29
2012
Mets Confident They Will Keep Jose Reyes, Err, David Wright
An article by 
Joel Sherman of the New York Post says that the Mets remain confident they can retain David Wright beyond 2013. Where have we heard that before?
Sherman cites a a more secure financial outlook as why he sees the Mets offering Wright an extension that will keep their all star third baseman from bolting for free agency.
That’s great and all, but he kind of deflates his own argument when he writes this:
Wright’s return to elite status this year means the Mets have to expect to pay well north of the six-year, $100 million extension Washington gave to Ryan Zimmerman in February, when the third baseman still had two years at $26 million remaining on his previous deal.
Tell me your kidding, Joel?
Anyone who thinks this front office is going to pay David Wright more than “Zimmerman Money” are drinking way too much of the Mets Koolaid.
Let me tell you EXACTLY what’s happening here…
Today is July 29th and there is still one-third of the season to be played. The goal here is to start flooding the airwaves with popcorn and cotton candy just like they did when Reyes was here. They need to keep as many fannies in the seats as they possibly can for the rest of this season.
I mean just two weeks ago Sandy Alderson boasted he had money to spend and that he was a buyer, only to stand idly by while he watched his team lose their closer and two-fifths of their rotation without so much as one move to remedy that situation. His wait and see approach, which I warned would be his tactic, certainly aided this current Mets slide.
Since the All Star break, Jason Bay’s presence in that dugout has not led to the desired results and every time Terry Collins, who gets his marching orders from Colonel Klink, says “we need Jason’s bat in the lineup”, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
The Mets financial situation is significantly better and the money is there to spend, but remember who we have at the helm. Alderson’s whole purpose for being here was too slash payroll and make the Mets a $75 million dollar team. He’s almost there.
Many of you thought I was sniffing glue when I first mentioned that $75 million payroll goal back in 2010 around the Winter Meetings, but I’ve picked up thousands of believers since then. Alderson doesn’t have the intention of signing Wright or any player to a six-figure deal – forget about it – get that into your brains. This will not be “Moneyball with money”, as Paul DePodesta exhorted after he was brought on board.
He may be banking on the fact that Wright will simply give the team a $30-40 million dollar hometown discount. That’s not happening either, David Wright is not the fool the front office is hoping he is.
Wright’s a smart kid with plenty of great seasons still ahead of him and comments he’s made all season long point to a departure from the team and not continuing a fruitless longterm relationship with them. “Winning a World Series is what will determine where I ultimately go when I sign my next contract.”
The other thing to remember is that most players who play in a team option year, rarely forego free agency after making it that far.
The reason Zimmermen and Tulo signed extensions with their teams is because their teams got those deals done at least two years before they had to and not at the last minute. That’s how most teams treat their star players.
By this time in 2014, we might be saying David who?
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.
53 Comments + Add Comment
NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 42 | 28 | .600 | - |
| Nationals | 34 | 35 | .493 | 7.5 |
| Phillies | 34 | 37 | .479 | 8.5 |
| Mets | 25 | 40 | .385 | 14.5 |
| Marlins | 22 | 47 | .319 | 19.5 |
Last updated: 06/18/2013
Recent Comments
- TexasGusCC: on Mets Acquire Eric Young Jr. For Collin McHugh, DFA Cowgill and Promote Brown: Good move! There I said it....
- RandomGuy: on Wheeler Deals, Mets Sweep Braves In Nightcap, 6-1: And you keep Murphy at first? Duda...
- XtreemIcon: on Wheeler Deals, Mets Sweep Braves In Nightcap, 6-1: Scouts don't lie. Maybe they get it...
- BadBadLeroyBrown: on Wheeler Deals, Mets Sweep Braves In Nightcap, 6-1: Second base of course...Mets have a free...
- BadBadLeroyBrown: on Wheeler Deals, Mets Sweep Braves In Nightcap, 6-1: I have never heard he was miserable...
Latest From Mets Minors
Check Out These Great MLB Links!
