"Carlos Beltran and Francisco Rodriguez remain in the Mets' plans, but for how long?

As talk heats up heading into the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline, Beltran and Rodriguez remain the most likely Mets players to be dealt. A report yesterday suggested the Rangers have interest in both players, but an industry source with knowledge of the Mets' thinking indicated it's still too early to gauge where both players might land.

If Beltran is to be dealt, the source said there is a good chance the Mets would wait until mid- or late July, with the expectation David Wright -- who is out with a stress fracture in his back -- will return to bolster the lineup by then. But if the Mets (39-39) go into a tailspin before the All-Star break, Wright's return could be a moot point for 2011 and Beltran might be dealt earlier.

Rodriguez is on pace to finish 60 games -- five more than is needed to trigger the $17.5 million option in his contract for next season. The veteran closer remains the most likely of the Mets' stars to be traded because of the implications of that salary on the 2012 payroll."