MET NOTES
The Mets may very well benefit from the Mariners’ signing of free-agent left-fielder Raul Ibanez yesterday.
Ibanez got a three-year contract from the Mariners, who essentially have four outfielders – Ibanez, Ichiro Suzuki, Randy Winn and free-agent Mike Cameron. And with Edgar Martinez entrenched at DH and Suzuki and Ibanez safe, the Mets are in an encouraging position to land either Cameron or Winn as their centerfielder.
With Ibanez on board, the Mariners (who shelled out $13.25 million for him) may be unwilling to pony up as much for Cameron, meaning the Mets may become his primary bidder. And if the Mariners do sign Cameron – they have finally contacted his representatives – they’ll likely non-tender Winn.
Winn, 29, made $3.5 million in 2003 and could be due $4.5-5 million in arbitration, making him a potential non-tender casualty. Winn’s agent, Adam Katz, said he hadn’t heard anything about that, though when Katz was asked about the implications of Ibanez’s signing, he replied, “Obviously it crowds things up over there.”
The switch-hitting Winn would fit well with the Mets, who are reportedly interested. In 2003, he hit .295 with 11 homers and 75 RBIs, while stealing 23 bases and scoring 103 runs. Teamed with Jose Reyes, Winn would give the Mets a Marlins-esque top of the order with back-to-back speedy switch-hitters.
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By saving money on their two trades, the A’s appear to be positioning themselves better to re- sign free-agent Keith Foulke. The Mets, meanwhile, have expressed interest in free-agent Ugueth Urbina.
“Ugueth would do great in New York,” said Chris Leible, an assistant for Peter Greenberg, Urbina’s agent. “He thrives in the atmosphere that we have here in the city.”
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On Tuesday the Mets interviewed Lee Thomas for their special assistant GM position. Thomas, a former Philies GM who just finished his contract as a special assistant to Theo Epstein in Boston, thought the interview went well.
“I think the Met job is a real challenge,” he said. “I think they have something there that they can build on and I think Jim Duquette can get this thing going back in the right direction.”
Epstein endorsed Thomas, saying, “Lee brings a lot of experience. He’s particularly helpful to a GM because he’s sat in that seat before.”
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Mets still have not met with Mike Piazza and his agent, Dan Lozano, who is traveling . . . Tsuyoshi Shinjo has signed to play in Japan.
