several days ago they started floating , in the Daily News their TV partners,that they feel there will be deals in August!Minaya talks this crap every year and every year we are in the position of watching other teams”go for it”.
Being fleeced by Uncle Bernie has long term effects. You’ll have to deal with it for at least until 2012 (if not longer). When the heavy 2011 obligations end, we may know.
Just as Uncle Bernie played a confidence game with the Wilpons, they are now doing the same with the fans. We are the mark and the Wilpons are the tricksters. The shills in New York’s mass media are enabling this hoax.
HERE, HERE FINALLY YOU HAVE SPOKEN IN UNISON WITH THE BABY.I CAN CLOSE THE KEYBOARD FOR THE REST OF THE DAY!Before I do one little question how come when the team was in dire need of a player at the previous trading deadline of say 08 we were fed the same pablum?(with a side dish of luis ayala if thats how you spell that guys name).You remember the same 08 Minaya was given an x tension as we(Mets) were floating upside down like a fish in a pond.I will say this u have hit every point I made with fewer words & deadly accuracy.Finally, the media part was true & the perfect touch.
I’m not sure speaking in unison with baby al is the highlight of my life. But today is a slow day so it will have to do. On this issue you’re not radioactive and you are spot on!!!
This recent trading opportunity before the deadline is damning. The Wilpons are playing us and hiding behind false media messages. You’re right for once baby al. Now about all those other times . . ..
Olli Perez will not agree to another minor league assignment. He is not likely to be traded. We are stuck with him.
If I can chime in your Oliver Perez situation, your strategy seems to be that of a very small market team. Even mid market teams like the Tigers have released players making more than what you owe Perez. Also, it seems as though your saying the teams morale has slipped since his return, and if that is the case, it’s even further puzzling why he is allowed to remain on your roster. Actions like these tend to have very negative aftershocks and side effects that can be seen in a teams performance.
DUHHHHHHHHHHH!
Ollie/Castillo for Zambrano would have been a terrible move for the Mets. Zambrano’s contract is worse than theirs, and if he was still an ace, he wouldn’t have been suspended/benched earlier.
Out of the three rumored trades, the Carson for Dotel one is the only one I would have done.
The Cubs will get DeWitt and two minor league pitchers for Lilly, Theriot, and $2.5MM, who go to the Dodgers
Dotel still on the market. Myers will not be traded.
Mets have a better shot at bringing in a high profile manager this off-season like Torre, Bobby V or Sweet Lou, more likely Torre, then bringing a big player, the manager would cost less money. A lot of this team will be the same next season, that Big Z for Castillo and OP is more likely an off-season deal if it happens. But otherwise, Thole probably catches, davis at 1b, castillo at 2b barring Biz deal, reyes at SS, Wright at 3b, Bay in LF, Beltran in CF, Pagan in RF, Santana, Neise and Pelfrey are locks for SP.
Who the fk is robert carson? In the meantime we have raul valdez in our bullpen. Sounds to me the mets simply don’t wanna take on any money. They were teasin the fans to fill seats. Now well get the we tried but didn’t find a deal that was worth making. Same sht different year
I agree with bossandbenjii76 Joe Torre would fill seats at citi field. Met fans are smart and would respect Torre as the leader. Manuel will never be loved by fans no matter what. Still NO trades for mets. Maybe they do have serious financial troubles as some have reported. If the Mets would have added a few quality players weeks ago they probably would have been no more than 4 games out and in striking distance with games against Atlanta and the phillies next week. If the Mets dont win the next two those will just be the nail in the season coffin now!
Spare us the Joe Torre talk – anyone can look smart when you have the highest payroll in baseball – Steinbrenner used to ‘Torre-Proof’ the Yankees by getting the best possible player at every position.
He’s not a good manager between the white lines.
Don’t believe me? Just think Willie Randolph.
QUESTION to the folks on this thread- Does anyone feel that a few GM’s called the Mets and offered some young farm talent for R.A Dickey. Dickey could really help a contending club down the stetch as he has pitched great. I have to believe there were inquires. Not that I would trade him but he really would have value for some teams.
Chuck, nah I don’t think Dickey is on anybody’s radar.
Wow the Cubs turned down the Mets for Zambrano? I’m willing to bet that the Mets wanted the Cubs to pay most of the remaining money left on Zambrano’s contract, not that they didn’t want Castillo.
Another thing, what the hell is with all these “untouchables”? They really need to quit with this mentality. Like I said before, Flores is the only hyped Mets prospect to me that’s “untouchable”.
Dotel to L.a.