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The New York Mets and star third baseman David Wright have reportedly agreed to a contract extension, according to New York Daily News.

The deal is worth a reported $138 million over eight years according to the report.

Wright, who will turn 30 in December, led the Mets in multiple areas in 2012, including batting average (.306), RBI (93), on-base percentage (.391) and hits (178). He is also the franchise’s all-time leader in RBI (818), doubles (322), total bases (2,398), runs (790) and hits (1,426).

Before making his professional debut with the Mets in 2004, the Norfolk, Virginia native was named the 2001 Gatorade Virginia High School Player of the Year and played three years in the minor leagues.

The nine-year veteran is a six-time All-Star, boasts two Gold Glove Awards and has played in at least 144 games in seven of the past eight seasons for New York, peaking in 2007 and 2008. In those two seasons, Wright combined to post 385 hits, 63 home runs and 231 RBI. 

Wright also became a member of the 30-30 club in 2007, recording at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases. 

In 2006, the last season the Mets made the playoffs, Wright was stellar as well, batting .311 and knocking in 116 runs in 154 regular season games. In the playoffs that year, Wright tallied eight hits and batted .216 in 10 games for New York. However, the Mets would lose in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series. 

Wright has yet to lead the Mets back to the postseason since that season. New York has only made the postseason once since drafting Wright in 2001. The Mets haven’t won the National League since 2000 and haven’t won a World Series title since 1986.

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Zach Greinke, Kyle Lohse and B.J. Upton are just some of the top names on the open market this offseason, but don’t anticipate any decisions in the near future, as all three will likely continue to field offers before settling on a destination and club. 

But as the year comes to a close, free-agent buzz is beginning to heat up, and there’s plenty of information, scenarios and questions to dissect.

Here, we analyze the latest free-agent chatter on the top available players this offseason.

Would Josh Hamilton Risk Signing One-Year Deal?

Top free agent Josh Hamilton is no doubt looking to cash in on his past success this offseason, but what happens if the deal he’s looking for fails to develop?

The Boston Herald‘s John Tomase asks this question: “If Hamilton’s market fails to materialize, would he consider a one-year deal for $30 million?”

Hamilton will turn 32 in May, and he’d be risking a lot of money in the case that he gets injured in 2013 or fails to perform up to expectations. Still, if he can make close to $30 million in one year, that may be too good to pass up.

Either way, Hamilton is going to be under the microscope in 2013. The only question is whether he’ll be locked into a long-term contract or playing once again to prove how much he’s worth.

Ichiro Loves the Pinstripes 

Like so many Yankees players and past and present, veteran Ichiro Suzuki wants to remain a New York Yankee, according to the New York Post‘s George A. King. 

This is Ichiro’s agent Tony Attanasio on his free agency (via King):

There has been a lot of interest [from teams], but he enjoyed playing for the Yankees so much it’s hard for him to say no to the Yankees. His preference is to stay there instead of going someplace else, but we will wait and see.

The 39-year-old right fielder saw a tremendous spike in his batting average after being traded from the Seattle Mariners to the Yankees last season. And there’s no denying that Ichiro is as durable as they come. He’s only missed one regular season game in his last three seasons.

Therefore, the Yankees would be foolish to let Ichiro walk this winter.

Mike Napoli Really Wants a Fourth Year

Free-agent catcher Mike Napoli wants a four-year deal, according to ESPN baseball insider Jim Bowden via Twitter:

Mike Napoli holding out for 4th year from Red Sox…meeting with Mariners who might be willing to give the extra year according to sources

— JIM BOWDEN (@JimBowdenESPNxm) November 22, 2012

The 31-year-old had a down year in 2012 with the Texas Rangers, batting .227 and striking out 125 times in 352 regular season at-bats. 

Napoli was magical for the Rangers during their 2011 postseason run, but clearly he’s not the same player he was a year ago. So it’s no secret why Napoli and his agent want a fourth year so bad. And whichever team gives him it will be taking a gamble that it may come to regret if he doesn’t return to top form.

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Former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona will reportedly interview for the same position for the Cleveland Indians this coming week. 

This according to Cleveland Indians beat writer Nick Camino (via Twitter):

Source: Terry Francona will be in Cleveland “Wednesday or Thursday” to interview for the open managerial job with the #Indians.

— Nick Camino (@CaminoTribe) September 29, 2012

Francona is reportedly “excited” about interviewing with Cleveland because of strong bonds with the club’s team president and GM, according to MLB on FOX reporter Ken Rosenthal via Twitter:

Sources: Francona “excited” to interview with #Indians. Close relationships with Shapiro and Antonetti overriding factor.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) September 29, 2012

The Indians are tied for the worst record in the American League (66-91) this season with just five games left to play in the regular season and are closing in on their fourth straight losing season. 

