On the Mets beat

The Mets will formally announce the signing of lefty reliver Scott Schoeneweis to a three-year, $10.8-million contract this afternoon on a 1:30 p.m. conference call with reporters. Interesting deal for a middle reliever. After shunning the big money for an upper-tier starter, GM Omar Minaya chose to shell out some bucks to bolser the bullpen, but that again shows how he believes a team should be built. With starters missing so much time due to assorted injuries along the way -- and abbreviated outings -- Minaya puts emphasis on a rock-solid relief corps.

As for the Mets' reported interest in signing Ruben Sierra to a minor-league contract, that's difficult to explain, other than saying that Minaya always will do a favor for an old friend. Sierra's value to the Mets at the major-league level seems to be almost nil, but if Minaya insists he'll be a good role model for younger players in minors, I guess I'll cut him some slack.

Now, about a new contract for Willie ...