Going from bad to worse

I've complained in many posts on this blog about how much I hate the Jon Miller / Joe Morgan broadcasting team on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball.

Now, I wish it was only those two we had to listen to.

Neil Best is reporting that Steve Phillips will join Miller and Morgan in the booth and help call SNB games.

Back in June, I commented on when Phillips was in the booth for a Mets game. Hopefully (though I know this won't happen), the Mets will get rained out in any game that would usually be aired on ESPN on Sunday night.

Left in arbitration

With deals signed by Ryan Church, Angel Pagan, Jeremy Reed and Duaner Sanchez, the Mets only have two players left to come to terms with before going to an arbitration hearing.

John Maine and Pedro Feliciano remain in limbo.

Maine is seeking $3 million, while the Mets have offered $2.2 million. His deal would be an increase of over $2.5 million from his 2008 salary.

Feliciano is asking for $1.95 million, but the Mets have offered $1.35 million. Feliciano's proposal is $91,000 more than last season.

The Mets and these two players aren't off by a whole lot, so I think the Mets will come to terms with both before they get to hearings.

Angel Pagan avoids arb

The Mets and Angel Pagan agreed on a one-year, $575,000 contract (at the major league level.)

This is a $174,000 increase over his 2008 salary.

Adam Rubin also has all of the non-40-man roster invites will be at camp.

Ryan Church avoids arb

The Mets and Ryan Church agreed to a one-year deal, worth $2.8 million, avoiding arbitration.

This is an $800,000 pay raise from his '08 salary.

This is a strange one for you

The Mets have made a signing. A catcher named "Roberto."

I only know this from reading The Million Dollar Arm Blog, "written" by Rinku and Danesh, the two Indian pitchers that have signed with the Pirates.

Here's what they have to say about their catcher, Roberto, and his wedding:

Dinesh and I going Wedding festival Roberto.

Roberto our catcher training. He sign contract Mets.

He very good catcher. We going his wedding in the boat. we never going boat before, but we liking this thing. Boat very big and having window to see all outside. we seeing sunset and many boats.

We wearing the formal dress. All peoples saying we looking good, but we feeling different. JB Sir giving us Jacket, button shirt, neck rope. He showing us how make knot on neck rope. Dinesh getting it good, but I not getting.

The Wedding festival in America like India little. Man and wife not ride horse or elephant in America. they walking to priest.

After marriage, big party on boat. many foods we liking. Lady bring food to people and I taking all the time. They having shrimp very good. Then many dancing.

We liking the wedding festival and we liking Roberto. We glad we going to this.

Who is this mysterious "Roberto"?

Mets sign Cory Sullivan

The Mets have signed free agent outfielder Cory Sullivan to one-year major league deal.

The contract is worth $600,000 with $300,000 more available through incentives.

I don't get this. As if the Mets needed another outfielder at the major league level. A major league deal just makes no sense to me. Hmm...maybe something is stirring?

Sullivan has played his entire career with the Rockies organization. In 355 games over four seasons, Sullivan is a career .279 batter, with a .330 OBP and .391 SLG. He's hit eight career home runs.

Defensively, though, it's a different story. Sporting a career .992 fielding percentage at all three outfield positions.

Still very odd.

More stockpiling?: Garcia to choose team this week

Freddy Garcia will be able to take the pick of the litter. While the litter only contains three teams (White Sox, Rangers and Mets), it's still a nice position to be in.

According to the Daily Herald, Garcia will make a decision sometime this week. The Mets could be looking to Garcia to compete with Tim Redding for the fifth spot in the rotation, or possibly more.

I don't care where he fits into their plans right now, they should sign him anyway. We know all too well that pitchers are going to get hurt and land of the disabled list. The more pitchers you have waiting in the wings, the better.

Jeremy Reed avoids arb

The Mets and Jeremy Reed agreed on a one-year, $925,000 contract, according to Marty Noble.

This is an increase of $520,000 from his 2008 salary.

Mets add a few to minors

According to Baseball America, the Mets have signed a few players to the minor league team.

Signed: LHP Casey Fossum, LHP Tom Martin, C Salvador Paniagua, 2B Argenis Reyes, OF Jason Cooper

Fossum and Cooper we already heard about.

Lefty Martin has been with seven teams in 11 years. He appeared in 14 games with the Mets back in 2001, registering a miserable 10.06 ERA in 17 innings.

Paniagua and Reyes are both re-signings, as they were both with the club in some capacity in 2008.

Thanks, Susi!

Mets in the World Baseball Classic

There are a ton of Mets participating in the World Baseball Classic. Here's the list:

Major League Players
Jose Reyes -- Dominican Republic
Pedro Feliciano -- Puerto Rico
Carlos Delgado -- Puerto Rico
Carlos Beltran -- Puerto Rico
J.J. Putz -- USA
David Wright -- USA
Brian Schneider -- USA
Francisco Rodriguez -- Venezuela
Johan Santana -- Venezuela

Minor League Players
Stefan Welch -- Australia
Shawn Bowman -- Canada
Angel Antonio Cuan -- Panama
Ruben Tejada -- Panama
Jesus Feliciano -- Puerto Rico

Santana still may bow out, due to either the Mets asking or his knee barking.