July 2012 - New York Mets Wiretap

During a recent team meeting, the Mets flirted with the idea of releasing Mike Pelfrey before Opening Day, according to two people with direct knowledge of the situation. None of the uniformed staff was in favor of the idea and it got nowhere. Pelfrey further solidified his place in the rotation Thursday night, when he allowed one run in 6.1 innings against Houston. "I saw all the things today that I have heard about," Terry Collins said. "I saw a power sinker (with) that great movement, beating it in the dirt. He threw his curveball for strikes. Josh (Thole)said his split was outstanding tonight."

Carlos Beltran, who offered last summer to pay for a nose job for former Mets teammate Jon Niese, has in fact paid the $10,000 bill. Niese went through with the rhinoplasty procedure in October. Beltran is now a member of the Cardinals. His motivation for the nose job originally was cosmetic, but he said he has been breathing better since the elective procedure.

The Mets are close to a minor league deal with right-hander Chris Young, according to a source. Young, 32, is attempting a comeback from right anterior shoulder capsule surgery, the same type of operation that has kept Johan Santana sidelined since September 2010.

Forbes’ annual report finds the average value of MLB teams has increased 16 percent from last year to an all-time high of $605M. The Yankees, worth $1.85B, lead the way for the 15th straight year since Forbes began valuing franchises in 1998. Only two teams’ values didn’t increase: the Mets and the Rays.

Mets owners Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz sold 12 minority stakes in the troubled franchise worth $240 million last week. The proceeds were used to pay off Major League Baseball and reduce the team's debt. In addition to playing back MLB, Wilpon and Katz paid at least $100 million toward $430 million of team debt, sources said.

The owners of the Mets and a trustee for Bernard Madoff's fraud victims have settled for $162 million in a case aimed at repairing the damage from a massive investment scheme. The settlement was agreed to Friday and the parties involved successfully kept it under wraps over the weekend until it was announced Monday morning.

A couple of hours before the first pitch was thrown on Thursday, Marlins shortstop Jose Reyes was fielding text messages from his former teammates. Mets catcher Josh Thole checked in, as did first baseman Ike Davis. "A bunch of guys texted me today," Reyes said. "They give me a hard time, in a good way."

David Wright, who suffered a small tear in one of his left abdominal muscles, is hoping to play on Opening Day. During a trip to New York, the third baseman watched on a monitor as doctors numbed his midsection, then used ultrasound to guide a dose of cortisone to the strained portion of his muscle. "As long as I get a decent amount of time, I feel like I'll be ready," Wright said, "I'm not at the point now where I feel panicked or rushed. I still feel comfortable with the amount of time I've got left. "Whenever you strain a muscle, essentially there's some tearing. So it sounds a lot worse than it is." Wright will not rush the process, knowing he can take a dozen swings or more per day in Minor League games if necessary. More important for the third baseman is making sure that his abdominal strain is fully healed before attempting to put undue stress on the muscle. "As much as I'd like to be out there and play, I also have to realize that it's the first couple weeks in Spring Training," Wright said. "For once in my career, you've got to be smart about something and maybe miss a few games here to make sure I'm ready for the season."

Mets bullpen catcher Eric Langill was arrested for an alleged DUI following a single-car accident on Sunday night in Port St. Lucie. Driving back from the team's weekly outing at a local bowling alley, Langill allegedly had difficulty navigating a traffic circle and flipped his car. Police said he had alcohol on his breath. "At this point we don't have all the facts," general manager Sandy Alderson said. "We will be talking to Eric before we decide [what to do]. Obviously, we're very disappointed this happened."

The Mets recently auditioned C.J. Nitkowski for a spot on their roster. The left-hander last pitched in the Major Leagues with the Nationals back in 2005. "We probably won't get into that for another day or two," general manager Sandy Alderson said.