24
2013
The Bourn Ultimatum: Should We Or Shouldn’t We?
An article by 
The Mets want Michael Bourn, but not at the risk of losing their first round draft pick according to John Harper of the Daily News. No surprise there, but even if they could get MLB to protect their pick, are they suddenly going to splurge with the money it would take to sign the Scott Boras client?
Or is this just another attempt to dupe fans into thinking that the Mets can still act like a big market team even though in the end it’s just much ado about nothing?
Harper hints that if Sandy Alderson and the Mets don’t do something about their current outfield the joke may be on the GM and not the outfield.
If the Mets somehow find a way to sign Michael Bourn in the coming days, thereby assuring themselves of fielding at least one honest-to-goodness major league outfielder in 2013, then surely fans will feel better about Sandy Alderson’s rather edgy sense of humor. Until then, a thicker skin might be in order.
For the moment, Bourn-to-the-Mets still seems like a longshot. But two people in the organization on Wednesday indicated that the ballclub has significant interest in signing the free-agent center fielder — at the right price.
With Justin Upton now off the market, the Rangers, Orioles and Mariners may also be shifting their attention to Bourn and will pursue him aggressively. That will drive the price up not down.
Assuming the Mets don’t get that pick protected, I like the argument against Bourn that Jon Presser of The Shea Faithful posted last night. It’s quite convincing.
If they were to sign Bourn, the Mets would forfeit not only their first round pick, but also the allotted money for that pick, which could cripple their entire draft.
The way the MLB Draft works now, teams are given a capped budget for their first ten picks of a given draft, a non-negotiable figure that cannot be exceeded under any circumstances.
Last year, the Mets had a total budget of roughly $7 million, and their top pick was valued at about $2.55 million, or 35% of their total budget.
While those numbers may be different in 2013, it’s reasonable to expect that their top pick will be roughly 25-35% of their total budget. That’s a lot to give up for Michael Bourn.
Signing Bourn would essentially mean forfeiting a high draft pick and potentially a third or so of their total draft budget. Bourn is simply not worth giving up all of that.
It’s hard to ignore the impact signing Bourn will have on the Mets draft later this June. It’s more than just the pick itself.
Still, Bourn remains the last available outfielder that would represent a significant improvement over what the Mets have now. But here are the pros and cons as I see them:
Pros
- Bourn will represent the first real improvement to the major league team. Not a bad thing for a GM who promised significant changes back in October. He’ll go straight into the leadoff spot.
- His price may have gone down recently to a 3-4 year demand rather than a 5-6 year demand.
- He’s a gold glove caliber defender and would pay big dividends on that alone. Imagine that – a real outfielder.
- His speed would be a welcomed addition to a team that was ranked among the bottom in stolen bases last season. Comes in handy when you keep feeding the fans your goal is to build the team around pitching, defense and speed.
Cons
- Bourn bats lefthanded as do Duda, Nieuwenhuis and Baxter. He gives the Mets a lineup that is overly lefthanded to a fault.
- Bourn’s biggest asset is his speed and he’ll soon be on the wrong side of 30. The legs are the first thing to go.
- He will cost the Mets a pick. Whether it’s a first or second round pick has yet to be decided.
- His on-base skills are not as good as you would like to see for what will be his high price tag.
Did I miss anything?
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.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 42 | 30 | .583 | - |
| Phillies | 35 | 37 | .486 | 7.0 |
| Nationals | 34 | 36 | .486 | 7.0 |
| Mets | 27 | 40 | .403 | 12.5 |
| Marlins | 22 | 48 | .314 | 19.0 |
Last updated: 06/19/2013
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Take a risk on Bourn. Mets need a leadoff hitter since Reyes left last season.
Did I miss anything?”
Yes, he makes the mets better???? And by what we’ve drafted the past 2 years, i don’t think we’ll be missing the round 1 draft pick… also, the mets want the cake and eat it too, last year they didn’t sign their #2 round pick and got an extra pick this year moving ahead of the jays i think, yet this year they’re fighting and bitching because the pirates move ahead of them since they didn’t sign their #1 pick from last year… This team and its FO is something else
the ruling request has nothing to do with complaining about getting a replacement pick from the prior year. They don’t care about the Pirates doing the same thing they are.
the issue is, the spirit (intent) at least of the rule is that the 10 worst teams get their pick protected. Slotting in a replacement should not change that. In effect, the Pirates (if in the bottom 10 again) would be getting 2 protected picks this year, taking the Mets.
and as laid out in the post, the pick itself is not the worst part, it is the ripple effect of leaving so much less money for downstream picks. So in effect, no more “overslots”.
