MLB Trade Rumors: Mets Eying Erik Bedard?

Who are the Mets after, anyway?

It appeared that they were the front-runners for Johan Santana. Now it looks like they're after Erik Bedard.

Until recently, the Mariners were considered to be the leaders in the Bedard chase. According to John Hickey of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, though, they may be pulling out:

"Sources in Baltimore and Seattle said no deal was imminent late Monday. And with (Adam) Jones back in action, the Mariners may have given up on acquiring Bedard."

Adam Jones, Seattle's 2008 right fielder to-be, has been in and out of the lineup for the Lara Cardinales, the Mariner's Venezuelan winter league team. When Jones was first removed from the lineup this weekend, it appeared that management in Seattle didn't want him to be injured while they finalized the trade with Baltimore for Bedard. 

Obviously that was not the case.

Jones has since returned to the Cardinales lineup, and all trade rumors involving Bedard seem to have died in Seattle.

The Mets, however, may be attempting to get a deal done. Lisa Kennelly of the Newark Star-Ledger reports,

 "The Mets... prefer Baltimore's Erik Bedard over Santana, since he wouldn't require the same lucrative extension as part of the deal."

It is very possible that this is true, because Bedard has two years left on his contract, while Santana has only one. Even if Bedard is of lesser value than Santana, that extra contract year makes up for it.

A little over a month ago the Mets did make an offer to Baltimore for Bedard. That offer of Carlos Gomez, Phil Humber, and Aaron Heilman, according to Jon Heyman, "barely drew a response from Baltimore."

Does this mean that Santana is going to remain a Twin for 2008? Possibly, but the rumor mill on the other side of New York is turning—and it looks like the Yankees are interested in Santana...again.