ZONER'S HOT STOVE: DELGADO DEALT TO METS

Analysis on this breaking story later. I first need to look into whether or not Bean Stringfellow is indeed a real human.

Mets, Marlins strike tentative Delgado deal
Eds: UPDATES thruout with details, background
By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) - One season later, Carlos Delgado is headed to
the New York Mets.
The Mets reached a preliminary agreement Wednesday to acquire
Delgado and $7 million from the Florida Marlins for first baseman
Mike Jacobs and pitcher Yusmeiro Petit, a baseball official
familiar with the talks said, speaking on condition of anonymity
because the deal was not final.
It is the second tentative deal struck this week by the
payroll-slashing Marlins, who also have a pending agreement to send
2003 World Series MVP Josh Beckett to the Boston Red Sox for three
prospects.
Frustrated they have been unable to put together financing for a
new ballpark, the Marlins said Tuesday they have received
permission from the commissioner's office to explore moving the
franchise for the 2008 season.
New York would receive $7 million from the Marlins as part of
the trade to offset the $48 million Delgado is owed over the next
three seasons. The first baseman turned down the Mets' offer last
January to accept a $52 million, four-year contract from the
Marlins, who did not offer the no-trade clause contained in the
Mets' deal.
The sides have not yet agreed on how to spread the money, the
official said, with the Mets proposing Florida pays $1 million next
year, $2 million in 2007 and $4 million in 2008. The Marlins
proposed paying $2.5 million in 2007 and $4.5 million in 2008.
The commissioner's office, which must approve the trade because
more than $1 million is changing hands, will make the final
decision, the official said. Players also must take physicals.
The tentative deal was first reported by Newsday on its Web site
after the Daily News reported Wednesday that a trade could be
imminent.
In addition to Delgado's salary, the Mets must fulfill a
provision in his contract that provides for state tax equalization.
The official estimated that would come to between $300,000 and
$450,000 next year.
Because he is a veteran player traded during a multiyear
contract, Delgado would have the right to file a trade demand
during the 15 days following next year's World Series.
A two-time All-Star, he hit .301 with 33 homers and 115 RBIs in
his lone seasons with the Marlins, reaching 30 homers for the ninth
consecutive year. The 33-year-old Delgado, who spent his first 12
major league seasons with Toronto, has a .284 career average with
369 homers and 1,173 RBIs.
He also attracted attention for protesting the U.S.-Iraq war by
refusing to stand when "God Bless America" was played at major
league ballparks.
Delgado received just $4 million last season and is owed $13.5
million in 2006, $14.5 million in 2007 and $16 million in 2008. His
contract contains a club option for 2009 at $12 million with a $4
million buyout, but it could become guaranteed at $16 million
depending on how he finishes in MVP voting and whether he wins
postseason MVP awards.
The 25-year-old Jacobs, batted .310 with 11 homers and 23 RBIs
in 100 at-bats with the Mets, who brought him up from the minors in
mid-August. Petit, a right-hander who turned 21 Tuesday, went 9-3
with a 2.91 ERA in 21 starts at Double-A Binghamton, then went 0-3
with a 9.20 ERA in three starts at Triple-A Norfolk. During spring
training, Delgado hit a three-run double off Petit.
While striking the Delgado deal, New York also was wooing closer
Billy Wagner, who completed a two-day visit Tuesday. The Mets
offered the free agent a three-year contract worth just more than
$30 million, a deal containing an option for 2009 that could
increase the package to $40 million.
"The visit went very well and went a long way to answering
whether the Wagners could be comfortable living in the New York
area," agent Bean Stringfellow wrote Wednesday in an e-mail to The
Associated Press.
Philadelphia is trying to re-sign the four-time All-Star.