According to the Internet, and a rumor that seems to have been around for months now, the Mets are expected to announce that they’ve signed veteran reserve infielder Alex Cora to a 1-year contrract. Cora, a lefthanded hitter, is expected to be the primary middle infield defensive backup, and comes to the Mets with the kind of reputation for the intangibles Omar Minaya cannot resist.

Cora in his 11-year career has most frequently worn No. 3 and more recently, No. 13: With 3 recently surrendered by Damian Easley and 13 belonging nominally to potential late-season callup Billy Wagner, we’d bet (and bet big) he winds up in 3. It’s a nice wussyish benchwarming shortstop number after all, Ruth notwithstanding.

In other new-Met news, Marty Noble of mlb.com reports that Tim Redding knew that jersey No. 44 at one time belonged to David Cone (nice!) but that had 23 been available he’d have taken it instead for … Don Mattingly (what?).