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The New York Daily News reports Mets manager Jerry Manuel is considering moving shortstop Jose Reyes from the leadoff spot to No. 3 in the batting order, a switch Reyes had resisted in the past but now says he will make if requested.

With center fielder Carlos Beltran expected to begin the season on the disabled list, Manuel is considering an order that would start with second baseman Luis Castillo, first baseman Daniel Murphy and Reyes. After Beltran returns, Manuel could go Castillo-Murphy-Reyes-Beltran-David Wright-Jason Bay-Jeff Francoeur, or Castillo-Wright-Reyes-Beltran-Bay-Murphy-Francoeur.

"I would love to see (Reyes) as a third hitter, assuming the other parts fit," Manuel told the paper.

Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols told MLB.com on Sunday there’s a good chance he will never have to undergo Tommy John surgery on a troublesome right elbow that now is "95 percent healed" and said he’s ready for a big season.
 
Pujols, a three-time National League MVP, has been battling an elbow problem since 2003 amid predictions he eventually would have to have ligament replacement surgery on the joint. But two lesser surgeries seem to have eased the pain and lessened the need for more serious procedures.

The first was a surgery that transposed his ulnar nerve in late 2008. The second came in the offseason when he had bone spurs removed from his elbow.
 
Pujols said he now believes the elbow will be much less of a problem, both physically and mentally.
 
"I think we played it the right way," he told the Web site. "Both of the doctors (Dr. James Andrews and Dr. George Paletta) have experience. It’s good news, Dr. Andrews telling me, ‘Probably, you will never have to worry about the Tommy John.’ That’s good news. I feel great, and I can see the difference."

After missing on Bengie Molina and Yorvit Torrealba, the Mets have turned to free agent Rod Barajas to be their No. 1 catcher this season.

MLB.com reports Barajas on Saturday agreed to a one-year major league contract with New York. The site does not give specific terms, but it says media reports of a $1 million base salary are inaccurate. The site also reports the deal is pending a physical.

Barajas, 34, will supplant Omir Santos as the Mets’ top backstop. Santos is now likely headed for Triple-A, where he’ll back up prospect Josh Thole. Henry Blanco was signed in the offseason to be the No. 2 catcher.

The Mets add a needed power bat in Barajas, who hit 19 home runs and drove in 71 runs for the Blue Jays last season.

After Mets left-hander Johan Santana picked himself as the best pitcher in the NL East, Philadelphia reporters asked Phillies right-hander Roy Halladay the same question. But Halladay declined to add additional fuel to the Mets-Phillies rivalry.

"No, I steer clear of that," Halladay told the Philadelphia Daily News. "I think it was a Lou Holtz quote, ‘Well-done is always more important than well-said.’ I’ve always tried to take that philosophy."

The comeback of free agent first baseman Carlos Delgado is on hold after he had a second hip surgery this week, according to a FOXSports.com

Delgado’s agent, David Sloane, said the first baseman will be out for four months but still plans to play this season.

"He felt, despite the time it would take, it was a better option for him to be the Carlos Delgado of old instead of an old Carlos Delgado," Sloan told FOX Sports.

Dr. Marc Philippon, who operated on Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez last spring, reconstructed the labrum in Delgado’s right hip and performed a micro-fracture procedure on the hip socket, according to FOX.

Delgado, 37, is 27 homers shy of 500 for his career. He played in only 26 games for the Mets last season before having season-ending hip surgery. He played winter ball in Puerto Rico and was working out while trying to latch on with a team but his hip was still bothering him.

Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.

White Sox general manager Ken Williams told the Chicago Sun-Times that he will give free agent outfielder Johnny Damon until Sunday morning to accept their latest offer.

Judging from William’s comments, however, it appears the White Sox are out of the running for Damon.

"We asked for their bottom line, and obviously we underestimated on what the market is for him because we thought we were competitive with what the rumors were out there," Williams told the Chicago Sun-Times. "With what we got back (Friday afternoon), unless Johnny sees this as a great opportunity for him, enjoys a chance to win in a great city, it’s an unrealistic number (that) we got back from them."

Williams said the White Sox’s offer, which is believed to be worth between $4.5 million and $6 million, was less than what Damon and agent Scott Boras are seeking.

According to various reports, the Tigers have offered Damon a two-year deal for $14 million and perhaps a one-year deal for $7 million.

"It’s the nature of the beast, but this has gone on long enough," Williams said. "We have a pretty good club as is. Would Johnny Damon add to it? He’s proven that. He was icing on the cake as far as we’re concerned."

When asked by reporters to name the top starting pitcher in the NL East, Mets lefthander Johan Santana picked … himself, according to the New York Daily News.

Santana went 13-9 with a 3.13 ERA last season but had season-ending elbow surgery in early September.

