In a post to MetsGeek, Mike Newman takes a look at Mets minor leaguers Shawn Bowman, Dylan Owen and Josh Thole, and asks if they are ‘prospects or pretenders,’ since, ‘the likelihood of any of these players becoming more than role players is slim.’
It does feel like the term prospect is thrown around a lot.  I mean, they [...]

The Angels have signed free-agent closer Brian Fuentes to a two-year, $17.5 million deal, with a third-year option, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com.
Meanwhile, the Cubs signed infielder Aaron Miles to a two-year, $4.9 million deal, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.
The Cubs are also close to sending infielder Mark DeRosa to the Indians in exchange for three [...]

Last night, according to multiple reports, the Mets offered Derek Lowe a three-year, $36 million contract.
“Lowe recently told a friend that the Red Sox have never showed serious interest in him,” explains John Harper in the Daily News, who believes, ‘more and more,’ it is only a matter of time before Lowe signs with the Mets.
According [...]

According to Jack Curry at the New York Times, the Mets have made a three-year, $36 million contract offer to free-agent RHP Derek Lowe.
Curry writes, ‘The Mets are not willing to offer Lowe more than a three-year deal,’ though he is reportedly seeking seeking a five-year, $90 million deal.
…i can only guess that [...]

According to MLB Trade Rumors, Steve Phillips of ESPN.com is reporting the Cubs are close to trading RHP Jason Marquis to the Rockies for RHP Luis Vizcaino.
In early December, Jon Heyman of SI.com reported the Cubs and Omar Minaya had been discussing a trade that would send starting Marquis to the Mets.
According to published reports, the Mets rejected a deal from [...]

Update, 5:36 PM:
The grey jersey mentioned below is a fashion jersey sold by Majestic, and is not an official team product, as you can see by clicking here – also, the jersey has been on sale since July.
…thanks to the 20 or so people who sent in the above link during the last hour or so…it is [...]

…it’s a pretty quiet day, so check out the following if you’re looking for something to read…
In a post to Mets Fever, Ed Ryan makes a case for signing free-agent Kevin Millar to fill a role on the Mets bench.
…the question is, ed, will the Mets feel the ridiculous need to carry three catchers again, [...]

Update, 10:33 am:
In his blog for ESPN.com today, Buster Olney writes, “The Dodgers want the Mets to take Jones… and the Mets want the Dodgers to take Castillo… But both sides have kept the porch light on, so to speak, in case the other side blinked and was willing to make their version of the [...]

Buster Olney of ESPN.com believes the Mets and Dodgers have been in talks about OF Andruw Jones.
Jones will earn around $15 million in 2009, after which he is eligible to be a free agent.
The Mets intention, Olney explains, would be to play Jones in right field.
I know you’re thinking it, so…
According to Olney, “It’s unlikely that [...]

Jayson Stark of ESPN.com says the Dodgers have been in contact with free-agent OF Adam Dunn, who has also drawn interest from the Cubs, Nationals, Mariners and Orioles.
According to Stark, “The Cubs had believed to be Dunn’s top choice before the Dodgers entered the mix.”
…this is interesting…because, if the Dodgers end up with dunn, what happens [...]

Marty Noble of MLB.com believes the Mets will make offers this week to at least two starting pitchers, if not three, from a group consisting of Derek Lowe, Oliver Perez and Randy Wolf.
According to Noble, ‘the Mets still view Wolf as a fall back alternate to the other two,’ with Lowe still the team’s top priority.
Noble [...]

In his latest post to ESPN.com, Buster Olney takes a closer look at the dwindling market for free-agent OF Manny Ramirez.
According to Olney, the Angels, Mets and Yankees have all said they are out of the bidding on Ramirez, who is unlikely to draw interest from the Phillies, Blue Jays, Cubs, Tigers, Cardinals, Braves and [...]

Last week, Ben Shpigel of the New York Times said the Mets could ask Johan Santana to sit out of the World Baseball Classic.
“He should be O.K., but we’re going to be conservative,” Omar Minaya told Shpigel. “If we have a little bit of doubt or concern, we’d rather have him not play.  We’re pro-Classic, but [...]

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe believes the Mets are the front-runners to sign free-agent RHP Derek Lowe, over the Phillies and Red Sox.
Speaking of starting pitchers…
According to the Boston Herald, the Red Sox and free-agent RHP Brad Penny agreed to a one-year deal that could be worth up to $8 million.
Penny joins Josh Beckett, Tim [...]

Buster Olney of ESPN.com writes, “The Mets have quietly continued to gauge the market for Luis Castillo, and if they find a taker for at least some of his salary, that would leave them in position to pursue Orlando Hudson.”
…i believe, having talked with people connected to the team, the Mets would like to trade [...]