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Fans and Red Sox merchandise collectors should be elated to hear contract talks between the team and Josh Beckett are going well. Beckett is in the final year of his contract and will likely look for a deal in the neighborhood of the five year, $82 million deal John Lackey signed with Boston earlier this offseason. He’s been a must-have signature for investors of autographed MLB baseballs and signed baseball memorabilia for so long, it’s almost mind-boggling the right-hander is only 29 years old.

Shop Josh Beckett memorabilia.

Being it’s been almost a year since he’s been on a Major League field, it would be wrong to say “the hits keep on coming” for Jose Reyes. Unfortunately for fans and Mets merchandise collectors, that’s exactly the case. The Mets shortstop is returning to New York today after an irregularity with his thyroid was discovered during a physical yesterday. It’s alarming news for Jose, the team and anyone who’s purchased Jose Reyes memorabilia in recent years.

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Reyes’ 2009 campaign was limited to only 36 games due to a lingering hamstring injury. He has been scratched from all three of New York’s spring training games thus far.

It seems the Arizona Diamondbacks are taking a page out of the books of many baseball memorabilia collectors. In recent years, investors around the country who’ve scored autographed baseballs, bats and signed MLB jerseys from young superstars like Evan Longoria, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester and Tim Lincecum have seen the value of their merchandise increase exponentially. The Diamondbacks are hoping this same philosophy pays off with right fielder Justin Upton. The team has agreed to a six-year, $50 million contract extension with the 22-year old, one that will keep him in the desert through at least 2015.

The brother of Tampa Bay Rays outfielder B.J. Upton, Justin hit .300 with 26 home runs and 86 runs batted in last season.

Fans who’ve collected Johnny Damon autographs can exhale: the wait is finally over.

The 36-year old Damon and the Detroit Tigers agreed on a one-year deal early Saturday, ending one of the more interesting studies in player free agency in recent memory. Damon, whose MLB player t-shirts were popular in the Yankees merchandise stores around Yankee Stadium over the past four seasons, finished up a career year that ended in a world championship, then head nowhere to go. He tied a career high with 24 regular season home runs in 2009 and was an integral piece of the Bombers’ run to the World Series through the fall.

It’s likely Damon will start the season in left field next to Austin Jackson, a former Yankees prospect acquired in the deal for Curtis Granderson.

Fans and Red Sox memorabilia collectors want to know: what’s the deal with Mike Lowell?

Speaking for the first time since the Sox attempted to trade him to the Texas Rangers over the winter, Lowell said he was getting into shape and focusing on playing baseball for Boston in 2010. Lowell took less money to stay with the Red Sox after being named the 2007 World Series MVP. What’s the age-old expression, “if I knew then what I know now“?

Lowell was limited by a nagging hip injury in 2009. Playing in just 119 games, he hit .290 with 17 home runs. Lowell’s status with the team is even more in question after the Red Sox inked third baseman Adrian Beltre during the offseason. Despite the fact that Mike Lowell autographs have been popular amongst MLB memorabilia collectors in the Boston area, it’s probably a long shot the 35-year old opens the season with the club.

He’s been a favorite of MLB memorabilia collectors during his tenures in Toronto, Florida and New York, but word has it Carlos Delgado may be leaning towards retirement. The 37-year missed 136 games in 2009 with a hip injury and reportedly hasn’t exactly been swimming in offers this winter. Delgado has been rehabbing in Puerto Rico during the offseason.

Shop Carlos Delgado autographs.

Retiring would be a shame for both Delgado and fans who’ve collected his autographed Mets items in recent years. The slugger has 473 career home runs and reaching the 500-home run plateau would almost ensure Carlos a place in Cooperstown.

Any fan or MLB memorabilia collector who has watched the game for the past two years knows just how dominant young Tim Lincecum can be. His status of one of the game’s best young superstars is without question, making the 25-year old’s pending arbitration case simply puzzling. Lincecum, whose autographed MLB baseballs have been the highest selling pieces of Giants merchandise in the past three years, is looking for a record $13 million in arbitration. The Giants have offered $8 million. The debate can begin to rage on about exactly why the Giants would let negotiations with the two-time Cy Young award winner get this far, especially with other young hurlers Felix Hernandez and Justin Verlander recently agreeing to five-year deals with Seattle and Detroit respectively.

In two plus seasons, Lincecum is 40-17 with a 2.90 ERA. He’ll likely take the ball as the Giant’s Opening Day starter when the Giants take on the Houston Astros on Monday April 5th.

“I’m ready to play baseball” - Jose ReyesThose words must be music to the ears of fans, season ticket holders and fans who’ve collected his autographed baseball merchandise in recent years. Looking to rebound from a 2009 lost to injury, Jose Reyes declared himself ready to play baseball come April. Sprinting for the first time on his surgically-repaired right leg, Reyes completed five sprints of 90 feet, subsequently passing a major test in his return to the diamond.A fan favorite amongst Mets memorabilia collectors given his electric personality and on-the-field production, Reyes played in only 36 games last season before injuring his right hamstring. Despite missing the majority of a horrendous season for the Mets, Reyes’ MLB jersey was amongst the league’s top sellers in 2009.The Mets will open the regular season Monday April 5th at home against the Florida Marlins.

A fan favorite in the Bronx, many Yankees memorabilia collectors were hoping the team and left fielder Johnny Damon could close the gap on their financial demands and reunite for a return run to the World Series. While Johnny Damon autographs have been popular since helping the Bombers win title #27, it looks like the 36-year old will put on a different MLB jersey in 2010.

The Yankees signed free agent outfielder Randy Winn yesterday to a one-year deal worth $2 million. Yankees GM Brian Cashman had previously stated the team wouldn’t be resigning Johnny Damon because there was only $2 million remaining in their budget for 2010.

The news is obviously a huge blow to Damon, whose options shrunk exponentially with the signings of Bengie Molina, Ben Sheets, Coco Crisp and Winn over the past few weeks.

His free agent status caught the attention of scouts, general managers and baseball memorabilia collectors everywhere. After taking 2009 off to heal an ailing pitching elbow, Ben Sheets will call Oakland his home in 2010. The 31-year old Sheets signed a one-year, $10 million deal to join the Athletics pitching staff yesterday. The offer was reportedly on his agent’s desk within an hour of the four-time All-Star’s audition in Louisiana.

Sheets’ autographed MLB baseballs and signed MLB game photos were top-sellers during the mid-2000s. The Brewers ace was an annual Cy Young contender, starting the 2008 All-Star Game for the National League. He owns the Brewers’ franchise record with 1,206 career strikeouts.