Santana, 31, has been throwing off a mound since last month, though he won’t pitch in a Grapefruit League until the second week of action.

"I’m able to now throw my fastball with no problems and throw my breaking ball and my changeup without feeling that sharp pain in the back of my elbow now," Santana told the Daily News. "I’ll be able to throw all of my pitches pain-free. That’s a big plus for me."

CLEVELAND — Mark Shapiro got out of his chair, turned toward his protege and hugged him.

Each man was congratulating the other. Shapiro is moving up. Chris Antonetti is moving up.

The Cleveland Indians’ long-term vision is in place.

Shapiro will be promoted to team president after this season and be succeeded as GM by Antonetti, his assistant for the last nine years.

Paul Dolan, son of owner Larry Dolan, will shift from president to chief executive officer, a title held by his father.

"I strongly believe we have a very solid leadership team that will be the core of this franchise for years to come," Dolan said. "(Shapiro) has built a culture here that is the envy of the industry."

The Indians’ announcement on the eve of spring training Thursday could be considered the team’s biggest move of the winter. Cleveland lost 97 games last year, then followed it up with a quiet offseason, offering a few minor league contracts to free agents, but little else.

Cleveland has been forced to gut its team since winning the AL Central and coming within one game of the World Series in 2007, trading away former AL Cy Young winners CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee, along with All-Star catcher Victor Martinez.

"I can’t change the economic demographics of our marketplace," Dolan said. "What we can do is put the best people in place. I feel with the team we have in place, we have the best folks to do what’s necessary within the confines of our market to succeed. They’ve got what they need, given our limitations."

Antonetti is certainly familiar with the Indians’ history. He is entering his 12th season with the team after joining the baseball operations department as an unpaid intern in 1999.

Shapiro said beginning next season, Antonetti will have the final say on all personnel decisions.

"That’s Chris’ show," Shapiro said. "What I hope is I’ll be a resource. He will know that I’m here if he wants to draw upon my experiences as GM.

"Usually because of the amount of information we’ve processed, we usually arrive at the same point anyway. I’d assume that same thing will continue to happen."

The 35-year-old Antonetti has been coveted by teams with GM openings, but passed with the understanding he would eventually receive his chance in Cleveland. He has taken on a larger role in personnel decisions recently, including playing a key role in the trade that sent Lee to Philadelphia last summer for prospects.

"It’s impossible to simulate sitting in that chair," Antonetti said. "The pressures of actually being the one making those decisions is different from where I sit. But because of the opportunities Mark has provided to actually be the point person on trade discussions or free agent discussions, from that standpoint I’m prepared. I’ve had those opportunities that will make me a successful GM."

Shapiro is handing over the job in much the same way he inherited it from former GM John Hart in 2001. A son of prominent agent Ron Shapiro, he was selected major league executive of the year by The Sporting News in 2005 and 2007.

But Cleveland also traded Sabathia, Lee and Martinez during his tenure. When injuries hampered the Indians’ ability to contend in ’08, Shapiro dealt Sabathia to Milwaukee for prospects. Faced with dwindling revenue and another underachieving team last season, the Indians traded Martinez to Boston and Lee to the Phillies for more prospects.

Following last season’s disappointing finish, Shapiro fired Eric Wedge, the manager he had hired before the 2003 season. Thursday he called firing Wedge after last season one of his toughest moments. Manny Acta will replace Wedge as manager this season.

"I had visions of always working with one manager throughout my entire career," Shapiro said. "I view that as a collective failure."

Having a baseball mind as president, rather than a businessman like Dolan, is a new structure for the Indians and one that haven’t had since Hart was the GM and Hank Peters retired as president in 1991.

Shapiro and Antonetti are faced with rebuilding the franchise yet again amid an angry fan base that is upset with the way the team has been torn down so soon after an ALCS appearance.

"At different times along the way … we’ve had to face a lot of the same skepticism," Shapiro said. "We put our heads down, we worked hard and we put ourselves in position to experience special times. We feel we’re in good position going forward to experience the same kind of success and hopefully this time, when we get to that threshold, we’ll push over it."

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

TODD’S 10 SPRING QUESTIONS

1. Is the Red Sox’s move toward pitching and defense a wise one, or did they sacrifice too much offense? This is the way to go and is an approach a lot of clubs will adopt. But Boston fans initially might have a tough time embracing 3-hour games over 3-run homers.

2. Is new Astros manager Brad Mills inheriting a veteran-laden team that could surprise people or an aging team destined to be a disappointment? Houston has a good mix of talented veterans and good young players. The veterans must get the younger guys through the cold streaks; the youngsters must help the old guys through the dog days. I like the Astros’ battle-tested guys (Lance Berkman, Roy Oswalt, Carlos Lee, Pedro Feliz).

