June 2014 - New York Mets Wiretap
The New York Yankees checked in with the Colorado Rockies about the asking price for Troy Tulowitzki recently.
A few clubs inquired with the Rockies amid reports that the New York Mets were discussing the shortstop last week.
The Mets may still be the most likely destination if Colorado moves Tulowitzki because they have the young pitching the Rockies would want in return.
The Internal Revenue Service is auctioning off the remaining annuity from the deferred compensation Darryl Strawberry agreed to when he signed a six-year contract with the New York Mets almost 30 years ago.
The total value of the contract was $7.1 million, but nearly 40 percent of his $1.8 million team option in 1990 ($700,000) was deferred and put into an annuity with a 5.1 percent annual interest rate.
Strawberry was forced to give a portion of the deferred money account to his wife, Charisse, as part of their divorce settlement in 2006, but the payments were never made.
In 2010, his ex-wife filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection and, as part of the proceedings, asked for what was owed. But in September of this year, a judge in the Northern District of Florida ruled that the annuity was the property of the IRS, not Charisse, because Darryl still had not settled his tax debt owed for 1989, 1990, 2003 and 2004.
Keeping up with the free-agent and trade activity is secondary to getting healthy for Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, even though he is the subject of prominent rumors.
"I'm keeping up but I'm not worrying about it," Tulowitzki said from his Las Vegas home Sunday night. "I'm just doing my rehab and want to get back on the field. That's my main focus."
Reports that the Mets will trade for Tulowitzki have circulated since before the July non-waiver trade deadline.
The New York Mets and Colorado Rockies have quietly been discussing a Troy Tulowitzki trade for weeks.
It isn't yet known if New York has a chance to complete a deal for the shortstop.
Mets pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard is said to be the centerpiece of discussions, but there is still a long way to go in negotiations.
Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang will be posted by the Korean Baseball Organization on Monday, according to FoxSports.com, and should draw plenty of interest.
Kang, 27, is a power-hitting shortstop who has spent the last seven seasons playing for the Nexen Heroes. He's coming off a career year in which he hit .354 with 39 home runs, 115 RBIs and a 1.189 OPS in 116 games.
Although the shortstop market is thin, many clubs view Kang as a second baseman. CBS Sports reported Monday that the Mets, Giants and A's are interested in the infielder.
The New York Mets inquired with the Boston Red Sox about Yoenis Cespedes toward the end of the season, but were told the asking price would be Zack Wheeler or Jacob deGrom.
New York was unwilling to discuss the two young pitchers, ending talks before they really began.
The Red Sox dealt Cespedes to the Detroit Tigers on Thursday for Rick Porcello.
The New York Mets are discussing Dillon Gee with as many as six clubs.
The Texas Rangers have talked with the Mets about the right-hander, but nothing is close.
The Colorado Rockies, Minnesota Twins and San Francisco Giants have also been linked to Gee.
Daisuke Matsuzaka has signed a contract with the Softbank Hawks of Japan's Pacific League after eight years in Major League Baseball, according to an ESPN.com report on Friday.
The 34-year-old right-hander, who went 3-3 with 78 strikeouts and a 3.89 ERA for the Mets in 2014, led the Pacific League in wins three times with the Seibu Lions before signing a six-year, $52M contract with theRed Sox in 2006.
Matt Harvey says he is "completely on board" with the New York Mets' plan to limit his innings during the regular season so he can pitch deep into October without reaching an innings cap.
Harvey is on track to return on Opening Day after missing all of this past season recovering from Tommy John surgery. He underwent the procedure on Oct. 22, 2013.
Sandy Anderson recently indicated that Harvey will have a "soft cap" on his innings next season.
"You know what? I'm going to be happy to throw an entire year," Harvey said. "Whatever they decide, it's in the best interests of both the team and me moving forward. I can't wait to throw every five days and just be healthy for a full season.
"Looking forward, if you were to map out a whole season, you're going to have to figure out some changes throughout the year in order to get to a certain point. I mean, if you make 33 starts and seven innings a start, obviously doing the math that's over what I'm probably going to throw."
The New York Mets are "actively" looking to trade one of their veteran starters, according to a source.
The club intends to unload Bartolo Colon, Dillon Gee or Jon Niese by the start of the 2015 season.