Valentin wants to come back

Dan Martin at The New York Post, writes about Jose Valentin and his feelings on coming back to the Mets next year:

"I hope I'm here," Valentin said a day after the Mets fell 3-1 to the Cardinals in Game 7 of the NLCS. "And I hope it happens quick so I can relax in the offseason."

Though he repeatedly professed his desire to continue to make Shea his home, Valentin also made it fairly clear he wanted to have the same role he did at the end of the year, rather than at the beginning.

"I definitely want to be on a team that wins," said Valentin, who finished the season hitting .271 with 18 homers and 62 RBIs. "But I don't want to just sit on the bench and try to look happy."

GM Omar Minaya said he would look at the positions occupied by free agents, so Valentin's fate remains up in the air.

Regardless, he knows it beats the spot he was in a year ago.

"A lot of people thought I was done," Valentin said. "I showed everyone that I can still play."