Mets appear to be closing on Escobar!

Multiple reports have right-hander near deal.

It may be Christmas Eve, but the baseball rumor mill never stops.


A report out of Venezuela, substantiated by the New York Daily News, states that the Mets are close to reaching an agreement to sign former Angels pitcher Kelvim Escobar.

The story that the Mets had offered the often-injured right-hander a Minor League deal made the rounds on the blogosphere Dec. 14, but the club has made no announcement about it since then.

The first of the Christmas Eve reports was generated by Francisco Blavia, who works for Lider en Deportes, a Spanish-language news service. The Daily News, quoting an unnamed Mets official, later reported that the club was "very close to finalizing" a Minor League deal, though the New York Post reported that it would be a Major League deal. The Post also speculated that Escobar would serve as a setup man for closer Francisco Rodriguez.

Escobar, a 33-year-old right-hander and native of Venezuela, has made just one Major League appearance in the past two years, after posting an 18-7 record and a 3.40 ERA in 30 starts in 2007.

He has a 4.15 ERA in 202 career appearances. That one appearance came for the Angels, a loss on June 6, and though the Angels hoped Escobar might bolster the bullpen, he didn't pitch again this past season. He also had elbow surgery earlier in his career.