The Mets and Astros are still “kicking around” the idea of signing free-agent RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.

Last month, Hochi Shimbun reported Matsuzaka was talking with the Mets, Indians and Marlins, while other teams had expressed interest in him as well.

Matsuzaka went just 1-7 with an 8.28 ERA in 11 starts upon returning from Tommy John Surgery with Boston in 2012. He just completed a six-year, $52 million contract he signed with the Red Sox after the 2006 season.

Feb. 4, 10:12 am: The Mets are not interested in inviting Matsuzaka to camp (Cafardo, Boston Globe).

Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com:

The buzz around Matsuzaka is that he wanted to either pitch in San Diego or Japan. However, after pitching in Boston in the A.L. East, he might benefit from moving to a pitcher’s park in the National League. He’s had a series of bizarre, random injuries. If he’s healthy, he’s intriguing, plus he’d add a little buzz to this team, which they’re clearly missing… among other things.

Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:

There’s no harm in taking a look at Dice-K on a non-guaranteed deal. He has pitched in only 19 games since 2010 thanks to Tommy John Surgery, and he never was able to find a rhythm upon returning last year, although he still had good velocity on his fastball. He has historically been primarily a fastball/sider pitcher but will throw the entire kitchen sink at the opposition at times. He has traditionally worked a lot of deep counts which creates a lot of stressful situations for him, and it has limited his ability to work deep into games consistently.

The questions for Dice-K are does he have anything left in the tank to provide insurance for the Mets rotation? Would he consider a swing-type role where he would be asked to work as both a starter and reliever? He could be motivated to prove his arm problems and bizarre history are a thing of the past, but the opportunities to prove himself might not be consistent for him in a role with the Mets, and I fear the inconsistent role for him could cause more harm than good, especially since he’s been a starter for most of his professional career.

The Mets are close to a deal with free-agent RHP Brandon Lyon, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

Lyon, 33, went a combined 4-2 with a 3.10 ERA with the Astros and Blue Jays in 2012, allowing 56 hits, 20 walks, five home runs with 63 strikeouts in 61 innings over 67 relief appearances.

Lyon has recorded 79 saves in his 11-year career with the Jays, Astros, Tigers, Diamondbacks, and Red Sox, although he last recorded double-digit saves in 2010 with the Astros.

Feb. 3: The Mets are confident they will get a deal done with Lyon (Martino, Daily News).

Feb. 3: The Mets are serious about Lyon, but a deal isn’t done. He’s still talking to other teams (Martino, Daily News).

Feb. 3: If Lyon is signed, the Mets will not seek more insurance for Frank Francisco (DiComo, MLB.com). If the Mets sign Lyon to a Major League deal, their 40-man roster will be full.

Michael Baron's thoughts on signing Lyon...

Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:

I am assuming Lyon is the non-closer Rubin was referring to, although Lyon does have closing experience in his career. That makes me wonder as well if they will continue to pursue someone like Jose Valverde, should the Mets get this deal done. No matter what, Sandy is clearly determined to fix one of the worst bullpens the Mets have ever had. If his strategy works this year, it will help keep close games close which, based on the projected position players on the roster, they will need to do a much better job of doing, if there’s going to be any hope in 2013.

Lyon is a very good right-handed reliever, and he would make the Mets bullpen (which has already been made deeper this winter) a lot better on paper. He is proven, steady and durable, and he will go a long way towards stabilizing their short-relief corps, if the deal goes through. Lyon’s a sinkerballer who sits in the low 90′s, and that helps him keep the ball in the ballpark. He’ll also throw a hard cutter in towards the left-handed hitter and change speeds with a good curveball. He held left-handed hitters to a .213 clip last year, although that’s not indicative of his career numbers; that was due to an increased emphasis on his cutter.

If the Mets secure Lyon, he along with Scott Atchison, Latroy Hawkins gives the Mets flexibility with Jenrry Mejia and Jeurys Familia in the early part of the year. Neither Mejia or Familia would need to be depended upon as primary relievers right out of the gate. They could go back to the minors, get the seasoning they really still need, and the Mets can evaluate their progress when a problem arises in the big league bullpen.

