Dickey is arbitration-eligible for one more season, so the Mets are not pressured to commit to a deal.  However, the team could save money by buying out that final year of arbitration and signing him to a longer-term deal. This route provides players the long-term financial stability while the team usually benefits because they get the player at below market rate.

Dickey, 35, was 9-5 with a 2.57 ERA in 20 starts this season with the Mets. People familiar with the Mets’ thinking says Dickey’s performance this year is not a fluke.

“When looking at the composition of our 25-man roster, specifically our outfield, we are relatively left-handed,” assistant GM Thad Levine said via Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram. “It gives us an opportunity to pick our spots and platoon with guys like Murphy and Borbon rather than expose them to every left-handed pitcher.”

8/31 16:43: Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman says there are discussions involving Rangers’ infielder Joaquin Arias in exchange for the Mets’ Jeff Francoeur.

8/31 14:11: Sources close to ESPN’s Adam Rubin says the Texas Rangers are considering New York Mets outfielder Jeff Francoeur.

“His name has definitely been talked about,” one source said.

Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman adds, “rangers and mets are indeed talking about francoeur. would give rangers OF flexibility, extra righty bat”

Yesterday, Richard Durrett of the ESPN.com said the team is looking for a right-handed bat via the waiver wire, and at the time suggested Francoeur as possible candidate at the time.

Francoeur, 26, is hitting .236/.293/.369 with 11 home runs and 53 RBIs in 123 games for the Mets this season.

“I think there are two things: 1) He has a history and a good working relationship with Omar Minaya and 2) he is one guy that, though Jeff Wilpon will not always like what he hears from Bobby, I think they can have a relationship where Bobby could say to Jeff, ‘No, we’re not doing this, that’s the wrong thing,’ and in the end they’ll win out together, because they have a mutual respect.  I just think now is the right time to bring Bobby back.”

Earlier this month, friends of Valentine said that he would be interested in the vacant Seattle Mariners’ job, and Ichiro lobbied the team’s ownership about hiring Valentine. Valentine has not publically said anything about his interest in the Mariners.

8/31 14:26: MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan says the Texas Rangers are in talks with the Boston Red Sox for Mike Lowell. Sullivan says the conversations “have heated up.”

The talks between the Rangers and Red Sox for Lowell started last winter. At the time, the two teams agreed to a deal that would have sent Lowell to the Rangers for catcher Max Ramirez. However, because Lowell needed surgery to his thumb, the deal was called off. The two teams revisited the deal this summer, but they are becoming more serious as the deadline approaches.

Earlier today we heard the Rangers are talking with the Mets for Jeff Francouer, but Sullivan says the Rangers main target appears to be Lowell.

In his limited play this season, Lowell is hitting .234/.309/.373 with 4 home runs and 20 RBIs.

Ayala was with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization earlier this season when he signed a Minor League deal in May, but he never made it to the big league club.

The right-handed relief pitcher, 32, has not pitched in the Major Leagues in 2010. He has a career 29-39 record with a 3.67 ERA in 6 seasons with the Expos, Nationals, Mets, Twins and Marlins.

A Dominican Republic judge, Freddy Frias ordered Burgos to remain in jail for three months while prosecutors prepare the case.

This isn’t the first time Burgos got in trouble. In 2008, he was accused in a fatal hit-and-run involving two women, but the charges were dropped. A New York jury found Burgos guilty of assualting his girlfriend in a hotel near Shea Stadium. He was sentenced to nine months in jail.

Burgos, 26, pitched for the Royals in 2005-2006 and with the Mets in 2007. In 144 career Major League games, he was 8-10 with a 4.60 ERA and 20 saves.

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“I want to be here,” Reyes said on Thursday to the New York Daily News.

Still, the shortstop is happy as a Met. “I love it here,” he said. “My family is here, I love (living) on Long Island, I want to stay.”

League sources said the parties have not yet opened discussions for a contract extension, and they would likely wait until early in the off season to start negotiating.

