Mets exercise option on 1B Delgado

Oct 31, 2008 - 7:12 PM FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- The New York Mets did not wait long to bring back Carlos Delgado.

In what amounts to a procedural move, the Mets exercised their one-year, $12 million option on Delgado's contract Friday.

Delgado, 36, would have been owed $4 million if the Mets declined the first baseman's option for 2009. New York had until next Wednesday to exercise the option.

But the Mets, who witnessed the rival Philadelphia Phillies win the World Series two days ago, evidently were willing to pay the extra $8 million to retain the services of Delgado, who rebounded from a slow start to post a productive offensive season in 2008.

Delgado was New York's most dangerous player over the final three months of this past season, batting .308 with 27 home runs and 80 RBI over an 84-game stretch starting on June 27. The two-time All-Star finished the season with a .271 average, a team-leading 38 homers and 115 RBI.

There is a possibility that Delgado will not spend next season in New York, as several reports have indicated that the Mets might be willing to trade the lefthanded slugger to an offensively-challenged team.

But the Mets, who have missed each of the last two postseasons due to late-September collapses, will be hard-pressed to replace Delgado's bat. The Puerto Rican native has 469 career homers and has eclipsed the 100-RBI mark in nine of the last 11 seasons.

New York reportedly has shown some interest in free agent first baseman Mark Teixeira, widely considered the top position player on the market.

Teixeira, who officially filed for free agency Thursday, figures to command a lucrative long-term contract of at least $20 million annually.