Photographs From Gordon Donovan
Fans Follow Us On Twitter!
1332 Fans Like Us On Facebook!
2341 Fans Read Our Feed!
1702 Fans Subscribe via Daily Email!
Joe D, You hit the Bullseye!!This GM will would not give Babe Ruth a six year deal in his prime.He was sent here to save the Wilpozis behind and keep the team in the family.The last thing he will do is give Wright 120 mill for 6 years imho.I am a DW fan and i would love to see him stay in town and sign with the Yankees as a FA.Than Metfans can wear 2 bags over our heads at Chittifield if we attend game.
He’s gone and I firmly believe it now. When that happens I may be gone too. Can’t take too much more of this.
alderson will determine what wright is worth to the franchise and offer it to him. if someone offers more, so be it.
are we still angry about losing reyes? reyes is wildly overpaid and his pay is hurting the team and causing them to fire sale. also he is playing far worse this year.
acquiring a highly paid player can hurt the team. its stupid to throw more money than than people than they are worth.
Joel Sherman is a tool.
HOGAAAN! LOL
When we see the story that says Sandy tried to negotiate with Wright during the season after knowing full well he wouldn’t do that you can kiss David Wright’s fanny goodbye!
Anyone have a Ghirardelli Catalog they can send Sandy?
In the eyes of the Lords of Baseball and Emperor Selig the Mets are Fred Wilpon and it’s all about saving Fred Wilpon. It’s probable that Alderson received his orders from Selig and is carrying them out to the best of his ability. This should have been obvious from the start. But I also believe Sandy is economically trying to build a strong minor league base to allow the Mets to be a middle of the pack team while on a budget. As for the immediate future the blue and orange be damned.
Well Gate it’s not the Wilpons who need saving…
They got saved the minute they pretty much won that sweetheart deal in the Picard suit!
This isn’t about Wilpon Finances at all this is about making a Big Market team run like a Small Market team so Selig can retire with a feather in his cap that says “He did what he was made Baseball Commissioner to do”
Get the spending of Big Market teams in line and get Owner back what they used to have tha ability to pay less and pocket the huge profits!
Selig was the Small Market choice to be Commisioner!
And his legacy would be that of a failure if he doesn’t get one Big Market team to act the way a Small Market teams wants them to act!
Well the Mets are serving that role and that is why Selig insisted on us Hiring Sandy…
Not to Save the Wilpons but to save his own legacy by accomplishing what he could not do because he had no control of any MLB team until now!
Remember the days when Selig went before Congress and complained every team in the MLB was losing money which is why they had to play hardball with the Player’s Association?
Seligs reason for being was all about pleasing the Small Market Owners who backed him and now he has finally managed to forfill their goals by turning us into the Pirates and A’s!
Hi Metsie,
You really think it goes that deep with Selig? I thought he was just trying to help his pal Fred keep from having to sell the team.
He can try and make the Mets look like a small market team but the only thing he will accomplish is making the Mets a small market team IMHO.
The whole situation, however, seems so crazy. If the Wilpons have the money, then why would they allow Sandy Alderson to drive the team into the ground both competitively and economically? As you alluded to, the possible answer is that the Wilpons aren’t broke but that they can no longer get the credit to continue accumulating the capital needed to sustain the franchise. Who really knows at this moment.
And is it just an ego trip on Alderson’s part to prove that M. Donald Grant was right?
Pearl Harbor, Grassy Knoll, The Lincoln Penny, The Illuminati and The Mets. Conspiracy theories run deep.
The grassy knoll and 9-11 don’t run as deep as the Mets!
These statements coming from the Sandy Apologists who blame everything BUT Global Warming for Sandy’s failures so far!
No, global warming is Sandy’s fault. Everything else isn’t.
I thought he invented the internet?
Hahaha. He may not have invented the Internet, but Sandy probably invented spam mail.
No I am pretty sure it was the internet. He was of course an Ivy league military brat and needed some way to punish the masses with drivel.
