With Posada Off The Table, Will Mets Find Common Ground With Lo Duca?

We’ve spent a lot of time pondering the question of who will be the New York Mets’ catcher when they report to Spring Training in 2008. Most fans, including me, hoped that it would be Paul Lo Duca, but now everything seems so hazy at best.

Our friend Mark Hale of the NY Post, had this to say this morning in his column.

There’s not much contact right now between the Mets and Paul Lo Duca’s representative. Inactivity, apparently, is consuming the relationship.

Andrew Mongelluzzi, Lo Duca’s rep, told The Post yesterday in regards to the Mets that "it’s been real quiet."

Barring a late development last night with the Mets – which seemed almost unfathomable – Lo Duca will be officially on the market today, the Mets will lose their exclusivity rights with him and the free-agent catcher will be allowed to sign with other teams.

The Mets made it clear that Jorge Posada was their top priority, but last night Posada made it clear that the Yankees were his top priority!

Jorge Posada and the Yankees agreed to a 4-year $52 million dollar deal. It looks like Minaya’s flirtation with Posada only served to get the catcher the 4-year deal he always wanted from the Yankees.

Now the question is, will the Mets still look at other options, or will they still pursue other options like Yorvit Torrealba and Michael Barrett, while Lo Duca fields offers from at least a half dozen other teams?

Stay tuned as we cover any other new developments on this issue.