Martino adds that there could be a change in culture within the organization with the likelihood of the club missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. Martino speculates the Mets could trade a core player such as Reyes or David Wright.

Should the Mets exercise his 2011 without committing to a long-term extension, it would limit what the team would receive in return for their infielder. Wright could be good trade bait since he’s under contract through the 2012 season.

Earlier this month, a longtime baseball executive close to Jayson Stark of ESPN said, “But a guy like that, in his final year, I think they can move. They pay $8 million and I go $10 million? I think they could move him if it was something like that.” Another executive said, “Trading Carlos Beltran is impossible. Impossible. Maybe if they eat $16½ million, but you’d have to really eat it down to have any shot, just because this guy hasn’t played.”

Beltran, 33, is in his next-to-last year of his seven-year, $119 million contract. He was out most of the season due to knee surgery that he underwent this past spring. In 37 games this year, Beltran is hitting .223/.240/.339 with 2 home runs and 14 RBIs.

“I want to be back here,” Perez told ESPNNewYork.com. “I want to have a championship because I know the fans want it and I want it, too.”

Perez, 29, has one more year left on his three-year, $36 million contract, so the Mets will have a hard time finding a team to take on such a large salary for someone who has poorly performed this season.

Perez refused an assignment to Triple-A earlier this season since he has a right to do so from his contract. His refusal cause friction within the Mets’ clubhouse prompt one player to say, “You tell him you go to Triple-A or that’s it, you are finished.”

It’s unknown what the Mets want to do with Perez for next season. “We have him,” said Mets’ GM Omar Minaya.

“I know the people, they are not happy,” Perez said. “I just tell the fans I’ve been working hard to get back. I didn’t sign here to sit here and just wait. I signed here because I think we have the opportunity to try and win a championship. That is why I signed here.”

The left-hander has pitched 4 1/3 innings since the middle of May. He’s 0-4 with a 6.70 ERA in 14 games (7 starts) this season for New York.

“I focus on doing my job today, and that’s all I can control,” Minaya said by phone when asked about his chances for staying in the GM job for 2011.

Owner Fred Wilpon’s interpreted comments from earlier this month indicated that Minaya’s job was safe for 2011.

Should Minaya lose his job, Heyman lists former San Diego Padres GM Kevin Towers, in-house candidates John Ricco and Wayne Krivsky and former GM Pat Gillick as possible replacements. Texas Rangers GM Jon Daniels is said to have an out in his contract, and he could be an ideal candidate for the Mets.

Minaya’s contract for 2011 is not guaranteed – the Mets hold a team option, so should the two parties go separate ways, it wouldn’t cost the Mets anything.

Lee is currently making $9 million from a club option this season. It’s believed that he’s looking for a deal similar to the one C.C. Sabathia signed with the New York Yankees – 7-years for $161 million.

Earlier this month, new Texas Rangers owner Chuck Greenberg said his team will make a serious run at keeping Lee. The Rangers have one of the lowest payrolls in the majors this season at around $55 million.

Barajas is an instant upgrade over the current catching platoon of Brad Ausmus and A.J. Ellis as Barajas has a slugging percentage of .414 and Ausmus and Ellis are both below .250.

In addition to finishing out the year with the Dodgers, Barajas could potentially be playing for a back up catching role for next year’s Dodger team.  A role that is left vacant with the retiring of Ausmus at the end of the year.

Cafardo wonders if the injured Jacoby Ellsbury is untradeable as a result of his rib fractures. “He’s obviously a terrific talent and one who is far more valuable to the Red Sox than anyone else, given the circumstances,’’ said an American League executive. “The Ellsbury of a couple of years ago would have been in demand. Now, you can’t justify dealing for a guy who didn’t play 20 games and ended the season injured.’’ Another AL official said teams would deal for him despite the lack of playing time.

Cafardo says the New York Mets may have to do something about manager Jerry Manuel. The team has committed about $140 million for next year already, and with the decline in attendance and murky finances, it will be unclear what GM Omar Minaya will do.

