Pagan: Trade bait?

Is Angel Pagan trade bait this off-season?

According to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi, Pagan is drawing interest from teams as a potential starter for their club.

One of the teams Rosenthal and Morosi link to Pagan is the Kansas City Royals.  The Royals, as we know, are trying to dump Jose Guillen.  Thankfully though, their sources say the Mets are not interested.

But is it worth it to trade Pagan?

He’s under control for next season and probably won’t make over $1 million.  For a fourth outfielder, especially one that can play for an extended period of time, this isn’t that bad.

I like Pagan (sans his base running gaffes) and think the Mets should hold on to him unless they’re wowed by a deal.

Rosenthal: Mets talking to Blanco

The Mets and free-agent catcher Henry Blanco have been talking, according to Ken Rosenthal (via Amazin’ Avenue).

Rosenthal points out that Blanco would likely serve as a backup as the Mets are targeting Bengie Molina as their catcher for 2010 and beyond.

I don’t like this. 

1) Blanco, who is mediocre at best, had been with seven organizations in 12 years.  He’s a decent player off the bench, but isn’t that what Omir Santos is? 

And 2) Molina is going to cost so much money and his OBP is awful.

Then again, the catching market out there is terrible and these might be the Mets best options. 

If Blanco is just an insurance plan for if/when Santos “falls back to earth” (as if his sub-.300 OBP was so special anyway), I can understand.  But the Molina thing…Oy!

Unless you’d be content with Santos/Josh Thole platoon?

Sherman: Mets could be interested in Varitek [Updated]

Update – 5:15 p.m.: Hooray!  “Mets have no interest in Varitek” by Joel Sherman.  Well isn’t that strange. Because…

Original post: Is Jason Varitek staying on the Red Sox?  NESN thinks so, Joel Sherman does not.

Either way, there is no way I would want him on the Mets next season.

Yes, the Mets need to add a catcher.  Yes, the market is fairly slim this off-season.  But no, he should not be on the Mets.  Please move along.

Hey, V-Tek, please pick up your player option for next season like NESN is reporting.  It will help me sleep better at night.

Rosenthal: Castillo to Cubs being discussed [Updated]

Update – 12:02 a.m.: Well, here’s a fitting start to the rumor-mongering I so hate (yet so get sucked into all the time). The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the Blue Jays want “no part” of Bradley. And who can blame them.

Still, keep voting. It started as just a hypothetical, anyway.

Original post: Ken Rosenthal is reporting from the GM meetings in Chicago that a deal that would send Luis Castillo to the Cubs and bring Lyle Overbay to the Mets has been “discussed.”

A three-team deal that would also send Milton Bradley to Toronto has “some legs, but not much,” according to a source of Rosenthal’s.

Overbay, a left-hand hitting first baseman, shouldn’t be on the top of the priority list for the Mets. I’m not sure if they realize it, but Daniel Murphy is still on the roster. It’d be a silly move, especially with Ike Davis prospering in the minor leagues. (Overbay only has one year left on his deal, so it wouldn’t affect Davis.)

Still, I think it would be silly. What do you think? Vote below and leave your two cents in the comments.