He probably could have, but being the pure baseball man that he is, Minaya served the club well by not forcing something to get a useful big league player in. Like it or not, the Mets realize that they will not be in the playoffs this season and kept thier chips.

My whole problem with Omar and the Wilpons is that they did not know just how cancerous Tony Bernazard was. Sadly the only way that the Wilpons can demonstrate it is to let Minaya go at the end of the year. As both Omar and Jeff Wilpon served as Bernazard’s enabler, the club’s future direction is in doubt as long as Minaya remains and Jeff Wilpon doesn’t further answer for Bernazard.

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…again. He’s on the DL with a torn tendon near his ankle. Absolutely fascinating deal. No one’s sure when he will be able to pitch again.

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4:25: Jason Stark said Halladay was not dealt. Neither was Heath Bell.
The Mets did nothing. Some of the teams the Mets will compete against improved at the deadline like the Rockies, Giants, Braves and Marlins. If the Mets do not improve in the standings over the next week to 10 days I’d expect them to start moving veterans through the waiver wire like Livan Hernandez, Jeremy Reed, Brian Schneider, Oliver Perez, and Fernando Tatis. Maybe you could include in that list Carlos Delgado and Brian Stokes. Maybe not Delgado as he could be a Type B free agent and the Mets could get a much needed extra pick in June.

4:04: Jayson Stark says that Halladay may be going to the Angels in a package that includes Joe Saunders.

4:00 Fox Sports reports the Marlins acquired Nick Johnson from the Nats.

3:56: LaRoche went for Casey Kotchman. Why Boston wants Kotchman is beyond me. I can see the Braves wanting LaRoche’s power over Kotchman.

3:41: MLBTV reports that Scott Rolen has been traded to the Reds. Their commentators are somewhat puzzled as well. They think its because Walt Jockety knows him well from his days with the Cardinals.

3:32: Victor Martinez is now with the Boston Red Sox. Jon Heyman confimrs on MLBTV. Buchholz and Bard are not in the deal

3:30: Rockies get Joe Beimel from Nats H/T MLBTradeRumors

3:27: Yankees get 3B Jerry Hairston from Reds….so the Reds are trying to move players. According to ESPN

3:24: LaRoche to Braves. H/T Metsblog

319: Marlins end attempts to acquire Nick Johnson and Heath Bell.

310: Tim Kirkjian says he’s somewhat surprised that the Yankees haven’t been active and they both say that its surprising that someone just didn’t go get Roy Halladay. For some clubs it would make the World Series a sure thing.

305: Why haven’t we heard anything about the Reds in awhile? They talked about getting Scott Rolen, but that never made any sense. I thought they’d be sellers….Bronson Arroyo for instance.

304: Maybe its LaRoche to the Braves instead.

3oo: One hour to go. Im watching MLB TV and they report that Ken Rosenthal says that the Padres and Dodgers are talking about Adrian Gonzalez and Heath Bell going to the Dodgers in a package including James Loney.

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From Tim Dierkes’ MLB Trade Rumors

UPDATE: Jayson Stark thinks a 3rd team could be involved to get rid of Adam LaRoche

UPDATE: Fox says that neither Clay Buchholz or Daniel Bard is in the deal. Martinez has a relatively low salary, so Cleveland really doesn’t need to move him. Why the Indians would do it without getting a pitching stud back is beyond me.

UPDATE: A report has the Mets getting Adam LaRoche as part of the Martinez deal. This makes no sense. I would just as soon let Daniel Murphy play everyday at 1st and letting him develop until Delgado gets back. There’d better be more as this will be a major ho-hum for fans.

UPDATE: Clearly I have a “dope” moment when I inferred the deal is done in my headline…it’s obviously not

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Nobody has made any comment as to whether or not the Wilpons have told Minaya he cannot add payroll. If the Mets do not deal today, this may have been what happened. But while its exciting to think of the potential of a trade, the Mets best path is to patiently await the return of their injured players.

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I was glad to see Fred Wilpon at the ballpark yesterday having a sitdown with Omar Minaya. I hope that he and his son read a Human Resources report which documented numerous incidents involving Tony Bernazard and that they realize that they have to do some serious damage control throughout the organization.

I’m not sure if I necessarily agree the negative reports which indicate there is a lack of talent in the system. But the extremely poor showing of the AA and AAA clubs is astonishing and speaks more to a culture of dysfunction. To have successful clubs at these levels isn’t entirely dependent on having alot of prospects. Clubs win championships here because they have winning players many of whom never will put on a major league uniform.

Every organization knows they need this core group of players and they are both appreciated and treated with the same respect as are prospects. It seems that under Tony Bernazard players like these were likely to have been treated contemptuously.

That’s why the Wilpons need to make sure they take a road trip around the organization to reaffirm their appreciation for everything everybody does. They should emphasize new leadership and direction. This simple gesture will create positive energy and will go a long, long way.

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I know the Tigers needed a starter and got one in Washburn. He should do well in that big ballpark.
I still wonder what the Mariners are doing though by getting Jack Wilson and Ian Snell. They had to give up significant prospects for the two.

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This is good news and the best of scenarios for Maine. As the country’s foremost authority on throwing shoulders has seconded Dr. David Alchek, it will serve to take a load off Maine’s mind. His return is likely to be quickened as a result. How the Mets will use him is another story. It will be interesting to see if the Mets feel that he will be able to sustain his strength for a return to the rotation.

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Mike Silva has more in his excellent NY Baseball Digest.

For what it’s worth, I wouldn’t be surprised if Clint Hurdle doesn’t try to get Wally if he gets another managing job.

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I hope not. But if so, why?

Will Carroll has always marketed himself as an expert in this field, yet I remain puzzled as to why. First, what are his credentials? Second, what access does he have to the records and the physicians that actually see the athletes?

Unless Carroll speaks directly to Ray Ramirez or Dr. David Alcheck, he knows nothing more than what the rest of us are told in media reports about Beltran’s knee. Does he speak with second opinion sources like Dr. Jim Andrews? Maybe.

He is correct in one instance that he refers to the Beltran injury as a microfracture – likely on the tibial plateau. The Mets like to downplay stuff to the level of immaturity and set themselves up for ridicule by informed folks like Carroll.

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