If Roger Clemens is convicted of the perjury charges and has to do prison time, Cafardo says that the Hall of Fame may have to wait or may not be there at all for the pitcher. Local attorney Harry Manion adds, “… 30 years of experience in this field tells me that Roger will be doing time — probably around a year — behind the wall.”

Cafardo wonder if the Atlanta Braves could be a possible suitor for Jonathan Papelbon in the off season.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre will decide around Labor Day whether he wants to manage again, but Cafardo says he’s not likely to stay with the Dodgers. Cafardo says the Cubs make sense.

Three executives Cafardo spoke to this week said Carlos Beltran of the New York Mets is worth trading for. One executive said, “His skills have declined a bit, given the wear and tear the injuries have taken, but he can still play at a pretty high level.’’

The Toronto Blue Jays have not put Scott Downs on trade waivers yet. They feel the longer they go with Downs not on waivers, the better the deal they can consummate before August 31.

If the Dodgers decide to move outfielder Matt Kemp, he should receive a great deal of interest this off season.

This speculation could be moot should Torre decide to return to the Dodgers. He has not indicated whether or not he will retire. His name has come up for open managerial positions such as the Chicago Cubs and possibly the New York Mets.

Last week, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com said Torre will announce his plans for next season the Dodgers’ clinch a post season berth or are eliminated from playoff contention.

“The day before yesterday I called El Kid Rodriguez because he got into a problem over there,” Chávez said in Spanish.

“It appears that he hit his father-in-law,” Chávez continued. “I don’t know, they were arguing, and they put him in jail for a few hours. I called him and said, ‘Kid, what happened to you?’ He said, ‘I’m here, President, heading to the stadium.’ He was entering the stadium.’

“We love you, Kid,” Chávez continued. “Control your impulses. The Kid Rodriguez. The pride of all of us. Young man of this nation. Of course, over there in a difficult world. Difficult.”

Rodriguez was placed on the disqualified list on Tuesday due injuries sustained to him thumb believed to have been injured during the assault on his girlfriends’ father, Carlos Pena, last week. At the time, the Mets had full intent on making the remainder of his contract non-guaranteed. Rodriguez has approximately $3.1 million due to him this season and $11.5 million due to him next season for a total of $14.6 million.

According to Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com, when Zambrano was asked what the team may have in store for him, he said, “I don’t know. But it’s my option. I don’t want to leave Chicago. I want to be successful here. I want to help this team, like I always say, be in the pennant race.”

Zambrano has a full no-trade clause in his contract, so the Cubs would need full permission from him in order to trade him. Zambrano has previously said that he would allow the team to trade him in the future.

“I don’t want to leave,” Zambrano said. “And I don’t think I will leave.”

Just before the July 31st trade deadline, the Mets offered Luis Castillo and pitcher Oliver Perez to the Chicago Cubs for Carlos Zambrano. The Cubs declined the offer.

The big right-hander has about $45 million left on his contract, so it’s likely the Cubs would need to throw in cash should they find a team that would like to take on Zambrano.

ZAMBRANO
EXEC NO. 1 — “The only way is if they eat most of it, because he’s just not the same guy they gave the big money to. I still think he’s a starter, but he’s just a back-of-the-rotation guy. He’s no $18 million starter. He doesn’t have any pitch now that’s an above-average pitch. So I’d take maybe $3-4 million, but that’s all.”

EXEC NO. 2 — “Nobody is going to take that. I don’t care if they ate all but $1 million. Then you’re still paying a million bucks for a middle man, because that’s all this guy is now. What’s most amazing to me is how he can start the game throwing 87-88 [mph]. And then, all of a sudden, he’ll throw three pitches at 94, and then go right back to throwing 87-88. So either he’s reaching back for 94 or he’s not reaching forward enough the rest of the game.”

