June 2011 - New York Mets Wiretap

R.A. Dickey will go forward with his charitable plan to ascend Mount Kilimanjaro next week, according to multiple sources. The Mets aren't pleased with the pitcher's plans. A person close to Dickey confirmed the Mets sent a "procedural" letter to agent Bo McKinniss "just to cover themselves legally" over the summer, when the knuckleballer first began publicly discussing the excursion. Dickey is scheduled to earn $4.5 million in 2012 in the second year of a two-year, $7.8 million deal.

The Mets have asked R.A. Dickey not to make his charity climb of Mount Kilimanjaro. Dickey still plans on going, according to the Wall Street Journal. Though trips up Kilimanjaro almost never result in death or are even that dangerous, the Mets have sent Dickey a letter saying they can void his contract if anything bad happens. "If we thought it was a good idea, we wouldn't have sent the letter," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said. "Beyond that, have we tried to dissuade him from going? It seems to me that the letter is enough of an effort to dissuade him, and he intends to go on nonetheless."

The Mets have expressed interest in Rockies outfielder/second baseman Eric Young Jr., according to a major league source. New York sending Justin Turner to Colorado might get the potential deal done.

The Mets have signed reliever Frank Francisco to a two-year contract. The deal is worth $12 million, according to sources. Francisco, 32, went 1-4 with 17 saves and a 3.55 ERA in 54 games with the Blue Jays in 2011.

The list of suitors for Athletics left-hander Gio Gonzalez is a long one, but the Mets aren't likely to offer a package impressive enough to land the starter. The Mets wouldn't include Jon Niese, Ike Davis, Matt Harvey, Jenrry Mejia or Jeurys Familia in a deal for Gonzalez, making it unlikely that they'll ever enter serious talks with Oakland. The Athletics are seeking a huge package for Gonzalez, who's arbitration-eligible for the first time after combining to go 31-21 with a 3.17 ERA with 368 strikeouts and 183 walks the last two seasons.

The Mets have no interest in dealing left-hander Jonathon Niese to the Rockies in a trade for outfielder Seth Smith, according to sources. There had been reports that New York could look to acquire Smith from Colorado.

The Rockies signing Michael Cuddyer closes a door for fellow free-agent outfielder Carlos Beltran. However, Beltran is believed to have at least one offer on the table worth $10 million annually.

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson casually revealed this week that left-hander Johan Santana may not be ready for the start of the 2012 season. "We do have some question marks, of course, with Santana being one of them," Alderson said of the lefty pitcher's return from his September 2010 shoulder surgery. "We think he's going to be ready, but he might not be. That's where the [pitching] depth becomes important." Santana had hoped to pitch for the Mets by the end of last season, but setbacks prevented him from getting back to the majors.

There are three-to-four teams interested in Mets left-hander Jon Niese. New York is willing to trade Niese if the deal is right and they can get a package of young pitchers and a catching prospect.

The financially strapped owners of the Mets obtained a $40 million "bridge loan" from Bank of America in recent weeks to continue operations until minority shares of the team can be sold. The team acknowledged the loan on Monday. "The bridge loan was approved by Major League Baseball and the syndicate of lenders to the Mets," the team's statement read. "The process for the sale of minority shares in the team continues to go very well." Major League Baseball previously loaned the team $25 million this year, which has yet to be repaid.