According to Kernan, the 36 year old Alfonzo believes he has two or three years left in him, and would like a chance to go to Spring Training with the Mets.

Alfonzo told Kernan:

“I’m prepared for anything,” Alfonzo said earlier this week. “Baseball is the one thing in my life that I know how to do. I don’t expect to play every day, but I feel I can help anytime. I can say many things with my mouth, but I have to prove it…“My dream is to retire with the Mets colors…That’s my dream. That’s what I’m praying for, maybe it will happen, maybe not, but dreams sometimes come true, you know.”

…i suppose an invite can’t hurt, just to give him a chance to retire in a Mets uniform…it would be similar to when the team invited Andres Gallaraga to camp in 2005…i guess you never know, but fonzie hasn’t exactly shined in a real long time, which is a reason he has been out of the majors for three full seasons…

Alfonzo last played in the Major Leagues in 2006 when he appeared in 30 games with the Angels and hit .126, and has played with the Long Island Ducks, the Mexican and Venezuelan Leagues, and most recently, the Yomiuri Giants this past season.

For more on Alfonzo, check out Kernan’s article here.

…minaya told me during an interview last October that he tried to sign eckstein last off-season – but, when things didn’t work out, the team signed Luis Castillo… so, i think it’s safe to assume minaya must have had a conversation with eckstein this time around, even if it was short lived…

…in the end, whether the Mets were interested or not, i imagine eckstein preferred san diego because he will be their starting second baseman – as opposed to coming to Queens, where he’ll be a back-up waiting for castillo to hurt himself again…

…the thing is, the Padres signed eckstein to be a starting second baseman – repeat, starting second baseman – and are paying him $850,000…yet, the Mets paid $2 million for Alex Cora to be a back-up… now, how does that math make sense…

Speaking of infielders…

In a report for FoxSports.com, Ken Rosenthal says free-agent infielder Edgardo Alfonzo is intriguing clubs with his performance in the Venezuelan Winter League.

According to Rosenthal, “He also lost weight, and could make a worthwhile investment on a minor-league deal, starting at Class AAA and working back to the majors.”

…which is good and bad i, i guess…i mean, emotionally speaking, i’d love to see fonzi in a Mets uniform one more time…on other the hand, there is a reason he has just 11 major-league hits since leaving the Giants in 2005…

…you know, if fonzi made it back to the Mets, he’d have to wear a new number, because Billy Wagner currently occupies No. 13, which would be weird to see…at any rate, good luck, fonzi, i’d love to see you get another chance here in New York - on a minor-league deal, of course…

…thanks to resourceful Peter Wade for the link…

Heyman also writes about Moises Alou; spelling in Chicago; and other key injuries that occurred this week, not just Pedro Martinez’s, who he gives a nine of 10 on his ‘Worry Meter.’