Mets first baseman Ike Davis is hitting well below .200 into May for the second straight season. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

The New York Mets’ discussions about demoting first baseman Ike Davis to the minor leagues are “intensifying,” and the 26-year-old could be sent down as soon as early next week, according to ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin.

Davis has once again gotten off to a miserable start to the season, hitting .160 with 46 strikeouts and just six extra-base hits in 38 games. He hit .170 with just five home runs during the first two months of 2012.

The team’s front office is more eager to demote Davis than manager Terry Collins, who has “fought for Davis,” according to Rubin.

From the report:

One telltale sign a change may be coming: Andrew Brown played first base Friday with Triple-A Las Vegas after previously playing only outfield for the 51s this season. Brown actually has played more minor league games in his career at first base than any other position. He went 3-for-15 during a stint with the Mets that ended Monday when Rick Ankiel was signed.

Brown, who is on the 40-man roster, would need to remain in the minors for 10 days, so he could not be swapped for Davis until the middle of next week.

General manager Sandy Alderson told the New York Post‘s Mike Puma that the team has not set a timetable on the decision.

Ike Davis going to Triple-A at some point is a possibility. But as far as a deadline having been set, "we're not there yet," says the GM.—
Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) May 18, 2013

Just three years ago, Davis was considered one of baseball’s top prospects, hitting .264 with 19 home runs and a .791 OPS during his rookie season.

He rebounded from the slow start last year to hit 32 homers in 2012, but finished with a .227 batting average.

The Mets reportedly signed free-agent Rick Ankiel to a one-year deal. (Bob Levey/Getty Images)

The New York Mets, who are in desperate need for some outfield pop at the plate, signed free-agent outfielder Rick Ankiel to a one-year deal, reports ESPN.com.

Newsday reports that Ankiel will start at center field and bat seventh for the Mets tonight in St. Louis to begin a four-game set against the Cardinals.

Ankiel, 33, was hitting .194 but had five home runs and 11 RBI in 25 games before the Houston Astros released him last week.

The Mets have platooned the likes of Marlon Byrd, Colin Cowgill, Mike Baxter and Lucas Duda in the outfield this season. Those four players have a combined 12 homers this season.

The Mets’ .691 OPS is 24th in the majors and they have scored a total of 14 runs over the past six games, and have lost four of those contests.

VERDUCCI: Big money free agents fall short

Mets closer Frank Francisco is experiencing discomfort in his pitching elbow while recovering from offseason surgery. (Hunter Martin/Getty Images)

After appearing to be making his way back to the big leagues, New York Mets closer Frank Francisco suffered a setback in his rehabilitation from an elbow injury, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Rubin.

The 33-year-old right-hander, who underwent offseason surgery to remove bone spurs from his pitching elbow, is once again experiencing inflammation in the same elbow, which he also felt during spring training.

Francisco planned to go to Binghamton to pitch in Double-A this weekend, but instead skipped his bullpen session on Saturday and will see a doctor this week, Mets manager Terry Collins said.

From the report:

“They thought he was making progress, ready to go to Binghamton, and he didn’t feel very good so we thought he should see the doctor again. That’s what we’re going to do,” Collins said Sunday before the Mets faced the Pirates. “Now, what the leads to, I have no idea, but we did not have any date etched in stone that we knew he was coming. It’s one of those things when you have a guy on the disabled list, you wait until he tells you he’s ready to pitch.”

…

Francisco’s 30-day rehab window is set to expire Thursday, and he already had pitched five scoreless innings for the Class A St. Lucie Mets. Francisco last pitched May 8 and had even pitched on back-to-back days.

Francisco is in the second year of a two-year, $12-million deal that he signed before last season. He saved 23 games in 26 opportunities in 2012, posting a 5.53 ERA and 1.61. WHIP.

In his absence, the Mets have relied on seven-year veteran Bobby Parnell, who has saved three games in five opportunities while posting a 1.20 ERA. Parnell allowed the winning run to score in the eighth inning of Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the Pirates.

New York Mets catching prospect Travis d’Arnaud could be out approximately eight weeks, Mets manager Terry Collins said on Friday. d’Arnaud fractured the first metatarsal of his left foot playing for the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas 51s, after a foul ball nicked his foot.

The 24-year-old backstop was hitting .250 with a home run and eight RBI in 36 plate appearances for the 51s this season. d’Arnaud was the centerpiece of the trade that sent 2012 NL Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey from the Mets to the Blue Jays in the offseason.

Collins said d’Arnaud would not need surgery for his injury and will be in a walking boot.

Terry Collins says no surgery for Travis d'Arnaud. Out approximately eight weeks. #mets—
Adam Rubin (@AdamRubinESPN) April 19, 2013

Travis d’Arnaud, a promising catcher in the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate, is out with a fracture in his left foot, reports Marc Craig. D’Arnaud was part of the trade that sent R.A. Dickey to the Blue Jays.