The “spirit” of the rule means nothing…it is how the rule is written. It is to the Mets advantage to try and get an exemption but, in the end, I think they will be refused.
Alex, Do you want him or not? I think they should sign him. But knowing The GM , he is just tricking us.
Lmao, 2012 i do agree, playing mind games..
Rosenthal: Source: Union would support #Mets if team asked MLB to allow it to forfeit 2nd-round pick instead of 1st for signing Michael Bourn.
Which means since they have 2 numbers 2 round picks, they’d be fine with losing one. so basically, they’ll be giving up the reyes pick to acquire a player just like reyes, but not as good. Smart
Absolutely not. For one, we had a much better leadoff hitter named Jose Reyes who we declined to pay last year. And more importantly, why forfeit our first round pick for a guy who’s on the wrong side of 30? Especially when we are rebuilding.
I can only assume the Mets are doing Boras a favor by pretending to be interested in his client, in order for some sort of “I owe you” the next time the organization and agent do business. Otherwise I can’t figure out why we’d have any interest at all.
Also the players union needs to do something about this first round pick compensation as it can greatly reduce a players earning potential.
An “I owe you” from Boras? Boras owes nobody anything. That is why he is the top players agent out there.
You missed your opinion, I think…
I’m against signing him.
How ’bout you Joe?
I can go either way, not really leaning toward any particular side. That’s why my title was a question. If you know me, when I have an opinion it’s bold and you definitely know what side I’m on.
sounds like the draft pool hit is a bigger concern than losing the 1st round pick itself, since that can have a negative impact in later rounds, impacting multiple picks.
certainly a lot to give up for a nice but not superstar level player.
The point Presser makes about not just losing the pick but the allotted money for that slot as well is one often not referenced. Needless to say he makes a good point.
The other valid point also is Bourn bats left-handed and the idea was to try and add a right-handed hitting OF.
At this point I think they may be better off looking at Dariel Alvarez.
I want Alvarez regardless of what happens with Bourn.
IF Bourn doesn’t cost us the #11 pick & we’re able to use the slotted $$$$’s to sign the pick, then yeah why not. He improves our up-the-middle D big time and makes Duda less of a liability in LF. And with a combo of Bourn / Brown or Cowgill / Kirk or Baxter, we even have good OF Defense on days Duda isn’t playing (!). I’m betting Kirk may not make the team.
If this story is legit it may mean forget Dariel Alvarez as well for at least 6 months.
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elnuevoherald.com%2F2013%2F01%2F24%2F1390727%2Funa-vieja-traba-se-interpone-entre.html
Pros
5 – He is about as good as the other guys who got signed at his price range and fits a need better than some of them as well. I was in favor of Signing Victorino who got 13 Mil for 2 years. If Bourne comes at 14 Mil per he is a better option than that.The extra Mil would seemingly be worth it.
6 – He will become our leadoff hitter, add speed to the top of the order, and cover enough ground to let Duda cheat the line and to help anchor it for the Kids that we will have playing right. This allows tejada to drop to #2 in the lineup where he is much more suited to hit since he can be selective at the plate, Fight off pitches when behind in the count, and all that will give Bourne lots of opportunity to steal bases.
7 – Leadoff settled then all we need to find after that is the Power RH bat to play RF I have been asking for. Someone who can drive in Bourne and protect Ike Davis. Murphy or Duda can protect him in the lineup and we will have balance again. AT that point your team is pretty much complete.
Cons
First a comment on #1 Yes he is a lefty and we have plenty of those but he will bat leadoff replacing Tejada so the lineup looks like:
Bourne L
Tejada R
Murphy L
Wright R
Davis L
This is where I want the power RH Bat RFer to go (does nothing for this year d’Arnaud probably hits here this year)
Duda L
D’Arnaud R
So it’s not the issue it would seem to be as far as Lefty Hefty now that d’Arnaud is here.
