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John Lannan Drawing Interest

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The Red Sox, Tigers and Astros are watching John Lannan and a deal involving the left-hander is "likely" Danny Knobler of CBS Sports tweets. The Mets and Padres had interest, but balked at his $5MM salary.

Lannan doesn't have a guaranteed rotation spot in Washington after posting a 3.70 ERA with 5.2 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 184 2/3 innings last year, so he's a potential trade candidate this spring. The Blue Jays, Royals and Tigers are among the teams monitoring the market for starting pitching, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported today.

Minor Moves: John Mincone

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The latest minor moves from around MLB…

  • The Mets signed left-hander John Mincone to a minor league deal, the team announced (via Twitter). The 22-year-old Huntington, New York native has a 4.11 ERA with 6.1 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in 46 minor league innings. This includes a stint with the Windy City ThunderBolts of the independent Frontier League. The Cubs originally selected Mincone in the 11th round of the 2009 draft.

Quick Hits: Dodgers, Buxton, Cohen

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It was on this day in 1921 that Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis imposed lifetime bans from baseball on eight members of the 1919 White Sox for their alleged role in throwing that year's World Series.  The most famous of the eight "Black Sox" is one of the game's all-time greats, Shoeless Joe Jackson, whose participation in the game-fixing scandal has been disputed for years (he hit .375/.394/.563 in the eight Series games).

Some news as we wrap up a busy Monday in the majors…

  • Major League Baseball did not invite real estate developer Alan Casden to a meeting of competing groups bidding to buy the Dodgers, effectively removing Casden from the process, reports Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.  Casden's rejection means that the list of potential new Dodgers ownership groups has been narrowed to six.
  • The Orioles held a workout for high school outfielder Byron Buxton, reports Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun.  Buxton is projected to be one of the top picks in this summer's amateur draft and could be taken by the O's with the fourth overall pick, though Schmuck says "there's a lot of buzz" that the Mariners could draft Buxton third overall.  According to Baseball America's Conor Glassey, Buxton's "explosive athleticism and five-tool potential has already led some scouts to compare [him] to a hybrid of the Upton brothers."
  • Steve Cohen is "the most important man in Major League Baseball right now," writes Mike Ozanian of Forbes Magazine, for offering to buy partial ownership of the financially-struggling Mets and for his ability to present a "simple" bid to buy the Dodgers.

Mets Notes: Wright, Byrdak, Santana

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David Wright will get a cortisone shot for his sore ribcage, Andy Martino of the New York Daily News tweets. Here are some more Mets-related updates…

  • Mets left-hander Tim Byrdak will have surgery to repair a torn meniscus, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com tweets. This means Byrdak figures to start the season on the disabled list.
  • Rubin wonders if the Mets will open the season with both D.J. Carrasco and Miguel Batista on the 25-man roster or if a non-roster left-hander will make the team (Twitter link). Mike Gonzalez and Arthur Rhodes are free agent possibilities for GM Sandy Alderson to consider.
  • Anthony DiComo of MLB.com runs through some of the lefties in Mets camp who warrant consideration for a spot in the bullpen.
  • Mets officials agree that lack of overall depth is an issue for them, Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets.
  • "I truly believe we're going to do this right and that Johan Santana will be on this team Opening Day," Mets manager Terry Collins said, according to the Associated Press (via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). Santana aims to return from a shoulder injury this year.

NL East Notes: Nitkowski, Lannan, Nickeas, Harper

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Earlier today, we learned that the Mets may look into dealing righty reliever D.J. Carrasco. Here are a couple more notes on the Amazin's within this batch of NL East links …

  • The Mets like what they saw out of C.J. Nitkowski's audition on Thursday and are working to sign him to a minor league deal, writes Ken Davidoff of Newsday.  An agreement seems likely between the club and the 39-year-old.
  • The Nationals are taking offers on lefty John Lannan, but they're not desperate to trade him, as his $5MM salary for this season is manageable, tweets Jim Bowden of ESPN.com. The Red Sox have made an offer for Lannan, but it wasn't close, Bowden adds.
  • Mets catcher Mike Nickeas may not necessarily be a lock to nab the team's backup catcher role despite already being on the 40-man roster, writes Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. The Mets may instead go with Rob Johnson, in which case Nickeas would be placed on waivers and be expected to clear.
  • Nats prized prospect Byrce Harper will likely begin the season in the minor leagues despite manager Davey Johnson's desire to have the right fielder break camp with the big club, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. However, a midseason callup is possible for Harper, Heyman adds. Harper turned 19 in October and has a full season of minor league experience under his belt after being the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2010.
  • Mets skipper Terry Collins acknowledged to Joel Sherman of the New York Post that he may in fact be only a transitional manager for the club, perhaps being replaced when the team is ready to compete again: “I realize the possibilities,” Collins said. The Mets have already exercised Collins' 2013 option, however.

Mets May Look To Trade D.J. Carrasco

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Bobby Parnell seems likely to earn one of the final spots in the Mets bullpen, leaving the last spot up for grabs between Miguel Batista and D.J. Carrasco.  Batista looks to have an advantage in the race, making Carrasco a candidate to be traded, two Mets officials tell Andy Martino of the New York Daily News.

One official said the team has discussed whether Miami could be a fit for Carrasco, because the pitcher enjoyed success while playing for then-White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen in 2008 and '09.  A third team source mentioned that the Angels could have interest as GM Jerry DiPoto traded for Carrasco while serving as the interim GM of Arizona in 2010.

Carrasco's performance last season could make him a tough sell but the Mets are hoping GMs are willing to look past it.  The 34-year-old, who is set to make $1.2MM on the back end of a two-year deal, turned in a 6.02 ERA with 4.9 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 2011.