The Mets remain interested in signing free-agent closer Jose Valverde, and they are also considering free-agent Francisco Rodriguez, a source told Marc Carig of Newsday.

“We’re looking to help the pen in a variety of ways, provide some more depth and major-league experience,” Sandy Alderson told Carig. “I can’t really get into names because I’m not sure how it will turn out.”

Yesterday, Adam Rubin of ESPN New York said the Mets were interested in Valverde, but it was unlikely they would sign either Rodriguez or Brian Wilson.

Feb. 3: The Tigers, Reds, Marlins and Blue Jays are all still looking for bullpen help (Cafardo, Boston Globe).

Jan. 31: Sandy Alderson said on SNY’s Mets Hot Stove that he is not comfortable with Frank Francisco as his closer, and he’s currently looking help to improve the back-end of his bullpen. He said it’s possible he could add one or two relievers before Spring Training.

The Mets have reportedly shown interest in signing RHP Roy Oswalt.

Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com:

4:52 pm: I agree with ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin (see below). Yesterday, I heard the Mets still felt there was a chance something could get done, but they were more interested in Oswalt as a back-of-the-bullpen guy, maybe even a closer, maybe even on a guaranteed deal, but specifically for the pen. And, it sounds to me like he is still interested in being a starting pitcher, maybe even doing the old Roger Clemens deal of joining a team in a pennant race just for the second half, which is not what the Mets have in mind.

2:06 pm: The chances of Oswalt joining the Mets are now remote (Rubin, ESPN New York).

Jan. 29: There’s still a chance the Mets sign Oswalt (Cerrone, MetsBlog).

Jan. 27: The team did have internal discussions about him before they signed Marcum (Martin, New York Post).

Jan. 26: Oswalt’s agent is unaware of any interest from the Mets (Carig, Newsday).

Statistics, information, and analysis on Roy Oswalt...

Jan. 12: Oswalt might still want to pitch, but on his terms and perhaps for only a half a season (Cafardo, Boston Globe).

Stats: Oswalt, 35, went 4-3 with a 5.80 ERA in 17 appearances and nine starts with the Rangers last season. He worked only in relief during the month of September.

Oswalt went 3-3 with a 6.36 ERA in nine starts in 2012, allowing 33 earned runs, 69 hits, ten walks and nine home runs in 46 2/3 innings.

Oswalt didn’t begin his season until June 22, but didn’t sign with the Rangers until mid-May.

Contract: Oswalt signed a one-year, $5 million contract with Texas at the end of May last season.

Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com:

I was told it’s still a possibility the Mets will sign Oswalt. I wonder if the Mets are considering Oswalt for a starter-reliever type role, like he did for Texas last season? The questions are: would he take a minor league deal, because I don’t think the Mets are looking to fill this role with a guarantee; and is he willing to pitch in relief? I was under the impression he was more likely to sit out and be a starter for just the second half, than he was to accept a minor league deal to maybe end up in the bullpen all season. But, who knows what he has in mind? He’s always been a bit of an enigma…

Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:

Oswalt has historically been a hard sinkerballer, and his velocity was still in the low 90′s last season with the Rangers. But he allowed 1.7 home runs per nine innings last season, which was the highest rate he’s posted in his career. While he struck out 59 batters in 59 innings, he allowed 90 baserunners over the same span. Maybe that was attributed to rust and a fluxuating role, but I wonder if it also had to do simply with his skills diminishing.

The Mets announced they have signed RHP Scott Atchison to a Minor League contract with an invite to Major League Spring Training.

Atchison, 36, made 42 relief appearances for the Red Sox in 2012 and went 2-1 with a 1.58 ERA, allowing just two home runs in 51 1/3 innings. He ranked fourth in the Major Leagues in ERA among relievers with at least 50 innings pitched.

Atchison missed two months of the 2012 season with a torn elbow ligament, although he did not have surgery to repair the problem.

Over six major league seasons with the Mariners, San Francisco and the Red Sox, Atchison is 7-7 record and a 3.48 ERA in 155 games, one start.

