Mets baseball blog

Mets tell David Wright to keep quiet about A-Rod

David Wright wants to meet with Mets officials to gauge how serious they are about pursuing Alex Rodriguez. About all team brass has told the two-time All-Star so far is to keep quiet. While Wright has expressed a willingness to switch positions if the Mets could land A-Rod, his primary wish is to be kept informed. Mets VP Jay Horwitz called Wright Monday and asked the third baseman - perhaps the most accessible and accommodating Met - to stay mum.

"Jay doesn't want me talking about it," Wright said, adding, "I'd like to sit down and talk with (management) before I say anything." Wright, who owns a penthouse on the Lower East Side, is heading to his native Virginia at the end of the week, and said he hopes a powwow will occur in the next couple of days. Continue

Posada grabs the Mets’ eye

One intriguing player - and current free agent - the Mets have targeted this offseason is Jorge Posada. The Mets have interest in Posada, the longtime Yankee catcher who filed for free agency on Monday and who would fill a position of uncertainty for the club. Paul Lo Duca has filed for free agency as well. Though Lo Duca's agent, Andrew Mongelluzzi, said yesterday the Mets have an interest in re-signing him, he is no lock to return. Either way, Posada is a more accomplished option. Continue

A-Rod on menu at Met meeting

Exactly one month after their season stunningly collapsed, the Mets will hold organizational meetings today, and Alex Rodriguez surely will be one of the topics of discussion. In addition to Rodriguez and what stance they should take with other free agents, there are a number of issues to address, including how to handle their own free agents and whether to eventually consider a role change for Orlando Hernandez.

Here's a closer look at what the discussions could entail: * The Mets are long shots to pursue Rodriguez, but that doesn't mean they won't at least discuss ohim. There are multiple obstacles, however - the Mets would have to be willing to pay Rodriguez an exorbitant contract sum for an exorbitant contract length, move either third baseman David Wright or shortstop Jose Reyes to another position/team or potentially deal Carlos Delgado if Wright were moved to first base. "He is still property of the Yankees, so technically I can't comment," GM Omar Minaya said last night. Continue

Six Mets file for free agency on first day

Six Mets filed for free agency Monday, on the first day players were eligible: Marlon Anderson, Luis Castillo, Ramon Castro, Damion Easley, Shawn Green and Paul Lo Duca. The Mets figure to make re-signing Castillo a priority after trading for the second baseman at the July 31 deadline.

Lo Duca wants to return, but Mets brass, while not ruling out a return, hopes to instead acquire a catcher via trade. Castro is not viewed as Lo Duca's successor, though he could return in a No.2 role. Easley, who suffered major ankle damage that required surgery, wants to continue playing and should be healthy by spring training, although it's not likely he'd be back in Flushing.- Adam Rubin  (Daily News)

The answer is simple: Alex Rodriguez to the Mets

Sometime in the next week or so, a friend of a friend of a friend of Fred Wilpon should whisper in Scott Boras' ear that the Mets are ready to do whatever it takes to bring Alex Rodriguez to Queens. Tampering? Probably. But desperate times call for desperate measures. And the Mets are desperate. They are coming off the worst collapse in regular-season history, their TV network is running out of games from 1986 to rebroadcast and their hold on being "the other team" in New York is stronger than ever.

Their can't-miss pitching prospects are missing, their better-than-Jeter shortstop is now the third-best shortstop in the East, and aside from David Wright, Carlos Beltran and Jose (walk, don't run) Reyes, the rest of their roster resembles a Senior League lineup. Continue

Luis Castillo, Duaner Sanchez on mend

The Mets' Luis Castillo had his troublesome right knee cleaned during a recent surgical procedure, and should be 100% by Jan.1. The Mets are expected to make a strong push to re-sign him, although they will wait to at least explore what second basemen are available via trade.

With Moises Alou's $7.5 million team option expected to be picked up by the Nov. 15 deadline (the contract otherwise has a $1million buyout), second base and catcher are the Mets' two most glaring voids. The Mets are not expected to re-sign pending free agent Paul Lo Duca.

GIGANTES STEP: More than a year after separating his right shoulder as a passenger in a taxi cab accident on July 31, 2006, reliever Duaner Sanchez is finally nearing a return to game action. The righthander plans to begin participating in winter ball with Gigantes in the Dominican Republic the first week in December, according to the Mets....Tim Teufel is expected to be asked to manage the Mets' top Class A affiliate, St. Lucie. (Daily News)

Mets set to pass on Rangers' Rudy Jaramillo, stick with HoJo

The Mets are expected to stick with Howard Johnson as hitting coach and intend to pass on pursuing the Rangers' Rudy Jaramillo for that position, GM Omar Minaya said. Three years ago, Minaya had interviewed Jaramillo for the manager's job that went to Willie Randolph. He felt it would not be right to put him on Randolph's staff now. The Mets' staff will remain intact with the exception of Rickey Henderson. That vacancy could be filled from the minor-league system.

"I love Rudy like a brother, but it would be totally unfair to bring him in after I interviewed him as manager," Minaya said. "It wouldn't be fair to HoJo, who did an outstanding job as hitting coach. If you look at the numbers, everything in the second half of the year we were up in." (Daily News)

El Duque's bunion removed

Orlando Hernandez had surgery Friday to remove the bunion on the second toe of his right foot and is expected to be ready for spring training. Hernandez, 42, did not make a start after Sept. 11 because of the painful condition and was forced to wear a protective boot for two weeks before returning for three relief appearances to finish the season.

El Duque had been the most dependable pitcher in the Mets' rotation before the bunion became an issue. He went 9-5 with a 3.75 ERA in 24 starts but totaled only 9 2/3 innings after Aug. 25. Continue

Wright honored by Sporting News

The fifth 30-30 season in the history of the Mets and his third straight season producing at least 100 runs batted made David Wright's 2007 special and evidently one held in high regard by his National League colleagues. The Mets third baseman was voted the National League's All-Star third baseman in balloting conducted last month by The Sporting News.

Wright, the lone Mets player voted to the team, led New York in batting with a career-high .325 average, which ranked 13th in the big leagues among players qualifying for the batting title. He scored 113 runs and hit 30 home runs -- both career highs -- and drove in 107 runs. His 42 doubles equaled a career high and were the most by any Mets player this year. Continue

Mets eye Texas' Rudy Jaramillo for Willie's staff

Mets brass won't finalize Willie Randolph's staff until Texas hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo's contact expires at the end of the month and he can be pursued. But the Mets' 2007 coaches are largely expected to return, with the exception of Rickey Henderson, who was viewed as an interim hire once Rick Down was fired at the All-Star break.

Jaramillo was a finalist for the Mets' managerial job that went to Randolph. That would raise eyebrows considering the organization let Randolph squirm for 48 hours before confirming he'd return for a fourth season as skipper. But those who know Jaramillo believe he's content as a hitting coach and doesn't have managerial ambitions now. Jaramillo is taking his hitting-coach responsibilities with Texas seriously, too. With his contract not set to expire until Oct. 31, Jaramillo just flew to Arizona to work with Rangers minor leaguers. Continue