According to the AP, the Atlanta Braves have signed 1B/OF Craig Wilson to a one-year, $2 million contract.
The 30-year-old Wilson hit .251 with 17 HR for the Pirates and Yankees in 2006.
The Braves moved quickly to replace former 1B Adam LaRoche, who was dealt to the Pirates in exchange for Mike Gonzalez yesterday.
Wilson could be [...]

Russlan Abouhassan over at Metsgeek, offers up his comparison of the 2005 and 2006 Mets’ bullpens as well as his thought’s on this year’s squad.
Abouhassan discusses why the Mets’ bullpen was successful in 2006:
“Most
bullpens include at least one or two pitchers who simply aren’t very
good. When a bullpen is overworked, these bad pitchers usually have [...]

Over at his blog for the Journal News, John Delcos tells us how he thinks the Mets 25-man roster will shake out.
Delcos thinks the only open competition this spring will be for the fifth starter spot giving the third and fourth spots to John Maine and Oliver Perez.
In the bullpen, Delcos thinks the Mets will [...]

In the latest edition of Inside Shea, Howard Megdal of Gotham Baseball, writes about the potential 2007 success of Mets P Oliver Perez.
He provides a brief history of Perez’s career with the Padres, Pirates,
including their attempt to change his mechanics, and Mets.
Megdal also compares Perez to a Greg Maddux-esque type pitcher, but with raw a [...]

Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports the San Diego Padres have made a formal offer to free-agent pitcher David Wells and want an answer “by the end of the week.”
According to Allan Ryan of the Toronto Star
the Blue Jays also have some interest in obtaining the left-handers
services, but believe Wells first choice is [...]

Jon Heyman of SI.com released his off-season National League report card and the Mets didn’t fair too well.
Heyman writes…
They’ve improved the offense with the signing of accomplished professional hitter Moises Alou and helped a bullpen that’s going to get its work with the pickups of Ambiorix Burgos and Scott Schoeneweis, and yes, the re-signing [...]

…the word around new york is that the Mets will not have a team caravan this january, as they have done nearly every off-season in recent memory…
…if this is true, i will be very disappointed…i think…
…last season, the caravan strolled through the studios of WFAN, and delivered us winter-interviews from Darryl Strawberry, Billy Wagner, Cliff Floyd, David Wright, Willie [...]

Over at Brooklyn Met Fan, Adam says he wants the Mets to win the World Series this year.
Even though BMF wants the Mets to win the World Series he writes…
Do we need to win the World Series for a successful year? BMF says no.
Even if we lost another NLCS game 7 it would still be [...]

According to Troy Renck in the Denver Post, the Rockies could find out Thursday if free-agent RHP Brian Lawrence will accept their guaranteed, one-year, counter offer.
Recent reports suggest the Pirates, Mariners and Nationals have also expressed interest in Lawrence.
This morning, Pat sent in the following e-mail asking…
“Any idea why the Mets aren’t reportedly interested in Brian Lawrence?”

…i [...]

In the New York Times, Ben Shpigel does a wonderful job of writing about the Mets top prospects, Mike Pelfrey, Phil Humber, Lastings Milledge, Carlos Gomez and Fernando Martinez, all of whom continue to be asked about in trade talks.
Shpigel writes…
Acquiring a top starter – someone, for instance, like Florida’s Dontrelle Willis – would probably [...]

The 2007 bullpen preview continues at Mike’s Mets, as Mike takes a look at Aaron Heilman.
Mike gives a brief background on Heilman’s rise through the Mets minor-league system and his re-adoption of the three-quarter delivery that made him a four-year All-American at Notre Dame.
Mike also includes Heilman’s 2005 and 2006 stats, and points out some [...]

First it was Buster Olney at ESPN.com, followed by Ken Rosenthal at FOXSports.com, and now it is Jon Heyman’s turn.
At SI.com, Heyman writes…
“New York Mets general manager Omar Minaya is known as one of baseball’s best deal-makers, but he’s been striking out regularly this offseason.”

…oddly enough, i don’t think “striking out regularly” is an accurate [...]