Star Ledger- Mets, Red Sox close to a trade

[curse forever]

IM HOPING THE METS GET NIXON. IM SICK OF HIM ON THE RED SOX.


Mets: Bradley, Nixon in trade rumors

04/21/01

BY LAWRENCE ROCCA
STAR-LEDGER STAFF

CINCINNATI -- Hoping to bolster the league's least productive lineup, the Mets have entered into trade discussions for outfielders Trot Nixon of the Red Sox and Milton Bradley of the Expos, according to executives with all three organizations.

As of last night, Mets officials were more hopeful of completing a deal for Bradley than one for Nixon, but their optimism was tempered by Expos GM Jim Beattie's longstanding reluctance to trade with division rivals.

Beattie has also had substantive talks regarding Bradley with the Orioles, Indians and White Sox. An Expos official said yesterday that "after checking out other possibilities," talks with the Mets "will get revisited," perhaps by the end of the weekend. It's unclear what the Mets have offered for Bradley, who is being shopped because the Expos have a surplus of outfielders.

Nixon, a left-handed hitter, is batting .235 with a pair of homers and 10 RBI in 51 at-bats. Bradley, a switch-hitter, is hitting .194 with no homers, an RBI and a pair of stolen bases in 33 at-bats.

The Red Sox also have a surplus of outfielders, which is why Mets GM Steve Phillips hoped Boston might be willing to move Nixon. But Red Sox GM Dan Duquette has been pushing Dante Bichette, Troy O'Leary and Mike Lansing, high-priced and low-producing players in whom the Mets have no interest. The Mets do not view any of those three as an upgrade over Benny Agbayani and Timo Perez, who have much lower salaries and are expected to come off the disabled list Tuesday.

As long as Manny Ramirez remains at DH, the Red Sox will not have a problem finding playing time for Nixon, a favorite of manager Jimy Williams who blossomed last season after years of hype and disappointment. Ramirez moved to DH because of a badly pulled hamstring and has enjoyed his time there, so much so that Williams has kept him there even though Ramirez is probably ready to begin playing the outfield again.

Ramirez, who has a history of moodiness, signed with the Red Sox with the understanding he would play left field but abruptly changed his mind in spring training and decided he wanted to play right, which is Nixon's position. If Ramirez decides he wants to play right again and becomes unmanageable, the Red Sox might change their stance on Nixon, but Mets officials are not optimistic that will happen.

Phillips is said to be pursuing the outfielders as a normal course of due diligence, not out of some deep concern for the lineup's early struggles, but the substantive nature of the talks indicates Phillips recognizes there is room for improvement in the outfield. After all, Phillips did spend a large portion of the off-season trying to trade for Johnny Damon. The Mets also pursued a deal for Matt Lawton.

Entering play last night, the Mets ranked last in the National League in batting, runs scored, hits and total bases.

[Bluesexy's daddy]

Fuhget about it!!! Can any of these guys play cards????

They can get Rickey henderson for a good price...hahahaha.

[Winger03]

I, for one, would love to see T-rot leave the Sawx.

[CJM]

Milton Bradley is one of the best baseball player names of all time.

[mr.roy]

I wouldn't trade Nixon for the sake of trading him because they have a glut of out-fielders.
Dante would be the choice for me because he is slower than Nixon and not as good a fielder.
He probably would get a better player in return also because some teams are lacking hitting.

This is the first time I've ever seen someone suspened. Curse forever, was too hard to ignore sometimes, leaving no choice I guess.
AS far as baseball names, Snuffy Stirnweiss is a good one too.
The Yankees should have retired his number just because of it.
Take that Winfield!!