NEW YORK -- The New York Mets have picked up the contract options for All-Stars David Wright and R.A. Dickey.
The Mets said Wednesday they were not planning to make an official announcement of the moves that were really just a formality. General manager Sandy Alderson has said signing the two players to long-term deals is his top priority this off-season.
Wright, the Mets' third baseman since 2004, will make $16 million next season. A strong contender for the NL Cy Young Award, Dickey's deal will pay him $5 million.
Wright will be 30 on Dec. 20 and he already holds several of the Mets' all-time batting records. He hit .306 with 93 RBIs for New York, which went 74-88 last year.
Dickey, a 37-year-old knuckleballer, had career bests with 20 wins, a 2.73 ERA and 230 strikeouts.
The Mets also said a fundraiser for longtime team employee Shannon Forde has been postponed from Nov. 1 to Nov. 29 because of the effects of Superstorm Sandy. Forde, a mother of two, has been diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer.
