The New York Mets and pitcher Jorge Sosa were close to agreement Saturday on a one-year contract worth about $1.25 million.
Sosa, a 29-year-old right-hander, was a combined 3-11 with a 5.42 ERA last season for Atlanta and St. Louis, making $2.2 million. He became a free agent last month when the Cardinals failed to offer a 2007 contract. He went 13-3 with a 2.55 ERA for the Braves the previous season.
The New York Mets and reserve outfielder David Newhan agreed to a one-year contract Friday. Newhan was limited to 39 games last season with the Baltimore Orioles after breaking his right leg while stealing second base on April 17 against the Los Angeles Angels. He batted .252 with four homers and 18 RBIs in 131 at-bats. He gets $575,000 if he’s on the 25-man roster and $175,000 if he’s sent to the minors.
The 33-year-old Newhan has played every position besides shortstop, pitcher and catcher during his six-year major league career. He is a .256 career hitter with 20 home runs and 102 RBIs in 808 games. His best season was 2004 with the Orioles, when he hit .311 with eight homers and 54 RBIs in 373 at-bats.
Free-agent reliever Darren Oliver reached agreement with the Los Angeles Angels on a $1.75 million, one-year contract with a team option for 2008. Oliver will earn $1.5 million next season and $2 million in 2008, with a $250,000 buyout if the Angels decide not to keep him beyond next year. If he makes a minimum of appearances next year, his salary for 2008 will be guaranteed.
The A’s pitcher coveted by the Mets is not right-hander Rich Harden, but right-hander Dan Haren, according to major-league sources. Several reports have indicated that the Mets want to trade for Harden, but the team considers Harden’s injury history a red flag, sources say.
Haren, a 14-game winner in each of the past two seasons, is more accomplished than Harden, and only one year older. He also is more durable, averaging 220 innings the past two seasons.
The A’s surely are reluctant to trade Harden, who is signed for a bargain-basement $11.7 million over the next three seasons, with a $6.75 million club option for 2010.
The A’s covet Mets outfielder Lastings Milledge and right-hander Aaron Heilman. The Mets declined to trade either of those players for left-hander Barry Zito, a potential free agent, last summer.
The New York Mets acquired hard-throwing reliever Ambiorix Burgos from the Kansas City Royals for starter Brian Bannister on Wednesday. The 22-year-old Burgos saved 18 games for the Royals this year, going 4-5 with a 5.52 ERA in 67 relief appearances and one start. The right-hander bolsters a Mets bullpen that recently lost Chad Bradford and Roberto Hernandez, free agents who signed elsewhere.
Burgos has impressive stuff, but he’s been erratic. He struck out 72 batters and walked 37 in 73 1-3 innings last season, his second in the big leagues. His fastball reaches 95-100 mph.
Glavine is returning to the Mets on a one-year, $10.5 million contract. The deal includes a vesting option for 2008 that would become guaranteed if Glavine pitched 160 innings next season.
The Braves were unable to move quickly enough to secure him to a new deal, and never even made him an offer. The decision means that Glavine likely will earn the 10 wins he needs for 300 in a Mets’ uniform.
The Mets’ next target almost certainly will be free-agent left-hander Barry Zito, who met Thursday with the Rangers. They also have expressed interest in free-agent left-hander Mark Mulder, who could be their backup plan if they fail to sign Zito.
Moises Alou gives the New York Mets a proven right-handed hitter to play left field – and another aging regular. The 40-year-old slugger finalized an $8.5 million, one-year contract on Monday with the NL East champions, who also declined their $14 million option on left-hander Tom Glavine and swapped young pitchers with the Florida Marlins in a four-player trade.
New York also brought in 37-year-old backup infielder Damion Easley, adding him to a bench that already includes 48-year-old Julio Franco.
The Mets did add a pair of young pitchers Monday, acquiring left-handers Jason Vargas and Adam Bostick from Florida for hard-throwing prospects Henry Owens and Matt Lindstrom.
The Mets are discussing a two-year contract with free-agent outfielder Moises Alou, a deal that would add another older veteran to the team’s roster and increase the possibility that outfielder Lastings Milledge would be traded.
The signing of Alou, 40, likely would end any chance of the Mets bidding for free-agent left fielder Alfonso Soriano, spell the end of free-agent left fielder Cliff Floyd’s tenure in New York and position Mets general manager Omar Minaya to devote the majority of his resources to starting pitching.
The Indians believed they were close to signing Alou, according to a major-league source.
The Mets added another outfielder to their left-field mix Wednesday, acquiring Ben Johnson and right-hander Jon Adkins from the Padres for right-hander Heath Bell and left-hander Royce Ring.
The Mets, who are not actively trying to re-sign free-agent left fielder Cliff Floyd, entered the general managers’ meetings with Endy Chavez and Lastings Milledge as their options in left.
The additions of Bell and Ring increase the Padres’ bullpen depth at a time when they are entertaining offers for right-hander Scott Linebrink.