Yep Joey I thin Selig saw an opprtunity and took it!
As for why they let him well they have always let the GM run the show the way he wanted!
They have done that since they took over!
And no I didn’t say they couldn’t get credit in fact thier credit is probably pretty damn good with now since they paid off thier debts to the MLB and BoA and have not missed a single Stadium Payment.
The debt on SNY isn’t only thier debt and it’s virtual peanuts in comparison to the Stadium.
Say it ain’t so Joe!
I’m an optimist beyond Moneyball SA and believe that David will remain with Mets long term because I can’t see fans just accepting this after the Jose fiasco plus his presence in the community/charity work, all around great teammate, citizen of Queens makes his retainment important to this franchise, IMO.
Jose was one thing but I will give credence to baseball writers when they get a story right and/or stop being shill for the FO/owners.
Well Sarge the problem will be that while your correct not extending Wright will cause the Fans to revolt as they will not accept that, It will be too late to keep Wright and the Damage will have been done.
At that point replacing Sandy will be too late!
We might as well then go watch the re-runs of the Joe Torre Mets cause thats what we will be then!
Another thing not to be overlooked is how Alderson’s BS will affect the clubhouse. The players have heard how, because they played so much better than expected, the F/O owed it to the players to try and bring in some help for the 2nd half before the deadline. They heard how the team has money to spend and that they would be “buyers”. Then, as the team spiraled out of control to start the 2nd half, it degenerated into “the next 7-10 days will determine what we do or don’t do.” When this team needed help, where was the front office? What about the promise to help a team that had exceeded expectations?
Now, I’m not advocating making trades for the sake of making trades, ala Omar Minaya or spending money just because you can. I don’t want to see needless spending or dealing prospects for players of only marginal value. But I cannot stand two faced, double tongued lies either. And don’t think the players haven’t noticed how they’ve been lied to. And don’t underestimate what effect that will have on morale, or has already had for that matter. I’m pretty sure that Alderson could, or at least could have, made some moves that would have both helped in the short term while not mortgaging the future. That’s what good GM’s do. But then we don’t have one do we. We have a man who hasn’t built a winning team in 20 years and whose last “winner” was also the team that ushered in the steroid age of baseball. Enough said.
Hi 86,
Team Morale?
I claimed that last season and was told by a few that was all BS since these are professionals and are being paid to do a job. Two years running and this is going to stick in the minds of Davis, Gee, Thole, Murphy, Neise, Tejada so much that I can hear them starting to repeat what R.A. said last year.
I think David will want to run out of here just like the rest of us aren’t running toward Citi Field to see him.
Joey
Can anyone but me see David Wright being the heir apparent to A Rod at 3rd base for the Bombers. If he wants a shot at a World Series ring? I know I am talking nasty here and expect to get the hate mail but seriously I bet him and his agent probably discussed this over a prime rib and fine wine.
Yep and if I had to bet I would say Reyes will be playing SS next to him as well!
Then we might actually see how foolish all those who said we never won WITH those two so they are disposable really were when they said it!
Maybe it’s just me, but if Wright signs with the Skanks it will be far more devestating to me than any other such reversal of a Met in team history, despite Doc, despite Straw…I mean, I would hate him flat out. Yep, that’s the capricious, childish baseball fan in me coming out.
You know, the idea that Alderson and Wilpons and Podesta aren’t spending each waking moment of their work days trying to figure out how to give the Mets the best chance to be world champions kind of makes me insane if I sit and think about it for too long. I mean, WhyTF, would you even want to be a part of a competitive, professional team’s organization, let alone ownership w/o that kind of attitude?
Confusing article. Is it going to be the FO’s fault Wright will be gone or Wright’s decision he’ll be gone?
You quoted Wright as saying winning a WS will determine where he signs next. That would indicate it’s about winning that ring and not about the salary offers he receives. So wouldn’t the speculation of the FO hoping for a 35 MIL hometown discount be moot?
‘By this time in 2014, we might be saying David who?’
