Jayson Stark reports that the Mets are no longer in on Raul Ibanez after the Mariners would not lower their asking price.  Seattle reportedly wants pitcher Jon Niese plus one other prospect.  Niese was one of the pitchers the Mets were unwilling to give up in the Johan Santana deal.

There had been some speculation that the Mets may be interested in Washburn as well, but Stark dismisses that.  Too bad, because perhaps one of those top prospects could have been be pried away if Seattle packaged Washburn and Ibanez (and maybe Rhodes) together in a deal.

As far as the Cubs go, the Mariners are looking to get Felix Pie plus one, and I don’t see that happening.  Pie was one of the prospects the Cubs refused to trade in the Erik Bedard and Brian Roberts negotiations over the offseason.

I like that interim GM Lee Pelekoudas is aiming high and playing hardball, but there is a line between trying to make a good deal and being ignorant.  Guys like Niese and Pie would be a great start at replacing players like Chris Tillman and Adam Jones that left in the Erik Bedard trade, and mad kudos to Pelekoudas if he can pull it off, but he’s not going to get any respect as a GM if he is delusional.  I’m assuming that the demands will lower slightly tomorrow as the deadline approaches, but there is really no pressing need to trade anyone.  Next season should be the year where a few more contracts are sold off at the deadline.