Mets In No Rush To Extend Lo Duca

Marty Noble at Mets.com, writes about Omar Minaya and his feelings twards Paul Lo Duca wanting to extend his contract with the Mets:

General manager Omar Minaya says he will listen to what Paul Lo Duca and his agent have to say about a contract extension. But the Mets probably won't be in a rush to extend the contract of a 34-year-old catcher.

Lo Duca, whose contract expires after the 2007 season, acknowledged he has reached the age when, typically, the skills of catchers begin to erode because of the demands of their jobs.

"But I promise I haven't lost a step," he said. "But I never had the other gear some guys have."
Or as he said described his running last season: "Closet wheels."

Lo Duca enjoyed his first season with the Mets. His performance contradicted the "book" on him -- that he tends to wear down in the second half. Indeed, he batted .338 after the All-Star break, the highest average in the big leagues in that period.