Other Cons
5 – Price He is going to cost this team money it seems unwilling to spend except in cases where PR is at stake and this deal MIGHT fit that…
6 – He is going to want more than a 3 year deal and that leaves Nimmo’s ability to break through in question. Perhaps this can be a PRO since we could trade Bourne whenever Nimmo is ready and try to get a kid back for the pick we will lose to get him.
I’m for it if it’s 3/4 yrs 7-10mil ish a year.
He adds speed which the Mets have none
He adds exceptional center field defense, which the mets have none
He’ll lessen the burden of Duda/whoever on defense just by playing CF with them. Which will make our pitchers slightly better.
He’s a significant upgrade over Kirk. And with no real future CF waiting in the wings over the next 1-2 yrs, I don’t see why Bourn is such a bad idea.
I don’t see him accepting less than $13-15m per year, but it is getting late so maybe he will get desperate?
Well, don’t forget the market for him just shrunk again. ATL was talking to him, now he’s got 1 less suitor.
At some point you have to secure yourself a job… he’s not winning this off-season right now
Just as much as it shrunk for all the teams who were trying to get Upton like Seattle…
If there was only one team interested in Bourne and they had signed someone else then what you say might work in our favor….
But Since multiple teams were in on trying to get Upton and Bourne is all that remains his price may have actually gone up because now anyone who wants an OFer is forced to bid up the one thats left…
And all it takes is two bidders to make the price go up.
The early bird gets the worm. That’s the philosophy i like as far as baseball goes. This waiting and waiting and waiting just because you’re under the assumption that you’re smarter than everybody else irks me to no end. I’m not saying anything good could never come of it but the early gets the worm is what it is for a reason and I prefer that than making a philosophy of trying to succeed with leftovers.
His highest salary, I believe, was just under 7 million in 2012. His steals are slipping somewhat. What makes him worth 14 or 15 million? Good CF defense and good speed. That’s it. “I knew Jose Reyes, and he’s no Jose Reyes.”
I would sign Bourn and then put together a package to acquire Stanton.
And what package do you think the Mets could put together to get Stanton? The only asset the Mets have is pitching and it would take most of it to get Stanton.
You trade Harvey or Wheeler, Syndergaard, and some others, that leaves the Mets with basically Gee, Niese, and Harvey to build around. Now you would have a stud bat but absolutely no pitching other than getting back into the scrap heap.
right, I think you’d have to hope they love a kid like Wilmer Flores and then part ways with Wheeler and likely Familia/Fulmer/Syndergaard plus another prospect to start the convo.
I love Stanton, it’d be a massive risk for both teams but I just don’t see it happening.
How is getting Stanton a risk for the mets?
LMAO
Yeah, I’m really curious as well as to how it’s a “massive risk” when the Mets & Marlins are practically in the same boat when it comes to need, running things at a slight budget and yet, have the pieces that would benefit both sides in the present & near future.
Wrong we also have Flores and Snydergaard!
Thats a pretty good start….And anyone who says Snydergaard isn’t ebnough prospect better go back and look over their feelings on the Dickey trade before I do!
Add to that if you get Stanton maybe Nimmo isn’t all that important to keep around.
In any case we have what it would take to get him without having to name Wheeler in the deal.
Especially if Bourne signs with Seattle who is probably the only other team looking for OF and has the prospects to get him.
I see no problem including Nimmo into the deal. But like all the rest, he doesnt have a great value at this time. Flores, TDA, and Wheeler are the only three prospects with any worth simply because they can see the majors in 2013.
As for Syndergaard, he was already included in the deal. It will take Harvey or Wheeler, Syndergaard, and them some other pieces. It might end up a 4 or 5 for 1 deal which would clear out the Mets farm.
I don’t buy Bourn to the Mets at all, especially the more this plays out in the media. I think Boras is rejoicing now because Bourn’s price keeps going up the more the “Mets” work hard to acquire him. The teams we “know” looking for outfielders Rangers, Orioles, Mariners. Boras has his mystery team and he’s playing them like a fiddle. The Yankees have been quiet for weeks, if it’s a 1-2 year deal, I got them as the mystery team.
You have to wonder if a team is going to lose a draft pick for Bourn, if Boras’s asking price will come down.
