Mets ready to talk

Ken Davidoff at Newsday, writes about the Mets and how they are ready to talk to Barry Zito:

The Mets are working to arrange a face-to-face meeting with Barry Zito, their top remaining free-agent target, a person familiar with the situation said yesterday. A date and location have not yet been decided, although it will likely be next week.

Such a meeting is standard when such big dollars are being discussed - Zito could earn a contract of $100 million or more - and both sides will try to use it to their advantage.

The Mets can sell what they believe to be their attributes, demonstrating how they're the best fit for Zito, even if the Rangers offer money. Zito and his agent, Scott Boras, meanwhile, can show the Mets what a perfect fit the lefthander is for them, in the hopes of motivating the Wilpons to open their wallets a little more.