Wow. Just wow.

Of course everyone knows by now that Omar was targeting Danny Haren and not Rich Harden, but the idea is the same. Bringing in a young arm that will be under the Mets control for a while.

Haren, a 14-game winner in each of the past two seasons, is more accomplished than Harden, and only one year older. He also is more durable, averaging 220 innings the past two seasons.

The A's surely are reluctant to trade Harden, who is signed for a bargain-basement $11.7 million over the next three seasons, with a $6.75 million club option for 2010.

Harden has a much better arm than Haren. In fact, when healthy, Harden is a Cy Young Award winner waiting to happen. The obvious issue with him is that many view him as a Tommy John candidate waiting to happen. I do not see the Haren deal happening unless Beane gets an offer he cannot resist. The A's are going to be contending for the AL West. However, Beane is a realist. He needs to keep an ever vigilant eye on the future. He will give a away a guy that will be productive and affordable for the next four years, but he will need to receive at least two or three guys that will be productive or affordable. Basically, he needs to be blown away.

If the A's were in a rebuilding mode, Milledge and Heilman might be enough. Beane likes both, but I'm not sure he would go for that deal at this point. Another player would have to be included and a good one too. John Maine...Mike Pelfrey...someone good. Beane has traded guys with a few years left before like Mark Mulder, but he was making more money and carried injury concerns. Haren is much cheaper in an inflated market and is healthy. Beane needs to be bowled over and the Mets are not desperate. There is not a fit that I can see and I don't know if I would like a Milledge, Heilman, and Pelfrey package. I might think about a deal with two of the three, but I'm not seeing the benefit there for Mr. Beane if it's just two. One thing is for sure, Omar is a stud. The man goes after whatever he wants and it doesn't hurt to ask, right?

* * *

The Dodgers pulled off another short term contract for more money and gave Schmidt three years and almost $16 million per year. Gil Meche netted five years and $55 million dollars. Ted Lilly brought in four years and $44 million.

Schmidt has a career ERA of 3.91 pitching in the NL only.
Gil Meche has a career ERA of 4.65 pitching solely in the AL.
Ted Lilly has a career ERA of 4.60 pitching solely in the AL.
Miguel Batista has a career ERA of 4.46 pitching in both leagues.
Andy Pettitte has a career ERA of 3.81 pitching in both leagues.
Barry Zito has a career ERA of 3.83 pitching in the AL only.

Two things. Well, actually three. First, if the Yankees can bring in Pettitte for two years, it is a shrewd deal. It helps that Pettite wants to retire or else he might be asking for three or four, but you get the idea. Second, Gil Meche to the Royals is not as bad as it seems. Too much money and too many years? There is no other way to get players to go to crappy teams. He's 28 and could be ready to break out. Meche, Odalis, Bannister, Hudson, and eventually Hochevar is actually not a bad rotation. If Billy Butler, Alex Gordon, and Justin Huber can come along and join Emil Brown, Mark Teahan, and David DeJesus, the Royals just might have a team. Bad contract? Yes. However, not as bad as a deal as it looks on the surface. Lastly, Zito is the best arm on the market if you discount Daisuke. I think the Mets should now offer six years $96 million and the rumor is they will. I doubt anyone will go too much above that to really make him sway as that is a lot of money and Boras will of succeeded at wrenching the most money out of the team Zito wants to be on. What's more is that the Mets keep all their big prospects and that is worth the extra few million a year most of us were hoping the Mets did not give up.

The most interesting item of the entire day? Nothing to do with Zito, Haren, Andy Pettitte, Manny Ramirez, or anyone else that is a household name. The Reds picked up Josh Hamilton in the Rule 5 draft.

Another excited front office official is Marlins vice president of player personnel Dan Jennings, who scouted and ultimately drafted Hamilton in 1999.

“I like where he is now, and I love what he could still become,” Jennings said. “The upside has always been there, and I know I’ll be rooting for him with this change of scenery and really, the chance to finally prove he can be a major league player.”

If you do not know about the kid, you can read all about him here. He is one guy I'm pulling for. He is an immense talent and would be a success story of success stories. You do not see a guy like him that has bounced around for seven years get back on track to star at the highest level. Good luck bro...

Nicey nice.

Willie Randolph announced that Howard Johnson, who was the Triple-A hitting coach last year, would be the Mets' first base coach next season and work primarily with base running and outfield play.

Re: Zito...

One Mets official said, "If we want a player we will get that player," and they clearly want Zito. But so far they have not shown a willingness to match the numbers of years and dollars being considered -- believed to be in the range of six years and $100 million.

These ain't yo' pappa's Mets.

Losing Flores sucks. Make no mistake about it. I don't even count forty guys on the 40-man and there are guys that could be taken off, but I get it. Who would have thought that a catcher who needs at least two or three years in the minors would have been selected? I mean, c'mon. The kid is 22 and have never played above A-ball. Who would have thought that could have happened? The Nationals blow and could waste a roster spot on him. They will finish in last regardless, but the thing that irks me because I like Flores is watching him lose a year of development because a lack of at-bats is a waste of his talent. I still cannot figure out if Bowden is really dumb or really smart in regards to this move.

Mota is back and that is a good thing.