According to the New York Post, Mets GM Omar Minaya is seeking Jose Contreras as he attempts to upgrade his rotation.

Unless the White Sox would have some interest in Cliff Floyd (Scott Podsednik would have to move to center), we doubt a Contreras trade would work. The Mets can't give up Lastings Milledge for one year of Contreras, and they don't have much else with which to tempt Ken Williams.

Source:  New York Post

http://www.nypost.com/sports/mets/62295.htm

The rotation name who will be most associated with the Mets, and any contender eyeing elite rotation help, is Oakland's Barry Zito. But Minaya likes Jose Contreras, as well, and don't discount the possibility of Minaya working to pry Contreras from the White Sox.

 

For now, Oakland GM Billy Beane is telling suitors he is not interested in dealing Zito. But Zito is a free agent after the season, the A's are unlikely to be able to retain him, and Beane has shown a willingness to unload key players during the season even while his team is in contention.

 

Like Zito, Contreras is entering his walk year and plays for a GM, Kenny Williams, with as much of a wheeler-dealer gene as Beane or Minaya. The White Sox recently traded for Javier Vazquez (whom Minaya tried to obtain, as well) and re-signed potential free agent Jon Garland long-term. Mark Buehrle and Freddy Garcia also are locked up through next year. The quartet of Garland, Vazquez, Buehrle and Garcia are due $40 million in 2007, so the White Sox may not be budgeted to add at least another $10 million for Contreras, especially because they have a ready-now piece, well-regarded prospect Brandon McCarthy.

 

The Mets would be positioned to reverse the Yankees' trend of obtaining players with crosstown pedigree. Contreras stumbled for the Yanks before being dealt to the White Sox at the 2004 trade deadline. Last year, with his family having grown comfortable after defecting from Cuba, and with countryman and pal Orlando Hernandez on the same staff, Contreras went 11-2 with a 2.96 ERA in the second half. He then answered questions about withstanding pressure by going 3-1 with a 3.09 ERA in the postseason as the White Sox won it all.

 

The White Sox's needs should clarify during the season. But to obtain any top starter, the Mets very well may have to sacrifice No. 1 farmhand Lastings Milledge or combine prospects with a player such as Chicago native Cliff Floyd, who also is entering his walk year.

Lastings Milledge... *drools*

http://www.nypost.com/sports/mets/62295.htm

Lastings Milledge...  *drools*

Oh man if you can get Milledge for Contreras, KW please you go ahead and make that deal. And I'd wouldn't rule it out at all. Minaya did give up Gabi Hernandez for Paul LoDuca (when he could of just signed Bengie Molina).

 

Here are Milledge's minor league splits for 2005 FWIW;

 

High A - .302/.385/.418

AA - .337/.392/.487

Oh man if you can get Milledge for Contreras, KW please you go ahead and make that deal. And I'd wouldn't rule it out at all. Minaya did give up Gabi Hernandez for Paul LoDuca (when he could of just signed Bengie Molina).

 

Here are Milledge's minor league splits for 2005 FWIW;

 

High A - .302/.385/.418

AA - .337/.392/.487

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He would make a great #2 hitter. The Sox could send Milledge to AAA for 2006, move Anderson to RF when Dye is gone, and put Milledge in CF. A future outfield of Anderson, Milledge, and Sweeney, with Owens as a fourth outfielder could be pretty impressive and I would give up one year of Contreras to see it happen. I'm not positive that the Mets would though but they don't seem to have much of a problem trading prospects.

Edited January 26, 200620 yr by SSH2005

Milledge for Contreras doesn't help the White Sox in 2006, plus remember KW saying he wants pitching back if he deals Contreras.

Milledge for Contreras doesn't help the White Sox in 2006, plus remember KW saying he wants pitching back if he deals Contreras.

That's unfortunately probably the sad reality. Which personally I don't think is the right strategy.

 

We could only have JC for 1 more season. Milledge could be a superstar on this team for 10+. Sometimes you have to look at more then just the present season.

 

EDIT: It's kind of like the Coco Crisp for Andy Marte trade. A little short - term pain, for a gain in the long - term that should outweigh it.

That's unfortunately probably the sad reality. Which personally I don't think is the right strategy.

 

We could only have JC for 1 more season. Milledge could be a superstar on this team for 10+. Sometimes you have to look at more then just the present season.

 

EDIT: It's kind of like the Coco Crisp for Andy Marte trade. A little short - term pain, for a gain in the long - term that should outweigh it.

Milledge may or may not be a star. His numbers thus far are no better than Jeremy Reed's before he was dealt to Seattle with a couple of others for what could have been 3 months of Freddie Garcia. It appears a lot of people have already written off Reed as a potential star. I still think he's going to be a very good hitter, and he plays surprisingly exceptional defense. Contreras showed last season that he's a #1 pitcher. You don't give those guys up for prospects when you are in position to win the WS. The White Sox are in a different position than they have been in the past. The have a legitimate shot of winning it all again, and there is no guarantee Contreras is gone after this season anyway.

