Francisco Rodriguez News

With the free agency period starting last Friday, the Rays find themselves in a somewhat similar situation to last winter.

The Hot Stove League is now officially open for business, but before we start thinking too much about the future, it is always a good idea to reflect on the past.A Tony Reagins will be making some tough decisions this winter, so to get a read on just how well he will perform, let's look back on all the transactions he has made in the last year and ...

The Mets have talked a good game about spending money and retooling this offseason.

All eyes were on John Lackey as a 23-year-old rookie when he won Game 7 of the 2002 World Series, and all eyes are on him seven years later now that he's finally a free agent.

Several Mets players are participating in Winter baseball this year, andA Josh Thole and Lance Broadway are in Venezuela where there is incredible political unrest.

There is no hitter on this winter's free agent market who is as good as Mark Teixeira .

Late in the season, young Mets fan Jack Esposito holds up a poster to support his team for next year.

Mets general manager Omar Minaya talks to reporters this week during the GM meetings in Chicago.

Angels general manager Tony Reagins has been rewarded by club owner Arte Moreno with a long-term contract extension, the club announced on Friday.

Through all the twists and turns the New York Mets have taken over the past four years, one factor has always remained constant.

J.J. Runsucker and the Sweet Smell of Failure. The J.J. Putz era in New York ended yesterday, as the Mets bought out the final year of Putza TMs contract.

The Mets do not plan to pick up reliever J.J. Putz's option for 2010. The Mets have told reliever J.J. Putz they are unlikely to pick up his $9.1 million option for 2010, his agent said Friday.

Mets have decided not to exercise their $9.1-million option on J.J. Putz , a person familiar with the situation confirmed Thursday, and will pay him a $1-million buyout instead.

The raging debate that will go on from now until Wednesday is really tearing me apart.A What's a Met fan to do? You've got our current arch nemesis, the Phillies, against the "jerk of a big brother" in the Yankees.

The past two winters, the Mets arrived on the Treasure Coast haunted by dispiriting, September collapses that had kept them out of the playoffs.

I continue to believe the Mets have the wrong offseason plan. They have discussed making a big splash, which translates to obtaining the kind of star that ownership thinks will motivate Mets fans to buy 2010 tickets.

Stop this trend before it gets out of hand. Think about it: You're watching a playoff baseball game, the ultimate conversation piece, and you'd rather play "Romper Room"? -- Can't help but recall Mariano Rivera's last outing, Game 3 of the division series, summoned in the eighth inning to face AL batting champion Joe Mauer.

Part of the cloud of uncertainty that hangs over the Mets' offseason involves J.J. Putz's elbow and contract status.

Want a clue as to how the Mets will finish next year? Look to the mound. Manager Jerry Manuel said yesterday the pitching staff took a step back this season, leaving many questions to be answered in 2010.

The Mets started a pattern following the break, that they didn't stray much from often - losing games early in series and salvaging games either pitched by their best pitcher or mailed in by their opponents.