Minaya: New York Mets don’t need to trade for big-name pitcher

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -The last time baseball’s winter meetings were held in Music City, Omar Minaya was general manager of the cash-strapped Montreal Expos and he was shopping pitchers Bartolo Colon and Javier Vazquez.
Now, Minaya has a big budget with the New York Mets and he’s the one looking for arms.
Almost everyone seems to think the Mets must add at least one reliable starting pitcher this offseason – except their GM. Minaya sounds ready to open spring training with a projected rotation of Pedro Martinez, Orlando Hernandez, John Maine, Oliver Perez and several young prospects vying for the fifth slot.
“We don’t feel like we have to do a deal for a pitcher,” Minaya said Monday at the Opryland Hotel. “That being said, we are going to try to improve ourselves.”
New York probably set its everyday lineup last week by trading outfielder Lastings Milledge to the Washington Nationals for catcher Brian Schneider and right fielder Ryan Church.
Some thought the 22-year-old Milledge was the team’s best chip for a big trade, and shipping him to Washington might make it difficult for the Mets to complete another deal for a proven starting pitcher.
But Minaya insisted other clubs assured him that wasn’t true, saying the Mets still have enough players who would be attractive in a potential trade. He stuck to that stance Monday.
“I feel we have the players. The question is, do we want to give up those players?” Minaya said.
He reiterated that he won’t trade his core players, a group that likely includes shortstop Jose Reyes, third baseman David Wright and center fielder Carlos Beltran.
But where does that leave the pitching staff?
“How have we addressed pitching? I think our defense makes our pitching better,” Minaya said.
The Minnesota Twins are considering trade offers for two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana, who can become a free agent after next season, but the Mets aren’t thought to be serious contenders.
Baltimore ace Erik Bedard or Oakland pitchers Dan Haren and Joe Blanton might be available for the right price.
“If there’s front-line starting pitching out there, we are going to be involved and having dialogue with these teams,” Minaya said. “Coming to these meetings over the years, deals don’t have to happen here.
“I know some guys are being reported that are out there in the market – I can tell you that talking to some of those GMs, those GMs have not decided yet that these guys are going to be in the market,” he added. “All those guys that are being mentioned, we are having dialogue with those clubs.”
In other news, Minaya denied a report that said he’s been trying – unsuccessfully – to get a contract extension. Minaya took over as the Mets’ GM in September 2004 and has two years left on his deal.
“I have not asked for an extension,” he said. “All indications that I’ve had from ownership when I came here was that I’m here for a very long time.”