Otani has already made plenty of news in Japan. After his impressive high school career Shohei announced that he would skip the Nippon League altogether, therefore bypassing the posting system and sign with a Major League organization. The Red Sox, Rangers, Yankees, Dodgers, and Orioles were all said to be interested.

Otani told the NPB clubs not to bother drafting him because he wouldn’t sign. The Fighters selected him in the first round anyway, after which Otani said, “I’m grateful that they appreciate me, but it doesn’t change my desire to play in America”.

Then, due to cultural and family pressures, and the possibility of some shady back-room dealings, Otani agreed to a deal with Hokkaido Nippon-Ham.

Here’s a little write-up of what I saw this morning….

The 6’4″, 190 lb right-hander threw 5 innings today, allowed six hits, two runs, three walks and struck out two. Wearing Yu Darvish‘s #11, Otani showed some outstanding velocity but is clearly in need of some refinements. He stuggled with his control at times and lacked an effective put-away pitch.

Otani is athletic and has a fluid delivery that produced a 90-98 mph fastball. He used a slurvy slider (76-83 mph) as his second pitch, breaking it away from right-handed hitters and trying to backdoor it to lefties. Shohei flipped a couple of 63 mph curveballs as well. The uber-prospect did not throw any splitters, a pitch that almost every Japanese pitcher features. In fact, Otani didn’t show any type of offspeed pitch at all.

[ fastball(90-98), slider(76-83), curve(63) ]

After a few years working on his craft in the NPB, MLB teams may come calling again. Will the Mets be one of them?

This is a great contract for both sides. For Andrus, the obvious financial security in a town he’s familiar with and loves was the selling point. For the Rangers, they lock up one of the best young shortstops in the game through his prime years and the contract expires at just the right time. Jon Daniels saw his approval rating take a huge hit this past winter when he not only failed to acquire a big name that could finally put the Rangers over the top, he also allowed the team’s best player, Josh Hamilton, to leave via free agency to a division rival.

Andrus is one of the best defensive shortstops in the game. At the plate, he’s improved his on-base percentage, slugging percentage and batting average every year since 2010. He owns a 74% success rate stealing bases, which is passable. The Rangers needed to make this happen to infuse some good will back in the franchise, and with a player of Andrus’s caliber, it was a confluence of positives that made everyone a winner.

Everyone except Andrus’s agent, Scott Boras, that is. Well known for taking his clients into free agency and milking every last cent from the owner’s pockets, Boras lost this battle. “We’re the boss,” Andrus said. “I know everybody thinks that about Scott, but it’s different if you’re the one in that position. He works for us. I know he tries to get the best deal that he can, but it comes down to my choice and what’s better for me and my family.”

From one contract extension to the greater chance of another, Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano fired agent Scott Boras on Tuesday and signed with Roc Nation Sports, which partners with Creative Arts Agency (CAA) Sports. Roc Nation is owned by New York über-celebrity Jay-Z. Yankee fans should be happy to learn that Cano will now be represented by Brodie Van Wagenen, who also represents the likes of Matt Cain and the Ryan’s Braun, Zimmerman and Howard. What do they all have in common? Huge contract extensions before they reached free agency, that’s what. Good news for Yankee fans.

Cano is the best second baseman in baseball and would easily receive offers north $200 million on the free agent market. He may still reach that number, but it’s much more likely now that it’s from the Yankees, and will get done before too long.

The Cano situation is fascinating to me because it makes me wonder if Boras is losing sight of the marketing aspect of the decision. When Derek Jeter retires, Cano would be the man on that team and in this town. As Mets fans know, it’s the Yankees’ town, and they just allow the Mets a little space by the East River near an airport. Boras’s job is to get the best deal possible for his client, and he’s been wildly successful over the years, but the client has to think about more than just the terms of the contract.

I remember when LeBron James was mulling over his free agent decision, and the common thoughts were that if he wanted to be loyal, he’d stay in Cleveland. If he wanted to win, he’d go to Miami, and if he wanted to get rich(er), he’d go to New York. So while Boras needs to find out which team can offer the most dollars, Cano needs to find out which city can offer him the best off-the-field endeavors, and it seems he already knew that it was New York or bust. Boras felt that another team could offer more money, as evidenced by the declined offer the Yankees already made to Cano. While that may be true, Cano feels his overall lifestyle would be suited best by New York, so out goes Boras.

I think it’s no small coincidence that Cano immediately signed with an agency that partners with a New York-based marketing company headed by a business mogul worth half a billion dollars.

On a smaller scale, another Boras client, Carlos Gomez of the Brewers, also reached an agreement on an extension just three weeks ago. After a string of losses like this, Boras must be reeling. Maybe now’s a good time for Sandy Alderson to swoop in and lock up Matt Harvey.

