While Metstradamus takes Omar Minaya to task in a devilish advocacy way for his failure to pursue Nick Swisher (“while Billy Beane may have been asking too much for Dan Haren and Joe Blanton, what if Milledge, Pelfrey, and a lower level minor leaguer would have been enough to bring in a right fielder who walked 100 times last season?”), MLB.com’s Marty Noble reports the Mets have done something (anything!) to fortify their bench in ’08.
The Mets completed a minor deal on Saturday when they reacquired outfielder Angel Pagan from the Cubs in exchange for two Minor League players. The trade imports a versatile, 26-year-old switch-hitting outfielder familiar to the organization who provides depth, big league experience and still has Minor League options.
The trade that moved Lastings Milledge to the Nationals in November left Endy Chavez as the Mets’ lone reserve outfielder with center field skills, so the return of Pagan, who started 28 games in center for the Cubs in 2006 and 2007, addresses that situation. Ryan Church, acquired in the Milledge deal, plays center as well, but he is seen now as the almost regular right fielder.
Because Pagan, whom the Mets sold to the Cubs in January 2006, still has options, the depth he provides may be as a regular with the New Orleans Zephyrs, the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate.
The Daily News’ Peter Botte projects P Joe Blanton as being the next A’s player of prominence to depart in what seems to be a full-on rebuilding mode for Oakland, though Catfish Stew’s Ken Arneson has effectively scooped everyone with news of Billy Beane’s most recent savvy move.