Jose Reyes has a Thyroid Problem...Maybe

The Mets say yes. Reyes says no. Who to believe?

Mets:

Jose Reyes has an overactive thyroid. The Mets said late Tuesday that tests administered in New York on Monday confirmed the original diagnosis. The club said little else except that Reyes is to remain in New York for additional blood tests, which will determine how he is treated. The results of those tests are not expected before Thursday.

Reyes:

But Reyes told ESPNDeportes.com's Enrique Rojas later Tuesday: "The specialists who took care of me in New York have told me that I'm fine and that there's nothing wrong with my thyroid. The test [taken to follow one conducted during his physical] showed that I'm fine. We just have to wait for the results of the additional test. The [doctors] found inflammation in my throat and no medicine to treat the thyroid or any other condition has been prescribed."

2010 was supposed to be the year where Reyes showed all of his doubters that he was healthy. Even though he rarely missed games from 2006-2008, the injury prone label has never fully escaped Reyes especially after missing most of the 2009 season.

We have talked in the past about the 2011 team option facing Reyes ($9 million) and I remain confident that the Mets will pick up the option. However, if the thyroid condition pops up at any point in the season, it could sound the alarm for the Mets especially if Reyes is struggling.

We'll see how this thyroid issue effects Reyes moving forward, but there is no doubt that until he proves his detractors wrong, this will be another issue facing Reyes. There was a time where I seriously believed that Reyes was sure to land a contract exceeding $100 million when he became a free agent after 2011 (assuming the Mets picked up his option after the 2010 season), but after missing most of 2009 and now the thyroid issue, that claim is now filled with tons of doubt.

It's a Slow Recovery for Brandon Webb

After weeks of positive reviews, free agent to be Brandon Webb has experienced a set back:

Webb initially was going to throw to hitters Sunday or Monday, but that session was pushed back a couple of days. Manager A.J. Hinch said Webb might throw a bullpen session next instead of live batting practice, but did not set a date.

"He's not feeling bad, but he's not feeling strong," Hinch said. "It's not necessarily that unexpected. He is seven months post-surgery and these things get a little testy from time to time."

Webb, coming off shoulder surgery in August, was unavailable for comment before the Diamondbacks faced the Colorado Rockies in a split-squad game. But the 2006 NL Cy Young Award winner sent word through a team spokesman that he felt fine after playing catch.

Hinch has said Webb could pitch in his first spring game around the middle of the month. But Webb, who made only one start in 2009, likely will need to throw at least a couple more times before making his first start.

"He's not having trouble being on the mound," Hinch said. "He's not having trouble every time he throws a baseball like he did last season. He's in a little bit of a dead period in his rehab program that we're trying to get him past before we move him on."

Webb is so important to the 2010 Diamondbacks that the team has no reason to push him hard right now. Patience is the key word. As Webb looks forward towards free agency, teams might shy away from him if he spends considerable time on the DL, but Webb needs to do everything possible to perform at a high level for an extended period of time this season.

Even though thr 2010 season has yet to officially begin, doubts are growing about Webb's ability to land a multi year contract this winter. I hope he proves me wrong, but only time will tell.

Line of the Day: The Struggles of Jeremy Bonderman

Not such a good start yesterday from free agent to be Jeremy Bonderman, who will be a free agent after the season:

0.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 2 HR

I don't want to make too big of a deal about one spring training performance, but considering that Bonderman's last good season was 2006 and his last full season in the majors was 2007, this is not a good sign. Hopefully this is just a bump in the road for Bonderman, but keep in mind that Bonderman is only 27 years old.

Red Sox Optimistic About Beckett Talks?

According to Nick Cafardo, the contact talks seem to be progressing:

4. Josh Beckett, RHP, Red Sox - One major league source indicated that there’s more optimism about the Sox and Beckett reaching a contract accord this season. It seems talks have been amicable, if not productive. The Sox could insist on medical language similar to what’s included in the deals of John Lackey and J.D. Drew. Jason Bay wouldn’t bite on the language, but Beckett may consider it just to stay in Boston, where he has already forged a great relationship with Lackey and continues to build one with Jon Lester.

Sox fans, before you get excited about the prospect of keeping Beckett around long term, remember this: Beckett has previously said that he does not want to negotiate during the season so if the Sox and Beckett are going to come to terms on a new deal, then it will have to happen in the next three weeks.