Francona managed the Red Sox from 2004 to 2011, leading Boston to two World Series championships in 2004 and 2007. There’s no doubt that Francona’s championship resume is his biggest asset in terms of landing a coveted managerial job this fall. 

As for another potential direction Cleveland could move in this offseason, Sandy Alomar Jr. is a candidate to win the position. The former Indians bench coach is currently coaching the club after Manny Acta was fired last week.

Alomar is 1-0 as interim manager of the Indians, and he will certainly be a candidate to manage the team in 2013.

The Red Sox finished the season with a winning record each year under Francona, missing out on the postseason just three times. Boston went 90-72 under Francona in his final season as manager in 2011. 

Francona was replaced by former ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine in Boston and is currently an analyst for ESPN himself.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter for more MLB conversation. 

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Former Pittsburgh Pirates owner and CEO Kevin McClatchy has made it known publicly that he is gay. 

In a New York Times op-ed piece by Frank Bruni, McClatchy acknowledged that the decision to reveal his sexual orientation was “challenging.”

McClatchy was in charge of the Pirates from 1996 to 2007, and he helped restore one of baseball’s most inept franchises over the years. 

He sold his share in the club three years ago after making sure the Pirates would remain in Pittsburgh, according to ESPN.com.

Here’s an excerpt from Bruni’s piece that sheds some light on the reason McClatchy decided to keep his sexual orientation a secret for so long (via Bruni):

McClatchy said that he frequently heard homophobic language during his days in baseball. It convinced him that keeping his sexual orientation hidden was best.

McClatchy will turn 50 years old in January, and he made that fact a point of emphasis in his decision to announce that he is gay (via Bruni):

I’ve got a birthday coming up where I’m turning old, I’ve spent 30 years—or whatever the number is specifically—not talking about my personal life, lying about my personal life. There’s no way I want to go into the rest of my existence and ever have to hide my personal life again.

According to Bruni, McClatchy, who is a native of Sacramento, has been advising the mayor of the city (former NBA player Kevin Johnson) on the prospects of bringing a major league team to town. He is also the chairman of his family’s newspaper publishing company.

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Banged-up Los Angeles Dodgers star Matt Kemp will be out of the lineup weekend and miss the rest of L.A.’s series against its NL West rival San Francisco Giants. 

UPDATE: Saturday, September 8 at 8:39 p.m. ET by Ian Hanford

Major League Baseball’s official Twitter feed gave an update on the Dodgers’ star on Saturday:

INJURY UPDATE: @dodgers OF @therealmattkemp out until at least Tuesday with frayed labrum and inflammation in bruised left shoulder.

— MLB (@MLB) September 9, 2012

This confirms that Kemp will miss the entire weekend. Following their current series against the Giants, they play NL West rival Arizona in a two-game series starting Monday. After that, they will host the St. Louis Cardinals.

Losing a player like Kemp hurts anytime, but losing him in the heart of a playoff race could cause a crucial slip-up.

These next two series could be critical for the Dodgers’ postseason hopes.

—End of Update—

According to the Los Angeles Times‘ Dylan Hernandez via Twitter on Saturday, Kemp is undergoing an MRI on his injured shoulder:

Matt Kemp will miss the remainder of the #SFGiants series. Undergoing contrast MRI on shoulder today.

— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) September 8, 2012

The Dodgers will certainly miss Kemp in the lineup this weekend at San Francisco.

L.A. is currently 5.5 games back of the NL West-leading Giants and 1.5 games out of the NL Wild Card. Kemp’s superb batting could have given the Dodgers a much-needed boost this weekend. 

The 27-year-old outfielder is batting .315 this season in 85 games played. Kemp has homered 18 times and added 56 RBI.

Kemp’s injury-plagued season caught many in L.A. by surprise, considering that he had missed only 11 games total over the past four seasons with the Dodgers.

L.A. has lost three games in a row after falling to San Francisco 5-2 on Friday night in the series opener. The Dodgers have lost eight of their last 12 overall. 

If Kemp winds up missing a significant amount of time this fall, the Dodgers will have a slim chance of earning a NL Wild Card berth this October. 

L.A. needs his production at the plate more than anything else. If Kemp can return to the lineup healthy and soon, he will have three more games to perform against the Giants. 

L.A. and San Francisco end the regular season with a three-game series on the first three days of October. 

Stay tuned for more information on Kemp’s status and his shoulder injury. 

