While Minaya hasn't tipped his hat as to which team is involved in the potential trade, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees appear to be front runners for two of Montreal's most coveted players, starting pitchers Bartolo Colon and Javier Vazquez.
Vazquez and Colon are both righthanders.
Vazquez went 10-13 with a 3.91 ERA over a career-high 34 games last season.
Omar Minaya may trade either Bartolo Colon or Javier Vazquez.(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
He also pitched 230 1/3 innings.
The 26-year-old struck out a team-leading 179 batters.
Colon compiled a combined 20-8 mark with a 2.93 earned run average with Cleveland and Montreal last season.
He threw a combined 233 1/3 frames.
The most innings a Yankee righthander threw last season was 215 2/3 by 34-year-old Mike Mussina, followed by 180 from 40-year-old Roger Clemens.
Vazquez and/or Colon could provide the Yankees with not only younger arms, but the ability to consistently last into the late innings to give the middle relievers a rest.
Vazquez will be 26 entering next season, while Colon turns 30 in May.
Clemens and Mussina each threw at least seven innings 14 times during the 2002 season, while Colon and Vazquez both reached that mark 20 times.
The Expos initially wanted Nick Johnson, Juan Rivera, Orlando Hernandez and requested that all of El Duque's salary be paid in exchange for Colon and/or Vazquez.
The Yankees reportedly rejected that offer.
Minaya is rumored to be asking for pitcher Casey Fossum, third baseman Shea Hillenbrand and another player from the Red Sox in exchange for either Colon or Vazquez.
Another possibility is third baseman Fernando Tatis going to Boston, but his salary is nearly $6.25 million US for 2003. Colon's salary for next season is $8.25 million US.
"It's not something that's going to solve all my money problems," Minaya said about the potential deal before leaving baseball's winter meetings.
The difficult part of Minaya's job is trying to come as close as possible to getting good talent while attempting to cut payroll at the same time.
Minaya hinted that if he makes the trade by Tuesday afternoon, it may be nearly equal in financial terms and he may have to turn around and consummate another deal to try and dump salary.
The Yankees already have Mussina, Andy Pettitte, David Wells, Jeff Weaver and Sterling Hitchcock under contract for 2003, meaning it's not likely they would add two more starters to their staff.
Meanwhile, the New York Mets are in need of a left side infielder and may be focusing their attention on getting Orlando Cabrera from the Expos.
By acquiring Cabrera, the Mets could use him at either shortstop or third base.
The Mets need someone to play shortstop until prospect Jose Reyes is ready to take over the position in the 2003 season.
New York also needs a third baseman to replace Edgardo Alfonzo, who signed with the Giants on Sunday.
Mets manager Steve Phillips said he had conversations with the Expos on Monday, but wouldn't say about which players.