According to a report, the Cubs are willing to eat $26 million of the remaining $36 million owed left fielder Alfonso Soriano over the next two seasons, the last of the eight-year, $136 million deal he signed before the 2007 season. The contract includes a full no-trade clause, which Soriano invoked last season when he rejected a trade to the San Francisco Giants, using the negative effect the cold weather would have on his knees. I wasn’t aware the tropic of Chicago was a more appeasing climate. Be that as it may, the “six or seven teams” for whom Soriano says his agent has informed the Cubs he’d waive the clause are on the east coast or in the center of the country and include the Mets. It also includes the Yankees and Phillies, as well as a quick trip to the South Side. So, I guess it’s only cold in San Francisco. But I digress.

Soriano has been mentioned on several occasions as a possible trade target for the Mets in different capacities. He was a change-of-scenery swap at one point for Jason Bay and a plain old salary dump for Chicago at others. But after an off season in which not one veteran was acquired  for the outfield, one may have fallen into the Mets lap. Soriano is coming off his best season since 2008. He hit .262/.322/.499 with 32 home runs and played the best left field we’ve seen from him in a long time. You do have to wonder which Soriano will show up in 2013 and even 2014, though. The 2012 Soriano, or the 2009-2012 version that hit .248/.305/.463 and averaged 23 home runs in only 134 games per season and played poor defense.

I would contend that the Mets already have a poor defensive left fielder who’s basement is .248/.305/.463 with 23 home runs (provided he plays every day). He’s also nine years younger and isn’t even arbitration eligible for two more seasons.

What makes Soriano attractive is the possibility that he can put up 2012 numbers again, and from the right side to boot. That’s clearly worth two years and $10 million. I would even explore the possibility of paying the Cubs more in cash and less in prospects, but I have a feeling Soriano’s resurgent 2012 is exactly the leverage Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer were looking for and why they chose now to offer to eat a significant portion of the contract.

They are in a rebuilding stage and Soriano’s value is the highest it’s been in three years right now. They’d probably offer to eat all the money if they could get a better prospect(s) out of it. So it looks like $10 million for two years is what it would be. The hitch is that while the Cubs overall farm system isn’t impressive, they are rich in RHP prospects (sound familiar?). And the highest upside lefties the Mets can offer, Jack Leathersich and Juan Urbina, are both very far away and work in relief. The Cubs don’t have anything in the way of catching on the farm, and 2012 draft pick Kevin Pawlecki has since been rendered somewhat obsolete, but again, he can’t offer immediate impact.

This is all supposition because we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Before it’s decided who the Mets should ship off for Soriano, it should be decided if he can produce more than Lucas Duda. Despite a very appealing 2012 season, and a bargain if it would only cost $5 million a year, my gut says no. Too much recent history tells the opposite story. Stick with the Dude.

As a result of the signing, the Nationals will have to surrender the team’s first round pick in the 2013 amateur draft, while the Yankees will receive a compensatory pick sandwiched between the first and second rounds.

Soriano was one of three remaining free agents with draft pick compensation attached. All three of them (Soriano, Kyle Lohse, Michael Bourn) are represented by agent Scott Boras.

Soriano, 33, finished 54 games for the Yankees in 2012 after taking over as the team’s closer on May 10. He went 2-1 with a 2.26 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 69 strikeouts in 67 2/3 innings while collecting 42 saves. He joins a bullpen that already featured elite relievers such as closer Drew Storen and setup man Tyler Clippard.

According to Passan the two-year, $28 million deal also includes a $14 million option for 2015 that vests if Soriano has 120 games finished in 2013-2014, which would essentially require his being the Nationals’ full-time closer.

I think it’s safe to say that the two best bullpens in baseball are in the NL East; Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals.

The list of FAs we’ve seen recently has done nothing to excite Mets fans, but someone has just entered the fray that really piques my interest. After a Chris Schwinden-like off season, Russ Canzler has landed with the Yankees, and to make room, the Bombers designated Chris Dickerson for assignment. The former Milwaukee Brewer legend meets the initial criteria as being cheap and could be had on a minor league contract. But he played well for the Yankees in limited duty, and I think he can really offer the Mets something.

Dickerson is most certainly not a game-changer, he does strike out a lot and bats lefty with little power, but that’s the end of his negatives. He’s a career .266/.352/.407 hitter, and despite hitting from the left side, he has no platoon splits, hitting .269/.354/.424 against right-handed pitching and .253/.344/.316 against lefties. He hits almost the same in the first half of the year as he does in the second. And despite playing in three hitter’s parks in his career (Cincinnati, Milwaukee and Yankee Stadium as a lefty), he has no problematic home/road splits, either.

Dickerson plays all three outfield positions, including a very good centerfield. He’s a great base stealer, successful in 27 of 33 career attempts, for an 82% success rate. As a leadoff hitter in his career, he sports a .286/.363/.464 slash line, and the Mets certainly need a leadoff hitter that can steal bases. And even in the smallest of sample sizes, thirteen plate appearances, he’s hit .364/.462/.455 at Citi Field.

To summarize, a good defensive outfielder with the tools to lead off, a previous track record that suggests success in that role, no platoon splits to offset any of his abilities and a possible minor league deal. I’d love to see him in Port St. Lucie and given a shot to win a role on the Mets.