BELTRAN
EXEC NO. 1 — “I’d be damned if I’d ever give that guy a long-term deal. But I’d take him for one year, for that final run for a [new] contract. They may have to move him to an American League team — let him play some and DH some. But a guy like that, in his final year, I think they can move. They pay $8 million and I go $10 million? I think they could move him if it was something like that.”

EXEC NO. 2 — “Trading Carlos Beltran is impossible. Impossible. Maybe if they eat $16½ million, but you’d have to really eat it down to have any shot, just because this guy hasn’t played. And the other thing is, every time he comes back and does play, the team seems to go right down the tubes.”

Barajas, 34, is hitting .228/.266/.419 with 12 home runs in 73 games for the Mets this year. He signed a one-year, $500,000 contract with the Mets this past Winter.

“Personally,” said one baseball man who has known Torre for decades, “I think he’ll be the Mets’ manager. New York is the place if he’s going to work anywhere after this year. And he’d be perfect for the Mets because he’d be their way to sweep everything under the rug.”

Torre, 70, was the manager of the New York Mets from 1977-1981. In his five years with the Mets he never compiled a winning season.

Torre is in the final year of his contract with the Dodgers and many believe that he will retire.

Last week, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com said the Dodgers’ manager will announce his plans for next season the Dodgers’ clinch a post season berth or are eliminated from playoff contention.

Statement was obtained from MLB.com.

8/18 15:21: Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com says that Major League Baseball Players Association has officially filed a grievance on behalf of Francisco Rodriguez. Rubin adds via Twitter, “Union is confident they will recover K-Rod’s pay — feel no way contract becomes nonguaranteed/voided. He said/she said about when on injury.”

Rodriguez was placed on the disqualified list on Tuesday due injuries sustained to him thumb believed to have been injured during the assault on his girlfriends’ father, Carlos Pena, last week. At the time, the Mets had full intent on making the remainder of his contract non-guaranteed. Rodriguez has approximately $3.1 million due to him this season and $11.5 million due to him next season for a total of $14.6 million.

So what’s the difference between the disqualified list and the disabled list?  By using the disqualified list versus the disabled list, the Mets will not have to pay Rodriguez the $3 million he is owed for the rest of the season. Rodriguez will not be paid nor will he accrue Major League service time.

Ortiz, 37, pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers this year before he was designated for assignment at the end of May. He signed with the New York Mets and was assigned to their Triple-A Buffalo team at the end of May. He was 1-2 with a 6.30 ERA in 16 appearances (2 starts) for the Dodgers this year.

Rodriguez was placed on the disqualified list on Tuesday due to the assault on his girlfriends’ father, Carlos Pena, last week. So what’s the difference between the disqualified list and the disabled list?  By using the disqualified list versus the disabled list, the Mets will not have to pay Rodriguez the $3 million he is owed for the rest of the season. Rodriguez will not be paid nor will he accrue Major League service time.

The Mets can reactivate Rodriguez “when we deem him able to perform services,” according to owner Jeff Wilpon, and “doctors are hopeful that he will be ready for spring training.”

Battaglino says,”A succesful conversion of the contract to non-guaranteed status would allow the Mets to cut Rodriguez before next season without owing him his remaining salary. The major-league players union likely will contest the maneuver.”

“The Mets’ actions are without basis and I expect the union will challenge them right away,” MLBPA chief Mike Weiner said.

Yesterday, Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated reported that the Mets were trying to void Rodriguez’s contract.

The team is trying to see if they can void what’s left of the $37 million, three-year contract based on Francisco Rodriguez injuring himself outside the course of play.

Rodriguez suffered thumb ligament damage during a fight with his girlfriend’s father. The right-handed pitcher was eventually charged with assault in the case.

Rodriguez’s salary is $11.5 million in 2010 and also in 2011. He has a $17.5 million vesting option for 2012 with a $3.5 million buyout. That option vests with 100 games finished in 2010 and 2011 combined or 55 games finished in ‘11, so it’s unlikely the option would go into affect anyway.

Cora was released by the New York Mets last week. The thirty-four year old was hitting .207/.265/.278 in 62 games with the Mets this season.