It was only a matter of time, and according to sources for the New York Post, that time is now.
After months of speculation, the Post reports that the New York Mets are taking calls from other teams about possible deals for star outfielder Carlos Beltran and closer Francisco Rodriguez.
"People are calling," a source told the newspaper Wednesday night after the Mets' 5-3 win over the Dodgers.
One possible person on the other end of the line is Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein.
He has said that he wants to add a bat to the lineup, and while Beltran has not ripped the cover off of the ball, he is hitting a respectable .285, with 13 home runs and 57 RBIs (far better than any of the Sox right field options).
"If a trade happens, I’m prepared for it," Beltran told the Post.
While teams have called his agent, Scott Boras, Beltran did not believe anything was immediately on the horizon.
"It’s still too early because we have a ways to go before the trade deadline," he said.
Mets general manager Sandy Alderson agreed. He said that "it's still a little bit early" to be trying to make deals.
When it stops being "a little bit early," and the Mets seriously begin to put Beltran and Rodriguez on the market, neither player will come cheap.
Beltran is in the final year of his contract, and he is making $18.5 million this season.
Rodriguez is on pace to complete the season with well above 55 games finished, which is the tally necessary to trigger his $17.5 million option for the 2012 season.
But even with such price tags, the chatter surrounding each player is growing louder. And the Mets front office is starting to listen.
