Mets -Torrealba Negotiations Taken Off the Table

Days before the official announcement of a contract with free agent Yorvit Torrealba, the New York Mets have pulled out of discussions and confirmed that Torrealba will not be a member of the Mets organization. Early speculation indicates that the contract may have been cancelled due to a shoulder injury Torrealba acquired while lifting weights, but those reports have not been verified.

The news of the break off with Torrealba came as a surprise to many Mets fans. For several days it was clear that a strong deal was in the works to secure the Colorado Rockies player. The deal was reported as being a three year agreement worth over $14.4 Million dollars. The signing of the contract hinged on a physical exam of Torrealba, which most people felt was a mere formality before an official announcement was to be made.

Mets management had hoped that Torrealba would be a fitting replacement to Paul Lo Duca, also a free agent. Mets management has repeated expressed concerns over the "ego" of Lo Duca, pointing out that Lo Duca has an inflated opinion of his value.

Willie Randolph, manager of the Mets, said the Lo Duca was seeking a 3-4 year contract - a claim that is denied by Lo Duca's agent. In either event, it is now looking like Lo Duca may be the Mets' only option, giving the player with an allegedly inflated ego a bargaining chip to command an even higher salary than he was originally seeking.

The 29 year-old Yorvit Torrealba has hit .255 over 113 games with the Colorado Rockies, including eight home runs and 47 RBIs. He went on to hit .256 with eight RBIs and one home run during the Post Season.

Official reports are still unclear as to the reason why the deal ended so early. Those close to the New York Mets are speculating that there may be a problem with the player's shoulder. Torrealba had an injured shoulder during two seasons, which was the result of an aggressive weight training schedule during the off-season. There has been no official word from the Mets or Torrealba as to whether or not a past shoulder image is what broke the deal.