VIERA, Fla. – Paul Lo Duca insisted yesterday that when he was a free agent this winter, the Mets’ contact with him ranged from non-existent to downright insincere.
The catcher, now with the Nationals, who hosted the Mets yesterday, addressed his offseason negotiations with the Amazin’s, and didn’t sound thrilled with how the talks played out.
He insisted he harbors no bad feelings, but he certainly wasn’t pleased with how the Mets handled things.
Basically, if the Mets weren’t interested in him, Lo Duca wished they would have filled him in.
“I wouldn’t have been as upset if they would have just come to me and said we’re going in a different direction,” Lo Duca said.
“And that’s it. Regardless of what you read, there was no communication, no offer, no nothing.”
Lo Duca later added, “I told you, I made it vocal that I wanted to stay in New York. But to be honest with you, the way the offseason went, I’m glad I’m not there.
“And I hate to say that, but they went through basically three guys and I never got a phone call.”
He reasoned that if he wasn’t wanted, he was happier not being a Met.
Last winter the Mets’ main priority behind the plate was another free agent, Jorge Posada, but he re-signed with the Yankees. The Mets then prioritized a defense-first catcher but had their deal with Yorvit Torrealba fall apart.
Ultimately, they moved Lastings Milledge to Washington in a deal for catcher Brian Schneider. Lo Duca, coincidentally, then signed with the Nationals for one year and $5 million.
As for their actual dealings with Lo Duca, the Mets were told he wanted a deal for three or four years, while the Mets didn’t want to go further than one or two.
Lo Duca, however, claimed, “There was never a phone call. [GM Omar Minaya] called my agent and said he was interested in me and they signed Torrealba an hour before that.”
Lo Duca called the whole situation “water under the bridge now,” but he admitted to being particularly motivated to face the Mets when they play head-to-head this season.
“I’d be lying if I said differently,” said Lo Duca, who didn’t play in the Nats’ 7-3 Grapefruit League loss to the Mets.
“But I’m excited. We’re here to try to win the National League East, and if anybody doesn’t think that way, then they should leave the clubhouse. … I’m going to be excited to play against them and try to beat them.”
Lo Duca’s still coming back from his torn left knee meniscus, though he was slated to play in a minor-league game yesterday and insisted he’d be ready for the season.
Meanwhile, he was part of the Mitchell Report during the winter – in fact, his name was mentioned 37 times – as Kirk Radomski claimed to have sent Lo Duca steroids or HGH at least six times. The report also lists Lo Duca as having referred players such as Kevin Brown and Eric Gagne to Radomski.
Because of the report, Lo Duca could have a tough time in visiting ballparks this year.
“I made a mistake,” he said. “It was something I did a long time ago. I apologized.
“I hope the fans take my apology. But I know there’s going to be some that are going to be upset and I understand where they’re coming from, too.”