—————-

Some ideas were exchanged about the value of the qualifying offers (and the value of Clerics in a futuristic society…or something) in an e-mail chain and in it, I opined that Nick Swisher took the deal from the 94-loss Cleveland Indians because teams without a protected pick weren’t going to make him an offer for fear of losing that pick. What does that mean for the Mets? Well, if Nick Swisher and Sandy Alderson were on Match.com, they’d be 100% compatible. Swisher is an on-base machine with consistently good power. He plays decent enough defense and supposedly every teammate he’s ever had loves him. His salary of $56 million guaranteed might be a bit much for a 32-year-old, especially since he’ll average $15 million a year from age 33 on, but if Swisher were to be traded, one would assume the Indians would eat some salary, especially since his $14 million vesting option for 2017 is easily very easily attainable. He just needs 550 plate appearances in 2016 and to pass a physical.

If the Mets plan all goes…to…plan (sorry) and the Mets are competitive in 2014, a power-hitting corner outfielder celebrated for his plate discipline could be in the cards, especially one that could come at a reduced rate because of the salary Cleveland eats.

This is speculation at it’s earliest. The only aspect I’m relatively comfortable with is that the Indians are far from winning and paying for Swisher is essentially paying for other team’s prospects, since their 94 losses and farm system ranked near the bottom doesn’t spell “contender.” It was actually a pretty smart move by Cleveland. They knew their first round pick was protected, so they spent some money to acquire someone who can return multiple prospects a year or two down the line when they might hope to be competitive.

Now of course it may not be the Mets. They may not be competitive or their prospects could bust and have no value. It could be another team a piece or two away. Or, and Cleveland is taking this gamble, Swisher could bust and not be desirable to anyone. But I’ll go on record here and predict Swisher will not finish his contract in Cleveland. And the Mets plan (I know how everyone loves that word) is to need a player like Swisher sometime in the near future, but not right now.

The Los Angeles Angels have acquired starting pitcher Tommy Hanson from the Atlanta Braves for reliever Jordan Walden, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

Here are two summaries from MLBTR:

Hanson, 26, pitched to a 4.48 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 174 2/3 innings this year. The right-hander missed time with shoulder tendinitis last season, and his fastball velocity has been trending in the wrong direction as well. Hanson is arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter, and Matt Swartz projects a $4MM salary. He will remain under team control through 2015.

Walden, 25, pitched to 3.46 ERA with 11.1 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9 in 39 innings this year while missing time with a biceps strain. He was an All-Star as a rookie just last season, when he posted a 2.98 ERA with 34 saves in 60 1/3 innings. Walden is under team control through 2016. Earlier this week we heard he was “very available” after the Angels signed Ryan Madson.

There was some speculation that the Angels may have had interest in R.A. Dickey or Jon Niese, but with promising starting pitcher Hanson in the fold, that might now be a moot point.

The Braves had starting pitching depth from the majors on down through the minors and they added a reliever with very high upside who joins an already solid bullpen.

Lisa Pernice asks:

Now that Toronto got Buck, you think that we should try to get either d’Arnaud or Arencibia? If they didn’t have a logjam before, it looks like they have one now. What would the cost be?

Ramon asks:

Now that the Blue Jays acquired John Buck from the Marlins, do you think that the Mets have a good shot at attaining J.P. Arencibia? Though Travis d’Arnaud is a better option, it would be pretty unrealistic to acquire him. Arencibia is not quite as good defensively, but his offense more than makes up for it, plus he adds a right handed hitter to a lefty heavy lineup. He would be cheaper to acquire and even more so now that they’ve attained a couple of major league pitchers. I think someone like Mejia or Valdespin and some other decent pitching or position prospect could get this deal done.

XtreemIcon replies:

Well, Lisa, I’ll answer part of your question with part of Ramon’s. Travis d’Arnaud is pretty unrealistic. I don’t think he’s untouchable, but catching is so thin across baseball, to acquire a catcher of his ability and prospect status would require a significant over-payment on the part of the Mets. D’Arnaud is simply a stud prospect. His full minor league slash line is .286/.343/.474, but more impressively, his high minors (AA and AAA) slash lines are even better. Combining for 37 home runs in only 769 plate appearances, he hit .311/.371/.542 in AA and .333/.380/.595 in AAA. He threw out 28% of potential base stealers in the high minors and has gotten better as he’s moved up. Baseball America ranked him as the #17 prospect in baseball before the 2012 season. John Sickles of www.minorleagueball.com ranked him #26 before the season and #18 in a mid-season revision and the #9 hitting prospect in a preliminary 2013 ranking.  There are myriad scouting reports that praise his defense, his arm and his game-calling ability. He’s as close to a can’t-miss prospect as there can be given how shallow his position is.

