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Michael Bourn Rumors: Wednesday

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It's no secret that the Mets would like to add Michael Bourn, the top free agent remaining. They dined with him, and their franchise player reached out to express interest. Though it's difficult to pinpoint other suitors for Bourn, the Indians could get involved if his asking price drops "a lot," Buster Olney of ESPN.com reported yesterday. Here are today's Bourn-related rumors with the most recent updates up top…

  • Agent Scott Boras is telling the Mets he has attractive offers for Bourn, and the Mets are essentially challenging Boras to prove those proposals exist, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports. The Mets have discussed a three-year deal for Bourn and hinted at a willingness to offer a fourth season, Sherman adds. It’s possible the Mets would match the four-year, $40MM contract Angel Pagan obtained, but only if their 11th overall draft pick becomes protected. Interestingly, the Mets would prefer to wait until they have an agreement with Bourn before challenging the existing draft pick compensation rules, Sherman writes.
  • The Mets have discussed a three-year deal with Boras, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. However, the team isn’t willing to spend anywhere close to $15MM per season on the center fielder. Still, Boras maintains that interest remains strong in Bourn and free agent right-hander Kyle Lohse. “Bourn and Lohse have very viable markets and we’re negotiating with the clubs currently,” he told Rosenthal. The Braves never made Bourn an offer other than their qualifying offer, Rosenthal writes. Atlanta executives didn’t believe him to be worth more than $10-12MM per season for four years. Rosenthal lists the Mariners, Rangers and Cubs as potential suitors for Bourn.

Michael Bourn Rumors: Tuesday

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Yesterday Mets general manager Sandy Alderson acknowledged to reporters that the Mets are in on free agent center fielder Michael Bourn. “We’re getting to the point where we can be in the mix,’’ Alderson said. “If you look at the fundamental composition of our team, it wouldn’t take more than a couple of moves to change the whole perception of things.’’ The Mets would have to surrender the 11th overall pick in the upcoming amateur draft to complete a deal with Bourn, but would ask MLB for a rule modification in the event they're close to a deal. Here’s the latest on Bourn, a Scott Boras client who recently dined with the Mets…

  • The Indians are among the teams that might have interest in Bourn if his asking price drops "A LOT," ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports (on Twitter).

Earlier updates:

  • David Wright told Kevin Kernan of the New York Post that he spoke with Bourn and exchanged texts with him to persuade him to sign in New York. “I just wanted to let him know that he would be a great addition here and he’d obviously be welcomed here,’’ Wright said. He explained to Bourn that the Mets aren’t far off from contention with the young talent they have in place. Wright noted that he’s happy to help the organization recruit free agents if it makes a difference on the field.
  • The Mariners and Rangers have also been linked to Bourn, the top free agent remaining.

East Notes: Red Sox, Kazmir, Dice-K, Cashman

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Economist Andrew Zimbalist says Terry Francona's portrayal of the Red Sox ownership group in his new book gives an unfair representation of John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino's level of investment in the team, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com. “I think they’re all really smart. And I think they all really do love baseball, and I think they understand the intricacies of baseball,” said Zimbalist. “John Henry is a stats guy. John Henry brought Bill James to Boston — along with some other very good sabermetricians, by the way."

Here's the latest stories and headlines making news out of the AL and NL East Divisions…

  • Former Mets prospect Scott Kazmir will attempt to make a return to the big leagues this season and believes he can regain the form that made him an All-Star with the Rays, writes Mark Hale of the New York Post.“If his velocity’s back and his confidence is back,” Kazmir’s former pitching coach with the Angels, Mike Butcher, said, “this guy still could be an impact in the major leagues.”
  • Daisuke Matsuzaka remains on the Mets' radar as he could be an option for either the starting rotation or in the bullpen, write Matthew Cerrone and Michael Baron of MetsBlog.com. Matsuzaka, 32, just completed a six-year, $52MM contract with the Red Sox. 
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman celebrates 15 years in his current post with New York today, writes Richard Justice of MLB.com. The hiring of the former Catholic University second baseman in 1998 marked owner George Steinbrenner's 14th general manager in 25 years.

