If ever there was a phrase I never expected to acknowledge and consider in my life, it would be this one: the Los Angeles Angels and Kansas City Royals are reportedly “no longer hot for” Bartolo Colon.
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What that sentence necessarily implies, of course, is that the Angels and Royals were considered at one point to be hot for Colon. I am happy to discuss Colon and his career as a pitcher just like anybody else interested in baseball, but I never expected that conversation to include discussing who is “hot for him.”
The New York Mets would like to trade Colon. He cleared waivers this week, meaning that the team can officially trade him if they find the right deal. They might have trouble finding a match, however, as Colon’s $11 million salary next season is scaring off potential suitors.
Andy Martino reports that the money left on Colon’s deal is the primary reason that the Angels and Royals are no longer interested:
#Angels and #Royals considered a run at #Mets Colon. As of tonight, word is both now believe $ just too much, and aren't hot for him.
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) August 27, 2014
In both #angels and #Royals case, there was skepticism of a trade match anyway, prospect-wise. #Mets
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) August 27, 2014
On the surface of it, one would assume that the Mets would be fielding multiple offers for Colon given the boost he could provide to a contender’s rotation. Not so, however, thanks to complicating factors such as what it would take to acquire him and the money it would cost next season.