“The Mets and Derek Lowe remain far apart in negotiations,” Jon Heyman recently wrote to his blog for SI.com.

According to the Boston Globe, Lowe is meeting today in Atlanta with Braves GM Frank Wren and Bobby Cox.

Heyman believes the Braves could emerge as a big threat to the Mets, since ‘Atlanta saved its money after offering A.J. Burnett a deal for about $15-to-16 million a year.’

Heyman feels the Angels, Phillies and Brewers have interest in Lowe as well.

Yesterday evening, people connected to the Mets were quite confident in the team’s position, with regards to eventually signing Lowe.  This, however, was before news of Lowe meeting with the Braves.  I would hope the Mets knew of Lowe’s pending trip to Atlanta, and requested the opportunity to beat any other offers.

Minaya has a strong relationship with Boras, going back more than 15 years, and they have done solid business together.  So, in the end, I expect the Mets to get a fair crack at signing Lowe.

The question, however, may come down to that $16 million number and the fourth year.

My biggest worry now is: what if Lowe signs in Atlanta?

At that point, given the disappointment, and situation, the Mets will have to sign Oliver Perez, who, by the way, is also represented by Boras.  Knowing Minaya’s need for a starting pitcher – two actually – the Mets will have no choice but to overpay for Perez, who is already reportedly seeking a  five-year deal worth roughly $70 million.  If the Mets are desperate for a pitcher, especially after losing Lowe to the Braves, how do they ignore Perez’s demands at that point?  This should be interesting.

Tonight at 8 pm EDT, I will be answering questions in a live chat on The Happy Recap, an excellent online Mets forum.

Remember, in order to ask a question or follow the chat live, you must register with the forum.

Otherwise, you can read a full transcript after it has ended.

The following video, courtesy of SNY.tv, is of my recent phone conversation with Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors, during which we talk about the market for Derek Lowe, Orlando Hudson, and the large group of aging veterans:

Note: This conversation took place before today’s news that the Braves will be meeting face to face with Lowe.

Update, 2:09 pm:

Earlier this afternoon, Mark Bowman of MLB.com wrote, “Braves GM Frank Wren arranged the meeting,” prior to learning John Smoltz would sign with the Red Sox.

According to Bowman, Bobby Cox traveled to Turner Field late Thursday morning to meet with Lowe, while Chipper Jones already made a recruiting pitch to the veteran sinkerballer.

Update, 12:19 pm:

Gordon Edes of Yahoo! Sports writes, “The Braves have zeroed in on Derek Lowe, who reportedly had been seeking a long-term deal for $16 million a year but whose price appears to have dropped now that he no longer has the leverage of the Yankees as potential bidders.”

Original Post, 10:07 am:

In the Boston Globe, Tony Massarotti reports, “Derek Lowe is scheduled to meet with representatives of the Braves this afternoon in Atlanta,” according to a baseball source.

Read more…

According to the New York Post, Omar Minaya is expected to speak with Pedro Martinez’s agent next week.

The Post believes Martinez could be open to an incentive-heavy, one-year contract to return to the Mets.

Last night on the MLB Network’s Hot Stove Live, SI.com’s Tom Verducci said Martinez recently rejected a one-year, $7 million offer from an American League team.

Martinez is capable of getting a guaranteed deal.  So, the thing with bringing him in to compete with Jon Niese, and, let’s say, Tim Redding and Freddy Garcia, and who knows who else, is that the Mets have not shown the ability to cut ties with a guy of his stature when he starts to struggle.  And so, my fear is that Pedro will beat out Niese, get the fifth starter’s spot, raise every one’s hopes, but then struggle - leaving us once again to watch old, stale re-runs of The Pedro Show, because, he’s Pedro Martinez, and the Mets will refuse to cut him.

However, in the end, I suspect Martinez’s future with the Mets has more to do with Derek Lowe and Oliver Perez, than it has to do with money and loyalty.

Yesterday, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times said two teams, one from each league, are interested in Martinez.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post believes the Mets are interested in free-agent OF Cory Sullivan, who was non-tendered in December.

The 29–year-old Sullivan, who bats left-handed, is a career .279 hitter, with a .330 OBP and just eight HR in 927 at bats for the Rockies, during which he hit .269 away from Colorado.

I’m thinking Sullivan must be viewed as a potential replacement for Endy Chavez, who was traded to Seattle, since he is most known for his defense.  However, isn’t that what Jeremy Reed is for?  My guess is the Mets once expressed interest in Sullivan, knowing they might trade Chavez, but before they acquired Reed.

The Padres, Rangers, Marlins and D’Backs have all been linked in rumor to Sullivan during the off-season.

Speaking of back-up outfielders…

The Red Sox are close to signing free-agent OF Rocco Baldelli to a one-year deal, according to the Boston Globe.

I have been sent a lot of e-mail from readers who wanted to Baldelli.  I don’t get the love affair.  He’s a good hitter, sure, but he’s getting older, he is struggling with a unique ‘energy-depleting health disorder,’ he was in search of a guaranteed contract, and the Mets already have Fernando Tatis, Daniel Murphy, Ryan Church, Angel Pagan and Reed, and are also apparently interested in Sullivan.  So, it’s nothing against Baldelli, it’s just, I am not sure where he fits in.