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Washington Nationals rookie Bryce Harper must be on the National League All-Star roster set to be announced on Sunday afternoon.

The 19-year-old right fielder has been a huge reason why the Nationals lead the New York Mets by 3 1/2 games in the NL East two months into the regular season. 

Harper is batting just .280 this season, but has an impressive eight home runs and 22 RBIs to his name after just 55 games with Washington and 214 appearances at the plate. 

Harper ranks 30th in the National League in batting average heading into July, 25th in on base percentage (.354) and 26th in slugging percentage (.486). Only Adam LaRoche ranks higher than Harper among Washington players this season with at least 3.1 plate appearances per game in slugging percentage.

Harper leads all other qualified hitters on the Nationals team in batting average and on base percentage. With that being said, one can make the argument that Harper has been Washington’s most consistent and important player so far in the regular season.

Harper’s .965 fielding percentage is second best on the team among players that have started more than 16 games, behind only Ian Desmond.

Although there are plenty of deserving names in the National League this season, it’s hard to find another player who has made as much of an impact as Bryce Harper has with the Washington Nationals in 2012. 

His fearless play as a teenage rookie in the Major Leagues has been refreshing to watch. His production and impact clearly warrant an All-Star nod this July. 

With that being said, it would be an absolute travesty for Harper to miss out on the NL All-Star roster on Sunday. 

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter for more reaction and opinion on the 2012 MLB All-Star Voting.

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The Boston Red Sox must move struggling third baseman Kevin Youkilis this summer if they are going to contend for a World Series title this fall.

According to ESPN The Magazine‘s Buster Olney, a trade involving Youkilis could happen at any moment based on the Red Sox’s interest to move him, opening up an infield position for talented rookie Will Middlebrooks.

According to the report, the Chicago White Sox appear to be a contender in a potential trade for Youkilis, as they have expressed interest in acquiring the veteran.

Youkilis responded to the swirling rumors via fullcount.weei.com:

“I have no thoughts on anything. I haven’t been told anything. Until I’m told anything, I can’t really respond.”

The rumors have been flying since the start of the month, and the 33-year-old Youkilis has not been offering up a solution, hitting just .174 this month with zero home runs and 10 strikeouts with a week left before the start of July.

The veteran is now batting just .225 on the season, while Middlebrooks, who is 10 years younger, is hitting .319 with eight homers and 31 RBI. Middlebrooks also boasts an impressive .558 slugging percentage in 39 games with the Red Sox in 2012.

Only one player can hold down third base for Boston, and right now the better option for manager Bobby Valentine is the surging Middlebrooks.

Boston can trade Youkilis and acquire some value in return. The move will not only reduce the drama on Valentine’s daily plate, but also allow room for a potential star to grow at third base. Middlebrooks has thrived since being called up to the Red Sox.

Although fans would likely be disappointed to watch Youkilis leave Beantown, the only city he has ever represented in the majors, the Red Sox faithful are surely aware of the young piece they have to take over in the infield.

Youkilis has been in a slump all season long and has already butted heads with Valentine this year. If the Red Sox want to position themselves for the future and eliminate some of the drama that led to their demise in 2011, they must trade Kevin Youkilis this summer.

Follow Patrick Clarke on Twitter for more takes on the latest MLB trade rumors.

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The Los Angeles Angels (6-14) released slumping veteran outfielder Bobby Abreu, opening up a spot in the lineup for 20-year-old prospect Mike Trout.

Regardless of how the highly-touted Trout turns out in only his second stint under the bright lights of the big leagues, cutting Abreu will still be the right move.

Los Angeles had made attempts to move the 38-year-old before the season began, and after the team’s brutal start to the year (the Angels’ worst since 2002), Abreu’s .208 batting average became a liability.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia addressed the club’s move Friday night. Via Zack Meisel of MLB.com:

Right now, there are some parts of our club that we need to get moving forward. I don’t think this is going to be a cure-all, because I think there are things that we definitely need to come into play.

[Trout] is a young, exciting player that’s going to come up and hopefully start to contribute to things that we need to move forward with in our team. He’s going to play. He’s got versatility.

Abreu’s release means that the Angels can attempt to improve their 17th-ranked team batting average of .245 and make their way out of the basement in the AL West standings.

Where Abreu is proven and experienced, Trout is young and motivated. The speedster played in 40 games for LA in 2011, batting .220 with five home runs and 16 RBI.

Trout also brings an athletic dimension to the diamond, something that Abreu did not. Trout can steal bases and get to balls anywhere in center field; he had four stolen bases with the Angels last season and stole 108 bases in 286 career minor league games.

