[EmpireWF]

From today's NY Post, Mark Lorettta's agent says the Mets have phoned him at least three times and the interest is mutual. Loretta, a 2B, wants to play for a contender and the Mets are looking for someone to fill the position.

Jose Valentin will still negotiate with the Mets and may return but he has interest from half a dozen other ballclubs.

[MJHMarc]

They are also going to look into Julio Lugo.

[firefrozen]

Loretta is an interesting possibility. He is getting up there in age and may not repeat his 04 performance but he is clearly a solid bat and every team could use more of those.

[MJHMarc]

How is better (who would you rather have)?

Mark Loretta
OR
Julio Lugo

That is the million-dollar question, right now.

[MVB]

They're pretty close...

Mark Loretta's 2006 numbers:
5 HR
59 RBIs
33 2B
.285 BA
155 games
.994 fielding percentage

Julio Lugo's 2006 numbers:
12 HR
37 RBI
22 2B
.277 BA
128 games
(appr.) .275 fielding percentage

But Loretta's better...

[EmpireWF]

I don't see the Mets interested that much in Julio Lugo. His defense has been pourous in recent seasons and they will want a guy who can provide the glove. Guys like Adam Kennedy or Mark Loretta seem to be a better fit.

[ThePundit]

Why don't they just re-sign Valentin? He did a good job last year.

[MVB]

That's what I've been thinking. The guy played nice defense ( .988 fielding percentage, only 6 errors) and provided a good #8 bat ( 18 HR, 62 RBI, .271 BA).

Perhaps, the Mets are thinking about age? Loretta is 35, Lugo is 31, Kennedy is 30, and Valentin is 37. There's not that much of an age difference between Loretta and Valentin, but Kennedy is a lot younger then those two.

[MJHMarc]

The Mets care more about skill than age, MVB. It can be compared of the Yankees who would lure in a star regardless of his age (ex:Gary Sheffield).

[MVB]

Then why be so eager to replace Valentin? He played very well- almost just as good if not better then Loretta, Lugo, and Kennedy played.

[firefrozen]

Because Valentin is a known wildcard(kind of an oxymoron isnt it).
Sure he did good this year but in 05 he was so bad that he is considered a candidate for comback of the year with only mediocre stats.

[EmpireWF]

Valentin isn't a good player on the bench. Whether the Mets would want him back as a starter, I don't know. Can they count on him to repeat his great 06 season?

[MJHMarc]

I think the Mets should spend their money on Alfonso Soriano and get it over with.