Until the contract is signed and sealed I won’t believe Bourn is going for anything less than 3-4 years with an AAV of 13-15MM. I definitely don’t think this draft pick mess is killing his value as people are making it seem. It’s not helping it, it’s just not killing it. Rangers say they’re out, but if they don’t or can’t get Stanton, I have to believe they’re in. Mets, Orioles, Mariners, and Cubs have all been linked. At the least, Boras has five teams there bidding against each other. So Bourn has at least five suitors…this is the real reason I don’t see him coming here.
I really haven’t heard the O’s. I actually think Texas could sneak back in but it’s not what they are looking for and the Cubs signing Hairston I think rules them out too.
I don’t buy everything I read, but this shows there is indeed a market for Bourn. Link…
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/jon-heyman/21605884/the-bourn-market-mets-braves-rangers-ms-and-four-more
The guys at MLBN this morning basically laughed at that article and Jim Memolo basically said that he can think of 30 teams that have reasons not to sign him…
As you said, you can’t believe everything you read but:
https://twitter.com/BNightengale/status/294524583917281280
Even looking at Heyman’s list you can use logic to narrow the field.
Mets? maybe
Rangers? said they were out, could they get back in? Sure.
Braves? out now.
M’s? IN
O’s? I have to think he is just speculating.
Cubs? I think they are out after signing Hairston
Rays? No shot IMO
Dodgers? Really?
I’m trying to imagine this to be like the Santana situation where teams start dropping like flies and the Mets are the last team standing. However, I just don’t see Boras not getting his man 3-4 at 13-15MM AAV. And I’m not sure the Mets will meet that price. Beware of the mysterious mystery team.
To be successful in life, you need to make sacrifices, in this case draft picks on one year. Given the fact that the majority of prospects dont pan out as planned, i think it is worth it, it might even be a no brainer. He bats left? So what? He fills a handfull of needs that the Mets currently have (leadoff hitter, good defense, speed). I say go for it.
“Bourn’s biggest asset is his speed and he’ll soon be on the wrong side of 30″
Here’s the biggest problem I have with this “wrong side of 30″ argument. You cannot say that he’s on the wrong side of 30 when you locked up David Wright, who’s a week older than him and got more years & money Bourn will see on the FA market.
Another possible pro to Bourn coming here: the hitting philosophy. You may remember a while back the argument I made about bringing back Carlos Gomez and him benefiting from the current hitting philosophy of working the count. Michael Bourn would be another example. Over the last 4 seasons, here is his line from him when he gets ahead of pitchers:
2009: .393/.547/.556/1.104
2010: .345/.516/.461/.976
2011: .322/.457/.441/.897
2012: .351/.511/.531/1.041
Eye popping, isn’t it?
Originally, I was all for younger alternatives like Fowler & Brantley who would give the team the similar kind of productivity before getting into Bourn. The 1st round pick didn’t bother me much because we all know Santana is gonna get switched up for a top prospect or two at the trade deadline, which would virtually whitewash the fact that the Mets gave up their 1st round pick. For future reference, it seems like MLB needs to change up the rule about a team getting a pick in the 1st round (especially if it’s a “protected” pick) should they fail to sign their pick from the previous year and put it into the compensation round instead. Otherwise, the cluster happening now is only gonna happen over & over again.
If all this hoopla gets out of the way, like I’ve been saying since November, offer him 3 years, $45 million. If possible, an option for a 4th year. Take it or leave it.
Here are his 2012 stats: BB/50; SO/155; BA/274; OBP/348; SLG/391; OPS/739.
If you check out the league average lines for hitters’ counts, you’ll find that Bourn’s numbers there are actually not all that overly impressive. Its right around par with the rest of the league if not slightly above average. In fact his 2011 numbers are actually quite low, and well below league average.
League averages in hitters’ counts are insanely high, and league averages in pitchers’ counts are insanely low, so they kind of even each other out to the .250-.260 league batting average range.
Wright is a much better bet to be productive at age 35 than Bourn is due to the position he plays and the effects of losing a couple of steps.
Bourn´s traditionally high batting average on balls in play (due to his speed) figures to regress eventually, meaning that instead of a .275ish sort of BA with all the K´s, he´ll slip into the .250ish BA and instead of an OBP of .345 may post an OBP of merely .320 to.325 a few years down the road. His Gold Glove CF defense may slip from great to merely above average.
So there certainly is a significant risk involved with giving Bourn more than 3 or 4 years.