The 24-year-old was hitting .250/.429/.472 with a homer and eight RBIs in 12 games for Las Vegas before the injury. Last season, he was .333/.380/.595 with 16 homers and 52 RBIs in 67 games. D’Arnaud had been considered nearly ready for the big leagues with the potential to be the Mets’ everyday catcher. The severity of the injury is still unknown.

D'Arnaud headed back to NYC to be examined. He's in a walking boot, non displaced fracture of 1st metatarsal left foot. He's in a boot.—
Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) April 18, 2013

Johan Santana underwent successful surgery Tuesday and plans to be back on the mound. (Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

New York Mets pitcher Johan Santana underwent successful surgery Tuesday morning to repair a tear in his left shoulder, according to news posted to the team’s Twitter account.

The surgery took place at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, where he will remain overnight.

Though it’s still premature to make it official, it’s widely speculated that Santana’s career is over. He had surgery on the same shoulder in 2010 and missed the entire 2011 season because of it. His return last season showed promise, highlighted by a game in June 2012 when he pitched the Mets’ first no-hitter in franchise history. But Santana, 34, began to tail-off toward the end of the season, going 0-5 in July and August and recorded a 16.33 ERA after the All-Star break before the Mets decided to put him on the disabled list.

Chris Leible, one of Santana’s agents, said in a Star-Ledger report last week that if he does go through with the surgery, “I don’t think he’s doing it to work on his water polo career.” Leible also tweeted on March 29 that Santana’s plan is to be “back on the mound pitching again as soon as possible.”

Johan Santana underwent successful surgery this morning at HSS to repair a tear in the capsule in the front of his left shoulder.—
New York Mets (@Mets) April 02, 2013

Johan will remain in the hospital overnight.—
New York Mets (@Mets) April 02, 2013

. @johansantana 's plan is to be back on the mound pitching again as soon as possible.—
Chris Leible (@ChrisLeible) March 29, 2013

26-year-old Collin Cowgill has started 49 games in two MLB seasons, hitting .255 with two home runs overall. (Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

The New York Mets cloudy outfield situation became much clearer on Saturday afternoon, when manager Terry Collins named Collin Cowgill the team’s starting centerfielder.

Though Collins was expected to opt for a platoon in center — if not the corner spots, as well — Cowgill won the job outright with a strong spring in which he batted .303. The 26-year-old was acquired in a December trade that sent minor leaguer Jefry Marte to the Oakland Athletics.

Cowgill has started just 49 games in two major-league seasons for the Diamondbacks and A’s. He owns a .255 career average with two home runs and a .631 OPS.

The team was not comfortable with playing 25-year-old Jordany Valdespin — a left-handed hitter who was expected to platoon with the right-handed-hitting Cowgill — full-time because of his defense, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Rubin.

From ESPN New York:

“One of the things we’ve got to make sure we do, that’s cover ourselves defensively,” Collins said. “Be it center field, be it late for Lucas, or whatever it might be, he’s the best outfielder we’ve got, in my opinion. Defensively he can really play center field. So we thought we could take him. Hopefully if he starts swinging, like he did last year, I’m sure he’s going to get a lot of playing time. But he does give us a lot of security.”

Lucas Duda and Marlon Byrd will start in left and right field, respectively, in an outfield that has been been the butt of offseason jokes — even by Mets GM Sandy Alderson.

[SI's Complete Team-By-Team MLB Season Preview]

Johan Santana could be out for the season. (Elsa, Getty Images)

New York Mets pitcher Johan Santana could miss the entire 2013 season after an MRI revealed a probable re-tear of his pitching shoulder, general manager Sandy Alderson told reporters on a conference call Thursday.

Santana already had surgery on the same shoulder in September 2010, and Alderson told reporters that a second surgery is a “strong possibility,” according to ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin.

Santana missed the entire 2011 season after undergoing the first procedure. He returned last season and had success in the first half of the year, including when he pitched the first no-hitter in Mets history last June. But he faded down the stretch, going 0-5 in July and August and putting up a 16.33 ERA after the All-Star break before he was placed on the disabled list.

The 34-year-old Santana is entering the final guaranteed season of a six-year, $137.5 million deal with the Mets. Alderson told reporters that the deal is not insured.

New York Mets starting pitcher Shaun Marcum has an “impingement” in his right shoulder and will sit out the next several days after having a cortisone shot, according to the New York Post‘s Mike Puma.

General manager Sandy Alderson told Puma that the shot was “largely precautionary” and Marcum is not expected to go on the disabled list.

The Mets signed Marcum to a one-year, $4-million deal in January, looking to add a veteran right-hander to their rotation.

But the 31-year-old, who spent his seven MLB seasons with the Blue Jays and Brewers, has experienced durability issues during his career, reaching the 200-innings mark just once and suffering elbow problems last season.