Just wondering why you said ‘might’ there when everything written before that is of the opinion that he’s good as gone.
Also, maybe I missed it but I don’t recall seeing where either side talked about just picking up his option this off season and worrying about an extension sometime next season. Only thing I read was Wright didn’t want to discuss an extension until after this season was over. While I agree most upcoming FAs choose to hit FA come beginning or mid season of their walk year (re: Reyes, Pulols), some do not (re: Hamels).
Little early to declare Wright gone when talks haven’t taken place yet. If they do just pick up his option and refuse to discuss an extension come this winter – or pick up his option and open up trade talks for Wright – I’ll be right there with you.
Or it suggests that Wright will e-sign if he thinks we will actually do what is needed to get to a WS as opposed to actually winning one…
If Sandy keeps insisting on playing Moneyball and give up every July to get more kids for the goods players he stumbles on with his pitter/pattering in the K-Mart aisles every year then Wright might decide this team is going nowhere and might as well go someplace where his career won’t be sullied by never getting to the Big Show!
You know players start off with one goal to play in the MLB
Then the goal is to make enough to set you up for life after baseball.
Wright has achieved both of those goals and there is only one (maybe it’s considered two) goal left…
To get to and WIN a WS.
To get that Ring!
Once a player has done that his career is quite complete and the only thing left to do is to play well enough to get elected to the Hall!
‘Or it suggests that Wright will e-sign if he thinks we will actually do what is needed to get to a WS as opposed to actually winning one…’
And what proves to Wright they are serious about winning a WS? Spending money? Improving the team? Spending money to improve the team? Investing in the farm system and development?
The Wilpons had no problem spending money once they bought out Doubleday. No problem handing over money to Omar to increase the payroll to one of the highest in the NL, if not the highest for a few years. What’s changed now? There is only one answer. The Mets are broke. That’s all on the Wilpons and nobody but the Wilpons.
The days of free spending came to an end when the fictitious Madoff money dried up and the Wilpons were looking at a billion dollar lawsuit along with Citi revenues being way under projected numbers. The entire past 18 months were spent doing everything possible for them to hold onto the team, rather than sell. Never mind they didn’t have the money to operate the team. No problem, we’ll slash payroll, minor league affiliates, employees, bring in investors, deals with Selig, etc. etc.
What reason do you think the Wilpons are going to slash payroll down to 75 MIL as this article suggests? I can only come to one conclusion: The Wilpons refuse to sell and will do whatever is necessary to hold onto the team and still be able to meet payroll.
There is no way the Wilpons are trying to hand this FO another 50 million or so and they’re saying ‘No thank you’. Just not even remotely feasible.
I’m as pissed as the next fan that the Mets are in the position they’re in. I just see no point in shooting the messenger. I’ll direct my anger where I believe it starts – with the Wilpons.
When the front Office stops calling it a season in July not just in actions but in the press as well!
Doom and gloom gets ratings, er, web hits. Just remember that 4D.
Hamels stayed in Philly for 140+ million. Think Sandy Wilpon will give that kind of dough. They could have had him for Zimmerman money last Winter but they gave the BS lets wait and see. Now he’s worth Kemp money. 20 mil a year. will the Wilpon’s do it?
Holy crap, we better sign him because now not only is he a great 3B but he is a young dominant LH starting pitcher.
Lets get it over with. FIRE SALE NOW. Prediction: Wright Option is excecised and he is traded for a young quality catcher.
I can never envision a shill like Alderson ever calling a press conference to announce that the Wilponzi’s are spending 120 million on a guy who Fred (aka Fredo) Wilpon has already told the whole world is a ‘nice guy,not a superstar”.
BULL’S EYE!
A lot of speculation as to if Wright will indeed be resigned or not. I can understand much of it based some on the loss of Reyes to an extent but while there is no way of knowing what will happen down the road I am hopeful at this time that something can be worked out where Wright remains a Met.
