Second baseman Luis Castillo has been released by the Mets with one year and $6M remaining on his contract, according to an ESPN.com report. "After a long evaluation during spring training, after consulting with [manager] Terry [Collins] and the coaching staff, I made a recommendation to ownership in the best interest of the organization and Louie that he be released," GM Sandy Alderson said. "Ownership approved." Alderson refused to handicap the remaining field of candidates, but Brad Emaus appears a leading candidate.