Long-time Brewer Jose Valentin is returning to the Mets next year for a big raise:
It's a huge pay raise for the 37-year-old infielder, who earned a relatively economical $912,500 last season and reportedly was courted by a handful of other teams this month. The vesting option for 2008 is based on plate appearances, and the agreement was reached pending a physical.
The second base market is one of the many that has virtually no bearing on the Brewers--we've got to be one of the few teams that has an infield completely set. (Except, of course, for backups.)
I would imagine that $4 million means that Valentin is their starting 2B next year, which surprises me. (MLB Trade Rumors lists several other options for 2B, many of which the Mets were rumored to be interested in.) He had a nice year in 06, but his career BA is .243...and he's 37! He's so old...he played six seasons with the Brewers when they were still in the American League!