Ramon, I think you’re being too kind about Arencibia’s defense. He’s not good at all. In 2011, CBS Sports ranked him as the worst defensive catcher in all of baseball and he hasn’t improved much, if at all. He’s on the wrong end of the passed balls and wild pitches lists, despite only catching 800 innings in 2012, fewer than many other catchers. I also think you’re being too kind about his offense, which is incapable of a defense. I think the offense you think “more than makes up for it” is a quick look at his home run total. For a catcher, it’s not bad, but you have to remember he plays in a middle-of-the-road park for hitters right now. How would his 23 and 18 home run seasons in Rogers Centre translate to an extreme pitcher’s park like Citi Field? No too favorably, and I haven’t even mentioned his career .222 batting average and .275 OBP. Those are pretty good numbers…for a pitcher. Josh Thole had better numbers in his miserable 2012 that’s the cause of this discussion in the first place.

I wouldn’t give up Mejia or Valdespin for Arencibia straight up, let alone adding more pieces. The Mets certainly need to upgrade the catching, but overpaying for d’Arnaud isn’t the answer, and I’d much rather Thole, despite all his struggles, over Arencibia. We’re talking a higher batting average, a higher OBP and better defense from Thole, plus a track record of even better performance than what he showed in 2012. Arencibia’s track record is about what you’re seeing right now.

There’s another element to this, besides the individual talents of the players in question, and, Lisa, it’s that there’s really no catching logjam in Toronto. Jeff Mathis was included in the package that went back to the Marlins in Tuesday’s blockbuster trade, so that leaves only Buck and JP as the probable candidates to go north with the team out of Spring Training. D’Arnaud is still in AAA right now and will likely start the season there. Former Marlin John Buck is only signed through 2013 and is a lame-duck backup to Arencibia right now. When d’Arnaud pressures the Jays into calling him up, it’ll likely be at the expense of Buck via trade, as opposed to Arencibia.

If the Mets have to trade for a catcher, I give the Reds a call and inquire about Devin Mesoraco. He had very solid minor league numbers, but was buried in Cincinnati and put up Arencibia-like numbers in his sporadic playing time.

The difference is that the jury is still out on Mesoraco because of his minor league track record and the fact that he hasn’t played every day in the big leagues. JP has, and maybe he improves slightly over time, but that still doesn’t give you a good catcher. Mesoraco can’t cost much, would definitely be cheaper than Arencibia, and still has a shot to be a solid catcher at only 24-years-old. If Dusty Baker won’t give him the shot, the Mets should. The minimal cost of acquiring him can’t hurt the team if he doesn’t work out.

Thanks for the questions, Lisa and Ramon. If the readers have any questions for the staff at MMO, click here to submit them.

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Mets will not be trading Ike Davis, despite the original plan of possibly moving him to capitalize on his value and allow Lucas Duda to play first.

Sandy Alderson has a track record of putting high value on the ability to hit for power, and if R.A. Dickey were to be traded, Alderson would be looking for a power hitter, preferably in the outfield.

Even before the Duda injury, the perfect plan involved the two combining for 50-60 home runs, but the Mets realize the quickest way to turn a team around is by hitting more home runs.

It is almost a sin to think about David Wright not playing for the New York Mets, in fact it pains me to write about it. He is without question the face of the team and it’s best player. Yet as we draw closer and closer to the offseason, where Sandy has promised that he would work out an extension for the All-Star third baseman, the what-ifs begin to come up. If they can’t come to a deal, will the Mets pick up Wrights option and go through 2013 with his free agency hanging over the team ala Jose Reyes in 2011?

Or will something that many think is unthinkable happen? Will the Mets deal Wright during the winter? I am inclined to think no seeing as Citi Field is already a ghost town and that may be the final nail in the coffin, but if it were to happen, where would he end up? There aren’t many teams in the league that couldn’t use a player of Wright’s caliber, but here a few that top the list.

San Francisco Giants: If Wright goes on the block, the Giants would certainly be calling. Yes, the have Pablo Sandoval but with his ability to move to first and Brandon Belt to play the outfield, Wright could be the perfect fit for San Fran. Combined with Buster Posey, the Giants would have a middle of the order that could go toe-to-toe with the now loaded Dodgers and the pitching to be one of the best teams in baseball. They also have the prospects and the afore mentioned pitching depth to out together an impressive package that could entice Alderson. Plus the fact that the teams have done business frequently in Alderson’s tenure is always a plus.

Cincinnati Reds: A team with a stellar bullpen, good starting pitching, and a fantastic offense may not have the need for Wright, but I wouldn’t count them out. Scott Rolen’s time is running out as a full time major league third baseman and while Todd Frazier has tremendous power and can play third base, is still a rookie. The possibility of adding Wright to a team with Joey Votto, Bradon Phillips, and Jay Bruce would be a nightmare for the rest of the league. Cincinnati has the prospects to move and could view Wright as the final piece to a World Series. If the Reds offered a package for Wright that includes, say baseballs fastest man Billy Hamilton and other blue-chip prospects, could Alderson say no?

