According to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post, the Mets and Marlins are both showing interest in Rockies free agent catcher Yorvit Torrealba. The Rockies would like to bring him back, but could pursue Paul Lo Duca or Michael Barrett if they fail to re-sign him.

Torreabla on Colorado…

“I would love to stay, I can tell you that. Where else can I go where it’s like this? They treat me outstanding. We made it to the World Series. I would love to stay, but it’s not up to me.”

In 113 games for the Rockies during the regular season, Torreabla hit .255 with 8 HRs, 47 RBIs and 47 runs. In 39 at-bats in the postseason, he hit .256 and had a sixth inning, three run home run in Game 3 of the NLCS that was the difference in the Rockies 4-1 win.

Adam Rubin reports in todays Daily News that the Mets have begin looking into making a move in the offseason to replace Paul Lo Duca, who's contract is up after the season.  A key candidate appears to be Ronny Paulino of the Pirates.  Lo Duca has frequently expressed a desire to stay with the Mets, but the team has said since the preseason that any such offer most likely wouldn't come till after the season.

Ramon Castro is also looking at the end of his contract, and there are no true catching prospects on the team's AAA team. The primary big name in the catching free agency will be Posada. Posada was drafted by the Yankees, and has played for them since his major league debut in 95.

Lo Duca has always seemed to be one of the more popular players on the team, as well as the most vocal. Various guys on the Mets beat, Delcos, Rubin, etc all seem to indicate he's one of the leaders in the clubhouse.  I think its highly unlikely the Yankees part ways with Posada, who's probably the best of what will be out there as far as free agent catchers go, and Paulino so far is not hitting like he did last season. Considerng second base and corner outfield issues will need to be addressed, not to mention starting pitching since there's a good chance Glavine hangs it up, perhaps a one year extension to Paulie isn't such a bad idea. 

Lo Duca is listed as day to day after getting hit with a pitch last night, in the same spot he was hit previously. And the time before that.

Also, the time before that.

No word on if he'll be in the lineup tonight, Castro replaced him part way through yesterday's game.

All things considering, I assume Lo Duca sits tonight. Especially since we're not exactly deep in the event him or Castro were to go down long term.  Paulie needs to really charge the mound next time he gets hit. Do it for us Paulie. For the foot. For Sidd.

The Mets will again grace the cover of Sports Illustrated.  This week's issue will feature a story on general manager Omar Minaya and how he “welcomed one and all into his ever-expanding circle.”

Check it out here.

I am excited to grab this off the newstands and frame it next to last year's article on the Mets.  Of course, David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, Paul LoDuca, and Carlos Delgado were on the cover of that issue.

Larry Dobrow over at CBS Sportsline talks about players who are better than their numbers indicate. His list includes Met ace Tom Glavine and the currently hot Paul Lo Duca.  Larry, on Paulie:

So far this season, Lo Duca has caught 11 while giving up 15 stolen bases, all while batting .327.  Other players on Dobrow's list include twins reliever Pat Neshek and White Sock AJ Pierzynksi.

John Delcos reports from Mets camp on his Lower Hudson blog telling us that Paul Lo Duca returned today but El Duque does not expect to feel well enough to throw until Tuesday.

Marty Noble at Mets.com reports Paul Lo Duca is likely to miss a few more days because of tendinitis in his right hand.

Lo Duca received a cortisone injection in the hand on Thursday and missed the Mets' workout. Indications from the club were that he had received the same treatment each of the previous six springs as a means of preventing greater incapacity.

“It's not that serious,” manager Willie Randolph said. “We'll know more in a few days.”

Paul Lo Duca's agent had this response to the comment failed Met John Thomson had for his client, in the New York Post.

“I will say this - public comments that are said to bring attention
to a player in a bad light without talking to my client to his face,
that would kind of give you an indication of the type of person making
the comments,” Stewart told The Post. “We're going to keep our lives in
a good direction, and a positive direction.

“And all the negative [stuff], leave it where it belongs - with negative people.”

John Maine had this comment regarding Thomson and Lo Duca in The New York Times

From NorthJersey.com…

David Wright was discussing the Mets' playoff prospects with a huge
contingent of media when Paul Lo Duca slid past with a bit of advice.

