Vazquez in the mix for Mets?
The assumption throughout this offseason has been that the Mets, due of their lack of impact prospects, would need to fill their starting pitching holes mostly through free agency (think Derek Lowe or A.J. Burnett). But perhaps they've stumbled upon a different sort of option.
The Chicago Tribune reported on Tuesday that the Mets have shown a strong interest in White Sox starter Javier Vazquez. Such a scenario seems plausible because as long as the Mets are willing to pick up the final two years and $23 million of Vazquez's contract in full, they could presumably acquire him without giving up much in the way of prospects. And rarely in recent history have the Mets shied away from a little extra spending.
Most importantly, since they've already lost Oliver Perez and Pedro Martinez to free agency (and likely won't re-sign either of them), the Mets certainly could use a pitcher of Vazquez's caliber. Despite his poor finish to 2007, the 32-year-old Vazquez has been one of the league's more consistent -- and consistently healthy -- pitchers over the past nine seasons, throwing at least 200 innings in eight of them.
--Anthony DiComo
The Chicago Tribune reported on Tuesday that the Mets have shown a strong interest in White Sox starter Javier Vazquez. Such a scenario seems plausible because as long as the Mets are willing to pick up the final two years and $23 million of Vazquez's contract in full, they could presumably acquire him without giving up much in the way of prospects. And rarely in recent history have the Mets shied away from a little extra spending.
Most importantly, since they've already lost Oliver Perez and Pedro Martinez to free agency (and likely won't re-sign either of them), the Mets certainly could use a pitcher of Vazquez's caliber. Despite his poor finish to 2007, the 32-year-old Vazquez has been one of the league's more consistent -- and consistently healthy -- pitchers over the past nine seasons, throwing at least 200 innings in eight of them.
--Anthony DiComo
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