New York Mets’ outfielder Michael Conforto, coming off a strong second half in 2018, has showcased his power thus far in Spring Training.
It has given a glimpse into the type of player he can be at his peak: a potential MVP caliber player.
The Seattle, Washington native now 26-years-old, settled with the Mets in arbitration for $4.025 million, but with all the extension talks around the league would be open to the possibility of staying in New York long term.
“I won’t lie, it’s something that we all think about, something that we dream about. These guys locking up security for their families and doing what’s best for them,” Conforto told Kevin Kernan of the New York Post.
Conforto continued that signing an extension takes pressure off players and their families, as it gives more certainty for the future.
“That could be a big motivating factor for a lot of the young guys who are signing these deals,’’ Conforto said.
A lot of Mets fans might worry that Conforto’s agent, Scott Boras, might not entertain the idea of the outfielder signing an extension. But Conforto says that at the end of the day, it’s his own decision.
“I take his advice with a lot of weight, but obviously at the end of the day it’s my call,’’ Conforto said. “He would come to me with whatever the offer would be and we would sit down and talk about where we see my career going. We’d weigh the options back and forth but at the end of the day it’s my decision. I would talk with my family. I would talk to the people I trust the most.’’
Conforto has seen many ups and downs going into his fifth year as a Met. In his debut season, they made it to the World Series. In 2016, he endured some sophomore blues. The next year he was coming into his own when he suffered a freak shoulder injury, and last year he struggled but persevered to end up with a solid campaign.
All and all, he loves being a Met, which would be a reason for him staying in Queens long term.
“Absolutely,’’ Conforto said. “I love being here. From the time I came up I feel like the fans made it home for me. There have been some tough times, times where the pure passion of the fans, they want to win and if you are not contributing to the cause, I get that. They’ve always been behind me. So I think I owe a lot to this organization, put a lot into it. That’s why you see the guys like Flo [Wilmer Flores], when he’s getting traded get so upset. The guys love being here.’’
Conforto can become a free agent in 2022. With all the extensions around the league, hopefully the Mets can focus on extending their young guns, including Conforto.
