NASHVILLE – The Winter Meetings are about the big deal.

And with the Tigers getting Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis from the Marlins for a multitude of youngsters, the big deal took place.

Yet, for the New York Mets, the Winter Meetings have become a cold place this year.

In the first two days, the Mets have tried to get a front line starter. They met with O’s and A’s but still didn’t make a deal. He also didn't comment on the published report about an offer of Carlos Gomez, Aaron Heilman and Phil Humber for Erik Bedard being turned down.

Right now, it looks like it probably won’t take place in the next few days as general manager Omar Minaya seemed resigned to wait.

And he’s right to do so, because many baseball people down here have said the Johan Santana deal will have to take place first before anything else happens.

So Minaya is still working and said he met with more agents today than teams, which means he is looking towards the free agent route as he tried to improve his starting staff.

“The free agent market for me is more attractive, but the trade market has more difference makers.” Minaya said. “But you have to give out premium prospects. It’s about the price you give out.”

That makes sense, because the Mets GM really doesn’t want to give up on his top prospects. Right now though, there are no free agents as good as Bedard, Dan Haren or Santana and if Minaya adds a Bartolo Colon or Carlos Silva to the staff, they won’t be as good as those who can be acquired via trades.

Here’s the problem. Unlike free agents who are looking for work, there’s no guarantee Bedard, Haren or even Santana will be traded. General managers can hold on to their chips until the right deal comes along. Sometimes it does, like the Tigers trade and sometimes it doesn’t.

And as long as those three are still with their teams, the Mets still have hope.

Minaya can wait. “It’s not like we have no pitching,” he said. “We have two 15-game winners, Pedro Martinez and El Duque. Just to get a guy in there, I don’t feel we have to fill that.”

So, the Mets for now stand pat and hope to build something from these meetings. He also said he had some contact with agents and teams about bullpen help, which is another area that he needs to address.

But it’s not the worst thing in the world if the Mets don’t get it done in Nashville. The Amazin’ still have a competitive team right now and Minaya will still work to improve it before Spring Training.

They just don’t have a big deal. Yet.

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