Shaun Marcum had a cortisone shot in right shoulder yesterday. Will be skipped in rotation. More to come …—
Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) March 20, 2013

Mets are saying Marcum has an "impingement" and will back off pitching for a few days.—
Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) March 20, 2013

Sandy Alderson said Marcum's cortisone shot was "largely precautionary" and he isn't expecting DL for Marcum at this point.—
Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) March 20, 2013

Marcum has allowed five runs on 10 hits in 9.2 innings (4.66 ERA) in three starts this spring training, striking out just two batters.

Veteran lefties Johan Santana and Jonathan Niese and young righties Dillon Gee and Matt Harvey are expected to round out the Mets’ rotation, though Santana has also been slow to regain his health.

Dwight Gooden allegedly threatened his wife in their New Jersey home and was forced to leave after she was granted a restraining order. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

In his latest bout with the law, former Mets great Dwight Gooden allegedly threatened his estranged wife Monique during an incident on March 1, leading his wife to call the police and file a temporary restraining order against Gooden, according to a TMZ report.

Monique Gooden claims Dwight made “terroristic threats” against her and her family in their Bergen County, N.J. home, where the couple is still living together while their divorce is pending.

Gooden allegedly told his wife, “All bets are off and I will hurt you and your family. You’ll see, just wait.”

A family court judge granted the restraining order “on the spot” after speaking to Monique Gooden on the phone.

Dwight is currently living in the same home as Monique as the couple goes through their divorce, but the judge ordered Dwight to grab his belongings and leave … which he did. He was not arrested or taken into custody by police.

The court order also strips Dwight of visitation of his two young children until the next court hearing … which is March 11. The judge will also decide at that time on whether to make the temporary restraining order a permanent one.

He was also ordered to continue to make payments on the Range Rover and its insurance for his wife, and make child support payments from a previous court order.

The two were married for three years before Monique filed for divorce in November. Dwight was arrested in 2005 for allegedly hitting Monique after she threw a phone at him.

The former New York Mets star pitcher has a history of legal troubles and has been arrested numerous times, most recently in March 2010, when he was charged with DWI with a child passenger, leaving the scene of an accident and several other offenses near his New Jersey home.

Mets ace Johan Santana showed up to camp out of shape, GM Sandy Alderson told CBSsports.com. (Elsa/Getty Images)

The early indications out of New York Mets camp were that ace Johan Santana was on his way to returning to full strength.

The lefty, who was shut down last August after struggling to recover from shoulder surgery, threw off a mound for the first time since August on Feb. 17, but was told to back off his throwing routine soon after.

That decision was made over concern about his physical shape upon reporting to camp rather than issues with his arm, according to CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman.

General manager Sandy Alderson told Heyman, “(The) arm seems to be fine, (he) just was not in pitching shape when he arrived.” Santana’s opening-day start is “in jeopardy,” according to Heyman.

The Mets were surprised Santana wasn’t in pitch shape, and couldn’t quite understand why Santana thought he could pitch for Venezuela in the WBC when they determined he wasn’t ready to throw for them.

Pretty early in camp the Mets indicated to him they weren’t going to approve his request to pitch in the WBC, as is their right for players who ended the 2012 season on the disabled list, leading to his withdrawal from the event.

Santana is now doing long tossing and is slated to throw live batting practice Tuesday, which will the first real pitching session since he was shut down a couple weeks ago.

“He tried to rest physically and mentally (this winter) and use spring training to get in shape,” Santana’s agent Peter Greenberg said by phone. “The goal was to be ready Opening Day or as close as possible. Mentally, as much as physically, he was burned out. He decided he needed a full break.”

Santana, who went 3-7 with an 8.27 ERA after throwing a no-hitter in June, spent much of his offseason in Venezuela “setting up a sports complex and with his family,” the report states.

David Wright spoke out against steroid use in baseball. (Alex Trautwig/Getty Images Sport)

New York Mets third baseman David Wright spoke out strongly against steroid use and said he is sticking with his agents despite ties between some of their other clients and recent steroid allegations, reports the New York Daily News‘ Andy Martino.

A former associate of Wright’s agents, Sam and Seth Levinson, was implicated last year when Melky Cabrera created a website to try to cover up his steroid use. Cabrera, a client of the Levinsons, was suspended 50 games.

Recently, clients, including Washington pitcher Gio Gonzalez and Texas outfielder Nelson Cruz, were linked to Biogenesis, the Miami clinic tied to recent steroid allegations against Alex Rodriguez, among others.

“If you cheat, I hope you get caught,” Wright said. “I don’t care if you’re with the same agency I’m with or not. If you’re a cheater, I hope you get caught, and I hope you get punished.”

“For me, it’s obviously sucks that these things are coming out and the players are who they are, but as I’ve stated before, those guys (the Levinsons) have been great to me.”

Martino reports that Wright asked the Levinsons to explain the Cabrera situation and ultimately decided to stick with them. They negotiated Wright’s new eight-year, $138-million contract this offseason.