That's not an impossible task, but I have my doubts that the Red Sox and Beckett will come to terms before the season begins.

Can the Brewers Keep Prince Fielder in Milwaukee Past 2011?

Can the Brewers keep Prince Fielder past 2011? Doug Melvin thinks so, but the debate lingers on:

So is it possible to pay Fielder what the market might bear in two years, thereby allocating a disproportionate chunk of a small-market team's payroll to one player?

"It's possible," said Melvin, noting that other teams have done it. "But it's challenging."

Then he reiterated what the Brewers have been saying for the last few weeks. "Our goal is to keep Prince here," Melvin said.

Melvin can talk optimistically about keeping Prince in Milwaukee, but the fact remains that if Prince wants to maximize his earning potential, then the Brewers will have a tough time keeping him. ESPN's Buster Olney outlined Prince's future in Milwaukee a few weeks back, and while he sounds more optimistic about the Brewers keeping Prince long term than most writers have been, I still think the odds of Prince staying in Milwaukee are slim.

You have to think that the Brewers will have to commit almost $20 million annually to Prince, which is a major issue when the Brewers payroll will likely remain in the $80-$90 million dollar range in the future. Can the Brewers afford to spend $20 million annually on one player and still expect to compete? I think not, but then again, they are spending $17 million this season on Dave Riske and Jeff Suppan, so what do I know.

The Future of Derrek Lee

Will 2010 be the last season for Derrek Lee as a Cub? Perhaps, but it looks like there is mutual interest on both sides:

The last time Derrek Lee was up for a new contract, he signed a five-year extension at the outset of the 2006 season and suffered a season-changing wrist injury a couple of weeks later.

Now Lee is in no hurry to get a deal done before he enters his second "walk" year as a member of the Cubs, confident he'll put up the kind of numbers that will make him a coveted free agent in November.

Lee wants to end his career as a Cub, and the Cubs want him back.

But there will be no negotiations this spring and probably not any during the season. Unlike last time, there's no guarantee Lee will be back.

"I'd like to (retire as a Cub), but if it doesn't happen, I understand that also," Lee said. "It's really not a big issue."

Lee is a fan favorite in Chicago and has been one of the top players for the Cubs since his arrival in 2004, but the Cubs are making a smart choice in holding off negotiations with their first baseman. Even though Lee put together a phenomenal 2009 season at the dish, their are a number of factors that suggest that the Cubs should take negotiations slow with Lee.

1. age
-Lee will be 35 in September and the Cubs need to be completely assured that his skills are not declining before they re-commit to him

2. power
-After breaking his wrist in 2006, Lee's power numbers took a hit in both 2007 and 2008 as he failed to hit more than 22 home runs. Lee bounced back nicely in 2009 by hitting 35 home runs, but the Cubs need to make sure that his power is back for sure before giving him another lucrative extension.

3. Options
-There are a number of quality free agent first base options out there this winter so if the Cubs lose Lee, then there are a number of players who they can go after to fill the void. Even though Lee is a fan favorite in Chicago, he is replaceable should his price tag become too high for the Cubs liking.

2010 is an Important Year for Kevin Correia

2010 is a big year for free agent to be Kevin Correia. And he knows it:

“I want to repeat and improve on what I did last season,” the right-handed starter said Saturday.

If he does, the 29-year-old native San Diegan could be sitting pretty this time next spring.

Correia is a free agent at the end of this season.

After going 12-11 last year with a 3.91 ERA in 33 starts, Correia got $3.6 million from the Padres for this season — the sides settling in lieu of arbitration.

But when the 2010 season ends, the Padres hold no options on Correia. He is free to sign with anyone.

“Yes, this is an important year,” Correia said. “But every year is like that. What’s good about this year is that I have last season to build from. It’s given me some momentum.”

Ultimately if Correia is able to repeat his 2009 performance, then it's doubtful he will be back with the cash strapped Padres. One factor that is working against Correia is that the class of free agent starting pitchers is very strong and features a number of big names and high upside pitchers. If Correia is going to land a lucrative multi year deal and avoid Todd Wellemeyer territory, then he needs to put together a big 2010 season that proves that he is not just a one year wonder and continue to show that he can pitch effectively away from PETCO Park.