Busy Mets Get Benson in Trade

Pitchers Kris Benson and Victor Zambrano were traded to the New York Mets on Friday, boosting a rotation that had relied all season on three aging starters.

A day before the non-waiver trading deadline, the Mets got busy in a big way -- and took a huge gamble.

To get Zambrano and minor league pitcher Bartolome Fortunato from Tampa Bay, the Mets sent their best pitching prospect -- Scott Kazmir -- and minor league pitcher Jose Diaz to the Devil Rays.

For Benson, eligible for free agency after this season, and minor league infielder Jeff Keppinger, the Mets traded infielder Ty Wigginton, highly touted minor league pitcher Matt Peterson and infielder Jose Bautista to the Pirates. The Mets got Bautista earlier in the day from Kansas City for minor league catcher Justin Huber.

The Mets sent a private plane to Milwaukee -- where the Pirates were playing -- to bring Benson to Atlanta. He planned to start tonight against the Braves and would be facing them for the third time in a row.

“We’re getting younger and transforming our roster that a year ago or two years ago was one of the oldest in baseball,� Met General Manager Jim Duquette said.

“Both of these pitchers are 29 years old, they still have a lot of mileage ahead of them, pitching-wise.�

Zambrano, who turns 29 next week, is 9-7 with a 4.43 earned-run average. The right-hander also is 10-1 lifetime in interleague play.

Benson, 29, is 8-8 with a 4.22 ERA and was the top pick in the 1996 draft.

Wigginton was hitting .285 with 12 home runs and 42 runs batted in.

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The Philadelphia Phillies traded outfielder Ricky Ledee and a minor league pitcher to the San Francisco Giants for right-handed reliever Felix Rodriguez.

Ledee is batting .285 with seven homers and 26 RBIs, and he’ll be expected to provide the Giant outfield with some much-needed pop.

With a dearth of good left-handed hitters behind Barry Bonds, San Francisco has struggled against right-handed pitching during an otherwise successful season.

The Phillies added Rodriguez, one of the NL’s top setup men, to bolster a bullpen hurt by injuries.

A few hours after picking up Rodriguez, the Phillies acquired reliever Todd Jones from the Cincinnati Reds for right-hander Josh Hancock and a swap of minor-leaguers.

Rodriguez was in his sixth season with the Giants, going 3-5 with a 3.43 ERA this season. He is 35-22 in parts of nine major league seasons.

Jones was 8-2 with a 3.79 ERA and one save in 51 relief appearances for the Reds this season.

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Utilityman and pinch-hitter Dave Hansen was traded back to the San Diego Padres by the Seattle Mariners for minor league pitcher Jon Huber.

Hansen, 35 and a former Dodger, spent last season with the Padres and batted .244 in 110 games with two homers and 15 RBIs.

This season with Seattle, he hit .282 with two homers and 12 RBIs. As a pinch-hitter, he was six for 34 with a homer and six RBIs.

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Houston second baseman Jeff Kent was suspended for three games because of his reaction to being ejected by umpire Chris Guccione in a game Sunday. Kent had argued a called strike and threw and kicked dirt on home plate before he left. Kent has appealed.... The Philadelphia Phillies put left-handed closer Billy Wagner on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained rotator cuff.... Outfielder Darren Bragg agreed to a minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds.

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A 48-year-old man died Friday from injuries he received a day earlier, when he fell 17 feet from an escalator at Miller Park in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee County Sheriffs Department spokesperson Kim Brooks said James A. Kolata fell Thursday while at the stadium for a game involving the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs.

The man was sitting on the escalator handrail while going from the field level to the second level when he fell, she said.