Pittsburgh Pirates: The feel good story in baseball, the Pirates are a team with young talent and a superstar in Andrew McCutchen. They currently have Pedro Alvarez at third base, who has great power but is wildly inconsistent. David Wright would make this team legitimate, and could be the piece that pushes Pittsburgh past the Reds. A team that has a loaded farm system with both pitching and position talent, could put together a great package of prospects, if the Mets were willing to listen.

New York Yankees: Would there be a bigger nightmare for Met fans then to see David Wright playing in the Bronx? Alex Rodriguez is moving towards becoming a full-time DH and signing Wright to any deal is no problem for the Yankees. The question would be, what can the Yankees offer the Mets to make this trade. It would need to be a kings ransom of can’t miss prospects for Alderson to make this highly unlikely trade happen. Yet when it comes to the leagues superstars, it is hard to ever count the Bombers out of the running.

Oakland Athletics: My biggest wild-card team out there due to its GM Billy Beane. Beane could bring Wright in for the beginning of the season to form a great middle of the order with Josh Reddick and Yoenis Cespedes, and come July easily move Wright for even better prospects that he gave up in the deal to acquire him. Option two for Beane would be keep Wright and gather compensation picks, which he also loves to do, when Wright signs somewhere else. Wright would bring a great veteran presence to a young, talented team and could help Beane finally win the last game of the season. Oakland’s deep farm system means they could trade some of it’s young major league level pitching for Wright and then easily replace them from within. Plus, there is the whole Moneyball relationship between Beane and Sandy. Something to keep an open mind about…

Again this is all speculation. I deep down do not think Wright leaves Queens and becomes the first Mets superstar to be drafted a Met and stay a Met. That being said, do you agree with this list? Who else belongs on it? Perhaps Baltimore, who can sell David on coming close to home? Atlanta? They need someone to replace Chipper. Maybe even St. Louis, where David could be reunited with Carlos Beltran. Let the speculation begin.

The Phillies are expected to make the official announcement later today.

Rosenthal adds that the deal is the second largest ever awarded to a starting pitcher, trailing only the seven-year, $161 free-agent contract that left-hander CC Sabathia signed with the New York Yankees on Dec. 11, 2008.

By signing the contract, Hamels will ensure that he will not be traded before the non-waiver deadline Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, remaining with the team that made him the 17th overall pick in the 2002 draft.

Hamels, 28, was the MVP of the 2008 World Series, the Phillies’ first championship since 1980. He is 11-4 with a 3.23 ERA this season, 85-58 with a 3.39 ERA in his seven-year career.

With Dempster and now Hamels off the market, Greinke is now the top target for teams who need a top of rotation pitcher. It stinks that the  Phillies kept him, as I was hoping to see him go to the AL. So both top available pitchers go to our division rivals and the Nats are looking at Greinke.

Houston announced that they will receive right-hander Matt Heidenreich, left-hander Blair Walters, and a player to be named later for the pitcher.  The Astros will also send cash to Chicago, according to the White Sox.

The 31-year-old Myers is 0-4 with a 3.52 ERA in 35 appearances this season. He has converted 19 of 21 save opportunities and has struck out 20 in 30 2/3 innings.

Myers is in the final year of his contract, but he has a vesting option that could guarantee his $10 million option next season if he appears in 40-50 games.

The Mets were reportedly “interested” in Brett Myers as well as expressing “interest” in Huston Street and Grant Balfour.

The Astros are very busy moving their players and have been working the phones and making deals with any GM expressing interest is any of players.

There’s also buzz that the Phillies are close to signing Cole Hamels to an extension, and that Zack Greinke was happy with the extension offer he received from the Brewers yesterday.

The Astros and Blue Jays completed a 10-player trade on Friday, with Houston getting seven players and sending three pitchers including Brandon Lyon to Toronto.

The Blue Jays received left-hander J.A. Happ and right-handers Brandon Lyon and David Carpenter. The Astros acquired two Major League players — reliever Francisco Cordero and outfielder Ben Francisco — as well as four Minor Leaguers: right-handers Asher Wojciechowski and Joe Musgrove, left-hander David Rollins and catcher Carlos Perez. The Astros also will receive a player to be named later.

Lyon has gone 0-2 with a 3.25 ERA this season in 37 appearances with the Astros and is in the final season of a three-year, $15 million deal he signed with the ‘Stros.

The 37-year-old Cordero has 329 career saves but has gone 3-5 with a 5.77 ERA and two saves this season. Francisco, 30, has posted a .240 average in 27 games. Both players were in their first seasons with the Blue Jays.

Happ was 7-9 with a 4.83 ERA this season with the Astros. Lyon pitched to a 3.75 ERA in 37 relief appearances. Carpenter was 0-2 with a 6.07 ERA in 30 appearances out of the bullpen, and he will report to Toronto’s Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas.

Wojciechowski and Musgrove were ranked by MLB.com as Toronto’s 10th and 11th top prospects, respectively. Wojciechowski, 23, was the 41st pick in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft and put up a 7-3 record and 3.57 ERA in 18 starts for Class-A Dunedin this season. The 19-year-old Musgrove was picked 46th overall in the 2011 Draft and is 1-1 with a 3.51 ERA over two pro seasons.

