Reports suggest Mets may be frontrunner for Cliff Lee

We've heard the Mets interested in Cliff Lee, but never before like this.

On Sunday, Jenrry Mejia suffered a posterier cuff strain during his second start in Double-AA. Now, analysts are saying that it could be possible for the Mets to acquire Lee without sacrificing Mejia. From MLBTradeRumors:

"Will Jenrry Mejia's posterior cuff strain prevent the Mets from trading for Mariners ace Cliff Lee? GM Omar Minaya obviously could not talk specifically about Lee when asked by Kevin Kernan of the New York Post "if the Mejia setback is a setback to trade possibilities." But Minaya kept a brave face and replied, "I don’t think so because I think we have other very good possibilities." At least one of Minaya's current players does think the team lost its chance to acquire Lee with Mejia's injury, according to Kernan."

The post goes on to say that the Mariners would have interest in Ike Davis, the Mets' star rookie sensation, but that the Mets would bluff at trading him. Instead, the consensus is that Seattle wants young hitters, and their best bet is to go by the Double-AA route. Tim Dierkes' believes that the Mets could not acquire Lee with Fernando Martinez as the center piece, seeing as how his stock has considerably falling, just hitting a robust .248/.299/.397 at Triple-AAA Buffalo.

Mark Hale of the New York Post suggests that the Mets could afford to trade for Lee if they would sacrifice a package of prospects including: INF Ruben Tejada, OF Fernando Martinez, SS Wilmer Flores, RHP Jeurys Familia, INF Reese Havens and C Josh Thole. In my opinion, that is too much to give talent to give for Cliff Lee. Maybe I'd package Tejada, Thole, and Familia with some lower level guys, but that's all the top talent I'm giving. Giving all that talent would wipe out the Mets' farm. It's reported that in any trade for Lee, Seattle wants a catcher, which explains why they have looked so thoroughly at the Yankees' minor league system and scouted Jesus Montero, Austin Romine, J.R. Murphy, Gary Sanchez, and Kyle Higashioka.

However, contrary to MLBTradeRumors last report, the Mets may be interested in trading Mejia to Seattle if Lee gives the Mets a negotiating window to sign to an extension. It's unlikely and it's been said that the Mets would not give up Mejia, Jonathon Niese, and Davis for Lee.

To me, I think that Davis is untouchable, he's the first baseman of the future. Niese is going to be a #3 starter for the Mets for years to come behind Santana and Pelfrey. I'd be comfortable giving up Mejia. Why? Well for starters, you don't have to worry about him hurting you if he becomes good. He'll be in a different league and division, the American League West. Also, he's just a prospect and that's that. Davis and Niese have proved that they can handle the majors, while Mejia, who did come up, was only used as a reliever. If I'm the Mets, I would give up Mejia, but I'd like to find an alternate route to acquiring Lee, even if it means giving up 2 or 3 of my Double-AA prospects.

Breaking News: Mets option RHP Jenrry Mejia to Double-A Binghamton

As reported by MLBTradeRumors' Steve Adams:

"ESPN's Adam Rubin reports that the Mets have optioned Jenrry Mejia to Double-A Binghamton, where he will make the transition back into a starting pitcher.

Mejia, still just 20 years old, worked exclusively as a starter across two minor league levels last season, posting a 3.14 ERA in 94.2 innings (19 starts) and notching an 8.7 K/9 to go along with a 3.7 BB/9. So far, pitching out of the New York bullpen in 2010, he's held his own, though he hasn't pitched quite as well as his 3.25 ERA following today's game suggests. He's allowed 15 free passes in just 27.2 innings of work, while striking out 17.

Much has been made of the Mets' starting pitching woes. After receiving next to nothing from the combination of Oliver Perez and John Maine, they've turned to Hisanori Takahashi and R.A. Dickey, both of whom have excelled to this point in their respective rotation roles. However, it's likely a tall order to expect those trends to continue.

Mejia certainly has the makings of a successful major league starter. Baseball America ranked him as the Mets' top prospect coming into the 2010 season, and ranked him as the #56 prospect in all of baseball. So far this season, he's averaged 95.1mph on his fastball, and has a 66.7% ground-ball rate."

So there you have it folks. There was discussion on SNY while I watching today's Yankee game, where the broadcasters were debating what the Mets were going to do with Mejia down the stretch. There was much debate as to would he be a starter or a reliever, and with Mejia not getting enough innings in, the team has decided to send him down to stretch out his arm and prepare him as a starter. A good move by the Mets for their future. I doubt this is the last we've seen of Mejia this season.