According to rotoworld, the Mets declined arbitration on Paul Lo Duca, Shawn Green, Mike DiFelice, Aaron Sele, Jeff Conine, Sandy Alomar Jr, and Jose Valentin. Reports from last month indicated that Jeff Conine was planning on retiring.

No surprises here. With the acquisition of Church and Schneider, that left no room for Lo Duca, Green and our pair of minor league catchers. Likewise, the Castillo deal combined with Stache’s heath problems pretty much sealed his fate. Of the list, chances are only Green and Lo Duca end up on a MLB 25 man roster next season.

During his interview today on WFAN with Mike and the Mad Dog, Omar Minaya touched on a few key points on everyones mind. Minaya stated throughout the interview that he is looking to upgrade defensively, which explains why he wanted to bring Brian Schnieder aboard. Minaya feels that the team is going in a new direction and that Schnieder would make a better fit that Paul LoDuca.

When asked what size role Ryan Church will have with the Mets in 2008, Minaya indicated that Church will be the starting RF, attributing his number last year to the size of RFK stadium. Minaya also touched on the Mota/Estrada trade, saying that his numbers were fine, but he struggled too much in key spots.

When asked about Billy Wagner’s comments about the team, Minaya said that he brought Wagner in and explained what was going on and Wagner seemed pleased at some of the ideas, but Minaya also told him to be more careful about what he says to the media.

I think that Minaya made some great points and once everyone calms down, they will start to understand him better. I agree the team needs to upgrade defensivley. What’s the point of having good pitching if there is no team behind him?

The Mets now look for other options at catcher with the Yorvit Torrealba talks terminated. Newsday reports that as of last night, the Mets had not changed their stance on Paul Lo Duca.

Willie Randolph said Thursday that Lo Duca is interested in a three- or four-year contract but Lo Duca’s agent, Andrew Mongelluzzi told Adam Rubin at the New York Daily News that there was not a lot of effort put into offering Lo Duca a job by the Mets, whether it was one year, two years, three years, four years.

Newsday reports that a person familiar with the Mets’ thinking still did not see Lo Duca as a possibility.

The Mets may look to the free agent market now, where Michael Barrett and Jason Kendall are the top remaining options. Barrett would cost the Mets a draft pick as a Type-A free agent. Kendall batted a dismal .242 for the A’s and Cubs last year.

On the trade front, which the Mets would like to avoid in the interest of using their chips for pitching instead, the Mets could look to Gerald Laird of the Rangers or Ramon Hernandez on the Orioles.

SNY’s Ted Berg suggests the Mets talk to Arizona about the availability of 24 year old, lefty-hitting catcher Miguel Montero.

According to a Newsday.com article, Yorvit Torrealba will not be wearing orange and blue next season. David Lennon and Ken Davidoff report :

“The two sides already had agreed on a three-year contract worth $14.4-million and it appeared that the only remaining holdup to an official announcement was a physical. But a person familiar with the situation said Saturday that the Torrealba deal was dead and the team confirmed it.”

Mets spokesman Jay Horowitz did confirmed the story, stating “The Mets did not reach an agreement with Yorvit Torrealba, and there are no current negotiations.” Torrealba’s agent had no comment.

Interesting. Lo Duca is going to be able to rob the Mets blind now, because I can’t really see any other option but him.

Thanks to Rob Harding for the tipoff!

Adam Rubin, in the New York Daily News, shares a quote from Paul Lo Duca’s agent, Andrew Mongelluzzi, expressed his client’s feelings about the way the Mets dealt with him this off-season.

“Paul is disappointed,” agent Andrew Mongelluzzi said. “New York is his home. He’s real fond of New York. I don’t think he ever made that a secret.

“When Omar (Minaya) called me for the first time since the GM meetings (on Thursday), it sounded like he was trying to gather information as to how many years Paul would be looking for. After I get off the phone, I find out a deal has already been cut (with Yorvit Torrealba). My point is there was not a lot of effort put into offering Paul a job, whether it was one year, two years, three years, four years. I don’t think Paul was the first choice when he got here, and I don’t think he was the first choice this year.”

I’m sorry, but I am still not happy with this. I feel like the Mets should have made him a one year offer, especially because the market for catchers this year was nothing special. Bad move Omar, bad move.

Captain Red Ass has left the building.

