The Mets, Marlins, Rangers, and kinda-sorta the Orioles are all trying to sign Carlos Delgado. The Mets once again have taken the lead down the stretch, if Newsday is correct.

[O]ne person familiar with the negotiations saying that the Mets are preparing a four-year offer in the $45-million range, with room to edge slightly upward, if necessary. The Rangers' stance, according to another source, is to go no higher than $10 million per season, but with the flexibility to go to four years.

How does this affect the Cubs? If the Mets land Carlos le Deux, then I doubt they would have any interest in acquiring Sosa. And if the Mets don't acquire Sosa, then who? Other teams (Baltimore, DC, Colorado, KC) continue to be bandied about, but are any of these realistic options?

I'm still not even sure a Sosa-Floyd swap would be in the best interests of the Cubs. I think Sosa screwed up at the end of last year, but I'm no hater. And I think more than a few stars would need to align (an impossibly healthy Floyd, a signed and healthy Magglio) for a trade with the Mets to leave the Cubs a better team.