Bargain basement time.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/p ... hing-depth

Mets looking at Martinez for catching depth

The Mets have interest in acquiring righty-hitting catcher Luis Martinez, who was designated for assignment by the San Diego Padres, the Post reports.

Sandy Alderson has labeled Mike Nickeas the likely backup to Josh Thole in 2012. The Mets also have signed Lucas May as well as Vinny Rottino, who catches part time.

Martinez, 26, appeared in 22 games for the Padres last season.

ARLINGTON -- The Rangers, with their committed ownership group signaling full-speed ahead, are on the clock with Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish and have 30 days to sign him to a Major League contract.

The Rangers earned the right to negotiate with Darvish by submitting a winning bid of approximately $51.7 million that was accepted by the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. The Rangers deadline is 4 p.m. CT on Jan. 18. If they can't sign Darvish by then, he returns to the Fighters and the Rangers do not lose the $51.7 million posting fee

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/p ... g-young-jr

Source: Mets eyeing Young Jr.

The Mets have expressed interest in Colorado Rockies outfielder/second baseman Eric Young Jr., a major league source told ESPNNewYork.com.

Sending Justin Turner to Colorado might get the potential deal done, the source added.

The Mets also continue to have dialogue with the Rockies about Jon Niese.

Young, 26, hit .247 with no homers and 27 steals in 198 at-bats last season. He is the son of former major leaguer Eric Young Sr. and hails from Piscataway, N.J.

Mets will eliminate GCL team to save $

The Mets will eliminate their Gulf Coast League team in 2012, and commit to Kingsport for 2012, according to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York.

I have come around to believing that the Mets fans who say that they should be forced to sell are correct. There is a lot of money in New York, somebody would buy it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/21/sport ... ets&st=cse

$20 Million Can Buy Quality Time With Mr. Met

It is, understandably, not the easiest sell: $20 million to own a small, noncontrolling interest in a baseball team renowned of late for losing — on the field and at the gate.

Of course, the owners of the Mets, who have spent the last four months trying to line up 10 or so minority partners, have some long-term upsides to sell: the $20 million would buy 4 percent of a New York City sports franchise that, history instructs, is likely to rise in value over time.

But for those perhaps uncertain over whether to part with their millions, the owners have listed some less obvious perks that would come with a share of the Queens ball club.

¶ Access to Mr. Met, the team mascot, although the degree of access is not entirely spelled out. It definitely means you, as a part-owner, can schmooze with Mr. Met at Citi Field. It’s less clear whether you could get him to come to your child’s birthday party without a fee.

¶ A formal business card, complete with the prominent designation: “Owner.”

¶ And if you are a wealthy doctor, commodities trader or real estate mogul who wants to try to swat the ball over the newly pulled-in outfield fences at Citi Field on a Mets day off, you are entitled to attend what appears to be an exclusive kind of fantasy camp: “Owners’ workout day.”

These benefits of ownership are laid out in a term sheet given by the Mets’ owners to prospective partners. The document, drawn up by the club’s investment banker and obtained by The New York Times, runs to three pages, and includes a mix of complex financial arrangements and, well, simpler stuff.

Parking will not be a problem for new owners, the document makes clear. A single parking spot at the ballpark is reserved for anyone who signs on for $20 million. The chance to throw out a game’s first pitch will be an annual privilege. Every minority owner will be assigned a team executive, who will be charged with tending to an array of possible needs, season tickets for family members among them. The document suggests, however, that those tickets will cost money beyond the $20 million investment.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/p ... tching-mix

Mets add Johnson to catching mix

The Mets have signed catcher Rob Johnson to a minor league contract. He will be invited to spring training. Josh Thole and Mike Nickeas remain forecast as the likely major league catching tandem on Opening Day, but the righty-hitting Johnson should present competition for Nickeas.

The Mets previously had signed catcher Lucas May. Vinny Rottino is capable of catching as well.

Here's the team's release on Johnson:

The New York Mets today announced the club has signed catcher Rob Johnson to a minor league contract and invited him to major league Spring Training.

Johnson, 28, spent the entire 2011 campaign with the San Diego Padres, batting .190 (34-179) with six doubles, one triple, a career-high three home runs and 16 RBI in 67 games.

The 6-1, 215-pounder had a 3.26 catchers ERA last year, the fifth-best mark among all major league catchers with 50 or more starts.

He led all major league catchers with a 3.22 catchers ERA (minimum 75 starts) for the Seattle Mariners in 2009. He also established career highs with 19 doubles and 27 RBI that year.

Johnson has hit .197 (128-649) with 35 doubles, eight home runs and 58 RBI in 228 games during his major league career (2007-2011) with the Mariners and Padres.

FLASH SOURCES: - Mets DSL Facility Put up for Lease

Multiple sources have told me today that the state-of-the-art DSL facilities of the New York Mets have been listed for lease.

I have also been told that hourly workers in various minor league affiliates are been told to pack up before Christmas.

Unbelievable.

The word is that the Nats have traded for Gio Gonzalez, giving up four top prospects. I don't follow the Nats minor league prospects, but the consensus on the Sons of Sam Horn board (the Red Sox discussion board) is that the Nats got fleeced.