According to a report from Ken Rosenthal, the Cubs are in agreement with Scott Hairston on a two-year contract.
Hairston can earn up to $6 million dollars including incentives according to ESPN’s Bruce Levine.
Scott Hairston was reportedly looking for a two-year, $8 million contract to which the Mets balked and countered with a one year deal for $2 million. That’s where it apparently ended.
The Mets were hoping the decision would come down to playing time which was really all they were offering Hairston. That and the chance he still wanted to remain in New York. None of that matters now.
The Cubs have been looking for a right-handed outfield bat just as the Mets for most of the offseason. In Hairston they get someone who can play both corners and center field in a pinch, and he mashes lefties.
Hairston was one of the few nice surprises last season when in a limited role he hit 20 home runs (third on the team) with 57 RBI in 377 at-bats. His .803 OPS ranked second on the team trailing only David Wright.
The Mets have been playing the waiting game all Winter long with regard to the outfield, and now the market has dwindled to nothing.
Not sure where the Mets go from here, but it’s no wonder they’ve now shifted all their focus to free agent Michael Bourn and have asked MLB to consider protecting their first round pick.
Earlier this offseason, Sandy Alderson said that he had no interest in forfeiting his first round draft pick for Bourn. But even if the Mets get their draft pick protected, there’s a high probability that the gold glove center fielder may still be way beyond their price range.
