With A's General Manager Billy Beane in an all-out rebuilding mode, starting pitcher Joe Blanton could be the next to depart Oakland. A person with knowledge of the situation said Friday that the Mets remain, "Interested in doing something there" and recently asked Beane, "To keep them in mind, just as it was with (ace Dan) Haren." In the past month, Beane has extracted six prospects from Arizona for Haren and three more from the White Sox for switch-hitting outfielder Nick Swisher. The A's almost certainly would expect at least three more young players in return for Blanton, who is arbitration-eligible after making $380,000 last season. The 27-year-old righty has made at least 31 starts in each of his first three years. He went 14-10 with a 3.95 ERA in 230 innings in 2007.