Mets Merized Online - Get Metsmerized - New York Mets

The Mets finalized a $10.8 million, three-year contract with left-hander Scott Schoeneweis on Tuesday. The 33-year-old was 4-2 with a 4.88 ERA and four saves in 71 games last season for Toronto and Cincinnati. He takes the left-handed setup role that opened when Chad Bradford left to sign with the Baltimore Orioles. Schoeneweis was 2-0 with a 0.63 ERA and three saves in 16 appearances for the Reds. He has held left-handed batters to a .209 average in the last two years and has allowed just one homer to a lefty in the last three years.

The Mets are reportedly still talking to the Athletics about Joe Blanton. Another rumor has them after Dan Haren again, but Blanton would be easier to acquire and could possibly be had without Lastings Milledge being involved in the deal. The Mets likely would have to surrender Aaron Heilman and a prospect, though not one the quality of Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber or Carlos Gomez. Maybe the Scott Schoenweis signing is a pre-cursor to another deal?

Only two arbitration-eligible players remained on their roster after left-hander Oliver Perez signed last week, and both agreed to contracts on Tuesday, the day arbitration proposals were to be exchanged. Endy Chavez and Ramon Castro agreed to one-year contracts for $1.725 million and $850,000, respectively.

Chavez, who turns 29 next month, became an integral part of the Mets' scheme last year, his first with the club. He began the season as the team's fourth outfielder, but because of injuries to Cliff Floyd and his own fine play, he started 79 games and appeared in 41 others. He batted .306 with some big hits last season and defensively he committed no errors and had 9 assists which ranked 7th in the league. Of course he will always be known for his brilliant catch in last year's NLCS.

Jorge Sosa, who was 13-3 with a 2.55 ERA for the Atlanta Braves in 2005, today signed a one-year major league contract with the New York Mets. Last season, Jorge, a 6-2, 177-pound, 28-year-old righthander, was 3-10 with three saves and a 5.46 ERA in 26 games, 13 starts for the Braves. In 2005, his .813 winning percentage was tops in the National League. Also that year, his 2.62 ERA as a starter ranked third in the majors among pitchers with 20 or more starts and his 1.82 road ERA as a starter was second in the majors to Roger Clemens (1.32). I think this was a great gamble for the New York Mets. Maybe Rick Peterson can work his magic on him.