“You guys can just get a DVD and watch “Bull Durham”
and you'll get the same quotes,” he cracked, referring to the
politically correct tinge of most of Wright's interview sessions and
the similar teachings imparted on rookie Nuke LaLoosh by Crash Davis in
the 1988 baseball film.

very funny, Bull Durham is one of my all time favorite baseball movies, nicely done Paul

Paul LoDuca on his WFAN spot, when asked about Delgado's
struggles, said that his hand is bothering him but won't say
anything about it.

In a Journal News report yesterday, they chronicled Delgado's bumps and bruises.

Regarding the stuff in the papers about him, Paul said

On the gambling allegations. He said its strictly on horses. Sometimes its guilt by association when it comes to this stuff. He said there are no loansharks looking for him, he chuckled and then continued saying there are no people looking for him off the field.

When asked if someone is out to get him, he said you never know. Its too hard to comment, to wonder what if.

On his focus and excellent play despite all the attention in the papers. He gave credit to Rick Down, the Mets hitting coach. He worked with him in LA. everyday working in the cage. He's trying to stay in on the ball, go the other way with it. He said he's lucky to be in this lineup. He's getting good pitches to hit.

On the past two games, we just got beat up the past two days, hopefully we can come back tonight.

On Pedro's start he said it was just one of those innings. He went out to talk to Pedro. When he threw that first fastball 88 mph he knew something wasnt right. We booted a couple of balls. We needed to be mentally stronger. He said its a tough ballpark. If you walk guys its gonna turn into 6-7 innings. Hopefully (Pedro's injury) is nothing serious. He thought during the game, we have a 15-14 game lead, we dont need him right now. I wanted him to get off that mound.

On last nights game, it was one of those nights, El Duque struggled with his breaking ball, it hung in. He said they're running into a hot team right now hitting wise. He said the Mets are gonna have our work cut out for us the next couple of days. He said they really didnt play good in Washington and they need to pick it up. “We're in a lull right now.”

On Milledge he said he's gonna be fine. He said this park is weird, you dont know if its shallow or deep. Beningo made a remark saying it wouldnt hurt to have Milledge catch a ball and Lo Duca said

Paul said Lastings has been a little bit tentative, he has a reputation to be a good fielder. He's the youngest playing in the National League.

On the Phillies, he we want to win at least one of these game.

Asked if  any chemistry letdown has resulted losing Nady…

On the bullpen…

On Ramon Castro…

Anita Kinkhabwala on CNNSI.com tells us how shes officially heard enough about Paul Lo Duca's love life already.

I mean, the Mets are one of the best teams in baseball, and Lo Duca
has been a major contributor, hitting .313, playing through a broken
bone in his hand and managing some of the nuttiest pitchers in the
game. I can even vouch for him as a relatively likable guy. He's got
this acerbic wit, he knows his soccer and he's got a wicked collection
of T-shirts.

But the front page of a major newspaper? On the
day after Hezbollah unleashed its deadliest attack yet, Iran told the
U.N. it was dreaming if it thought the country would give up trying to
build a nuclear bomb, and the Mets locked up bona fide superstar David Wright? And yet, we were just getting started.

Read the entire article on CNNSI.com

Paul Lo Duca will be speaking with Joe Beningo on WFAN within the hour.

The Mets showed why they have one of the tightest clubhouses in baseball. David Wright and Tom Glavine stood by his side when Paul Lo Duca read his statement to reporters on Tuesday. Here are some quotes out of Adam Rubin's Daily News Blog by some of Paulie's teammates…

• “I think it is important for everyone to know that there are 25 guys in this clubhouse who are like brothers to Paul.”
• “For us to stand behind Paul meant a lot to Paul and meant a lot to the organization.”
• “I think it's unfortunate for his wife, I think it's
  unfortunate for his daughter that he has to go through this. But he's
  got 25 guys in here that have his back and a front office and
  organization that has his back.”
• “Hopefully this will blow over very quickly and we'll go from there.”
• On why he and Glavine were at Lo Duca's side: “We wanted to
  do it as a team, let everybody know, let the fans know this isn't just
  Paul Lo Duca's problem. There are 25 guys in here who have his back.”
• “If that place was big enough for 25 guys we would have had the whole team in there.”

Paul Lo Duca appeared on WFAN on Tuesday morning, you can hear the audio here.