Johan Santana has been denied permission to pitch in the World Baseball Classic. (Elsa, Getty Images)

The New York Mets will not allow pitcher Johan Santana to play in the World Baseball Classic. Mets general manager Sandy Alderson confirmed to CBSSports.com that Santana, who had hopes of pitching for his native Venezuela in the tournament, will be held out due to his finishing of last season on the disabled list.

Even if Santana had been fully healthy, however, the WBC may not have allowed him to pitch. The left-hander, 33, has $31 million left on his contract with the Mets, a figure that the WBC would have to insure in order for him to play.

Santana went 6-9 with a 4.85 ERA in 2012.

The Mets reportedly wanted to put a casino next to Citi Field. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

The owners of the New York Mets wanted to put a casino next to Citi Field, where their team plays its home games, reports the New York Post. 

The Mets owner, Fred Wilpon and his family own a real estate company called Sterling Equities and reportedly pitched a casino adjacent to the stadium in September 2011. The report says they offered the City of New York $100 million to purchase 62 acres for the site.

While team owners Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz are still having trouble opening their tight pockets for high-priced free agents, that didn’t stop their development arm, Sterling Equities, from betting on a proposal that called for bringing a massive casino with gaming tables and slots, a 500-room, full-service hotel, 1.8 million square feet of retail and other amenities to the Willets Point development site in Queens.

The Mets have been in financial dire straits for some time, as they are trying to recoup some of the $162 million which they still owe for the Bernie Madoff Ponzi-scheme fiasco. The team lowered its payroll to about $93 million this season, down from $143 million in 2011, when the team lost $70 million.

Free-agent Brandon Lyon and the Mets are nearing a deal to bring Lyon to New York,  ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin reported on Sunday.

Lyon would come as the latest addition to the Mets’ offseason revamping of their bullpen. They have also signed right-handers LaTroy Hawkins and Scott Atchison and added left-hander Pedro Feliciano on minor-league contracts. The Mets ranked 29th out of 30 major-league teams in bullpen ERA last season. Their 4.65 ERA was only topped by the Milwaukee Brewers’ 4.66.

The 33-year-old Lyon had a 3.10 ERA and 1.25 WHIP last season, splitting time between the Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays. In 67 appearances, he struck out 63 batters while walking only 20.

Lyon also has experience closing, though he hasn’t done so on a full-time basis since his 2010 season with the Astros. He has 79 career saves. Rubin tweeted, though, that the team doesn’t view Lyon as a potential closer:

I don’t believe Brandon Lyon is viewed as a closer.

— Adam Rubin (@AdamRubinESPN) February 3, 2013

The New York Mets have signed 35-year-old outfielder Marlon Byrd to a minor-league deal, the team announced.

Byrd last played for the Red Sox in 2012, when his season ended following a 50-game suspension for testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug. He served the suspension while on the restricted list.

The Mets are desperate for outfield help, as Mike Baxter, Collin Cowgill and Kirk Nieuwenhuis — who have a combined 284 games of MLB experience — are the only outfielders on their major league roster.

The #Mets signed outfielder Marlon Byrd to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league Spring Training.—
New York Mets (@Mets) February 01, 2013

General manager Sandy Alderson has even joked about his team’s lack of outfielders several times this offseason, including during a speech at the Baseball Writers’ Association of America dinner in mid-January:

“A message to Mets fans. There’s been a lot of talk about our outfield. And I want you to know that I’m in serious discussions with several outfielders I met on the internet,” he said, referencing the Manti Te’o hoax. “There’s one I really like. He says he played at Stanford.”

Byrd batted .210 with one home run in 143 at-bats in 2012. A career .278 hitter with a .749 OPS, he enjoyed his best seasons in Chicago, where he posted 20 homers in 2009 and made the All-Star team in 2010.

Free-agent Michael Bourn and his agent Scott Boras met with members of the Mets front office last week. (Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

Members of the Mets front office had a “secret visit” with free agent outfielder Michael Bourn last week, reports the New York Post. General Manager Sandy Alderson and Assistant General Manager John Ricco traveled to Bourn’s hometown of Houston for what appeared to be a casual conversation over dinner. Bourn is represented by Scott Boras who was also at the meeting.

It was more a getting-to-know-you session than a dollars-and-cents negotiation, at a time when the dollars and cents remain among the most significant hurdles in doing a deal.

The Mets’ strategy has essentially been this: Patiently wait and hope Bourn’s market evaporates as spring training nears, moving him to a) turn to them as the best remaining option and b) lower his financial demands.

Bourn, 30, rejected the Braves’ one-year, $13.3 million qualifying offer in November and has reportedly demanded a five-year deal; the Mets are hesitant to offer anything more than a three-year contract.

A team signing a free agent who was offered a contract would lose its first-round selection unless it has a top-10 pick. Technically, the Mets had the 10th worst record in the Majors last season, but the Pirates receive a top-10 compensation pick for failing to sign their first pick last June. This would push the Mets down to the 11th pick, adding a significant disadvantage to signing Bourn.

