Mets Deny Reported Burrell Trade

INDIANAPOLIS — The Mets, contrary to a report on the website phillyburbs.com, are not close to acquiring Pat Burrell in a three-team deal with the Tampa Bay Rays and the Chicago Cubs. A club official shot down the report, saying that the report was uncategorically false.

It’s no secret that the Rays want to move Burrell, the Cubs want to deal Milton Bradley and the Mets are trying to unload Luis Castillo. Bradley is owed $21 million over the next two seasons, Castillo $12 million through 2011 and Burrell $9 million in 2010. That’s a lot of salary to match up.

Even though Burrell fits the Mets’ need for a right-handed slugger, he might not be a good option for another reason: his defense. The team values speed and defense even more now that they’re playing in Citi Field, and Burrell doesn’t really supply much of either. There’s also not much of an indication that he would move to first base, where he could be used in tandem with Daniel Murphy. That, though, would seem like a lot of money spent on a right-handed-hitting caddie in the National League.



(nytimes.com)