Texas needs a healthy Josh Hamilton to be dangerous in the AL West.

3. Which team has the potential for the biggest turnaround? Last year, the Nationals won about 17 games, which is good for a college basketball team. They added good veteran arms in Matt Capps and Jason Marquis, and they still have the Big Donkey, Adam Dunn.

4. Which playoff team from 2009 has the most cause for concern? The Phillies. The bullpen will be in flux until Brad Lidge is healthy. And they dealt Cliff Lee for no reason at all. (Why not keep him and Roy Halladay?) Instead, they will hang their hat on Joe Blanton.

5. What other team could be doomed by the back end of its bullpen? The Yankees are one 40-year-old elbow away from a disaster of epic proportions. Then again, they have been that way for the past several years, and they won it all last season.

6. Which player who missed much of the 2009 season most needs to prove he is healthy? The Rangers need Josh Hamilton to produce like he did in 2008. But he can’t play at a high level with a sore back.

7. Which player who struggled last season most needs a strong spring to rebuild his confidence? Manny Ramirez. Did the 50-game suspension hurt him, or is this an example of a slugger aging right before our eyes? The Dodgers don’t want a repeat of last season, and neither does Manny.

8. Which contenders have the most work to do after major offseason roster turnover? The Mariners, Tigers and Angels. The players have to get used to playing with one another and get to know personalities. Because these teams all have strong managers, I don’t expect any problems.

9. The Angels have five solid starters, but do they have an ace after losing John Lackey? Plenty of teams would love to have Scott Kazmir, Joel Pineiro, Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders or Jered Weaver atop their rotation. They all can be big-game pitchers, but a No. 1 gives your team a chance to win every time he pitches. The Angels have a collection of No. 2 starters. With good coaching, they could have more than one No. 1.

10. How much will new hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo help the Cubs? Jaramillo is the best hitting coach in the game. He takes guys’ swings and works with them in a way that helps them feel confident. His pedigree is unprecedented, and Jaramillo will get the Cubs to hit.

TODD’S TOP WINTER ANSWERS

1. The Cardinals re-sign left fielder Matt Holliday. He hit .353 with 13 homers and 55 RBIs in 63 games after joining St. Louis in late July.

Matt Holliday signed on to wear the birds on the bat for the next seven years.

2. The Phillies finally complete a trade for ace Roy Halladay. He is hoping to make his first postseason with the two-time defending National League champion Phillies.

3. The Mariners trade for left-hander Cliff Lee. With Lee and Felix Hernandez, Seattle now has perhaps the best 1-2 punch in the majors.

4. The Yankees trade for center fielder Curtis Granderson. Prepping for a repeat, the Yankees get younger, stronger and faster.

5. The Mets sign slugging left fielder Jason Bay. Bay, who hit a career-high 36 homers for Boston in 2009, joins a team in desperate need of offense.

6. The Mariners sign third baseman Chone Figgins. Seattle gets stronger—and weakens the AL West rival Angels in the process.

7. The Red Sox sign right-hander John Lackey. With Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Lackey, the Sox have arguably the best top three of any rotation in the majors.

8. The Angels sign World Series MVP Hideki Matsui. He hit 28 homers in 2009 and will replace Vladimir Guerrero at DH.

9. Atlanta signs closer Billy Wagner. He will anchor a bullpen that lost late-game relievers Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez.

10. Detroit signs closer Jose Valverde. His 116 saves since 2007 are tied for fourth-most in the majors.

Todd Jones, a former major league closer, is a regular contributor to Sporting News.

This story first appeared in the Feb. 15, 2010, edition of Sporting News magazine. If you are not receiving the magazine, subscribe today, or pick up a copy, available at most Barnes & Noble, Borders and Hudson Retail outlets.

MLB.com reports the Diamondbacks are exploring long-term contracts for third baseman Mark Reynolds and right fielder Justin Upton.

"We always have those conversations. Whether we can get them done or not, I don’t know," general manager Josh Byrnes told the Web site during the club’s fan festival last weekend. "It’s an issue we try to stay ahead of. We’ve talked to those guys. We’ll see if it leads to a deal or not."

Reynolds, 26, and Upton, 22, are considered two of the Diamondbacks’ core players. Both are under the club’s control for the next four seasons.

Reynolds confirmed to the Web site that discussions have taken place.

"It’s kind of a sticky situation," Reynolds was quoted as saying. "I don’t really want to say much about it, but there are talks. There’s years being thrown back and forth right now. No money yet, but it could be anywhere from a two- to three-year deal with a couple of options is what I hear. I think the week of the 15th there’s going to be some formal offers made, at least that’s what my agent told me."