Mets Close To A Deal With Brandon Lyon

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4:54 pm: The Mets are quite confident a deal will be completed with Lyon, tweets Martino.

4:35 pm: The Mets are definitely serious about Lyon, but one Major League source tells Andy Martino of the New York Daily News the reliever is still talking to a few clubs and no deal is done (Twitter link).

3:09 pm: The Mets are closing in on a deal with free agent reliever Brandon Lyon, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. If a contract is finalized, Lyon would be the third right-handed bullpen piece added this week after the signings of Scott Atchison and LaTroy Hawkins. MLB.com's Anthony DiComo tweets this move will probably complete the Mets' bullpen makeover. 

Lyon pitched to a 3.10 ERA, 9.3 K/9, and 3.0 BB/9 in 67 games for the Astros and Blue Jays last year. The 33-year-old, represented by Meister Sports Management, received interest from the Giants this offseason and reportedly was talking with several teams as recently as yesterday. The Blue Jays meanwhile never fully closed the door on Lyon's return despite a full bullpen and limited payroll space.

GM Sandy Alderson has been lukewarm about keeping closer Frank Francisco in that role, so the Mets have been aggressive in trying to improve their bullpen this winter being linked to Jose Valverde, Francisco Rodriguez, and Brian Wilson. The Mets even approached Roy Oswalt about becoming their closer, but to no avail. Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com tweets he doesn't believe the Mets are viewing Lyon as a closer. 

Cafardo On Bourn, Red Sox, Morales, Bailey, Okajima

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The Yankees will face an uphill battle if they attempt to void Alex Rodriguez's contract due to his alleged ties to a Miami PED clinic.  The use of banned substances alone may not be enough to 86 a contract, but a former agent tells Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that they could try to prove there was fraud prior to the contract being signed.  In that situation, the Bombers would try to show that A-Rod lied about taking PEDs and therefore the contract was agreed to under false pretenses.  Here's more from today's column, with a heavy dose of news on current and former members of the Red Sox..

  • There has been speculation that the Mets are trying to get MLB to allow them to keep their first-round pick if they sign Michael Bourn.  According to a Mets source, they are still trying to determine whether they can get him to sign and they'll only go all out on the compensation issue if they determine that they can. 
  • A few teams contacted the Red Sox about left-hander Franklin Morales this winter and a few others are watching him closely in spring training.  Teams are intrigued by Morales’s starting capability and are especially interested to see if he can consistently maintain his 96 mph fastball over a full outing.  If Gio Gonzalez winds up being penalized for his alleged link to the PED clinic in Miami, Cafardo believes that the Nationals may be interested in Morales.
  • Andrew Bailey is another Red Sox pitcher who will be watched by scouts.  There are still teams out there who could use a closer like the Tigers and Mets and Boston might listen for the right return.
  • A few teams are interested in signing Hideki Okajima to a minor league deal, but he hasn’t made up his mind yet.  The left-hander was recently released by his Japanese team so that he could pursue a return to the majors.
  • Teams like the Astros and Mets are kicking around the possibility of bringing Daisuke Matsuzaka to camp to see if he can recapture the form he had in his first two seasons in Boston.  He could also head back to Japan if he doesn't feel that he has a good chance of making a big league roster.  Last month, a Mets insider told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com that he didn't believe the club reached out to Matsuzaka.
  • Derek Lowe wants to be a starting pitcher, but it appears that he will have to go settle for being a swingman.  The Mets and the Astros are possibilities.

Quick Hits: Marlins, Reds, Bourn, Lohse, Hendrickson

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As February gets underway, Michael Bourn still stands as the best available free agent on the open market.  Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (on Twitter) opines that the Mets, Mariners, and Rays are the teams that make the most sense for the center fielder.  As for the best starter left on the free agent pile, Bowden sees the Red Sox, Rangers, Angels, Brewers, and Orioles as the best fits for Kyle Lohse.  Here's more from around baseball..

