For four teams, the next two days begin the quest for a World Series championship. For the rest of them, rumors abound about what they can do to get there next year. It's called the hot stove season, and frankly this stove has been malfunctioning for years ... bringing forth many deals that have little if any chance of happening, while occasionally getting something right. Yankee blog Was Watching brings our attention to the first of many such rumors, and it's a big one:
Frank Russo, on New York Baseball Digest Radio's Yankee Special, mentioned that his connections have shared that the Mets are accepting inquiries for Carlos Beltran. And, further, according to Russo, his sources have also shared that there's a rumor of a possible deal between the Mets and Yankees which would breakdown as follows:
Carlos Beltran from the Mets to the Yankees in exchange for Robinson Cano (with the Yankees taking on most of Cano's contract), either Jose Veras or Brian Bruney, Ian Kennedy, and another prospect from the Yankees system.
For crying out loud we're not even in November and already rumors like this are flying? The hot stove has to learn to pace itself.
With the Mets needing some help in the bullpen (all right, a boatload of help), and the Yankees in the market for a center fielder, it's an easy deal to conjure up. And while I'm not here to pass judgment on other people's sources, there have been many sources that have come up with many deals that have gone nowhere.
But assuming for the moment this deal is true, this would be the one that finally gets Omar Minaya fired, because it's terrible. Trading Beltran for Cano would not only leave a gaping hole in center field to go along with their gaping hole in left field (assuming hat there's a reason the Mets sent Daniel Murphy to the Arizona Fall League to learn to play second base), the Mets would end up with four second basemen (Murphy, Cano, Argenis Reyes, and the ever popular Luis Castillo and the three remaining seasons on his contract.) And if Bruney or Veras is the savior of the Mets bullpen, I mind as well sell my fanhood on eBay and use the money to buy a stick of gum.
