Mets close to signing righthander Young

The Mets are on the verge of completing a long-anticipated deal with free-agent pitcher Chris Young, which will represent their highest-profile player acquisition of this offseason.

A 6-10 righthander who has pitched for San Diego and Texas, Young is expected to take a physical this week, an important last step given his recent injury history. The 31-year-old Princeton product hasn't pitched a full season since 2007, largely because of shoulder issues.

The Mets, however, are not that worried, in part because of their long-standing relationship with Young. New general manager Sandy Alderson and his right-hand man, Paul DePodesta, were high-ranking members of the Padres' front office during Young's time there.

Young is believed to have acted as his own agent during the negotiations with the Mets, which have taken place for the better part of the past six weeks. He is expected to receive a one-year contract that includes between $1 million and $2 million in guaranteed salary plus incentives.

Alderson repeatedly has said that he does not have the financial flexibility to be a big spender this offseason, so he has focused his efforts on finding low-budget players with high potential. The Mets' new crop of talent evaluators long have considered Young to be the most attractive of this year's bargain finds because his style as a fly-ball pitcher coincides perfectly with Citi Field's expansive dimensions.

Young is coming off a 2010 season in which he made only four starts because of a right shoulder injury. But he showed enough in three late-September outings to provide some hope that he'll be healthy for the start of 2011 spring training.

With Johan Santana sidelined until at least midseason because of shoulder surgery, the signing of Young will add a much-needed arm to a thin rotation that includes holdovers Mike Pelfrey, Jon Niese and R.A. Dickey, free-agent signing Chris Capuano and minor-leaguer Dillon Gee.

Young had shoulder surgery in August 2009 and has been plagued by injuries during the last three seasons. But Alderson clearly remembers Young's best days, when he went 20-13 with a 3.30 ERA and 1.115 WHIP in 3521/3 innings spanning the 2006-07 seasons. Alderson was the Padres' CEO in those years.