Bourn hit .278/.348/.391 with nine homers, 57 RBIs and 42 stolen bases with the Braves last season.

Pitcher Roy Oswalt, who is 11th among active players with 163 career wins, is reportedly also considering retirement. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

After adding Shaun Marcum to their starting rotation earlier this week, the New York Mets are interested in 35-year-old pitcher Roy Oswalt, according to ESPNNY.com’s Adam Rubin.

A report earlier this month from The Boston Globe‘s Nick Cafardo said that many teams have given up on persuading Oswalt to pitch rather than retire, and that he may want to pitch for just half a season.

Oswalt, who owns a career 163-96 record and 3.28 ERA in 12 seasons, appeared in 17 games for the Rangers in 2012, making nine starts and finishing with a 5.80 ERA. He has struggled with injuries, particularly back problems, for the past several years.

The Mets could throw the right-hander into the mix of a rotation that at the moment includes left-handers Johan Santana and Jonathan Niese, as well as right-handers Matt Harvey, Dillon Gee and Marcum.

Oswalt could also be an option as a reliever, as he shifted to the Rangers’ bullpen during September and October last season.

R.A. Dickey and the Blue Jays have reportedly reached an agreement on an extension — estimated at approximately $26 million over two years — that will set into motion a seven-player trade involving the Mets, according to a report from Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star.

The trade, which reportedly will include Dickey, catcher Josh Thole and a Mets prospect for the Blue Jays’ highly regarded catching prospect Travis d’Arnaud, right-handed pitcher Noah Syndergaard, catcher John Buck and another prospect, could be announced as early as Monday night, pending a physical.

Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported Dickey’s extension will be worth $25 million over two years.

Dickey, the 2012 National League Cy Young award winner, was reportedly seeking $26 million for two seasons from the Mets, added on to his $5 million salary for 2013.

Source: Dickey in agreement with #BlueJays on two-year, $25 million extension that he had requested from #Mets, pending physical.—
Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 17, 2012

R.A. Dickey is a contract extension away from being a Toronto Blue Jay. (Alex Trautwig, Getty Images)

The trade of NL Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey to the Toronto Blue Jays is nearly complete, according to multiple reports. FOX Sports reports that the two sides have agreed on a seven-player deal that is contingent on Dickey signing a contract extension with the Blue Jays. The report states the two sides have opened a 72-hour negotiating window, meaning a deal must get done by Tuesday.

The New York Post has more details on the specifics of the deal, which would send catcher Josh Thole and an unnamed, “non-elite” prospect to the Blue Jays in addition to Dickey. In return, the Mets would receive a package of promising prospects from the Blue Jays: catcher Travis d’Arnaud, pitcher Noah Syndergaard, and another unnamed, “non-elite” young player. The Mets would also get veteran catcher John Buck in the deal.

The New York Daily News has tweeted more insight into the state of negotiations between Dickey and the Blue Jays:

The source does not have a sense of when talks between TOR and Dickey will wrap up, saying they are very preliminary—
Andy Martino (@MartinoNYDN) December 16, 2012

Source notes that exchange rate and taxes could prolong Dickey extension talks.—
Andy Martino (@MartinoNYDN) December 16, 2012

The Blue Jays reportedly are pursuing a trade involving Mets Cy Young award winner R.A. Dickey. (Alex Trautwig/Getty Images)

The Mets and Blue Jays are close to agreeing on a trade that would include Cy Young award winner R.A. Dickey, according to major league sources in a FoxSports.com report by Jon Paul Morosi.

The names of Jays players headed to the Mets have not been finalized, but Morosi reports Toronto outfielder Anthony Gose is likely to be included, as well as one of the Jays’ catchers, J.P. Arencibia or Travis d’Arnaud. Gose, who batted .223 with with 1 home run and 11 RBI in 166 at-bats and 56 games for the Jays in 2012, has been projected to split time with Rajai Davis in left field or start the 2013 season at Triple-A Buffalo.

Dickey, 38, is under contract with the Mets through the 2013 season, but has expressed his desire for an extension. It’s not known if the Jays will be allowed to discuss an extension with Dickey as a condition of the trade.

Dickey became the first knuckleball pitcher to win the Cy Young Award after finishing 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP in 2012. He is 39-28 with a 2.95 ERA in the past three seasons, averaging 205 2/3 innings.

Dickey would be yet another big-name off-season addition to the Jays’ starting pitching rotation, after the team traded for Mark Buehrle and Josh Johnson of the Marlins last month.

Dickey’s presence in the rotation could free up the Jays to shift left-hander J.A. Happ to their bullpen. The Jays acquired Happ from the Astros in a trade in July.

The Texas Rangers floated top prospect Mike Olt in trade talks with the New York Mets for pitcher R.A. Dickey, the New York Daily News’ Andy Martino reported Sunday via Twitter. But the Mets are looking for more than Olt in a deal for Dickey, the 2012 NL Cy Young Award winner.

