Alex Cora News

Ita TMs a great time to be a back-up player in the majors these days. So far this offseason, we have seen Andruw Jones, Omar Vizquel, and Alex Cora sign contracts.

The average baseball salary fell just short of $3 million this year with the percentage increase slowing to its lowest level since 2004.

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Alex Cora played 82 games this year, batting .251 with 18 RBIs and eight steals for the Mets.

The World Series may still be fresh in your mind, but MLB GMs are already focusing on next season.

There were quite a few comments in your story about how the Mets need help on defense and pitching.

Carlos Beltran traveled the Brooklyn for a rehab assignment with the Cyclones, but the New York Mets may be shipping off to Puerto Rico in 2010.

Mets general manager Omar Minaya met with agent Scott Boras on Tuesday night to discuss parameters of possible deals for two of his clients -- Matt Holliday and Alex Cora.

Characters Unwelcome: Every obsession starts out small sample. So much was made about what Alex Cora brought to the Metsa clubhouse this year, and Ia m not going to argue otherwise.

Omar Minaya met with Scott Boras for 45 minutes last night to begin to determine the price on Matt Holliday.

Sources say that Matt Holliday's salary demands may be too high for Mets, which recently began to investigate free agents.

The Mets picked up the 2010 option on Mike Pelfrey yesterday and officially declined their option on reliever J.J. Putz.

The Mets' offseason to-do list has one more entry and their roster has one less.

Let's cut to the chase. Is it time for a complete overhaul? The Mets can't hit at all -- 12 home runs for their home run leader.

Jerry Manuel completed his first and possibly last full season as Mets manager, and how he handles things this coming season will determine how many more years he will be a manager in this turbulent Mets organization.

The Mets said they were confident that the right hamstring Jose Reyes tore during a workout Tuesday would heal on its own and not need surgery.

It's sure great to see the Mets lowering ticket prices for 2010. They shouldn't have been so high to begin with-like at the start of the season when the team was talking playoffs, By the time we hit July, the team-even with their injuries-was exposed as poorly put together with inept management from GM Omar Minaya on down.

Some quick pre-game notes from Citi Field, where Snoopy is prancing around the Mets' dugout before the game and posing for photos with players : -- Manager Jerry Manuel said Pat Misch will be available out of the bullpen Wednesday and could be replaced in the rotation Sunday by Tobi Stoner or Lance Broadway .

With a fully healed Jose Reyes likely to get more days off than usual next season, the importance of having a capable backup shortstop is amplified.

The focus of the Mets' 2009 season changed to next year weeks ago. The promotion of Josh Thole, the trade of Billy Wagner and the decisions to end Alex Cora's season with surgery and to seek waivers on Gary Sheffield were indications of that revised perspective.