They asked for a lot and Omar Minaya said no. He said in few cases that the players traded were better than what he had, and in those cases the asking price was too high.

Sooner or later, he said, these young players have to make a name for themselves as Mets, and not for another team.

Agree? Disagree?

Some of the key points from Mets GM Omar Minaya’s conference call:

Not making a trade: “I sensed all along, that when I looked at what was available and what the cost was going to be, that we weren’t really going to be players. … You can’t force trades. If the fit is not there, you can’t force it.”

On upgrading the bullpen: “We talked to some teams. In the end there was no name guy who was a difference maker. We were looking to upgrade from what we have, and there was little in the relief market that I could say was better than what we had.”

On current team: “I feel that the guys we have can hopefully get the job done.”

On Manny Ramirez: “I checked in with (Boston GM) Theo (Epstein) a couple of days ago. I thought he was going to stay in Boston, but they really wanted to move him. We couldn’t give him the guys that would help him right away.”

On protecting the farm system because of future needs: “We can’t continue to give up two, three guys for rental players. You are going to need some of these guys to put the roster together for next year. In many cases they wanted one, two premium guys for a rental player for two months. I didn’t think that was wise.”

Minaya had talks about Manny Ramirez, Jason Bay and Brian Fuentes as far as premium players go, and also Raul Ibanez and Arthur Rhodes.

Today’s trade deadline passed with the Mets unable to make a deal that would address their needs of adding a bat and bullpen arm.

The Mets had conversations with Seattle about Raul Ibanez, but the Mariners’ asking price of two prospects among the group of Fernando Martinez, Jon Niese and Robert Parnell was too high.

General manager Omar Minaya has been adamant about not wanting to deal Martinez or Niese.

The Mets were also reportedly talking with Washington about reliever Luis Ayala.

“I would be comfortable with the players we have,” Mets manager Jerry Manuel said about the finishing the season with his current roster. “We just have to keep playing like we have been.”

The Mets are off today, having lost two of three at Florida. It was their first series loss since dropping two of three to the Mariners, June 23-25.

Manuel said he regards getting Ryan Church back as making a trade, and indicated the team could have discussions about promoting 2007 first-round pick Ed Kunz from Double-A Binghamton to work out of the bullpen.

The Mets begin a three-game series tomorrow at Houston.

There are several things the Mets must consider before dipping into their system to make a trade.

Among them:

1. Is the player better than what the Mets have right now? In most cases, probably not. In the clear-cut instance he is, the team might not have wanted to deal with the Mets (the Braves for Teixeira) or the Mets didn’t have enough to offer.

2. The NL East and NL overall aren’t that tough. The Mets might be thinking if they play just a little bit better they might have enough, and they would be right.

3. The have to look at future holes. We have to figure the Mets will go after starting pitching to replace Pedro Martinez and for the expected departure of Oliver Perez. They also won’t have Moises Alou (not that they really had him), but they’ll be looking for a corner outfielder. Also, first base isn’t a given regardless of how well Carlos Delgado is playing.

The Mets don’t have a lot below, so they must be careful.

Greetings from Houston. Just finished room service lunch. Not venturing far today. Hanging by the phones.

Usually, when something happens you have an inkling. Real quiet this year with the Mets.

Many of their key prospects went to Minnesota in the Johan Santana deal. There are a few left, but when you look at this team it has some holes that won’t get patched this afternoon.

There seemed an aura of confidence in Mike Pelfrey last night, even in defeat.

MIAMI _ We have heard these words before from Mike Pelfrey after a disheartening loss.

Talk of losing control, of making bad pitches, of not being able to put the clamps down on an inning.
They sounded different this time.

They weren’t coming from the confused lost pitching soul he was in his first two years with the Mets, but from somebody who seems to have grasped what this is all about.

There was not the undertone of frustration and anxiety, of wondering if he would have to take a bus to his next start.

Pelfrey’s answers after last night’s 7-5 loss to the Florida Marlins _ coming after victories in his last seven decisions _ were fluid and resonated with self assurance and confidence.

“I will be all right,” Pelfrey said, speaking like he knew it rather than trying to convince doubters.
Pelfrey knew his problem, but couldn’t adjust.

“I didn’t execute pitches,” Pelfrey matter-of-factly said. “I left the ball up. I made bad pitches. I fell behind hitters, and when you do that they’ll make you pay for it.”

All the bills became due in the fourth inning.

Pelfrey breezed through the first three innings and took a 1-0 lead into the fourth _ David Wright’s run-producing double play grounder in the first _ but things quickly unraveled.

The onslaught began with Jeremy Hermida’s triple and Jorge Cantu’s single.

Pelfrey kicked himself on the pitch to Hermida.

“It was supposed to be a slider on his back foot, but it was out over the plate,” Pelfrey said.

After Josh Willingham’s single, Pelfrey seemed on the verge of escaping when he struck out Dan Uggla and got Mike Jacobs on fly to right.

During Pelfrey’s run it was common to see him finish off innings and not give up damage after two outs.
Not last night, as Cody Ross lined a two-run triple to right and John Baker and Josh Johnson _ the opposing pitcher _ followed with RBI doubles.

