Looking to shuffle their roster after an embarrassing collapse this past season, the New York Mets found a new catcher and right fielder yesterday. The price: prized outfield prospect Lastings Milledge. After holding on to Milledge through years of trade speculation, the Mets finally dealt him to the Washington Nationals for catcher Brian Schneider and outfielder Ryan Church. %26#34;I thought we needed to change it up a little,%26#34; New York GM Omar Minaya said. %26#34;Names like Schneider and Church are not known names, but they give us balance.%26#34; In Schneider, the Mets add yet another catcher, following their trade for Johnny Estrada last week. In Milledge, the Nationals pick up a talented young player they hope can be a key component of their rebuilding project. Schneider was given a lot of credit last season for holding together a ragtag Nationals starting rotation, but he struggled at the plate, batting .235 with six homers and 54 RBIs. Church hit .272 with 15 homers and 70 RBIs, while tying for the team lead with 43 doubles. Milledge hit .272 with seven homers and 29 RBIs in 184 at-bats with the Mets in 2007. MR. ROGERS’ NEIGHBOURHOOD: Kenny Rogers knew all along where he wanted to be. The 43-year-old left-hander ended his free agency yesterday when he agreed to an $8 million (all figures U.S.), one-year deal that will keep him with the Detroit Tigers for a third season. %26#34;There was really never any other choice but Detroit,%26#34; said Rogers, who represented himself in contract negotiations. %26#34;The possibilities of playing somewhere else didn’t appeal to me at all.%26#34; Rogers was 3-4 with a 4.43 ERA in an injury-shortened 2007 for the Tigers after helping them reach the 2006 World Series. Over 19 seasons, he’s 210-143 with a 4.19 ERA.RAY OF HOPE: The Tampa Bay Rays signed reliever Troy Percival to a two-year contract yesterday, addressing a need to improve one of the worst bullpens in the majors. The 38-year-old right-hander, who came out of retirement to go 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in 34 appearances for St. Louis in 2007, will make $8 million over the next two seasons. In addition, he’ll have a chance to earn another $4 million-plus in performance incentives.Percival is 12th on the all-time saves list with 324. ROCKIE RE-UPS: Colorado agreed yesterday to a $2.5 million, one-year deal with free-agent reliever Matt Herges that includes a club option for 2009. Herges, 37, was 5-1 with a 2.96 ERA in 35 relief appearances for the Rockies in 2007.HAIL CESAR: Free-agent infielder Cesar Izturis agreed yesterday to a $2.85 million, one-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. Star wire services
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