Mets Merized Online

According to a report this afternoon by Fargo’s Jeff Kolpack, the Mets have signed free agent catcher/first baseman Chris Coste. He writes, Fargo’s Chris Coste is headed to the Big Apple. Coste agreed to terms with the New York Mets today on a contract that guarantees him a spot on the 40-man roster. Coste said the Mets were the only team to give him that guarantee, although he said it isn’t a given that he’ll be on the opening-day roster. “It’s going to be a bit of a gamble,” Coste said. “They have money to spend and they could go out and get a couple more catchers.” Kolpach...

Rob Bradford of WEEI in Boston. is reporting that the Mets are awaiting the results of a physical before officially announcing that they have signed infielder Alex Cora to a one year deal for $2 million dollars. The deal also includes a vesting option that could guarantee a second year if Cora reaches a minimum number of plate appearances or games played. According to source familiar with the negotiations, former Red Sox infielder Alex Cora is close to a one-year deal with a vesting option for  second with the New York Mets. The deal, which would guarantee the 34-year-old the same $2 million...

Last week Topps released its All-Star Rookie team for 2009 and while there were some justified selections and some questionable ones, the player that has the most intrigue for me is the Mets’ Omir Santos. He beat out phenom Matt Wieters, who most thought would be in contention to take home the Rookie of the Year award in the American League. Did Santos’ season really justify the award? First let’s take a look at his statistics: 281 At Bats .260 Batting Average (73 Hits) 7 Home Runs 40 RBI 28 Runs 0 Stolen Bases .296 On Base Percentage .391 Slugging Percentage .287 Batting Average on Balls...

I’m really starting to have second thoughts about the Mets going after free agent catcher Bengie Molina. I know how strongly I have advocated for Molina in the last two months, but am becoming more and more taken with Josh Thole as he toils away in Winter Ball with the hopes of impressing Mets brass and potentially earning a spot on the big league roster next season. Thole continues to wield a hot bat in Venezuela and is leading the league with a .391 batting average. In 133 at-bats he has 17 extra-base hits including three home runs, and 24 RBI. He has almost twice as many walks (24) as...

Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker reports that the New York Mets are among eight teams that have interest in Japanese reliever Takashi Saito. According to Sponichi, Takashi Saito has eight teams interested, including the White Sox, Cubs, Braves and Mets. The Braves had some interest in Saito way back in 2002 but he wound up remaining with Yokohama. Saito turns 40 in February, and had a solid season for the Boston Red Sox in 2009. In 55 innings pitched he had a 2.42 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP, while striking out 52 batters. Saito became a free agent when the Red Sox declined his $6 million dollar option last...

On Friday, the new Hall of Fame Ballot was released for the 2010 class. The most notable newcomers include: 2B Roberto Alomar - An all-around threat in a 17-season career that included World Series championship years with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and ’93. Alomar won 10 Gold Glove Awards for fielding and was a career .300 hitter with 2,724 hits, combining power (210 home runs) and speed (474 stolen bases). Alomar, part of a major-league family (father Sandy and brother Sandy Jr.), was the MVP of the American League Championship Series in 1992 and the All-Star Game in 1998. SS Barry Larkin...

Canseco said what? What's steroids? Sources have told Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune that commissioner Bud Selig plans to step down after the 2012 season, when his contract is up. The good news is that we’ll be rid of him in three years. The bad news is we still have to endure him for another three years. Hopefully he won’t foul up the game more than he has already in his Napoleonic reign. Selig was first named as acting commissioner immediately following the resignation of Fay Vincent. George Steinbrenner and several other owners were led by Selig in a plot to overthrow...

Yesterday, as I messed around with my Twitter account, John Perrotto of the great website Baseball Prospectus, tweeted the following: Keep hearing #Marlins are very willing to trade Josh Johnson right now for the right package. It immediately evolves into a blog from MLBTR that reads: “Marlins Looking To Deal Josh Johnson” I immediately responded with a tweet of my own. Marlins Looking To Deal Josh Johnson? Ya gotta love Twitter. It beats the Joke of the Day calender I got last Xmas. Sorry Perrotto, not buying it. Less than 3 minutes after my tweet, long time Marlins beat writer and...

Last week, Bart Hubbuch of the NY Post told me that the Mets are not looking to block the arrival of first base prospect Ike Davis because they view him as an All Star first baseman waiting in the wings. Judging by what we’ve seen and heard from several scouts and MLB executives, maybe the hype on Davis is somewhat justified. I sincerely hope it is, although I personally would like to see Davis continue his hot hitting in Buffalo before I will start heaping praise on him. It seems that AAA has been the place where all Mets prospects and phenoms go to die. I also have been told by someone...