Ken Davidoff of Newsday says the Mets will watch free-agent relief pitcher Chad Cordero throw on Friday.

The Brewers, Rangers, D’Backs, Nationals and Tigers will also watch Cordero, according to published reports.

Cordero missed the second half of last season following shoulder surgery, but is expected to be ready for Spring Training.

Last month, the OC Register said Cordero could miss the first month of the season, according to the player’s agent.

Cordero, 26, has yet to finish a season with an ERA above 3.36 in his six-year career, during which he has been successful 83 percent of the time in save opportunities, while striking out 292 batters in 320 innings.

According to D.C. reporter Bill Ladson, of MLB.com, Cordero’s first choice would be to sign with the Angels.  However, he says, “Cordero also wouldn’t mind having a reunion with Omar Minaya.”

Speaking of relief pitchers…

The Brewers and free-agent RHP Trevor Hoffman have agreed on a deal, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com, per MLBTR.

The Red Sox are close to signing free-agent RHP John Smoltz to a one-year, $5.5 million deal, reports Nick Cafardo in the Boston Globe.

In other words, it’s essentially the same deal Brad Penny got from Boston, who now have seven starting pitchers on their roster.

Which begs the question, “Do they also need Derek Lowe?”  I’m guessing they do not.

According to Cafardo, “The Sox do not anticipate that Smoltz will be ready until later in May.”

In the end, Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com explains, “With Smoltz coming off major surgery, the Braves were not inclined to guarantee him significant dollars.”

 Loading ...

Jeff Wilpon gave Scott Boras and his assistant a tour of Citi Field yesterday, after which the group had lunch with Omar Minaya and other team executives to discuss Derek Lowe and Oliver Perez.

From what I understand, Boras met with team executives on Tuesday evening as well, in New York City.

In Newsday, Ken Davidoff writes, “If Manny Ramirez’s name came up, it appears that didn’t spark much conversation,” according to people familiar with the discussion.

Additionally, Steve Popper in the Bergen Record writes, “According to one person involved in the discussions, the two sides did not discuss Ramirez.”

I agree, which is why I wrote last night that Manny wasn’t discussed at all, which is a shame.  Also, talks regarding Perez and Alex Cora were limited, with most of the discussion centering on Lowe, as you would expect. 

According to Popper, Minaya has never discussed Ramirez with Boras, and has not ‘broached the subject to ownership.’

I’m starting to think this is more of a budget issue, in that signing Lowe or Perez, a veteran fifth starter, a back-up middle infielder, and maybe another relief pitcher, will likely put the team over their projected budget, and so I would not expect any major free-agent addition on offense.

Meanwhile, in the New York Times, Ben Shpigel adds, “In the end, should the Mets offer another $1 million annually and/or a fourth-year vesting option, Boras and Lowe may find that suitable.”

Like I wrote last night night, according to people connected to Lowe, the Mets will eventually need to grant a fourth-year option, and may need to pay more per season than they initially offered, but not $15 million – and the Mets are open to this.

In other words, like Joel Sherman of the New York Post wrote yesterday, I’m thinking Lowe could eventually cost Minaya a three-year, $42 million deal, with a performance-based fourth-year option and a team buyout.

By the way, Mike Puma of the New York Post writes, “Some believe the Nationals could be a suitor for Lowe, the best available starter on the market, given that Washington needs an ace and wasn’t shy about entering the Teixeira sweepstakes.”

Ugh, and of course there will be a Mystery Team, I’m sure.

Update, 9:15 pm:

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com says Minaya talked with Boras about Lowe, as well as Ramirez and Perez.

I was under the impression Ramirez and Perez were not discussed. I’m glad I was wrong about this.

However, unfortunately, I still sense there is little-to-no chance Ramirez ends up on the Mets.

Actually, the more people I talk with, the more I think a front-end starting pitcher could be Minaya’s last major move, i.e., no Manny, no Orlando Hudson, etc., unless something significant impacts the team’s current position.

Original Post:

From what I can gather, Scott Boras recently met with Omar Minaya in New York City – and things went well.

The two sides left feeling confident that an agreement could eventually be reached between the Mets and free-agent Derek Lowe, though Boras is likely to take more time to try and solicit additional offers.

I do not believe their talks extended to include Oliver Perez and Manny Ramirez.

Meanwhile, according to people connected to Lowe, the Mets will eventually need to grant a fourth-year option, and may need to pay more per season than they initially offered, but not $15 million – and the Mets are open to this.

In other words, like Joel Sherman of the New York Post wrote earlier today, I’m thinking Lowe could eventually cost Minaya a three-year, $42 million deal, with a performance-based fourth-year option and a team buyout.

In the end, Minaya has a strong relationship with Boras, and Lowe is interested in pitching in Queens, especially since he has so few high-priced suitors, and so I like where the Mets stand – however, with Boras in the mix, you never know what might happen.