  • Don't look for the Marlins to make any major moves the remainder of the offseason, says Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel (via Twitter). The team will enter spring training with the roster it currently has in place.
  • Regardless of whether or not Scott Rolen joins the Reds, John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes that the club is facing a serious roster crunch.  It seems that the veteran wants to play in 2013 but money will be a determining factor in his decision.  Recently, the Dodgers reached out to Rolen to express interest.
  • The Orioles expect to announce the signing of veteran left-handerMark Hendrickson to a minor league contract with a spring training invite early next week, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.  The O's also hope to announce their deal with Jair Jurrjens and remain interested in bringing Joe Saunders back despite the depth that they've added.
  • Torii Hunter says that enjoyed his time with the Angels, but he also felt misled when the club told him they didn't have enough money to keep him before signing Josh Hamilton to a five-year, $125MM deal, writes Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.  The veteran hooked on with the Tigers this winter in pursuit of a World Series ring.
  • The Tigers had a tough time trying to find organizational depth this winter as many players figured that their path to the majors would be blocked, writes George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press.  Regardless, assistant General Manager Al Avila says that the club is done signing minor league players and is ready for spring training.

Daniel Seco contributed to this post.

Mets Notes: Byrd, Outfield, Bourn

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Earlier today, we learned that the Mets are pursuing Jose Valverde, and would even consider a reunion Francisco Rodriguez as they look to strengthen their bullpen.  The Mets were also thinking outside the box when they approached Roy Oswalt about the possibility of serving as their closer in 2013, but the veteran isn't interested in signing on as a reliever and isn't likely to come to Queens.  Here's more on the Mets..

  • Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson says "there are still a few options out there" when it comes to the possibility of trading for an outfielder, tweets Marc Carig of Newsday.  Earlier tonight, they picked up another outfield option when they signed Marlon Byrd to a minor league deal with a major league spring training invite. 
  • Speaking of Byrd, a Mets official told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter) that even though he was released by the Red Sox in June after getting hit with his 50-game suspension, it is viewed as already having been served.
  • Dave Cameron of Fangraphs looks at the case the Mets could make for protecting their first-round pick in the event that they decide to pull the trigger on signing Michael Bourn.  Cameron doesn't like the Mets' chances of winning that battle, but he opines that a ruling in their favor would help promote MLB's claim that draft pick compensation is for the benefit of losing teams, rather than driving down salaries.

Mets Sign Marlon Byrd

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The Mets announced that they have signed outfielder Marlon Byrd to a minor league deal with an invite to major league spring training.  Byrd, a client of the ACES agency, is expected to compete with Andrew Brown for the Mets' fifth outfielder spot, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (on Twitter).

The Cubs ate $6.1MM of Byrd's $6.5MM salary in an April trade with the Red Sox that netted them Michael Bowden.  The 35-year-old was suspended for 50 games in June after testing positive for performance enhancing drugs.  In 153 combined plate appearances with the Cubs and Red Sox, Byrd posted a combined .210/.243/.245 slash line.

Earlier this month, we heard that the Marlins had some interest in signing Byrd.  For his career, Byrd has hit .278/.336/.413 for the Phillies, Rangers, Cubs, Nationals, and Red Sox.

Mets Interested In Valverde, Rodriguez

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The Mets' search for bullpen help has led them to some prominent free agent relievers. The Mets are pursuing Jose Valverde, and would even consider bringing Francisco Rodriguez back to New York, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports. However, a deal with Brian Wilson is now considered “very unlikely.”

The Mets are interested in signing Valverde, but only on their terms. Rubin suggests the Mets might be prepared to guarantee Valverde $4MM on a deal with significant incentives. Though the Mets have some interest in Rodriguez, he is believed to be seeking about $7MM, according to Rubin. Both free agent right-handers are clients of the Boras Corporation.

The Mets visited Roy Oswalt to convince him to join the team as its closer, Rubin reports. Oswalt is not interested in becoming a closer, so he’s no longer an option for GM Sandy Alderson. The Mets have one serious offer out to a late-inning reliever who’s not a closer, Rubin adds. The team expects to hear back from the player shortly.

If the Mets don’t add any relievers, Frank Francisco would likely be the club’s closer. Follow @closernews on Twitter throughout the season for closer-related news and analysis.

NL East Notes: McCann, Phillies, Oswalt, Mets

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Here's the latest from around the NL East…

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