Sources: Texas expressed willingness to Mets to move Olt for Dickey. BUT I’m told it will take more than just Olt for Mets to move Dickey.

— Andy Martino (@MartinoNYDN) December 9, 2012

Olt, a third-base/first-base prospect, was ranked the Rangers’ No. 2 prospect by Baseball America heading into the 2013 season. With the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders in 2012, Olt hit .288 with a .977 OPS and 28 homers.

Dickey, the 38-year-old knuckleballer, went 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. He also led the National League with 230 strikeouts in 233 2/3 innings pitched.

The Daily News’ Anthony McCarron reported Sunday that the Rangers might push harder for a deal with the Mets after losing out on Zack Greinke, who signed the second-largest contract ever for a pitcher with the Dodgers on Saturday.

After locking up their centerpiece player David Wright, the New York Mets are now facing the major decision of whether to trade or sign top pitcher R.A. Dickey, who is signed for the 2013 season at $5 million.

The front office remains “genuinely undecided” on which course to take, according to a New York Daily News report. But while up to eight teams are reportedly interested in trading for Dickey, the organization is apparently making progress in their contract negotiations with the 38-year-old knuckleballer.

Dickey himself told ESPN’s Jim Bowden that he is “inching toward” an extension:

I just ran into R.A. Dickey who told me they were inching along towards a deal with the Mets—
JIM BOWDEN (@JimBowdenESPNxm) December 05, 2012

The current gap between the two sides is “not unbridgeable,” according to the Daily News‘ Andy Martino:

The Mets know they can sign Dickey to a two-year extension at approximately $13 million per season, which would begin after he is paid $5 million next season.

Team insiders said that the Mets were not willing to pay Dickey quite that much.

Despite the impasse in negotiations that might or might not be permanent, some high-ranking Mets people remained optimistic about agreeing to an extension with Dickey.

The Mets’ third option would be to stand pat and enter next season with Dickey, the 2012 NL Cy Young Award winner, as their ace on a bargain one-year deal — a possibility that COO Jeff Wilpon mentioned on Wednesday, according to ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin:

Jeff Wilpon reiterated that R.A. Dickey can come back next year with no extension and again made that sound more viable than trade.—
Adam Rubin (@AdamRubinESPN) December 05, 2012

Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey could be traded if a deal can’t be reached with the team. (Marc Serota/Getty Images)

The New York Mets are talking to as many as eight teams trying to reach a deal to trade National League Cy Young award winner R.A. Dickey, reports ESPN.com.

One of the teams included in the talks are the Boston Red Sox. Dickey is under contract for next season at $5 million but the team is willing to trade him if they can’t reach a deal on an extension.

Only six previous Cy Young winners have opened the following season with another club, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

“Are we punting ’13? Absolutely not,” Mets  general manager Sandy Alderson said when asked if the team is pessimistic about their 2013 chances. “This is not about making a trade for four players from the Appalachian League. You have to balance the quality of the player with the potential arrival date of the player, obviously. That’s something we’re trying to do. But it is important for us if we’re going to do something — and I want to emphasize, we may not — if we do something, we want whatever comes back to us to have an impact on us as soon as possible.”

Dickey went 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA and struck out 230 batters for the Mets, who finished 4th in the National League East last season.

The New York Mets are inching closer to trading 2012 NL Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey, according to a tweet from ESPN baseball reporter Jayson Stark.

Sources say #Mets have gotten "serious" about trading R.A. Dickey as soon as this week. #Rangers & #Royals seen as most logical fits.—
Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) December 03, 2012

Dickey and the Mets have been locked in contract negotiations since the end of the season, but it appears little progress has been made. Dickey holds a one-year, $5 million option, but given his performance this last season and the potential for distraction during next season, the Mets would rather trade Dickey or sign him to a new contract. It now looks like a trade is more likely.

Both the teams mentioned in Stark’s tweet have expressed interest in acquiring a front-line starting pitcher, with the Royals publicly offering an enticing package of prospects in any deal.

The Royals have expressed interest in knuckleballer R.A. Dickey and have met with the Mets to discuss a possible trade for the NL’s Cy Young winner. (Marc Serota/Getty Images)

The Royals are in the hunt for a No. 1 starter for their rotation and have talked to the Mets about Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey, reports CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman.

The Mets would prefer to keep Dickey on a two-year extension, and the 38-year-old knuckleballer reportedly hopes to sign a new deal that goes beyond the $5 million on his contract for 2013. But if the team did trade him, they would want a catcher and outfield.

While several young Royals players would work for the Mets, Kansas City has no interest in trading young catcher Salvador Perez and isn’t looking to trade top outfield prospect Wil Myers. The Royals would prefer to send the Mets a package of younger prospects in any Dickey deal.

The Royals have also been looking at Jon Lester and James Shields to bolster their rotation. (The team’s starters ranked 26th in the MLB in ERA last season with a 5.01 mark.)