When Mike Piazza left, I knew he had some big shoes to fill. I wasn’t particularly receptive to the idea of anyone else taking his place behind the plate. It was gonna take me a little while to warm up to the new guy.

Apparently, they told me this new guy has a lot of heart.

I wound up affectionately referring to the new guy as ‘Paulie’, ‘Dookie’, or ‘The Duke’. Greg at Faith and Fear In Flushing explains more eloquently than I ever could the way Paulie wound up allowing us to move on from Mike and finally embrace ‘Paulie Walnuts’.

Paulie seemed to play with a chip on his shoulder. He’d often come out to the mound and bark something to the pitcher and fire him up to finish the job. Guillermo Mota didn’t seem to get the message one chilly night last September, but thats besides the point. The point is, Paulie has what the Mets are in dire need of right now, someone who takes losing personally. To quote Coop on Flushing University, ‘If you ask me, the Mets need 24 more Paul LoDucas.’

Players are gonna fail sometimes, they’re not machines, they’re human and Paulie was a lot more human than maybe the Mets could handle.

He wore his emotions on his sleeve and he didn’t pull punches about how he felt about the way the team stunk it up at many times last season. Reporters love Paulie cause he’s not going to just give them the trite answers and cliches you see on Sportscenter every night.

If Paulie was pissed you could see it and you could hear it, and as a fan I appreciated him actually seeming like he cared as much as we do. Lets be honest here, in many cases we as fans are more emotionally invested in these games than some of the players are, but Paulie seemed like the exception.

I find myself in the same position I was two years ago, forced to move on from one of ‘my guys’ leaving the team. Guys like Mookie, Dookie, Uncle Cliff, Nails, and Uncle Mike are members of this exclusive group. ‘My guys’ don’t necessarily have to be world beaters, or put up numbers that make Bill James’ head spin. They’re players that make you want to root for them and you get a great deal of satisfaction seeing them do well cause they seem to relish the opportunity to be where they are.

In Dana Brand’s book, Mets Fan, which has quickly become near and dear to me, he writes about Mookie Wilson. His description of Mookie is the very definition of what the kind of player I root for embodies, saying that Mookie had ‘the enthusiasm of a fan wrapped in a ballplayer’s body’.

Thats how I would describe Paul Lo Duca. Thats what we lost yesterday.

Apparently, they tell me this new guy has a lot of heart.

Matthew Cerrone at Mets Blog interviewed Rockies beat writer Troy E. Renck on Torrealba earlier today. Renck discussed how Torrealba overtrained before the 2006 season leading his defensive skills to decline. He also speaks highly of Torrealba’s passion and leadership qualities.

Head over to Mets Blog for the full interview and be sure to check out Matt’s comments on Torrealba as well.

As far as my opinion on Torrealba, I won’t pretend to say I know all that much about him, and was enlightened by Matt’s interview with the beat writer.

The options via free agency are Jason Kendall, Michael Barrett, Jason Kendall, Paul Lo Duca, and Ramon Castro. The Mets are better off avoiding trading anyone for a catcher and save them to upgrade pitching instead.

While Lo Duca regressed offensively and didn’t throw runners at a solid clip, he’s the best of this free agent bunch, in my opinion. If I was the Mets I would attempt to sign Lo Duca to a one-year deal with a option for a second year.

Judging by the way the Mets have dealt with the situation so far, it doesn’t seem like they want to bring Lo Duca back regardless of his standing among these available players.

The Mets are not making the correct decision here in my opinion, but I will be far more disappointed if they do not upgrade the bullpen and the starting rotation. Going the cheap route with Torrealba is not as major a concern, in my opinion.

I really like Lo Duca and what he brings to the team, I feel like he takes losing personally, which is the mentality the Mets need to add to the team, not subtract. Lo Duca embodies everything that the Mets lacked last season, and that is urgency, passion and the desire to win by any means necessary.

In the Associated Press, Omar Minaya was intentionally vague when asked about his plans for the Mets catcher in 2008. When asked how Paul Lo Duca falls into those plans he gave this answer:

“We have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C,” general manager Omar Minaya said. “He is definitely in our radar. Where he is, I’d rather not comment on that.”

He was unclear about his intentions on Luis Castillo as well:

“Castillo is a guy that we said we’re talking to but I don’t want to kind of say where,” Minaya said. “I just don’t want other clubs to kind of know who we’re targeting or as far as the level of interest because that would put me at a disadvantage.”

