Mets Rumors

Mets Sign Henry Blanco

By Tim Dierkes | December 3, 2009 at 5:48pm CDT

THURSDAY, 5:48pm: Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post confirms the agreement and adds that an announcement will come tomorrow or Saturday (via Twitter).

5:46pm: Blanco agreed to a one-year pact worth $1.5MM according to a tweet from Francisco Blavia of Lider en Deportes passed along by Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog.

8:58am: Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News passes on a report from the Venezuelan paper, El Nacional, that says Blanco is on his way to a physical with the Mets. Via Twitter, Jon Heyman of SI.com suggests the Mets will sign Blanco. He says the club maintains interest in Bengie Molina.

MONDAY, 2:58pm: The Mets are close to a deal with free agent catcher Henry Blanco, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Blanco would be brought on as a backup. The 38-year-old hit .235/.320/.382 in 232 plate appearances for the Padres this year, catching 508 innings and earning $750K.

Rosenthal notes that in terms of starting catchers, Bengie Molina "is believed to be" the Mets' top target. Molina's prospects will be greatly affected by the Giants' decision whether to offer him arbitration tomorrow night.

Odds & Ends: Harper, Phillies, Yankees, Marlins

By Mike Axisa | December 3, 2009 at 2:57pm CDT

Some afternoon links…

Baseball America's Conor Glassey reports that Bryce Harper passed his GED exam, which will allow him to attend junior college next year and be eligible for the 2010 draft. Harper is the odds on favorite to go first overall.
Now that they've taken care of third base and the bench, Andy Martino of The Philadelphia Inquirer says the Phillies will focus on their bullpen. He notes that GM Ruben Amaro Jr. is "intrigued by low-risk/high reward types," which is why the team recently kicked the tires on J.J. Putz. ESPN's Buster Olney mentions Brandon Lyon as a name to watch as well.
Mark Feinsand of The NY Daily News has some hot stove related quotes from Yankees' manager Joe Girardi.
Marlins' president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said "we're definitely going to be active" at the Winter Meetings next week, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia's recent winter ball injury (he felt tingling and numbness in his right arm) could making catching a priority for the Rangers next week, writes T.R. Sullivan on MLB.com.
The Rays have released righty Ramon Ramirez, according to Marc Topkin of The St. Petersburg Times. Ramirez was claimed off waivers from the Reds back in early November.
Dejan Kovacevic of The Pittsburgh Post Gazette says the Pirates are one of the teams interested in Bobby Crosby. This morning we learned that about six teams were interested in the former Rookie of the Year.
SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets that even though the Mets asked for his medical records, they are not going after Hideki Matsui.

Mets Rumors: Maine, Molina, Matsui

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | December 3, 2009 at 10:43am CDT

The latest on the New York Mets:

Joel Sherman of the New York Post hears that the Mets will definitely offer arbitration-eligible pitcher John Maine a contract.
As Ben Shpigel of the New York Times points out, the Mets won't have to make concessions to Bengie Molina, even though he is one of the more appealing catchers available.
Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker reports that the Mets asked to see the results of Hideki Matsui's physical. I guess this means they'd consider letting him play the outfield.

Braves Expect Soriano & Gonzalez To Leave

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | December 3, 2009 at 9:40am CDT

David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that the Braves fully expect relievers Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez to turn down the team's arbitration offers and explore the market. The Braves, who surrendered a top pick when they signed Billy Wagner, stand to gain four picks if Soriano and Gonzalez sign elsewhere.

That seems likely, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. One GM told Heyman that the former Braves are "the two most sought-after relievers on the market," so their Type A status doesn't seem to be scaring teams away.

Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports report that the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Orioles and Nationals are believed to have interest in the pair.

However, one high-ranking executive tells ESPN.com's Buster Olney that Soriano would be "insane" to turn down arbitration, which could net him a deal worth about $8MM.

Heyman On Pudge, Wolf, Crede

By Tim Dierkes | December 2, 2009 at 2:57pm CDT

The latest from SI's Jon Heyman…

The Giants, Mets, and Royals have interest in free agent catcher Ivan Rodriguez, assuming he doesn't accept the Rangers' arbitration offer. Heyman says the Royals were trying to sign Brian Schneider before the Phillies signed him.
Heyman names the Mets, Brewers, and Phillies as three clubs "believed to have some interest" in free agent lefty Randy Wolf. First we've read this winter of a possible Wolf-Phillies reunion.
"At least the Orioles and Astros" are interested in free agent third baseman Joe Crede.

