The Paul Lo Duca Goodwill Tour Continues

Sonia Lo Duca posed for Playboy's Sexy Girl Next Door spread in 2001. She married Paul in 2000, before his first full season in the majors, in which he hit .320 for the Dodgers.

—MSNBC

From "New Blue Jay Thomson rips Lo Duca's catching" (AP/ESPN.com):

TORONTO -- John Thomson was surprisingly candid Wednesday about one of the reasons he chose the Toronto Blue Jays over the Mets: He didn't want to pitch to New York catcher Paul Lo Duca.

Thomson agreed to a $500,000, one-year contract with the Blue Jays on Tuesday and will get a chance to win a spot in their rotation during spring training. The right-hander said the Mets also offered a major league deal, but he wasn't interested.

"As far as just looking at Paul Lo Duca across the field, I'm not really into how he acts behind the plate," Thomson said on a conference call. "I know a bit about [Toronto catcher] Gregg Zaun and I know he wants to win and he's not going to let anything get in his way to do that, and I like that.

"And then with Vernon Wells in center field, I'm not really concerned about the outfield with him out there. ... Just watching the Mets' outfield, if Cliff Floyd is still there it's not a real good fit for him out there. He can hit the ball, but as far as defense, he's a little shaky.

"I just liked what's happening in Toronto."

What happened to the Paulie we knew and loved? First it was the gambling thing, then the teenage affair and divorce from smokin' hot wife (baby-daughter-caught-up-in-mess division) thing, then the "fuck the Dodgers" thing.

Frankly, Paulie, we were behind you...until the "fuck the Dodgers" thing.

Oh, and way to burn bridges, John Thomson. The Sparkletts Man you are not.

UPDATE: And also not a researcher. From MLB Trade Rumors:

The thing is, the Mets have a guy in center field, goes by the name of Beltran...he's not too shabby with the glove. Other thing is, Floyd is a free agent and won't be back with the Mets. Still, in general, the Jays do have a better defensive outfield than the Mets. Mostly because of Shawn Green.

UPDATE: More Paulie hate, reported by Ken Rosenthal at FOXSports.com:

Blue Jays right-hander John Thomson is not alone in his criticism of Mets catcher Paul LoDuca. Many rival players believe LoDuca is overrated defensively, and some Mets officials are still miffed that LoDuca allowed right-hander Guillermo Mota to abandon his changeup in a pivotal at-bat against the Cardinals' Scott Spiezio in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series. Mota got ahead 0-2 on changeups, but Spiezio hit a two-out, two-run double off a fastball to tie the score.