Minaya also said he has not had any discussions with Tom Glavine.

The clock strikes the witching hour and the deadline for teams to have exclusive negotiating rights has passed. The big deal last night was Jorge Posada returning to the Yankees with a 4 year, $52.4 million deal. Lets look at some of the players who are expected to reach the open market today.

• The Mets are not expected to make offers to Paul Lo Duca and Luis Castillo until they have a chance to look at other options such as Yorvit Torrealba, Jason Kendall, Orlando Hudson and David Eckstein.
• The Palm Beach Post reports that the Marlins are looking to upgrade over Miguel Olivo, and may join the Mets in kicking the tires on Lo Duca and Torrealba as well.
• The Red Sox were unable to reach an agreement with Mike Lowell before the deadline. They reportedly offered a three year deal. What happens with Lowell now will have implications on where Alex Rodriguez and Miguel Cabrera will land. The Dodgers, Angels, Yankees and Phillies have all expressed interest in Lowell.
• The Twins do not seem optimistic they can resign Torii Hunter. The Twins will have some tough decisions to make if Hunter leaves, including if they can afford to trade Johan Santana on top of losing Hunter and not have Twins fans marching in the streets looking for new GM Bill Smith’s head. The White Sox, Rangers, Nationals, Royals, Braves and Dodgers are believed to be interested in Hunter’s services.
• The most prized member of a weak free agent market for pitchers, Carlos Silva, is unlikely to receive an offer from the Twins and will likely be pursued by the Mets, Phillies, Angels, Royals, Tigers and Mariners.
• A number of relievers will hit the open market, barring some midnight madness. Scott Linebrink, Jeremy Affeldt, Ron Mahay, Eric Gagne and Francisco Cordero among the most notable names on the list.
• The Yankees have reportedly offered Mariano Rivera a three year, $40 million deal. At this time it appears that Rivera will be hitting the open market and is likely to be one of the most sought after free agents available. The Phillies were once thought to be interested in Rivera but with the addition of Brad Lidge that seems to be dead issue.

Ken Rosenthal on Fox Sports reports that the agent for Yorvit Torrealba said Monday that there is “no way” his client will sign with the Rockies before the team loses its exclusive negotiating rights at midnight ET Monday night.

The Yankees will lose exclusive negotiating rights to Jorge Posada tonight as well if they fail to come to terms with the veteran catcher.

The Mets have been reported to have interest in both players as well as in re-signing Paul Lo Duca.

Steve Popper, who was punk’d by Paul Lo Duca last season, reports on The Bergan Record that the Mets are set to meet with Lo Duca’s agent, Andrew Mongelluzzi, at the GM meetings on Monday.

Lo Duca’s agent, however, doesn’t think anything will get done for awhile.

“We are open to finalizing a deal with the Mets,” Mongelluzzi said in an e-mail. “The Mets have repeatedly stated that they ‘want the player’ and discussions will continue. However, I don’t believe that the Mets are ready as they are considering all of their options.”

Jorge Posada and Yorvit Torrealba are two targets the Mets may be considering.

Dayn Perry on Fox Sports breaks down the needs of each MLB team this off season.

Perry believes that the Mets should let the ‘deliriously overrated’ Paul Lo Duca walk and make Ramon Castro the starting catcher.

In the New York Times, Omar Minaya expressed that he has ‘good interest’ in resigning Paul Lo Duca to the Mets. Minaya and Lo Duca’s agent have spoken, but he didn’t indicate if he would be able to make a deal before the November 13th deadline, when free agents are able to negotiate with other teams.

On Mets Blog, Matthew Cerrone cites a Daily News report by Bill Madden and Mark Feinsand that the Mets have ’strong interest’ in Jorge Posada.

Six Mets filed for free agency today, Marlon Anderson, Luis Castillo, Paul Lo Duca, Ramon Castro, Damion Easley and Shawn Green. It is unlikely that Easley will be pursued by the team, however Castillo is being targeted as a reacquisition.

Not terrible much to add…if Green and Castro are brought back its most likely as bench players not starters. Of that group I’d assume Castillo and Anderson are the ones the team will put the most effort towards bringing back. With Easley’s injury being as severe as it is I don’t see much of any team giving him a chance till he’s healthy enough to better judge his recovery.