…so much for cerrone’s ’sandmen’ idea…

Though the Boston Herald writes that talks between the Red Sox and free-agent 3B Mike Lowell are ‘heading nowhere,’ ESPN.com’s Buster Olney told Mike and Mike this morning that he expects Lowell to re-sign with the Sox either today or tomorrow.

Free-agent OF Torii Hunter is scheduled have dinner with the Rangers tonight, writes the Dallas Morning News, though he also told Yahoo! Sports he is interested in the Dodgers, as well.

According to multiple reports, though Mariano Rivera is expected to sign a three-year deal with the Yankees, according to the Daily News, he is still trying to tack on an option year.

The Toronto Sun reports that the Blue Jays have talked with free-agent RHP Matt Clement, who has had a serious of arm trouble over the last few years.

…hat tip to peter w for the link…

In a recent interview, Rivera mentioned that he is intrigued by the idea of following his former manager, Joe Torre, to the Dodgers.

This past season for the Yankees, for the first time since his rookie year in 1995, the 37–year-old Rivera had an ERA higher than 3.00, while blowing four saves.

…he must really want that fourth year, because the Yankees have reportedly already offered three…so, it’s not like it’s a negotiating tactic…the thing is, four years…really…for a 37–year-old closer, who has not been nearly as sharp over the last few years as he once was…frankly, i can’t believe mo is not just jumping at the three-year deal, which makes me wonder if he knows he can get four from some other intriguing option…

…i mean, if he’s not going back home, where is he going…the only realistic option, assuming he wants to close, at this point, considering budget and opportunity, would be the Astros and Dodgers…i don’t think it would be totally crazy to see him sign in los angeles with Joe Torre, but why…i mean, even if the Dodgers match that offer, it stands to reason he’d just return to the Bronx anyways, meaning the Dodgers would have to beat it, and that’s unrealistic for a 38–year-old pitcher, i think…

…frankly, i still like to dream of my silly two-headed save machine idea with mariano and Billy Wagner, going lefty-righty like Jesse Orosco and Roger McDowell, but with a lot more credibility and success in their sails…i mean, they already share the same music, how about they share the same job…enter sandmen…

…surprise, surprise…i just don’t see any way the Yankees let mo get away, if for no other reason then it will mean having to consider keeping Joba Chamberlain in the bullpen, which they supposedly do not want to do…

Abraham also gives an update on the Yankees negotiations with free-agent C Jorge Posada, who ‘could want’ a fourth season and up to $15 million a year.

According to Feinsand, the Yankees are expected to offer Rivera a three-year, $40 million deal.

…the slight buzz around baseball seems to be that if mo does not sign with the Yankees, which it’s assumed that he will, the next likely team would be the Phillies, though he’ll most certainly flirt with the Mets for leverage…however, personally, i can’t see how he would turn down $13 million per season to stay home for three years, unless the Phillies let it be known they’ll go to a fourth year, which they were unwilling to do for Billy Wagner back in 2005…

However, during a recent interview with MLB Radio on Sirius Satellite, Rivera explained that the absence of Torre will not impact whether or not he re-signs with the Yankees.

…people are framing this as mo flip-flopping, or back peddling from his initial remark, which, by the way, was not on the record, but via a source through abraham…to which i say, ‘so what.’…i mean, if he intends to test the market, he’d be stupid to insinuate that the Yankees are no better than any other team…i also don’t understand why our society loves to play ‘gotcha’ when a person simply changes their mind…why is this a bad thing, again…

…at any rate, the early buzz in new york suggests mo may have settled for a two-year deal from the Yankees, but could now pursue a third year, either guaranteed or as an option, all in the area of $12 million per season…

…and, yes, i do believe the Mets would have as good of a shot as any in landing him, considering he would not have to move homes and could be reunited with Willie Randolph, which, from what i can gather, is appealing to him…however, i think it is safe to assume that mo will pursue his own closer’s roll, instead, and not settle for being a set-up man or co-closer to Billy Wagner…

This past season for the Yankees, for the first time since his rookie year in 1995, the 37–year-old Rivera had an ERA higher than 3.00, while blowing four saves.

…ultimately, when it comes to mo, as wellas his buddy, Jorge Posada, i can only assume the Mets will be nothing more than leverage in their negotiations with the Yankees, where they’ll eventually return…

A rival General Manager, as quoted by Klapisch, regarding whether or not the Mets have a chance at signing Posada, said:

“The odds are pretty slim. [Posada] is loyal to [Derek] Jeter and that will help [the Yankees] a lot. But you never know. It’d be worth it for the Mets to least get in the game.”

According to Klapisch, Posada will likely be looking for a three-year, $40 million deal, as will Rivera.

…from what i can gather, though the Yankees will make heavy offers to posada and rivera sooner rather than later, it will not stop these two from testing the open market…either way, when it comes to posada and mo, i just i have this bad feeling that the Mets will be nothing more than leverage in their talks with the Yankees, where they’ll eventually return…

as saying he is ‘more determined than ever’ to test the free-agent market, considering how recent treatment of

…the initial post’s comment’s section took on a long conversation of how the Mets could sign mariano and force Billy Wagner to the set-up role…i’m just thinking out loud here, with nothing based in fact, but, assuming the Mets paid rivera more than any other team, i wonder if he and wagner would be comfortable being a two-headed save monster…one right-handed…one left-handed…sort of the old Jesse Orosco-Roger McDowell model, but with a lot more credibility and success in their sails…i mean, they already share the same music, how about they share the same job…

…i don’t think there is any chance of this happening, of course, but it’s fun to dream about…