Rollins, 22, was 10-1 with a 2.46 ERA in 25 starts over two professional season in the Blue Jays’ system, and the 21-year-old Perez was batting .269 with five homers and 40 RBIs for Class-A Lansing this year.

Ramon Hernandez, Colorado Rockies

It’s no secret that the Mets primary (yes, I said primary) is Rockies catcher Ramon Hernandez. But getting him is not going to be as easy as you think according to Ken Rosenthal. Sometimes, veteran players have more value to their present club than they would in a trade, he says, and Hernandez is one such player as he is helping rookie Wilin Rosario with his game-calling and receiving. So, while the idea of trading Hernandez to say, the Mets, seems logical enough, the Rockies aren’t sure it would be best for Rosario. They would move Hernandez, but only at their price.

Matt Garza, Chicago Cubs

The Cubs are still hoping to get a nice package for right-hander Matt Garza although they’ve lowered their expectations a great deal from last year when they sought a Gio Gonzalez type return. Rosenthal believes the Cubs still could get a significant return because of he’s still under contract for 2013 and the acquiring team would be eligible for a draft pick at the end of that season. The Mets have yet to show any interest, but that might change if Matt Harvey fails to impress today.

Ryan Dempster, Chicago Cubs

Buster Olney of ESPN says that with a little more than two weeks until baseball’s trade deadline, 10 teams have shown legitimate interest in acquiring Dempster’s services for the remainder of the season, according to industry sources. Those clubs include the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox and Atlanta Braves. Yep, no Mets among the suitors. Dempster is 5-3 with a league leading 1.86 ERA and his 1.02 WHIP is the NL’s third best. If the Braves get him, meaningful games in September may be just a fantasy for the Mets.

Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies still think they can get Hamels to sign an extensaion, but for now they are the only ones who believe that will happen. The Yankees are breathing hard down their necks and are very tuned into the situation and they are expected to make a huge play for Hamels according to the New York Post. The Yanks will most likely keep Hamels from bolting for free agency if they do end up landing  the 28-year old left-hander. The Angels, Dodgers, Rangers, Pirates, Tigers, Marlins, and Giants are also interested and have scouts following Hamels’ starts. The Yankees are also very interested in Justin Upton which will scare off any potential interest from the Mets on that front.

Francisco Liriano, Minnesota Twins

Francisco Liriano is drawing lots of attention and scouts from the Yankees, Blue Jays, Braves, Reds, Padres, Nationals and even the Mets have all been in attendance at Target Field in recent weeks on days Liriano has pitched. Seems like the Nationals want everybody these days. Mets aren’t the type of team that likes competition in the market place so don’t expect anything to come out of this except a ticket for a plane ride home to flushing for the scout.

Josh Willingham, Minnesota Twins

According to Phil Mackey of ESPN, one high-ranking American League front office executive said Josh Willingham is “definitely” the Minnesota Twins’ most valuable trade chip should they choose to move him. Willingham entered Sunday hitting .268/.382/.567 with a team-leading 22 home runs and 64 RBIs. The Twins have not made Willingham “off-limits” to potential suitors, but they are not actively shopping him either. The 33-year-old slugger will earn $7 million per year through 2014.

Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com first reported that both teams were in negotiations for Thome.

Thome, 41, was posted a .242/.338/.516 slash with five homers in 71 plate appearances for the Phillies this season, and it was no secret that he was being shopped by GM Ruben Amaro. Thome, who was serving mostly in a reserve and pinch-hitting role, is expected to step in as the Orioles’ designated hitter.

The Phillies recalled former Mets outfielder Jason Pirdie from Triple-A to take Thome’s spot on the 25 man roster.

MLBTR had this on the two prospects the Phillies received:

Simon, a 21 year old out of the University of Arizona, is 2-8 with a 3.96 ERA and just 49 strikeouts in 72 innings pitched for the Orioles’ Class A affiliate in the Carolina League.

Lino, 19, a catcher from Venezuela, is hitting a lusty .218/.282/.340 for the Delmarva Shorebirds, the Orioles’ low-A affiliate in the South Atlantic League.

One thing about Amaro, I gotta give him credit for always being out in front long before most teams make moves at the trade deadline. To pick up a couple of young prospects for a player like Thome who is a shell of his former self, was a pretty slick move in my opinion. This comes a week before Ryan Howard is expected to return from the DL and make his 2012 debut.

Mets Considered Trading Bobby Parnell: According to Adam Rubin of ESPN, the Mets were contemplating trading 27-year old fireballer Bobby Parnell to an unknown team for a starting position player.

Rubin said that Mets officials were “weighing the merits of the deal and there was no assurance they would pull the trigger.”