Hi North,
While it is true nobody knows what tomorrow will bring, one can make an educated guess based upon past actions, circumstances and behavioral tendencies – especially in light of how far the club has fallen and if the decisions made were genuine attempts to reverse that action. And no matter what the causes were, we are seeing its effects.
Yes one can indeed make an educated guess but at the end of the day it still is a guess. Like I said, lots of speculation regarding what will happen with Wright some due to what has transpired with past free agents. I can’t foresee what the end result will be but I am hopeful at this time that something can be worked out where Wright remains a Met.
Hi North,
Glad to see you remain the eternal optimist – and we sure do need one now!
Well I don’t know who “we” is nor really care. I feel how I do for me alone like I imagine you feel the way you do for you alone. I can allow for things to play out and see if the end result was worth it before reacting. Others may want to go a different route. To each his own.
Joe,
My original analysis last winter was there was no intention of keeping Wright after Reyes left. My only surprise is that they haven’t had any rumors leaked that he IS available. But the price is exhorbitant to prospective buyers.
This Ownership has no intention of doing anything until the debt load is reduced on both the stadium and the financial aspects of SNY. Onfield product and fans be damned…
The reprehensible thing is, that even the most optimistic Met fan could see that this team needed help in the pen and depth with the rotation. Everyone knew that a right handed bat was needed. Tell me that the Mets couldn’t have gave the Astros a comparable package for Wandy Rodriguez or Brett Myers. Or both…Neither player brought much in the way of “true prospects” .
Wright will either be dealt this winter IMHO or be dealt at the deadline next year… after all, the turnstiles need an attraction…That’s the only reason David’s still here. Anybody else think that people aren’t inquiring on Wright even right now? They are, it’s just on the downlow.
Why would anyone trade for him now when they would lose his option year (ie, he becomes a FA) and get no compensation? Assuming he is traded (which may or may not happen) it will be during offseason when his option is exercised and what ever team acquires him will obtain draft compensation should he not re-sign with them.
They could exercise his option then dal him. That’s the business of baseball njstuckintx.
they could eercise his optio today if they so choose. and deal him i meant to say…
I’m not quite sure that’s how it works.
No they can’t excercise his option and then deal him. It’s a provision in his contract. They have to wait until after the season to excercise it and then trade him, they can’ do it until then.
Thank you.
Sorry Sir, I defer to those more knowledgeable on contracts’ And sorry to you njstuckintx, no offense intended.
None taken. We are all Mets fans, and I think we all forget that. We all want the team to win. Win big and win often. I hope well can spill beer on each other hi-5ing and jumping around celebrating a world wseries victory.
Does anybody still feel the same way the day this was released?
http://mets.lohudblogs.com/2010/10/29/sandy-alderson-introduced-as-new-mets-gm-gets-four-year-contract-with-option-for-fifth/
I do, but but saying that, I’m a Sandy worshiper, though I am not. I prefer to call myself patient.
I was surprised when Reyes wasn’t resigned. But the money situation was probably at an all-time worst for the Wilpons when Jose became a free agent.
However, I do believe that David will be offered a long term contract. The Mets need to do it for a few reasons. Firstly, the money situation is different than it was a year ago. They can more accurately know how much money they have now and plan for the future. Secondly, Wright is extremely popular with the fans. Youngsters love him and he sells a lot of jerseys. He is as close to being as popular as Mickey was fifty five years ago. He puts fannies in seats. Thirdly, he’s in his prime – you can still build a team around him.
Sandy may not want to spend a lot of money on him. Sandy may hate the idea of offering him 100 million plus – but ultimately Freddie will step in and say “Do It”. Fred may be gullible (I’m being nice here) but he’s not stupid.
Sad but true. Memo to Alderson: Fool me once shame on me. Fool me twice shame on you.
Joe, stop making the story about you, what you said, what you predicted. Too much narcissism.
also it is silly to complain about alderson not trading away young players to replace the injured guys in the rotations is absurd, particularly after the callup and performance of matt harvey.