There is also the element of familiarity that both the Angels and Trout share. This obviously won’t be Trout’s first trip to The Show, and perhaps fans should expect even better from him this time around.

With so many of the expectations in Los Angeles already having been thrown out the window, there is little pressure to fail left on players, outside Albert Pujols at least.

The Angels have lost five straight and are already nine games back of the reigning AL champion Texas Rangers. Los Angeles is tied with the Kansas City Royals for the second-worst record in the majors.

Trout brings the Angels exactly what they need—a young slugger to provide a spark, and hopefully consistency, to their offense. LA’s 74 runs in 20 games rank it second to last in the AL, while it is tied for fifth in the AL in fewest runs allowed with 86.

Abreu was costing the Halos at the plate, and this move will pay off in the long run.

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The key to dominating your league in fantasy baseball is capitalizing on your selections, and knowing when to make a star out of an unknown player.

There are tons of elite homerun-hitting infielders in the MLB, but some are more underrated than others. 

So, which guys will provide you with massive production at a small cost to your roster?

Join Bleacher Report as we take a closer look at some home run hitters flying under the radar this spring.

Adam Lind, Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto’s Adam Lind is a veteran first baseman in a familiar situation with the Blue Jays. Lind has played his entire career with the Canadian-based franchise, and played in at least 120 games in each of the past three seasons. Lind blasted 26 homers in 2011, and is just two seasons removed from a 35-homer year in 2009, in which he boasted a .562 slugging percentage. 

ESPN Fantasy Baseball projected home runs for 2012: 27

Carlos Lee, Houston Astros

The 35-year-old veteran from Panama has played his past five seasons with the Astros, and posted 18 home runs last season with Houston. Lee’s .446 slugging percentage was his best since 2009, as was his .275 batting average in 2011. Lee knocked in 94 RBIs last season, also. He has played in at least 115 games every season since he came into the MLB in 1999.

ESPN Fantasy Baseball projected home runs for 2012: 20

Mark Reynolds, Baltimore Orioles

Mark Reynolds will enter his second season with the Baltimore Orioles in 2012 after playing his previous four, out west, with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The 28-year-old versatile infielder knocked in 37 homers last season, his most since the 2009 season with Arizona, when he racked up 44 home runs in 155 games. Reynolds rounded out 2011 with a .483 slugging percentage. 

ESPN Fantasy Baseball projected home runs for 2012: 35

Mark Trumbo, Los Angeles Angels

The 26-year-old went yard 29 times with the Angels last season. Trumbo played in 149 games for the club, and posted 87 RBIs, as well. He finished the season with a .477 slugging percentage with a .254 batting average. Trumbo also stole nine bases, which only adds to the argument that he’s a fantasy owner’s dream.

ESPN Fantasy Baseball projected home runs for 2012: 22

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There are tons of fantasy baseball sleepers out there in 2012, especially those in the outfield who can do much more than just catch routine fly balls.

As spring camps wind down and MLB‘s Opening Day draws nearer, fantasy baseball owners need be aware of the underrated talent and prospects who are more than deserving of a roster spot this year.

Join Bleacher Report as we take a closer look at some outfielders worth starting in your 2012 fantasy lineup.

Endy Chavez, Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles outfielder is coming on strong with the team this spring and seems poised to be in the rotation come Opening Day. 

Chavez is batting .500 with the O’s this March and is expected to beat out Nolan Reimold in camp, according to RotoWire, paving the way for a potential starting spot in left field.

Chavez batted .301 with the Texas Rangers last season, going yard five times and successfully stealing 10 bases in 256 at-bats.

Will Venable, San Diego Padres

Venable already has two RBIs and three stolen bases with the San Diego Padres this spring and is coming off a season in which he stole 26 bases, hit nine homers and batted in 44 runs.

His .246 batting average from 2011 is expected to improve after Padres hitting coach Phil Plantier worked to correct Venable’s swing. Venable is batting .310 this spring, and the 29-year-old could see the field more than originally thought considering the injuries holding back Carlos Quentin and Chris Denorfia.

Gregor Blanco, San Francisco Giants

The spring, stolen bases leader Gregor Blanco “is as close to a stone-cold lock as any nonroster invitee could be,” according to the San Francisco Chronicle. 

Blanco has been tearing up the Cactus League with nine stolen bases and took home MVP honors in the Venezuelan Winter League. The 28-year-old is expected to be a top option if injuries set in for the Giants this season.

Blanco is also one of baseball’s best baserunners, posting 18 steals in less than 60 Winter League appearances.

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