Jan 29, 12:55 pm: Atchison will make $700,000 if he makes the team out of camp, and can earn an additional $150,000 in incentives (Bradford, WEEI.com).

Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:

Atchison could end up being a real find for the Mets, if he’s healthy and makes the team. He’s always been a solid piece of the Red Sox bullpen. He doesn’t throw hard but he owned left-handed hitters in 2012, holding them to a .188 average. That’s not indicative of his career numbers, but he always throws strikes and keeps the ball in the ballpark.

The Mets have reportedly shown interest in free-agent starting pitcher Javier Vazquez. However, he will undergo surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee this week - Vazquez should be 100 percent in two to three weeks (Bowden, ESPN).

Vazquez has yet to indicate whether he will pitch for an MLB team in 2013.

The Mets, Red Sox, Rays, Phillies, White Sox, Braves, Marlins, Nationals, and Royals have all reportedly scouted Vazquez this winter, during which scouts have said he is consistently reaching 92-93 mph with his fastball.

Jan. 14:  Vazquez says he is interested in pitching this year, he is not yet 100 percent, and he has yet to receive a contract offer (El Nuevo Dia).

Jan. 8: The Mets have scouted Vazquez during this year’s Puerto Rico winter league (McCullough, Star-Ledger).

Jan. 3: A scout who watched him said Vazquez looks good, the ball is coming out of his hand well, and he could be a good pick up (Brown, Yahoo!).

Statistics and analysis on Javier Vazquez...

Stats: Vazquez is 165-160 with a 4.22 ERA in 14 seasons with the Expos, White Sox, Yankees, Diamondbacks, Braves and Marlins. He owns a 3.99 ERA while pitching in the National League, 4.65 ERA while pitching in the American League.

Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:

As Keith Hernandez would say, Vazquez throws the entire kitchen sink at opposing hitters. He historically has featured both a hard and heavy slider and sinker as his secondary pitches, but he also has a hard change-up and curveball in his arsenal. He is older and hasn’t pitched for a while, and considering his knee wore down after a short stint in Winter Ball, I wonder if he can sustain regular work and a long season, especially during the dog days in July and August. I also worry about how he might fare pitching in New York, considering his only season with the Yankees was very forgettable.

The Mets are still looking at the free agent market for bullpen help, and may go see Brian Wilson throw again soon, Sandy Alderson told Jim Duquette and Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio today.

“It is conceivable we get one or two relievers,” Alderson said. “We’re actually looking to find somebody to pitch at the back-end. We might have to get creative to do so, but there’s definitely a possibility that we can upgrade there before the beginning of Spring Training. … I’m sure Brian is still in our mix, and other clubs as well.”

Earlier this month, Alderson told Mike Francesa on WFAN that he only saw Wilson throw 20 pitches in a private workout when was in an earlier stage of his rehab from Tommy John Surgery.

This winter, the Mets have signed LHP Tim Byrdak, LHP Aaron Laffey, LHP Pedro Feliciano, LHP Scott Rice, RHP  Carlos Torres to Minor League contracts with invites to Spring Training.

Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:

It’s not as pressing of a need as the outfield is, but the Mets do need to add depth to the bullpen. I liked what I saw from Jeurys Familia, Josh Edgin and Robert Carson last season, but they’re still a little rough around the edges and the team could use another veteran to help guide them.

Earlier this month, reports said the Mets were not ruling out bringing back Jon Rauch. He is still unsigned and is said to have a very good relationship with Sandy Alderson dating back to his Olympic days. I wonder if he’s still an option for the Mets? He would compliment Bobby Parnell well in the bullpen, and he might provide a good, veteran presence for the younger guys as well.

Jan. 19: Giants GM Brian Sabean said it’s unlikely Wilson will return to the Giants (Puma, NY Post).

Jan. 17: Wilson is very interested in signing with the Mets. He has spent time in New York this winter, but is still in talks with a handful of teams, including the Tigers, some of whom are willing to offer a guaranteed deal, according to league sources (Cerrone, MetsBlog.com).

Statistics, reaction, and previous updates on Brian Wilson...

Jan. 17: The Mets still haven’t closed the door on a major league deal for Wilson, according to a source (Carig, Newsday).