Odds & Ends: Hudson, Wolf, Betancourt, Braves

By Tim Dierkes | December 2, 2009 at 1:55pm CDT

Links for Wednesday…

The Reds signed pitcher Jon Adkins to a minor league deal, according to the pitcher's Twitter (hat tip to The Hall Of Very Good). Adkins spent 2009 pitching in Korea.
The Giants were right not to offer arbitration to Bengie Molina, writes Grant Brisbee of McCovey Chronicles.
Chris Pummer as well as our own Howard Megdal from The Perpetual Post weigh in on Andruw Jones, who recently signed with the White Sox for $500K.
Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News discusses the chances of the Giants signing Miguel Tejada, Johnny Damon, Jermaine Dye, or Hudson.
Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times says the Mariners are interested in Orlando Hudson, at the right price. The lack of an arbitration offer helps.
Dave Cameron of FanGraphs looks at Ned Colletti's claim that the Dodgers' decision not to offer arbitration to Type A free agent Randy Wolf "was made strictly from a baseball perspective."
No surprise here: Astros GM Ed Wade indicated that a reunion with Wolf is unlikely (MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reporting). Wade also downplayed the reports linking the Astros to Brett Myers and J.J. Putz, saying, "We've made contact with agents for about every player out there as a matter of course. I would not read anymore into it than that."
ESPN's Buster Olney believes Rafael Betancourt "could be the player whose market is most affected" among the ten Type As offered arbitration.
Ken Davidoff of Newsday questions the Mets' Billy Wagner trade from August.
David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution wonders if the Braves might now pursue a setup man such as Octavio Dotel or Fernando Rodney.
Corey Brock and Steve Gilbert have Winter Meetings previews at MLB.com for the Padres and Diamondbacks, respectively.
Diamond Leung links to stories indicating the Chiba Lotte Marines "are interested in purchasing the contract of Dodgers left-hander Eric Stults." Stults posted a 4.86 ERA in ten starts for the Dodgers last year, making another 13 starts in the minors.

Angel Pagan Drawing Trade Interest

By Tim Dierkes | December 2, 2009 at 9:35am CDT

Mets outfielder Angel Pagan is drawing trade interest, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The writers note that Pagan may have more value to other clubs, where he could be used as a starting center fielder. The Royals are one interested party, but the duo's source says the Mets aren't interested in Jose Guillen. Why a guy with positive value like Pagan would be linked to one with major negative value like Guillen in the first place is beyond me.

Pagan, 28, hit .306/.350/.487 in 376 plate appearances last year for the Mets, playing all three outfield positions. Pagan was originally drafted by the Mets in '99, purchased from them by the Cubs in '06, and shipped back to the Mets for a couple of minor leaguers in January of '08. He's arbitration-eligible for the second time this winter.

The Cubs are now looking for a center fielder after giving away Pagan in January of '08 and Felix Pie a year later.

Strong Possibility Of Bradley-Burrell Swap?

By Tim Dierkes | December 2, 2009 at 9:06am CDT

A Milton Bradley–Pat Burrell swap is still a "strong possibility," according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman notes that since Burrell is owed $9MM over one year and Bradley $21MM over two, the Cubs would have to eat good money (he guesses $6MM) to make the trade work.

There is no question that the Cubs would have to flip Burrell in this scenario. Sherman speculates that they could offer him to the Mets for Luis Castillo, a player the Cubs wouldn't mind adding. Sherman says, "It is hard to find a baseball official who actually thinks the Mets are going to land either Jason Bay or Matt Holliday," though ESPN's Buster Olney found one today in regard to Holliday.

My guess is that the Cubs would prefer to get a more usable piece than Burrell for Bradley. Acquiring Burrell increases uncertainty and drags out the process. Acquiring another bad contract more directly, someone they can use in center field, the rotation, or second base, would be ideal.

Mets Do Not Offer Arb To Any Free Agents

By Mark Polishuk | December 1, 2009 at 5:21pm CDT

Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post (via Twitter) reports that, as, expected, the Mets will not offer arbitration to any of their remaining free agents — Carlos Delgado, Gary Sheffield, Fernando Tatis, or Elmer Dessens. Delgado and Tatis are Type B free agents, while Sheffield and Dessens are unranked.

Hubbuch also tweets that New York is interested in re-signing Delgado to a one-year deal to keep first base occupied while prospect Ike Davis continues to develop.

Odds & Ends: Kuo, DeRosa, Dye, Blue Jays

By Tim Dierkes | December 1, 2009 at 4:32pm CDT

With all the arbitration decisions flying around today, we haven't had time for an Odds & Ends until now.

Diamond Leung tweeted last night that the Yankees "signed Taiwanese 18-year-old infielder Fu-Lin Kuo to six-figure bonus." Taiwan Baseball says Kuo received about $150K.
Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has the Cardinals, Phillies, Mets, and Giants as suitors for Mark DeRosa. ESPN's Buster Olney heard that a few teams are concerned with DeRosa's range at third base.
Fungoes shows us "when the hot stove is the hottest," graphically. Looks about right to me…peaks in December, stays hot in January.
A.J. Burnett talked to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News about Roy Halladay potentially being traded.
Juan Castro will take his physical Thursday according to Andy Martino of the Philadelphia Inquirer; if he passes, his one-year deal with the Phillies will be official.
ESPN's Jerry Crasnick wrote about potential fits for Jermaine Dye, noting that the Yankees have discussed him internally. Crasnick says geography will not be a major factor for Dye.
MLB.com's Jordan Bastian tweeted comments from Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos regarding their search for a catcher. Anthopoulos is eyeing some potential non-tenders. Dioner Navarro and John Buck come to mind, with Kelly Shoppach going to the Rays.
The market for Miguel Tejada should be decent now that he certainly will not cost a draft pick. SI's Jon Heyman tweets that the Cardinals, Phillies, Giants, Rangers, and Astros are interested. Rangers?
MLB.com's Adam McCalvy reports that the Brewers officially announced their minor league deal with John Halama today.
Nick Green's agent Tom O'Connell tells Ken Davidoff of Newsday his client is drawing "significant interest" on Major League contracts.

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