“It was supposed to be a fastball away,” Pelfrey said of the pitch to Ross.

Only it wasn’t.

“I left the ball up,” Pelfrey said of the pitch Manuel said, “I’d like to have back.”

The pitches to Baker and Johnson weren’t much better, and Pelfrey didn’t come out for the fifth, finishing the night with 75 pitches.

There was something about Pelfrey that suggested he wasn’t going to turn it around, so the thinking became to preserve his arm.

Manuel, of course, had no way of knowing Damion Easley would hit a three-run, pinch-hit homer in the seventh to lift the Mets back into the game.

Entering the game, the Mets had won 10 of his previous 11 starts, but Manuel had some concern in Pelfrey’s pitch count and accumulation of innings in his first full season as a starter.

Would he feel fatigue as John Maine did last year?

“We’ll watch the pitch count with him,” Manuel said. “We’re starting to get into unfamiliar territory with him.”

The Mets’ thinking about Pelfrey had to be wide open with Manuel sensing a need to keep him fresh if he had to do some juggling later.

The Mets’ pitching concerns are health related, with the team not knowing what to expect when Maine attempts to throw Friday in the bullpen and Pedro Martinez starts a few hours later.

“I’ll have to see on Maine when I see him Friday whether he is a given or a question,” Manuel said.
As for Martinez, who hasn’t pitched since July 12 because of a strained groin, Manuel must assume the worst.

“With Pedro, you want to believe,” Manuel said. “You want to be optimistic, but you have to be apprehensive.”

PHOTO: AP

-Ryan Church will go to Houston and not PSL for rehab games. Church didn’t think he’d play tomorrow anyway. Jerry Manuel said the Mets want to observe him a little longer and would not call this delay a setback.

-Mike Pelfrey pointed the finger at himself, saying he made lousy pitches. This was Pelfrey’s first loss since May 26 against Florida at Shea.

-The Marlins appear close to getting a deal done for Manny Ramirez. The Mets don’t appear close to anything major. Who knows if they’ll do anything minor. They won’t make a big deal if they hold onto Fernando Martinez and Jon Niese.

-Check out the new poll. Tiffany is right, I have to change these more often.

The Mets have won 10 of the last 11 games started by Mike Pelfrey, which should make you all feel pretty good about tonight.

The ballclub could do something by tomorrow’s trade deadline, but it doesn’t figure to be anything of magnitude.  Not like what the Yankees have done lately. Give them credit, they go after it. Speaking of going after it, it appears as if the Marlins are talking with the Red Sox about Manny Ramirez.

Nice job by the Tigers in waving a white flag by dealing Pudge. Only down by 5 1/2 games in a winnable division. Evidently, dumping salary is more important than winning.

This just in. Ryan Church will travel to Houston with the team. This obviously puts on hold any rehab games.

METS

SS Jose Reyes
2B Argenis Reyes
3B David Wright
1B Carlos Delgado
CF Carlos Beltran
RF Fernando Tatis
LF Marlon Anderson
C Brian Schneider
RH Mike Pelfrey

-We might get a better idea of whether John Maine will make his next start. I am inclined to take advantage of the off days and rest him.

-More BP for Ryan Church today. He doesn’t seem as lethargic as before. The feeling is he will do rehab games over the weekend and be activated next week.

-Question: Does anybody miss Luis Castillo?

The Mets have every reason to be concerned about John Maine and Pedro Martinez, so they don’t want to waste the kind of strong efforts they got from Oliver Perez and Aaron Heilman last night.

Carlos Delgado? Dare I say it? Comeback Player of the Year?

It’s not often we get a lot of things just before game time, but we do today.

Pedro Martinez just finished his bullpen session and said he’s fine for Friday. About the death of his father, Martinez said: “It hasn’t been an easy time putting things behind me.”

Ryan Church also gave a thumbs up after his batting practice. He said he would work out with the team tomorrow, then head to Port St. Lucie to begin his rehab assignment.

JOHN MAINE HAS A MILD STRAIN OF THE RIGHT ROTATOR CUFF AND IS DAY-TO-DAY.

It’s not as if the Mets had a chance to get him anyway, but the Braves traded Mark Teixeira to the Angels for first baseman Casey Kotchman and a minor leaguer.

Trades can be made, but I am not thinking the Mets will do anything of the blockbuster variety.

We’re done with Jerry Manuel, and with the tarp on the field they are taking BP in the cages.

Pretty quiet in here:

-Pedro Martinez is on the eliptical trainer talking with Dan Warthen.

-Carlos Muniz is glued in front of the TV watching news about the LA quake. He has family and a girlfriend there. Everybody is safe, he said.

-Ryan Church is on the bike getting ready for his BP.

-David Wright and Brian Schneider are playing cards at one end of the clubhouse. Mike Pelfrey and Joe Smith are playing cards at the other.

-Jose Reyes is watching tape of his swing on a computer.

METS

SS Jose Reyes
LF Nick Evans
3B David Wright
1B Carlos Delgado
CF Carlos Beltran
RF Fernando Tatis
2B Damion Easley
C Ramon Castro
LH Oliver Perez