Of course, several speedsters have managed to keep their speed well into their mid 30s. Juan Pierre or Ichiro being prime examples. And Bourn has been very healthy so far in his career. Still, sometimes speed disappears rather quickly, so a longterm deal to a player like Bourn could get quite ugly with a couple of serious leg injuries in a hurry.
That said, Bourn is by far the best defensive CF on the free agent market this year or next year (with Carlos Gomez probably coming in 2nd and BJ Upton 3rd). Except for maybe Peter Bourjos there may not be a better defensive CF in Baseball right now. And given the subpar defense of the current Mets OF, he´d be a strong addition for now and the next couple of years.
It all comes down to length and annual value of the contract – and of course, whether the 1st round pick in 2013 is gone or whether it´s merely a lottery ticket 2nd rounder. That alone can justify an extra year on a contract or a couple of million $ per year.
And the Mets are in a potentially unique situation here as all the other potential suitors for Bourn do not have a protected 1st round pick. If the Mets feel they do, then Bourn is an intriguing option for sure.
Thx for the opinion
Niese, Murphy, Den Dekker, Familia and Syndergaard for Stanton.
That leaves Harvey, Wheeler, Santana, Gee and Hefner/Meija in the rotation.
I will wait for the Marlins to stop laughing and then reply. Not sure you could hear me over that.
Not….even….close.
If you seriously want Stanton, start thinking of giving up 3 top prospects at the minimum.
From listening to MLBN, they said take your top 5 prospects and hope the Marlins like them enough to get it done.
Off the top of my head, that would probably mean Wheeler, Syn, Flores, Mateo. Yeah, I’d consider that type of package, but I wouldn’t want simply Stanton. I’d want either a relief pitcher, another OF, or if possible, both.
Sure, if they want to give us Stanton, Morrison and Nolasco?
Isn’t that people said when Upton was the guy being traded?
Did Arizona actually get that much?
I am not so sure that the Dbacks didn’t get a good haul for him.
Good haul..probably…Did they get the equiv of Niese or Wheeler and Davis which many suggested was the minimum that was needed?
Stanton’s a younger, stronger, and better animal than Upton. Loria wouldn’t be that stupid enough not to ask for and receive at least 3 top prospects for the best young power hitter in the game. Towers on the other hand, have been talking out of both sides of his mouth all winter long.
“Upton is available”
“We’re not thinking of trading Upton”
“Arizona is listening to offers”
“Upton is going nowhere”
“Upton traded to Seattle”
“Upton blocks trade”
“Towers not letting up on demands”
“I’m in no rush”
“Arizona in rush to trade Upton or Kubel by Friday”
“Braves Acquire Justin Upton”
Well Hitman as I have said many times and said plenty during the Upton discussions…
You can ASK for whatever you want….
But you will only get as much as someone offers and what they offer depends on what THEY think Stanton is worth and how many other teams think he’s worth trading for. and the latter usually only affects the 3rd and 4th player offerred in the trade not the first one or two…
The fact he is currently cheap and under contraol also means squat.
He’s pre-arb for this year but guys like Davis and Murphy jumped from under 600K per year to around 3 Mil. Imagine how high Stanton is going to jump in Arb next year? And the year after etc….
Unless they are prepared to buy out his Arb years He is not going to reamain cheap for very long…And for every year they don’t trade him that trade value will decline as the Salary goes up.
Exactly Metsie…..
Ive been reading Mets fans talk about giving up the whole freaking farm system for Stanton as if he is Willie Mays or the next coming of Babe Ruth….while he is very good he isnt worth what some here and the talking heads on ESPN or the MLB network claim him to be worth. I read someone say something about one of those shows stating pick your top 5 prospects and hope the Marlins like them!?!? Thats ridiculous…greater players have been traded for less….
Because 1st of all when the Marlins do decide to trade him it will be when he is no longer CHEAP and under team control….He will be arb eligible in 2014 at age 24….which is when Marlins will seriously start dangling him…at most they would pay him for one arbitration season then he will be traded ASAP….
For Instance if you want really want to find out Stantons value go no further than look at the last Young power hitting stud that the Marlins traded…..MIGUEL CABRERA!!!
