Mets Eye Nats
The New York Mets continue to be the most likely suitors for two available Nationals' pitchers, right-handers Livan Hernandez and Tony Armas Jr. The Mets are one of the few teams that might not balk at Hernandez's $7 million salary for next season. Armas, who earns $2.5 million this year, will be a free agent in the offseason.
Both pitchers have struggled (Hernandez's ERA is 5.70, Armas's 4.79), but they each have a history with Mets GM Omar Minaya, for whom they played in Montreal.
Boy is this disappointing. If I had to read the tea-leaves right now, I'd bet one of these trades will happen, and it's going to be a waste of a prospect, as well as an unnecessary increase in payroll. The Hernandez rumor has been a constant for a couple of weeks now, and has been heard from several different reporters. This has the feel to me of a "where there's smoke there's fire" situation.
It's not that Livan couldn't do a good job in the postseason (though his ERA this year is horrible). But I would rather give the innings to a younger, cheaper alternative like Maine or Pelfrey and see what develops. I'd bet that come October one of the Mets rookies will be in the rotation and doing a better job than Livan.
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