The Mets have been linked to disgruntled Baltimore shortstop Miguel Tejada in numerous reports – a development that one team official refused to comment on last night.
But if the club regards its bullpen as a priority, there is at least one other trade the Mets could make immediately. Granted, they’d be showing the same disregard for money and/or prospects they showed in the Paul Lo Duca and Carlos Delgado deals, but they could swap righty Aaron Heilman for Tampa Bay closer Danys Baez if they wished.
However, Mets officials have continuously stated that Heilman is very unlikely to be moved this winter, a stance that has shifted almost 180 degrees over the last year.
Though Mets GM Omar Minaya talked with the Devil Rays repeatedly during last week’s winter meetings, he remains unwilling to move Heilman for Baez. The reluctance to trade the Mets’ 2001 first-round pick is worth reviewing.
Right now, other setup options include the erratic Julian Tavarez, 37-year-old Rudy Seanez and Octavio Dotel – who has 11 offers.
In the last two seasons, Baez has saved 71 games – 30 in 2004 and 41 last year. He’s blown 11 saves, including eight last season – the same as Braden Looper. Also, he’ll make $4 million this season in the last year of his contract. But Baez, a Cuban defector, is only listed as 28 years old, and he’s had far more experience in late-inning situations than Heilman, who prefers to start.
The Mets felt they had an “eighth-inning closer” with Roberto Hernandez last season, and Baez could serve the same role. In the event that Billy Wagner suffers an injury, Baez could slot into the ninth-inning gig presumably without missing a beat.
The enigmatic Heilman washed out in the majors in 2003 and 2004, going a combined 3-10 with a 6.36 ERA. With his career in jeopardy, the 27-year-old righty reverted to an old delivery and enjoyed tremendous success in 2005, posting a 5-3 record and 3.57 ERA. He saved five games in six tries and had five holds.
His ratio of walks to strikeouts, 37/106, was tremendous, and pitching coach Rick Peterson was highly impressed with the swings and misses he induced with his deceptive change-up.
Minaya has shown a roster restlessness vaguely reminiscent of Knicks president Isiah Thomas, so you can’t discount him trading for the 29-year-old Tejada. Still, it seems unlikely simply because other teams are more desperate for a shortstop.
Additionally, Jose Reyes would almost certainly need to be the centerpiece of any deal, and that’s one rare spot where the Mets struck gold from the farm system.
The Post’s Kevin Kernan recently reported Kris Benson could be dealt for Baltimore’s Jorge Julio, and it’s not impossible that the Mets would see Tejada as a substantial improvement on Reyes and expand that deal to include those players.
The Red Sox, Cubs, Angels are among other teams reportedly interested in Tejada, who requested a trade a few days ago. Minaya has already shown the ability to pull off the improbable. It would be folly to bet against him landing anybody he sets his sights on.