Florida Marlins
Miguel Cabrera – 24yr old STUD (Was already a 4xAllstar 2xSilver slugger award winner)
Dontrelle Willis -25yr old STUD coming off bad year(2xAllstar, ROY, runner up for Cy Young)
Traded for
Detroit Tigers
Andrew Miller….LHP – Ranked #10 Top prospect by BaseballAmerica in 2007
Cameron Maybin CF – Ranked #06 Top prospect by BaseballAmerica in 2007
Eulogio De La Cruz RHP – Fringe prospect with no control who was projected to be a reliever
Burke Badenhop RHP- Mediocre minors Starting pitcher with a low K-rate nothing special
Dallas Trahern RHP – below avg minor leaguer at the time
Mike Rabelo C – 27yr old career minor leaguer at the time(in other words just minors depth)
IMO to acquire Stanton it will require a deal similar to what we got for Dickey with 1 or 2more throw in filler minor leaguers. Similar to the haul the Marlins got for Cabrera in 2007.
But isnt it funny how some people cringe at giving up top prospects but look what the tigers got for Cabrera…Do you think they regret doing this deal??? Did it set there franchise back at all…lol….Or elevate their team ever since this deal smh….
The issue with what people want to give away to get Stanton is more about thier feelings regarding our Farm than anything to do with what they think the Marlins will get for Stanton….
Thats why it’s always Wheeler/Harvey/Niese/Davis (and now d’Arnaud) in every trade proposal because they are the only ones THEY like and therefore think those are the only players any other team would like as well….
When I look at what we got for Dickey (a Cy Young Pitcher far rarer and more valuable than good OFer)
We didn’t get a top 10 overall pick! We d’Arnaud (injury issues) and Snydergaard PLUS was forced to eat a poison pill in Buck.
People gushed over that being a GREAT deal….
Wheeler was a yet unproven A Ball Pitcher when we traded Beltran for him. And Stanton is now Beltran but he might be close….
That makes Snydergaard close to equal to Wheeler in any trade for an OF. He is at the top of OUR prospect list after all….
They need a 3B in Miami…We have Flores who has no place to play until 2020!
So you start off with those two maybe throw in Kirk or I would even entertain throwing Duda in there and that should be enough to get Stanton.
From best I can tell there are only three teams (maybe 4) still in the OF market with Two top OFs available if you count Stanton….
Whoever gets Bourne comes off leaving three teams in the hunt.
Only Seattle has the kids that could overpay the way everyone suggests someone should for Stanton. Orioles may too but they just finished a Playoff season and will probably not be willing to purge a farm to get Stanton.
I think Texas was aslo looking and they are the most likely to pay Bourne his price in FA….
So in the end if we can’t get Stanton I think it will be more to do with being a division rival than anything to do with the quality of package we can put together….
If the Marlins were smart they would buy out Stanton’s remaining Arb years cause then they could be patient and wait for someone desperate to come along and get more.
It would make a lot more sense to explore a trade from a team with too many outfielders — like the Cubs — I like this kid Tony Campana who is presently third on the CF depth chart for the Cubs.
He’s a lefty but he plays a great CF he has blazing speed and he gets on base … Cubs don’t seem to like him for some reason and I don’t get it … we could probably get him for way less than what our 1st round pick will bag us next year and a lot less money.
I still think Sandy was trying to drive the price up for Bourn. I’d be floored if they give up their 1st round pick for Bourn, as I said previously, it would go against virtually everything we’ve come to expect from this front office.
I agree with strawberrypiazzawright sign him and he will improve the mets a lot, don’t sign him and we will really suck! He is worth the 11th pick because it will take years for the pick to
pan out or not pan out and in the meantime we will have a very good player for the next
3-4 years!! He just turned 30 in august so we will have him till 33 or 34 and at least he won’t
be 38 when the contracts up!! He will steal us a run a game and put pressure on opposing
pitchers to make mastakes! He had 171 hits,96 runs scored, 42 stolen bases and has won
2 gold gloves and was an all star last year! Yes he strikes out a lot (155 last year) proving
that nobody’s perfect but he would still be the best all around out fielder on the team by a
wide margin!!
Thanks for mentioning Campana, Matt. He might actually be a good fit, if he could do in the majors what he did in the minors. Small guy, never going to have any power, but if he hits for average, draws a lot of walks, steals bases and covers a lot of ground in the outfield, that would be a big plus.
Still need a right handed slugger to join Wright.