“Our rotation is going to [be] better, but we’re still looking for the opportunity to improve on what we’ve done,” Royals GM Dayton Moore said.

Dickey went 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA with the Mets last season. Although Lester’s numbers (9-14, 4.82 ERA) and Shields’s (15-10, 3.52) weren’t as impressive, the two are much younger than Dickey–28 and 30, respectively–and may be a better fit for the Royals.

Looking to retain their star third baseman for the long term, the New York Mets have offered David Wright a seven year contract, according to multiple reports.

FoxSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal reports that the deal is worth between $119 and $129 million, while CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman narrowed that range to $135-140 million.

New money that #Mets offered Wright in seven-year extension is $119M-$129M, according to source. Updating my earlier column now.—
Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 27, 2012

The Mets picked up Wright’s $16 million team option for the 2013 season last month, after he completed the final year of a five-year, $55 million contract. Now, it appears the team is attempting to make its all-time leader in hits, runs, walks and RBI a Met for life.

If #Mets are indeed offering Wright such a deal, it seems unlikely he would reject it unless he wanted to be a free agent at end of season.—
Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 27, 2012

The 30-year-old batted .306 with 21 home runs and 93 RBI last season, earning his sixth All-Star Game selection and finishing fifth in the National League with an .883 OPS.

The Mets are reportedly set to extend NL Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey’s contract. (Marc Serota/Getty Images)

The New York Mets plan to offer National League Cy Young award winner R.A. Dickey a two-year contract extension, reports FoxSports.com.

Dickey, 38, is set to make $5 million next season. Dickey has not told the team his intentions, but sources say he would want at least $20 million for two years.

The Mets have been talking with Dickey while also gauging his trade value with other clubs.

“It’s still very early,” Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said. “But between Thanksgiving and the winter meetings and (during) the winter meetings themselves — we need to have a little more clarity than we have now.”

Dickey went 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA and 230 strikeouts for the Mets, who finished in fourth place in National League East last season.

The Mets have been actively gauging trade interest in R.A. Dickey; the two sides remain far apart in contract extension discussions. (Marc Serota/Getty Images)

The Mets have been discussing their All-Star knuckleballer, R.A. Dickey, in trades, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The Mets picked up Dickey’s contract option in October, but discussions about an extension have been moving very slowly.

In fact, while Dickey told reporters in Manhattan that there was ‘progress’ in negotiations, the impression the Mets were leaving on executives at the General Managers Meetings was that there was a substantial gap between what they are willing to offer the righty and what they perceive Dickey wants.

According to Sherman, the Mets have been increasing efforts to gauge what they could receive back in return for Dickey. Internally, the team is conflicted about trading Dickey:

One team official said that to have any chance at contention next year, the Mets need to retain their strength, which is starting pitching, and try to augment around that. However, another executive described a roster in need of multiple upgrades and limited prospects and dollars to address those holes. Dickey would provide a chip the Mets could turn into potentially a few long-term solutions.

Dickey, who is a finalist for the Cy Young this year, led the NL in starts (33), innings (233 2/3) and strikeouts (230). He also became the Mets’ first 20-game winner since Frank Viola in 1990.

The Mets and outfielder Jason Bay agreed to part ways on Wednesday, ending a three-year stint with the team. (Alex Trautwig/Getty Images)

The New York Mets and oft-injured outfielder Jason Bay agreed to part ways Wednesday, with Bay accepting a buyout, the team announced.

Both sides negotiated an early end to his contract. Major League Baseball’s union opposes any reduction in the value of a player’s contract, so Bay will get all of the $21 million he is owed from the team.  Bay will receive a $16 million salary, a $3 million buyout and the $2 million that is left on a signing bonus. The money is being deferred and the Mets will spread out payments over the next couple of seasons.

Bay signed a four-year, $66 million contract with the Mets in December 2009 after spending parts of two seasons with the Boston Red Sox.

Bay, 34, immediately becomes a free agent. Bay only played in 70 games with the team in 2012, batting .165 with eight home runs and 20 RBI.

Bay hit .234 in three years with the Mets and played in only 288 games. He also had 26 home runs, 124 RBI, with a .687 OPS and 258 strikeouts.

BREAKING: @Mets and outfielder Jason Bay agree to part ways. Bay immediately becomes free agent.—
  (@MLB) November 07, 2012

The Mets exercised team options on third baseman David Wright and pitcher R.A. Dickey. (Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)

The New York Mets exercised team options on third baseman David Wright and pitcher R.A. Dickey, reports FoxSports.com.

Wright’s 2013 salary will be $16 million and Dickey will make $5 million next season.

Wright and Dickey are the Mets’ top position player and pitcher, respectively, and sources say the team remains engaged with both in discussions about long-term contracts.

Wright batted .306 with 21 home runs and 93 RBI in 156 games this season. Dickey, 38, had a record of 20-6, with a 2.73 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 230 strikeouts in 233 2/3 innings and is a contender for the National League Cy Young Award.

