Author: Will Sommer (owner)
I recently had an e-mail exchange with Tim Dierkes of MlbTradeRumors.com about the Mets and the upcoming trade deadline. Mr. Dierkes's blog is ready by everyone from your casual baseball fan to major league GM's.
WS: How hard are the Mets
looking for a corner outfielder? / How much would the Mets have to give up?
TD: It seems to be their top
priority. They are trying to get someone decent without giving up
Fernando Martinez, Jon Niese, or Bobby Parnell. The Mariners want Niese
for Raul Ibanez though. I don't think they'll do that.
WS: Were the Mets making a real
play for Xavier Nady or Casey Blake?
TD: Both of those players were
on their list, yes. I thought they'd get Blake, because Omar Minaya and
Mark Shapiro work well together. However, Shapiro got a good package from
the Dodgers for him.
WS: Out
of Brian Fuentes, Huston Street, & Arthur Rhodes which one of these relievers might the Mets acquire? What is the likelihood that these relievers get traded somewhere?
WS: If you were Omar Minaya
would you trade Fernando Martinez for any of the available corner outfielders?
TD: If I could get Jason Bay straight up for him, I'd think about that one for a while.
WS: If the Mets can't make a
trade before the deadline do you think they will promote from within?
TD: Yes, and they could also
look at Kenny Lofton. Plus, players do get traded in August.
WS: Do you think the Braves are
going to be buyers or sellers & will they trade Mark Teixeira?
TD: I think they will sell, and
will trade Teixeira.
WS: Are the Marlins
pursuing an impact player?
TD: They have an eye on Bengie
Molina and various lefty relievers including Fuentes. Not sure if you
consider those impact players. They're not in on any huge names that I
know of.
WS: How did you start mlbtraderumors.com?
TD: I had begun a fantasy
baseball blog (RotoAuthority.com) a few months earlier back in '05. I
decided I wanted to blog about real baseball as a hobby, and focus on the hot
stove. So I just started up MLBTR and put a link to it on
RotoAuthority. MLBTR passed RotoAuthority up in traffic very quickly,
probably because it appeals to a broader audience and there weren't too many
sites like it.
WS: You recently told the
Chicago Sun Times that you expect to top a million page views on Thursday. In
your wildest imagination did you ever think your site would become so influential,
both for fans and GM's?
TD: No! One million is a
hard number to wrap my mind around. I will try not to mess it up.
WS: Where does most of your info
come from agents, team executives, or analysts?
TD: Almost all of my information
comes from published reports from journalists. I have a small (but
growing!) network that I can get the occasional tidbit from.
WS: Who's your favorite team?
TD: The Cubs.
If you haven't been to MLB Trade Rumors I suggest you go there for all the trade deadline rumors and much more!
great interview. im glad theropolitans.com linked over to it
Posted by: martha glaser | July 28, 2008 at 01:48 PM