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Mets close to a deal with catcher Torrealba

The Mets are close to signing Colorado Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba. (Getty Images Photo)

BY DAVID LENNON AND KEN DAVIDOFF | david.lennon@newsday.com
ken.davidoff@newsday.com

November 14, 2007

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Having lost out on Jorge Posada, the Mets are wasting no time in trying to close a deal with Yorvit Torrealba, and it looks like an agreement could be struck by the end of this week.

General manager Omar Minaya, spurned by Posada's decision to return to the Yankees late Monday, contacted Torrealba's agent yesterday with the intent of moving ahead quickly, according to a National League official familiar with the situation.

Torrealba, the former catcher of the NL champion Rockies, earned $1.075 million last season and Colorado reportedly has tried to retain him with a two-year offer in the $7-million range. The Marlins also have shown interest, but the Mets may be willing to go to a third year (or option) in order to fill the only position they do not have an in-house replacement for.

The aggressive push for Torrealba is the result of a thin market for catchers, and the Mets, if backed into a corner, do not want to be forced to pay what they believe is an inflated price for Paul Lo Duca. Minaya had stayed in touch with Lo Duca's agent early in the process, but those talks cooled once the Mets GM turned his attention to Torrealba.

At 29, Torrealba is six years younger than Lo Duca, who has endured some serious wear and tear during his two seasons in Flushing. Lo Duca had surgery to repair a ligament in his thumb at the end of the 2006 season and he played even fewer games (119) this year because of hamstring issues.

Lo Duca, who is coming off a three-year, $18-million contract, is a .288 career hitter. Torrealba's numbers were markedly different away from Coors Field. Torrealba batted .296 at home, but .212 on the road.

Defensively, Torrealba is an upgrade, and he was a key figure in the Rockies' run to the World Series. As a Type B free agent, the Mets would not lose a draft pick for signing Torrealba.

The Mets would miss Lo Duca's competitive fire in an otherwise tepid clubhouse, and he was one of David Wright's closest friends on the team.

Minaya already is in the process of re-signing Ramon Castro, who is expected to receive a new two-year contract worth roughly $4 million.

Glavine close with Braves? Tom Glavine's agent, Greg Clifton, will meet with Braves GM Frank Wren today in Phoenix to discuss a possible return to Atlanta, according to MLB.com.