Odds & Ends: Mets, Cubs, Astros

Links for Monday…

• Nationals GM Mike Rizzo told Baseball America's Jim Callis that the team's #10 overall draft pick will not be influenced by signability.  MLB.com's Bill Ladson's source believes negotiations between Rizzo and Scott Boras for Stephen Strasburg will go well, given their past history.
• Regarding Friday's call for MLBTR writers, I still have many applications to review.  I will keep you updated here on the site.
• McCovey Chronicles discusses The Jonathan Sanchez Paradox.
• Joel Sherman of the New York Post names Nick Johnson, Aubrey Huff, and Mark DeRosa as the most probable trade targets for the Mets if Carlos Delgado is out for an extended period of time.  Check out MLBTR's discussion of this topic from Saturday.  SI.com's Jon Heyman also weighed in today.
• Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal has an update on progress made on the sale of the Cubs.
• On Sunday, Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote that Freddy Sanchez's current contract clause will likely cause the Pirates to avoid vesting options in the future.
• On June 1st, Alyson Footer will begin a new job working for the Astros.  The new MLB.com beat writer will be Brian McTaggart, who covered the team for the Houston Chronicle.