The Mets announced today that they have agreed to terms on a minor league contract with catcher Mike Nickeas with an invite to Spring Training. Nickeas elected free agency along with outfielder Fred Lewis earlier this week after being removed from the 40-man roster, however Nickeas will return to the Mets organization for 2013. With one of the biggest holes on the Mets roster being the catching position, this certainly adds –or maintains– a level [...]

According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, a Mets official told him that the team probably won’t trade Daniel Murphy because of the hole it would create at second base. The official also said that prospect Jordany Valdespin is not viewed highly. You could tell the Mets went out of the way after the season ended to praise Murphy’s work at second base with both Sandy Alderson and Terry Collins saying what an [...]

According to what a source told Andy Martino of the Daily News, the Mets believe they can sign R.A. Dickey to a two-year contract extension, worth less than the three year, $36 million the Mets paid to Oliver Perez. Of course that doesn’t change the fact that the Mets are shopping him as is being reported by everyone at the GM Meetings, but I would have to think it does show how sincere Dickey is [...]

Metscentric asks… What is the deal with Brandon Nimmo? Can he hit and by hit I mean hit for average? He strikes out in droves and wasn’t even ranked in the top ten prospects of the NY Penn League by Baseball America. Jose Fernandez who was selected right after the Mets took Nimmo is one of the top three prospects in baseball and the minors’ top pitching prospect. Baseball America just ranked him #1 prospect [...]

Adam Rubin posted some comments from Mets GM Sandy Alderson on his blog at ESPN New York. Alderson seemed to enjoy responding to most of the questions he was asked with plenty of humor and dripping with sarcasm. Honestly, I’m not a big fan of that and I don’t see other GMs doing it. I’d prefer a more direct and professional approach from our top executive, especially with the way things have gone for this [...]

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that the Mets have very little interest in signing R.A. Dickey to a contract extension and instead confirms what Joel Sherman had reported earlier which is that the Mets are actively discussing trading him with several other teams at the GM Meetings. Also, Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog is reporting that his insiders at the GM Meetings tell him “Dickey will want four years, and probably $60 million after 2013, but the [...]

The Mets announced Thursday that they will again field a Gulf Coast League affiliate after a one-year hiatus, a development that will give New York nine Minor League teams. The Mets will operate their Gulf Coast League affiliate out of the team’s Minor League complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Only two other teams — Seattle and Tampa Bay — have nine Minor League affiliates. Eleven teams have eight affiliates, and 16 clubs have just [...]

J.P. Ricciardi has agreed to a three-year extension to remain special assistant to Mets GM Sandy Alderson according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Ricciardi has helped Alderson with many of the player decisions made in the last two years. His role is not nearly as defined as that of Paul DePodesta who runs the Scouting and Player Development side of the Mets. Well at least somebody got an extension from the Mets.

Andy McCullough of The Star-Ledger added some more depth to what R.A. Dickey had to say about his contract talks, the Mets, and the direction of the team. “He’s convinced me,” Dickey said before being honored by the ALS Association Greater New York Chapter at the New York Marriott Marquis. “I think the Mets are moving in the right direction, that’s for sure. I certainly want to be part of that solution.” One person with [...]

So the inevitable has occurred, albeit much later than originally expected: Jason Bay is no longer a New York Met. I’m sure there is much joy about this decision in Mets nation and rightfully so. The Bay signing will go down as the worst free agent contract in Mets history. That said, I’m wishing Bay the best of luck in resurrecting his career with another team, preferably in the American League. I’ll be the first [...]

Update 2:30 PM - This just in from Joel Sherman of the New York Post: The Mets will spread the remaining amount owed to Bay over the course of several years. The Mets say they wouldn’t have done Bay buyout if didn’t give them the ability to spend more in ’13, otherwise they would just have tried again with Bay if that were case. That means Alderson picks up some extra dough to spend… Update 2:05 PM – Joel [...]