Milledge may or may not be a star. His numbers thus far are no better than Jeremy Reed's before he was dealt to Seattle with a couple of others for what could have been 3 months of Freddie Garcia. It appears a lot of people have already written off Reed as a potential star. I still think he's going to be a very good hitter, and he plays surprisingly exceptional defense. Contreras showed last season that he's a #1 pitcher. You don't give those guys up for prospects when you are in position to win the WS. The White Sox are in a different position than they have been in the past. The have a legitimate shot of winning it all again, and there is no guarantee Contreras is gone after this season anyway.

 

Exactly.

Maybe we can get Royce Ring back?

 

I just don't think the Mets have what we want. I wouldn't think we would want Floyd, but Milledge + their highest rated minor league pitcher might be something to think about...if they have one left after all of Minaya's dealing.

David Wright for Crede and Contreras?

This deal makes sense for McCarthy's situation. But we dont need Floyd. I like that Milledge kid but to agree with Dick Allen, this doesn't help us in 2006. KW plans for the 'now'. And right now KW wants security in the pitching department. McCarthy will be in the bulpen, like it or not. Contreras is an 'Ox'. I hate to see him leave.

http://www.nypost.com/sports/mets/62295.htm

Lastings Milledge...  *drools*

wow.

Lastings..

 

If we could get him, I would get over losing Chris Young.

You know...the Mets might be one of the only teams out there that I wouldn't mind dealing with at the trading deadline if it came to that. We wouldn't have to play them unless we got to the W.S., they may very well need pitching, and they've shown a tendency to overpay for trading deadline deals in the past.

i would not mind trading contreras for milledge but as long as we get a good pitching prospect with him.

Duaner Sanchez and Lastings....

Aaron Heilman + Milledge. Plug McCarthy into the rotation and put Heilman in the pen.

They'd be weary of trading Milledge straight up for Contreras, I doubt they'd throw in a good young pitcher along with him

 

. . . of course it is the Mets, so you never know.

They'd be weary of trading Milledge straight up for Contreras, I doubt they'd throw in a good young pitcher along with him

 

. . . of course it is the Mets, so you never know.

 

I don't think either team would do that deal straight up.

Lastings..

 

If we could get him, I would get over losing Chris Young.

 

According to Phil Rogers, Anderson Gomes will cure your Chris Young blues.

For Contreras, we would be lucky to get Milledge straight up much less more. With that said, I think I just let him play out the season and let him walk at the end of it. He's one of your horses and has proven he could pitch down the stretch. I don't know if I would do this deal. Part of me says yes, but the other half tells me that Jose is still a huge part of the equation for winning the WS this upcoming season.

Minaya is like Kenny in that they will pull the trigger to get players they want regardless of the amount of prospects. To get Freddy for half a season (and of course the ability to sign him long-term), we gave up our #1 prospect in Reed, our platoon catcher and "star of the future" in Olivo along with another solid prospect in Morse. Now for a full season of Contreras (with perhaps the ability to sign him long-term...just need money, which Mets have), we might get more than Milledge. Granted Milledge is even more highly touted than Reed but we should be able to get some pitching out of it too.

For Contreras, we would be lucky to get Milledge straight up much less more. With that said, I think I just let him play out the season and let him walk at the end of it. He's one of your horses and has proven he could pitch down the stretch. I don't know if I would do this deal. Part of me says yes, but the other half tells me that Jose is still a huge part of the equation for winning the WS this upcoming season.

We definitely need Jose, but if we lose him for some spects we do have Bmac ready to step in and fill the role which is nice and helps our minor league system a bit and for the future.

 

Win win situation imo

Just curious, why does everyone here love Lastings Milledge so much? He Ks way too much, doesn't walk very much, and doesn't hit for power. He hardly looks like a player I'd want to trade an ace caliber starter away for.

Just curious, why does everyone here love Lastings Milledge so much? He Ks way too much, doesn't walk very much, and doesn't hit for power. He hardly looks like a player I'd want to trade an ace caliber starter away for.

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Milledge DOES hit for power. He had a .487 SLG last season in AA and owns a .485 career SLG in the minors. The reason he is such a highly touted prospect is because he has 5 tool potential. Milledge can hit for AVG and get on base, hit for power, has a lot of speed, plays great defense in CF, and has a strong throwing arm. I'd take him over Brian Anderson in a second.

Edited January 26, 200620 yr by SSH2005

No thanks, I don't want to trade JC, period, especially for a spect, even one as good as Lastings.