Brian Schneider News

The baskets perched on a coffee table in the Phillies' suite at the downtown Marriott contained fewer snacks Tuesday than the day before, evidence that, yes, members of the club's front office at least have been occupying the room.

This is an Aug. 7, 2007, file photo showing San Francisco Giants' Barry Bonds hitting his 756th career home run, breaking Hank Aaron's lifetime mark, off Washington Nationals' pitcher Mike Bacsik during the fifth inning of their baseball game in San Francisco.

Remember when this was going to be a free-agent market in which teams scrounged for nickels and dimes to sign players.

To clear up any confusion, Omar Minaya is indeed present at the winter meetings.

Omar Minaya's shopping spree at catcher - a campaign that remains unfinished - is not just the general manager's doing, but also the result of complaints from manager Jerry Manuel and Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen.

Last year, when baseball's winter meetings were held at the glitzy Bellagio in Las Vegas, Ruben Amaro Jr.

Good thing we already have David Ross. He's due to make $1.6 million in 2010, and a lot of worse catchers are getting similar or better money.

Who do you want in left field next season? Metstradamus 11 "Well, there's 5 mins I won't ever get back in my life.

When Billy Wagner returned from injury last season, I didna TMt think the Mets were going to have much use for him.

The Phillies announced Tuesday that they have signed a left-handed-hitting backstop to complement catcher Carlos "Chooch" Ruiz.

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

Bracing for the potential loss of starter Yorvit Torrealba, the Rockies have expressed preliminary interest in free agent catcher Brian Schneider.

According to Adam Rubin, in a report for the Daily News , the Mets off-season shopping list is as follows: Catcher to replace Brian Schneider .

Ed Ryan, in a post to his blog for Mets Fever , discusses the market for free agent catchers and that Matt Treanor , Yorvit Torrealba , and Ramon Hernandez have all had their options declined by their respective teams.

The Mets have told reliever J.J. Putz that they are likely to decline his $8.6 million option for 2010 and buy him out for $1 million instead, his agent said yesterday.

Not to rush the season or anything, but the Mets may begin their Holliday shopping forthwith.

As the Yankees face off with the Phillies in the World Series , Mets fans who are not cringing at the thought of either their cross-town rival or their division nemesis collecting a World Series ring, will give a collective yawn.

I've been a Mets fan for 40 years. Looking back at 1969 and '86 with Donn Clendenon and Keith Hernandez suggests that a productive and defensively-skilled first baseman is what it takes to have a contending team.

Who would you like to see put in a weather balloon to float away? Metstradamus 11 Wednesday, October 21, 2009 What Have You Learned is our very special off-season series that will outline what you've learned, what I've learned, and hopefully what the 2009 Mets have learned about themselves, others, and 2010.

Former Mater Dei star Josh Thole did nothing to hurt his chances of becoming part of a long-term catching solution for the New York Mets during a late-season audition.