NL East Notes: Fielder, Mulvey, Marlins, Elarton

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Here's the latest from the NL East…

  • Prince Fielder said he wouldn't have minded playing for the Nationals, telling media (including Amanda Comak of the Washington Times) that he enjoyed his meeting with Nats management in December and was interested in playing with the club's young stars, particularly Bryce Harper.  Fielder said he wasn't sure if Washington ever presented him with a formal contract offer.
  • The Mets have signed right-hander Kevin Mulvey to a minor league contract, according to the club's minor league Twitter feed.  Mulvey was originally drafted by the Mets in the second round of the 2006 draft.  He was part of the trade package New York sent to Minnesota in the Johan Santana deal and, in 2009, was sent by the Twins to the Diamondbacks in exchange for Jon Rauch.  The D'Backs released Mulvey last week.  Mulvey last pitched in the big leagues in 2010 and has a 7.90 ERA in 27 1/3 career Major League innings.
  • The early impression of the Marlins' new stadium is that it favors hitters when the retractable roof is open and favors pitchers when the roof is closed, reports Robbie Levin of the Miami Herald.
  • Scott Elarton's trip with his son to a Phillies/Rockies game last summer was the first step in Elarton eventually signing a minor league deal with the Phillies, reports Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  The 10-year veteran last pitched in the Majors in 2008 and his last taste of pro ball was 16 games with the White Sox Triple-A affiliate in 2010.

Chris Young Leaning Towards Re-Signing With Mets

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Chris Young is closer to rejoining the Mets, with a source telling Andy Martino of the New York Daily News that an agreement between the two sides "will happen."  Young has narrowed his choices down to the Mets and Padres (another of his former teams) but apparently favors a return to New York due to his good relationship with Mets GM Sandy Alderson.  Martino adds in a follow-up tweet that there is "nothing imminent" between Young and the Mets.

Young, 32, signed a one-year, $1.1MM contract with the Mets last offseason and was on pace to be a nice bargain (a 1.88 ERA in four starts) before undergoing season-ending surgery for a torn anterior capsule in his throwing shoulder.  It was the latest in a series of arm injuries for Young, who has made just 40 starts over the last four seasons.  A return to the Padres could be complicated by the fact that the Friars don't offer incentive-laden contracts, which Young would obviously be interested in case he returns to form.

Mets Notes: Pelfrey, Nitkowski, Ownership

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Yesterday, MLBPA leader Michael Weiner put his support behind Mets owner Fred Wilpon and family, saying that the group is committed to winning.  Here's more on the club's financial situation and other news out of Queens..

  • If Mike Pelfrey is hoping to ever to sign a significant long-term deal, he is going to need to show that he can pitch more consistently than he has in the past with the Mets, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  The right-hander posted a 3.66 ERA with 3.0 K/9 and 5.0 BB/9 in 2010 but turned in a 4.74 ERA in 2011 with 4.9 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 last season.  Pelfrey will be eligible for free agency after the 2013 season.
  • C.J. Nitkowski threw a bullpen session with the Mets on Thursday and Sherman tweets that it went well.  However, the two sides will have to reach agreement on how much he will make on the major league side of a deal and the Mets will have to find a spot for him in Triple-A if he needs to begin there (Twitter link).  The left-hander last appeared in the majors in 2005.
  • In a hearing this afternoon it was announced that they will begin seating a nine-person jury in the $386MM lawsuit against Mets owners on March 19, writes Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.  Rubin (via Twitter) notes that this means that a verdict in the case could come down right around Opening Day.

Quick Hits: Jackson, Perkins, Lane, Nitkowski

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Happy birthday to Hall-of-Famer Jim Rice, who turns 59 today.  On a more somber note, it was on this day in 1999 that the legendary Joe DiMaggio passed away at age 84 after a battle with lung cancer.

Here's some news from around the majors as we head into the end of the work week…

  • Edwin Jackson tells Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he didn't receive any interest from the Cardinals about returning to the team.  "There was no involvement with the Cardinals. Pitching wasn't a department they needed help in. Their rotation is pretty much set," Jackson said.  "It was a place I wouldn't have minded going back to…but, coming into the offseason, it was never a place I realistically thought I had a chance to go back to."
  • Phil Mackey of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities radio details Glen Perkins' path from filing a grievance against the Twins in 2009 and seemingly being on the outs with the club to today's three-year extension that keeps the southpaw in Minnesota through 2015.
  • Jason Lane talks to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic about his attempt to return to the Major Leagues as a pitcher, and how a chance meeting with Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers last summer led to Lane getting a minor league deal with Arizona.
  • C.J. Nitkowski, who last pitched in the majors in 2005, threw a bullpen session with the Mets on Thursday, reports MLB.com's Anthony DiComo.  Nitkowski pitched in Japan and Korea from 2007-2010 and, as MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince details, underwent a controversial blood-and-stem cell treatment last year.  Nitkowski was the ninth overall pick of the 1994 amateur draft and pitched for eight teams in a 10-year Major League career, including a five-game stint with the Mets in 2001.
  • The long-term effects of Lucas Giolito's UCL strain have yet to be determined, but Baseball America's Conor Glassey examines how the injury could impact Giolito's position in the 2012 amateur draft.
  • The Mexican Baseball League has announced that Jose Canseco will not play for Quintana Roo Tigers after the slugger allegedly took a banned substance and refused to take a drug test, reports ESPN's news news services.  League president Plinio Escalante told ESPN Deportes that testosterone was the banned substance.  Canseco has denied the charge on his Twitter account.
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