As expected, #Mets today formally picked up contract options on David Wright and R.A. Dickey, sources told @Ken_Rosenthal and me. @MLBONFOX—
Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) October 30, 2012

The Mets reportedly will offer David Wright a $100M contract. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

The New York Mets’ initial contract offer to third baseman David Wright is expected to be near $100 million, according to people familiar with the team’s thinking in a report from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com

The Mets are believed to have some flexibility as they intend to try hard to keep their biggest star. They are expected to give negotiations at least most of October before even considering a trade for Wright.

The Mets have reached out to Wright and star pitcher R.A. Dickey in recent days, and the club is focused for now on trying to sign both players to extensions.

Wright, a homegrown nine-year Mets veteran who hit .306 with 21 home runs and 93 RBIs in 2012, recently said he was extremely optimistic that he’d remain a Met.

Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey revealed that he has been pitching with an abdominal injury since April. (Marc Serota/Getty Images)

New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey revealed after last night’s start against the Miami Marlins that he pitched most of the season with an injured abdominal muscle and will have surgery to fix the problem, reports MLB.com.

Dickey said since he has been pitching since April with a torn right abdominal muscle and will undergo surgery on Oct. 18 to repair the tear. Dickey should be ready for spring training.

“The pain was fairly significant from time to time,” Dickey said, who pitched 7 2/3 innings in the Mets 4-3, 11-inning loss. “We just did a good job of managing that. Whether it was backing off in the bullpen in between starts or getting the treatment that I needed or whatever else I needed to help with that pain, we were able to do it in a way that I was able to perform and not worry about it.”

Dickey finished a Cy Young-caliber season with a 20-6 record, 2.73 ERA and 230 strikeouts in 233 2/3 innings. He said he was just hoping the injury wouldn’t get any worse.

“I was on my knees about it many times, hoping that it wasn’t going to get more significant than it was,” Dickey said. “My wife and I prayed quite frequently together about that because I was in the middle of a good season.”

David Wright hinted that it was possible he could leave the Mets as a free agent next offseason. (Getty Images)

David Wright told ESPN he has “no idea” what will happen in his future with the New York Mets beyond this season, as he gears up for free agency after 2013.

The Mets have a $16 million option on the third baseman Wright after this season, which they will likely pick up. But Wright has said he plans to test free agency after the 2013 season.

“I’ve never considered myself that type of player where I’m going to go to wherever for the money. It’s clichéd, but I’m not necessarily concerned about making every last dollar I can in this game,” Wright told ESPN’s Adam Rubin. “I’d rather be somewhere where I feel like I can win, somewhere where I feel like I can be happy and obviously comfortable. There’s a lot of other factors other than flat-out who’s going to pay you the most.

“It’s a business, ultimately. It is. It’s a business. And I don’t blame any players for doing that. But I’m not sure if that’s me.”

Wright has rebounded this season after a disastrous 2011, batting .306 with 21 homers, 91 RBI and an .887 OPS.

Wright, who will be 31 by the time he gets his next contract, said in the interview with ESPN that he would like his next contract to be his last. It could be a challenge for the Mets to retain Wright because of the slice of their payroll he would command. The Mets slashed payroll by about $50 million last season and now have a middle-of-the-road payroll around $95 million.

“Of course it’s important that we can make a trade or sign a free agent and be able to spend some money,” Wright said. “This is my philosophy on it. And that’s why I’m going to sit down with these guys at some point and discuss it. Yeah, I’d like to know if it’s going to be ‘what you see is what you get’ and we’re going to base it solely on the minor leagues.”

Mets right-hander R.A. Dickey expects to have “more leverage” going into contract negotiations after his Cy Young caliber season. (Alex Trautwig/Getty Images)

Cy Young candidate R.A. Dickey expects to have “more leverage” during upcoming contract extension discussions with the Mets, according to Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger. Dickey signed a two-year, $7.8 million extension before the 2011 season; the deal included a $5 million option for 2013 that the Mets will likely exercise.

The 37-year-old right hander is in the midst of the best season of his career: He leads the NL with a 2.66 ERA and goes for his 20th win Thursday afternoon against the Pirates. Dickey would be just the fifth pitcher in franchise history to win at least 20 games in a season and the first since Frank Viola went 20-12 in 1990.

“It’s different in that you accept the first contract trying to be compensated for 13 years of playing the game and finally getting a chance to take care of your family,” Dickey said of his contract discussions with the team. “This mentality is different. Because I’ve done that now. I have more freedom to really weigh things.”

Mets All-Star third baseman David Wright also has a $16 million option with a deadline that is two days before Dickey’s, and the two are seen as a “package deal” according to Dickey. Last month, GM Sandy Alderson has stated his intent to try to keep both players, although he made no guarantees:

“Nothing with respect to 2013 rides on what we do with those two players,” said Alderson. “Their situations will be at the top of our list. But if we have to exercise options, we have to exercise options.”