Jon Heyman on SI.com writes that the Mets quietly explored trading Orlando Hernandez over the offseason and if they had done so they would have made more of an effort to sign Kyle Lohse.

Heyman has a number of interesting Mets related items in the same article, including his case against ‘Fire Joe Morgan‘ who thought David Wright deserved the MVP over Jimmy Rollins because of his VORP.

Heyman also writes that the Mets are losing the war of words against the Phillies.

Its tough to compete with Rollins, who is a master of trash talk. I have a feeling Paul Lo Duca would have been a fine mouthpiece, but I can’t think of any current Met who fills that role nicely just yet.

According to Buster Olney of ESPN.com, the only way the Mets will sign free agent pitcher Kyle Lohse is if he accepts a very discounted offer.

Two prominent pitching clients of Scott Boras remain unsigned, in Kyle Lohse and Jeff Weaver, and executives say Boras continues to seek significant deals for both. The only way that the Mets will take Lohse, sources say, is if he hands himself on a cheap financial platter to New York, and the team is fully committed to go to spring training with the pitchers they already have, now that Johan Santana is in the fold.

Getting Lohse would likely open up the move of Orlando Hernandez to the bullpen, which makes the entire pitching staff stronger. I don’t see him giving in to a one or two-year, cheap contract unless his only mindset is winning a championship. He’s likely the top free agent on the market as of now in what was a very small market for starters. He’s looking to capitalize on that and get all the money while he still can.

Here’s whats brewing on the Hot Stove this Thursday morning…

• Yorvit Torrealba’s agent told the Denver Post that he expects his client to make a decision regarding the Mets contract offer today. Tracy Ringolsby in the Rocky Mountain News reports that the Mets have offered Torrealba a two-year deal worth $9 million. The Denver Post is reporting it to be a three-year, $15 million deal.
• Omar Minaya tells Ben Shpigel of the New York Times he has an idea of how much money it will take to sign his desired free-agent targets and knows which prospects and how many he would have to surrender to upgrade the Mets pitching staff.“Ideally, you’d always like a guy with 200-plus innings, you know what I’m saying?” Minaya said. “If for whatever reason Glavine does not come back, we have to look for a starting pitcher.”
• Speaking of Tom Glavine, Mets.com reports that Tom is getting some advice on his future from the most famous Tom in Mets history, Mr. Tom Seaver.
• Dan Graziano at the Star Ledger reports that the Yankees plan on continuing to pursue Mike Lowell even if they re-sign Alex Rodriguez. The Yankees plan on putting Lowell at first base.
• Jon Heyman on SI.com reports that the Yankees and Rodriguez are discussing a 10 year, $280 million contract.
• Buster Olney said on ESPN last night that he believes that Alex Rodriguez is taking a deeply discounted offer from the Yankees, 10-years for $220 million. I’ll believe this when I see it.
• The San Diego Union Tribune reports that the Padres expect Geoff Blum to sign with the Astros, and will likely let Milton Bradley walk as well. The Padres are looking at Geoff Jenkins and Andruw Jones as their top free agent targets.
• The St Louis Post Dispatch reports that Scott Rolen seems all but gone from St. Louis. The third baseman was reportedly unhappy with the letter he received from Tony La Russa that was an attempt to reconcile with Rolen.
• The St Louis Post Dispatch also reports that the Cardinals have interest in Carlos Silva and Kyle Lohse.
• 7Sports, a local Boston news television station, is reporting that the Braves, Angels, Cardinals and Yankees have all offered Mike Lowell four-year contracts worth between $55 million and $60 million.