After the acquisitions of Jon Rauch, Frank Francisco and Ramon Ramirez, the Mets could move Parnell without losing too much depth in the bullpen. Though as Rubin points out, Parnell will be making near-league minimum for the next four years while Rauch and Ramirez will be free agents following 2012.

Mets Will Receive The Marlins’ Second Round Pick For Jose Reyes: According to Ken Davidoff, the Mets will get a second round draft pick for the loss of Jose Reyes to the Miami Marlins. The Padres will receive a extra pick right before the Mets second-round compensation pick. Both teams will also receive a supplemental “sandwich” pick as well.

Endy Chavez Reunion Unlikely:  With the acquisition of Andres Torres, former-Met Endy Chavez is less-likely to be inked for a second tour of duty, tweets Andy Martino of the Daily News . Anthony DiComo sees the Orioles, Rangers or Mariners as more likely landing spots for Chavez.

Mets Have Interest in Pudge Rodriguez, Ryan Theriot: According to Jon Heyman, the Mets could be a possible landing spot for future hall-of-famer Pudge Rodriguez. The 14-time All-Star just completed a 2-year $6 million deal with the Nationals and say he intends to play for several more years. Rodriguez is only 156 knocks away from the 3,000 hit plateau and could bring some much-needed excitement to the 2012 New York Mets.

Also coming from Heyman, the Mets may have interest in the Cardinals Ryan Theriot. Theriot is likely to be non-tendered by the Cards and could draw a great deal of interest from teams looking for middle-infield depth.

Random Trade Rumors:

-The Mets tried to gauge to interest for Jason Bay, not surprisingly, there was none.

-The Rockies really like Mets southpaw Jon Niese, but to this point have yet to have any conversations regarding the 25-year old hurler.

-There has been interest in Mike Pelfrey; unfortunately, the offers have been “underwhelming”.

-And finally, the Amazin’s are not talking to any teams about David Wright.

For shortstop Jose Reyes, the 2011 season was the ninth season of his career with the New York Mets, and  Mets fans certainly knew the day was coming when Reyes became a free agent. The Mets have been bleeding cash for several years now, and even the move into their new facility at CitiField in time for the start of the 2009 season couldn’t stop the negative cash flow. Owners Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz are potentially on the hook for $386 million in the wake of the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme, and MLB has stepped in to help keep the Mets afloat during the past year.while it turned out to be his bestseason, it also turned out to be his final season in a Mets uniform.

With all of these factors in place, there was virtually no way for the Mets to offer Reyes anything close to what the market would bear for his services. So, now that Reyes has signed on the dotted line and has taken his talents to South Beach, how does his departure affect the Mets going forward?

For starters, it’s pretty hard to replace the reigning National League batting champion, but the Mets will now have the opportunity to see what 22-year-old rising star Ruben Tejada can do at the shortstop position full-time.

Tejada put up solid numbers for the Mets in 2011, spelling Reyes at short during his two DL stints and actually putting up comparable numbers to Reyes in the second half of 2011. Tejada hit .303 in 48 games during the second half, while Reyes hit .305. Tejada doesn’t possess the combination of speed, hitting and occasional power flashed by Reyes in his nine seasons with the Mets, but Tejada does have the ability to hit .300, steal 25-30 bases and provide sound if not spectacular defense at his position.

Assuming that GM Sandy Alderson isn’t tempted with a deal to send third baseman David Wright packing, the Mets will have offensive weapons with Wright and first baseman Ike Davis, who should be fully healthy by spring training following a debilitating ankle injury that ended his 2011 season after just 36 games.

Both Wright and Davis have 25 HR-100 RBI potential, and while left fielder Jason Bay has struggled in his time with the Mets, that potential is there for him as well.

Recent trades and signings by Alderson have bolstered the Mets’ bullpen as well. In a flurry of moves earlier this week, Alderson engineered a trade with the San Francisco Giants that delivered relief pitcher Ramon Ramirez and outfielder Andres Torres for center fielder Angel Pagan, and signed relievers Frank Francisco and Jon Rauch, significantly bolstering the back end of the Mets’ bullpen.

Offensively, Torres will likely be the starting center fielder and leadoff batter, with Daniel Murphy moving back to second base full-time and likely batting second. Davis, Wright and Bay will occupy the middle of the Mets’ order, giving the Mets a solid if not spectacular front five in their batting order.

While Reyes’ departure certainly leaves a hole in terms of production, the addition of Torres in addition to the developing talents of Tejada and Murphy could provide some hope for the Mets in 2012. However, in the ever-competitive NL East, it still may not be enough.

The deal reportedly includes an option for 2014 which is worth an additional $7MM according to SI.com’s Jon Heyman.

Last month Joe Nathan, a New York native, told reporters he would like to play for the Mets, but there have been no reports that anyone from the Mets contacted him.

The move likely indicates Neftali Feliz is headed to the starting rotation next season.

In Wigginton, the Phillies get a decent right-handed bat for the bench who can help fill in for the sidelined Ryan Howard at first base and occasionally spell Placido Polanco at third base.