If the 1st round pick is gone, this would need to be a real bargain – say 3 to 4 years at 10 to 11 million $ max per year where his market value is probably closer to 5 to 6 years at 14 to 16 million $ per year, based on what comparable players have received recently.
Since the Mets will eventually have to trade prospects for OF help anyway, you’d have to weigh what you’d get at # 11 overall vs. what you’d have to trade for a similar outfielder.
If the 1st round pick is protected ( and remember, it’d only be protected for the Mets and obviously the Mariners but not for the Orioles or Rangers) and the Mets would merely lose their 2nd rounder ( while still having the extra 2nd rounder from last year), they would be more flexible. Either for a higher paid shortterm deal, say 3-years, 45 million or a longer term deal like 5 -years, 65 million $. It’d still have to be ” below” normal value to make sense as paying full market value or even more for a player like Bourn would seem too risky for a team like the Mets that’s still in building stage.
Look everyone needs to know we do need bourn, one cause he can hit for average, steal bases and run down plays to centerfield, the braves got upton, so now we need to step up mets fan this is what we need, next year the freeagent market is bad next year, trades now are done so now let’s do it sandy and the mets brass show some balls for us mets fans and do it sign him to a three year deal at 40 million, do it.
That 11th pick with Flores and Syndergaurd could possibly be used to get Mike Stanton. So yes if they do not lose the pick and on a three year deal. Otherwise it is not worth right now. I’d prefer Gomez next year or Ellsbury.
You missed an important con, he strikes out a ton.
Hope they pass. He wont make a huge difference at this point. A few more wins? Eh, pass.
The real question is, will this guy really help the team right now? To me, although I like Bourn, this is useless. He doesn’t solve the leadoff issue. 155 K’s is a LOT. No leadoff hitter has any business doing that. He could be a quality # 2 hitter and a better # 7.
To lose #11 pick for basically a transition guy is not a good move. Not good even if it’s a 2nd rounder.
I don’t beleve he would be around when the club actually contends.
Anyone remember Matt Lawton?
So which is it Do you want Bourne or not. I know you rather just sit there and criticize f they don’t sign him or kill them if they do. Get off the fence Which is it. They under no circumstances should forfeit they’re pick for Bourne, he’s not a difference maker, I do not want to hear Boras nonsense about 85 runs saved, complete garbage. If they don’t lose the pick (which they shouldn’t) and you do not go past 4 years Then take a shot, trust me there is no one lining up to sign this guy.
I think things are getting interesting with Bourn. Acc. to Bob Nightengale of USA Today yesterday, the Texas Rangers are not involved at all in talks for Bourn. And obviously, the Braves are out on Bourn. And the Orioles have Adam Jones for CF. Bob thinks the last 2 standing for Bourn are the Mets and Mariners. So, maybe the Mets can bring in this guy for 4 yrs. max and 44MM or maybe less than that 4yrs. 40MM- what Pagan got. This is not Omar- Why should the Mets bid against themselves for any FA like they did in the past for both Oliver Perez and Jason Bay when there is really no other strong suitor for that player? And now, the new rumor is Bourn is willing to take just a 1 year deal for approx. 15MM to become a FA again after next season but that isn’t happening- no team is going to forfeit a 1st round pick for just a 1 year rental. Let’s see who blinks 1st- Boras or Sandy. I seriously doubt Sandy. Sandy loves situations like this when a player and their agent feel boxed in and have nowhere to go and have to come down in $$$ to more near Sandy’s terms.
No…. If you want defense bring up Den Dekker. Save the money. This won’t help us win a championship.
This is how the Mets can start a real rebuilding process. Bourn may not help us win a Championship this year but its a push in the right direction! It really fills a lot of needs for the overall team and can help us contend in 2014! I say do it as long as you dont have to give up the pick!
I was on the fence about signing him, but after reading several opinions, I’m all for it. He would bring us security in the outfield for at least two years (we can always trade him before the third year of his contract if he starts to do poorly or an outfield prospect starts to flourish or Wilmer magically learns how to play the outfield), he would instantly go into the leadoff position and add speed on the basepads that we desperately need. So with this one signing we would:
- Have a more secure outfield, and Bourn does have a really good defense
- Have a leadoff player with speed who can learn how to work the count from the coaches and players like Tejada
- Adds speed
- Improves the defense
- Can hold us over until we add a better player either through the farm system or free agency.