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Mets Sign Javier Valentin, Tom Martin

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According to Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News, the Mets signed Javier Valentin and Tom Martin to minor league deals.

Valentin, 33, signed with the Nationals in February but chose free agency in March when he didn't make the team.  He can catch and play first base, and hit .256/.326/.411 in 144 plate appearances last year.

Martin, 38, was released by the Mets in March.  Earlier that month he'd strained his calf and broken his wrist falling down the stairs.  I guess the team had a change of heart.  The lefty reliever pitched in the Atlantic League last year.

2010 Options: New York Mets

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Let's take a look at the 2010 options facing the Mets.

  • Billy Wagner – $8MM club option with a $1MM buyout.  Wagner had Tommy John surgery in September of last year.  According to former teammate Scott Schoeneweis via Adam Rubin, the Mets told Wagner that month the option won't be picked up.  Wagner reportedly wants to close in 2010 anyway.  He may get a few innings in September '09 for the Mets as an audition for his next team.
  • J.J. Putz – $8.6MM club option with a $1MM buyout.  Based on the contract details at Cot's, it seems that it might be an $8.9MM option for '10 because Putz finished 65 games in 2007.  For Putz to be worth $7.6MM+ net next year, he'd have to be one of the game's top setup men.  That has not been the case so far, as his K/9 is down to 5.7 and his BB/9 still high at 4.7.  His average fastball velocity is down a full 2 mph from last year.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Bay, Holliday, Hudson, Cameron, Mets, Yankees, Rays

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On this date 27 years ago, Adrian Gonzalez was born. The former first overall pick by the Marlins has been traded twice. He was originally dealt to the Rangers in a deal that sent Ugueth Urbina to the Marlins. Later he was dealt to the Padres along with Chris Young for Adam Eaton and Akinori Otsuka. As we enter the second month of the season, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

  • Around the Majors looks at Jason Bay and Matt Holliday in an effort to find the best value in the free agents-to-be.
  • Feeling Dodger Blue declares Orlando Hudson the best free agent signing of 2009…so far.
  • The Eddie Kranepool Society thinks it might be time to break up the core of the Mets by shopping Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado.
  • The Fowl Balls makes a case for the Yankees signing Paul LoDuca.
  • River Ave. Blues argues that the Yankees have gotten lazy with the roster and have missed opportunities to improve the bench.
  • Brew Crew Ball writes that Mike Cameron has been a great signing for the Brewers and wonders what the team should do with him as he nears free agency.
  • Over at my home base, Rays Index, we are playing a game with other Rays bloggers (and Tim Dierkes) called "The Tampa Bay Rays Trade Pool," based loosely on "The Dead Pool."

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.

Rosenthal On Mariners, A’s, Putz

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The latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports…

  • The Mariners and A's are not thinking about selling off veterans at the trade deadline.  Both clubs plan to go for it.
  • Tough decision for the Mets after the season: do they exercise J.J. Putz's $9.1MM option for 2010?  Cot's Baseball Contracts says it's an $8.6MM club option with a $1MM buyout.
  • Rosenthal says one GM views the recent DL trips for Dontrelle Willis, Chien-Ming Wang, and Daisuke Matsuzaka as possible abuse of the system.
  • Will Barry Zito continue to be decent this year?  His control and groundball rate have been much improved and his average fastball velocity is up by 1.6 mph.  The .250 BABIP doesn't figure to last though.  Zito is owed $87.5MM for 2009-13, plus he has an $18MM option for 2014 that may vest.

Rosenthal On Mets & Phillies

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports spoke with two NL East GMs about the state of their teams a month into the season. Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. addressed his team's pitching:

  • Amaro expects pitchers Brett Myers, Joe Blanton and Chan Ho Park to improve. If not, Amaro says "we'll be open to other options."
  • Rosenthal expects the Phillies to look internally for rotation help before making any deal. J.A. Happ, Carlos Carrasco, Rodrigo Lopez or Kyle Kendrick could could be asked to start.
  • Rosenthal adds that the Phillies' greatest need will be a reliever if Brad Lidge remains sidelined.  

Mets GM Omar Minaya took stock of his team, which is now 9-12.

  • Asked if the Mets are pursuing Pedro Martinez, Minaya said "not right now."    
  • Minaya suggested the Mets will dabble in any big name that surfaces on the trade market.  
  • Payroll could become an issue for the Mets, who have already committed $149MM to the team.  
  • Rosenthal writes that the Mets "look like they blew it" when they decided to sign Oliver Perez instead of offering Derek Lowe a fourth year.  
  • Minaya said Gary Sheffield and Alex Cora bring an "edge" to the team that Jose Reyes and David Wright lack.  

Manuel Stuck With Ramon Castro?

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Back in February, the Mets were reportedly trying to trade backup catcher Ramon Castro.  Today, Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News says it's obvious Mets manager Jerry Manuel would prefer to keep Omir Santos over Castro when Brian Schneider returns from the DL.  However, "the front office keeps saying the plan is to option Santos to the minors."

If the Mets do eventually designate or release Castro, they'll have to assume most of the $2.5MM owed to him this year.

Mets Release Freddy Garcia

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10:54am: According to David Lennon of Newsday, the Mets released Garcia today.  Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post talked to Garcia's agent Ed Greenberg, who says his client is "way too young to retire" at age 32.  Greenberg was surprised by the Mets' move, and blames cold weather for Garcia's rough start.

9:25am: Things aren't going well for Freddy Garcia in Triple A.  Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News reports:

Garcia has an 8.18 earned run average and has lost both his starts for the Herd. He threw 80 pitches Monday, 54 for strikes. He twice hit 85 mph and had a few other pitches in the low 80s. He was mostly in the mid-70s and was throwing offspeed stuff in the mid-60s.

I imagine a good chunk of the MLBTR audience can throw in the mid-70s.  Garcia isn't healthy, and sounds like he's considering retirement:

"I want to do the best things I can the next couple days. I want to feel better.  Hopefully it will work out for me but I don't know. I'm working really hard to try to get right but my shoulder doesn't respond.  I'm going to try my best. If not, I guess I'll go home. I don't know. That's it, man."

Garcia sports a 4.07 ERA in 1716.6 career innings, with 118 wins for the Mariners, White Sox, Phillies, and Tigers.  He also won six postseason games for the Mariners and White Sox.

The Mets' rotation currently ranks 14th in the NL with a 5.35 ERA in 104.3 innings.  They've got question marks behind Johan Santana, but at least John Maine looked good yesterday.  How about Tim Redding?  He's close to returning from a rotator cuff strain, after one Triple A rehab start this week.

Odds & Ends: Perez, D’Backs, Baez

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Links for Monday…

Mets DFA Casey Fossum

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According to David Lennon of Newsday, the Mets designated Casey Fossum for assignment after Sunday's 8-1 loss to the Nationals. Fossum gave up 4 hits and 1 run and notched 4 strikeouts in 3.3 innings of relief this year for the Mets.

The Mets have called up lefthander Ken Takahashi to take Fossum's place. The 40-year-old Takahashi has a 0.77 ERA in six appearances for Triple-A Buffalo.

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