After batting .248 with 22 homers while recording a career high 581 at-bats with the Orioles in 2010, Wigginton batted .242 with 15 home runs and a .416 slugging percentage in 401 at-bats for the Rockies this year.

Wigginton is owed $4 million in 2012 and his contract has a $4 million option or $500,000 buyout for 2013, but Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that the Rockies are covering half of his 2012 salary.

The Hot Stove is heating up and after a whirlwind week of signings and rumors in the last week, and the heat will only continue to rise when General Managers meet this week for the annual GM Meetings tomorrow.

The World Series only ended a few weeks ago, but already an all-star closer has signed a long-term contract and rumors are beginning to spread regarding the eventual landing spot of a certain shortstop. Here is everything you need to know in the baseball world:

NEWS:

- Good news first – after being kidnapped from his home in Venezuela, Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos has been found. He was unharmed in the ensuing gun fight that led to his rescue.

- Today, the Dodgers have been busy as they have agreed to a two-year deal with Mark Ellis and agreed with star center fielder Matt Kemp on a blockbuster contract. Earlier this offseason the team agreed to a somewhat questionable contract with Juan Rivera and have also made a contract offer to catcher Ryan Doumit.

- Our friends down the turnpike have signed former Red Sox’s closer Jonathan Papelbon to a four-year $50 million dollar deal with an easily attainable option for a fifth-year that would give the former all-star an additional $13 million. This kind of number has some game officials, such as Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos “shocked.” We’ll see if the Phillies’ aggressive free agent pursuit works out towards the end of this contract…

- Jeffrey Loria and his new-lookin’ Marlins have ditched their normal penny pinching was and have been making waves early this offseason. The team has offered contracts to Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and Albert Pujols. They have also been said to have interest in free agent closer Ryan Madson.

- Aaron Hill and the Diamondbacks have agreed to a two-year deal worth $11 million.

- One of the remaining managerial openings has closed up – former big league catcher Mike Matheny has been named the manger who will succeed Tony La Russa.

- The Royals acquired Jonathan Sanchez and a minor leaguer in exchange for outfielder Melky Cabrera. The two had seasons that saw opposite results, as Cabrera had a career year and Sanchez was a potential non-tender candidate for the Giants.

- Two former General Managers are back in the ring after Dan Duquette and Terry Ryan were announced as the new GM’s of the Orioles and Twins, respectively.

- Former Mets catcher Rod Barajas struck gold when he signed a one-year deal with a team option for a second with the Pirates. Barajas will earn $4 million in 2012, but the option would give him another $3.5 million should it be picked up. Seems like forever ago when the Mets were scrapping him off the bottom of the Free Agent scrap heap.

- The Twins are making Jamey Carroll their everyday shortstop moving forward after signing him to a two-year contract with an option for 2014.

- The Astros, and their proposed move to the American League after being sold, are on the agenda for the owners meetings next week.

 RUMORS:

- Everyone calm down, the Marlins are NOT close to signing Jose Reyes, despite early reports to the contrary.

- The Yankees, Angels, Blue Jays, Marlins, Nationals and Rangers are some of the teams who have expressed varying levels of interest in free agent starting pitcher C.J. Wilson.l /

- Despite the rest of the division’s interest, Braves GM Frank Wren has said his team will NOT be searching for Reyes’ services this offseason. At least he won’t be tomahawk chopping instead of doing the claw.

- Get any ideas of Matt Cain or Tim Lincecum wearing orange and blue in the future out of your head, as there is “no point in asking” the Giants about the availability of their star pitchers.

- Speaking of top-of-the-line pitchers, Jon Heyman tweeted that there is “some concern” Japanese phenom Yu Darvish will not post this offseason.

- While the Phillies have interest in both Jimmy Rollins and Micheal Cuddyer, recent reports indicate that their asking prices might be too high for Philadelphia to match.

METS:

- The New York Post suggests that Reyes is looking for at least a $100 million deal. Though, this is Joel Sherman we’re talking about, so take it with a grain of salt.

- Chris Capuano, who finished with a 11-12 record and a 4.55 ERA for the Mets this season, will not be coming back to Queens next season if he is searching for a two-year contract.

- Mike Puma of the New York Post said an organizational source has said that Daniel Murphy will become the team’s full time second basemen should Jose Reyes leave for greener (or in the Marlins’ case blue, green, yellow and orange) pastures.

- Ike Davis should be manning first base come Spring Training, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork says.

- Both Nick Evans and Jason Pridie cleared waivers and were out righted to AAA Buffalo. Due to this, they now both have the option to become free agents and sign with any interested team.

- Citi Feild’s new dimensions should begin to take shape in the next couple of days.

The Braves will get 23 year old minor league reliever, Chris Jones who is currently in Single-A and is not very highly regarded. Atlanta will also pay all but $5 million of Lowe’s remaining $15 million salary.

Lowe was 9-17 with a 5.05 ERA in 34 starts last season for the Braves.

Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog thinks this could be a precursor for the Braves to make a move for Jose Reyes, but I don’t see it.