Jan. 15: The Mets were not impressed with Wilson, who they deemed not worthy of a major league contract at this point in his rehab from Tommy John surgery. “Physically, he’s not ready,” a source. “He’s got a ways to go.” (Puma, New York Post).

Jan: 14: Wilson also met with Sandy Alderson early last week, at which point people close to Wilson said he was very intrigued by signing with the Mets. Wilson wants a guaranteed deal, the Mets prefer to give him a minor-league contract. (Cerrone, MetsBlog.com)

Jan. 13: Alderson isn’t sure yet if he will extend an offer to Wilson (Puma, New York Post).

Jan. 13: Wilson says he will be ready for Opening Day, “although a major league source said the reliever is not yet able to demonstrate in workouts that he is back to pre-surgery form.” No deal is imminent (Rubin, ESPN New York).

Statistics: Wilson made just two appearances for the Giants in 2012, allowing two runs in two innings. He has converted 171 of 196 save opportunities in his career and has pitched to a 3.21 ERA in seven big league seasons.

Contract: Wilson, 30, just completed a two-year, $15 million contract extension he signed before the 2010 season. The Giants non-tendered Wilson earlier this winter.

Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:

At worst, Wilson could serve as a strong insurance policy to Francisco, who is coming off a season filled with both ineffectiveness and injury. The Mets could offer Wilson an opportunity to rebuild his value; Wilson is coming off Tommy John Surgery and basically missed the entire 2012 season, but he should be ready in the early part of the 2013 season. He is a colorful personality and was outstanding in his years with the Giants, and I think he will be productive when he comes back. If he had gone to arbitration with the Giants, he would have likely earned between $8-9 million (which is why the Giants non-tendered him).

The Mets have shown interest in signing RHP Roy Oswalt (Rubin of ESPN New York).

However, now that the Mets have reportedly agreed to sign RHP Shaun Marcum, it’s unlikely the Mets will sign Oswalt even in a relief role. The team did have internal discussions about him before they signed Marcum (Martin, New York Post).

Jan. 26: Oswalt’s agent is unaware of any interest from the Mets (Carig, Newsday).

Jan. 12: Oswalt might still want to pitch, but on his terms and perhaps for only a half a season (Cafardo, Boston Globe).

Statistics, information, and analysis on Roy Oswalt...

Stats: Oswalt, 35, went 4-3 with a 5.80 ERA in 17 appearances and nine starts with the Rangers last season. He worked only in relief during the month of September.

Oswalt went 3-3 with a 6.36 ERA in nine starts in 2012, allowing 33 earned runs, 69 hits, ten walks and nine home runs in 46 2/3 innings.

Oswalt didn’t begin his season until June 22, but didn’t sign with the Rangers until mid-May.

Contract: Oswalt signed a one-year, $5 million contract with Texas at the end of May last season.

Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:

Oswalt has historically been a hard sinkerballer, and his velocity was still in the low 90′s last season with the Rangers. But he allowed 1.7 home runs per nine innings last season, which was the highest rate he’s posted in his career. While he struck out 59 batters in 59 innings, he allowed 90 baserunners over the same span. Maybe that was attributed to rust and a fluxuating role, but I wonder if it also had to do simply with his skills diminishing.

It’s always a good idea to have pitching depth, especially with the health issues surrounding Johan Santana and potentially Shaun Marcum. But I have to wonder if Oswalt can serve as that depth at this point in his career. He has dealt with back problems in recent years and hasn’t made more than 30 starts since 2010. In addition, he’s been wishy-washy in trying to figure out if he even wants to pitch. I also wonder if Oswalt would accept a role with the Mets, a team he’s historically balked at pitching for, and in a situation where nothing is guaranteed for him at the big league level.

The Mets have shown interest in signing RHP Roy Oswalt, according to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York.

“The door has not fully closed [on Oswalt] even with the addition of Shaun Marcum,” Rubin explains.

Earlier this month, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe said Oswalt might still want to pitch, but, “on his terms and perhaps for only a half a season.”

3:32 pm: Oswalt’s agent is unaware of any interest from the Mets (Carig, Newsday).

Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:

Oswalt has historically been a hard sinkerballer, and his velocity was still in the low 90′s last season with the Rangers. But he allowed 1.7 home runs per nine innings last season, which was the highest rate he’s posted in his career. While he struck out 59 batters in 59 innings, he allowed 90 baserunners over the same span. Maybe that was attributed to rust and a fluxuating role, but I wonder if it also had to do simply with his skills diminishing.

It’s always a good idea to have pitching depth, especially with the health issues surrounding Johan Santana and potentially Shaun Marcum. But I have to wonder if Oswalt can serve as that depth at this point in his career. He has dealt with back problems in recent years and hasn’t made more than 30 starts since 2010. In addition, he’s been wishy-washy in trying to figure out if he even wants to pitch. I also wonder if Oswalt would accept a role with the Mets, a team he’s historically balked at pitching for, and in a situation where nothing is guaranteed for him at the big league level.

The Mets have reportedly shown interest in signing RHP Carl Pavano to fill their vacant spot in the starting rotation.

Jan. 21: The Rockies are aggressively pursuing Pavano and Derek Lowe (Renck, Denver Post).

Jan. 8: Pavano is talking with six teams, including the Mets (McCarron, Daily News).

Jan. 7: The Mets have had very preliminary discussions with the agents for Pavano (McCullough, Star Ledger).

Jan. 4: The Mets are considering signing Pavano (Davidoff, New York Post).

Jan. 2: The Mets are looking to sign a starting pitcher to a one-year deal (Cerrone, MetsBlog.com).

Statistics, information, and analysis on Carl Pavano...

Stats: Pavano, who turns 37 in January, went 2-5 with a 6.00 ERA in only 11 starts in 2012, allowing 80 hits with eight walks and nine home runs in 63 innings. He missed most of the season with a bone spur in his right humerus bone.

Contract: Pavano just completed a two-year, $16.5 million contract he signed with the Twins before the 2011 season.

Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:

Pavano has had one of the strangest pitching careers in recent memory. He has historically pitched to a lot of contact but is a control artist who limits bases on balls which in turn limits the damage allowed. When he’s right, Pavano can be one of the more solid and dependable right-handers in the game. But I’m not sure how he might fare back in New York, considering how badly his first go-around was in this city with the Yankees.

The Mets have reportedly shown interest in signing LHP Joe Saunders to fill their vacant spot in the starting rotation.

9:58 am: The Mets, Twins, Padres and Orioles all remain interested in Saunders (Duquette, SiriusXM Radio).

Jan. 16: The Padres are not in on Saunders or Shaun Marcum, and haven’t been all winter (Brock, MLB.com).

Jan 16: The Twins are pursuing Saunders (Morosi, FOX Sports).

Jan. 5: Saunders is seeking a three-year contract (Rosenthal, FOX Sports).

Statistics, commentary and information on Saunders...

Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:

The Mets are unlikely to replace the 233 innings R.A. Dickey gave them last year from one individual. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t come up with the innings between a new face and added contributions from the holdovers (and potential internal arms) in the rotation.

In regards to Saunders, a three-year commitment might not be a good fit considering what is coming up through the organization in that timeframe. But if those demands come down, he could be a guy who can help find the innings the Mets seek. He isn’t going to “wow” anyone with his stuff, but he’s proven to be a durable and steady left handed pitcher over the course of his career, although he did deal with a shoulder problem last year which caused him to miss a month. If he had stayed healthy, he could have easily thrown 200 or more innings last season. He usually sits in the upper 80s to low 90s with his fastball and off-sets that with a good tailing change-up. He pitches to contact and gives up a lot of home runs, but pitching in more pitcher-friendly parks – such as Citi Field and the rest of the parks in the NL East – would probably reduce that number.

Stats: Saunders, 31, went 9-13 with a 4.07 ERA in 28 starts with the Diamondbacks and Orioles in 2012, allowing 195 hits, 39 walks, and 21 home runs in 174 2/3 innings. He has pitched at least 185 innings in four of the last five seasons.

Contract: Saunders signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Diamondbacks prior to the 2012 season.