Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, who interviewed Sandy Alderson yesterday, said that the Mets are relieved that the “Protected Pick Controversy” allowed Michael Bourn to sign with the Cleveland Indians after they matched the guaranteed offer they made to the then free agent outfielder.
One top Mets executive recently expressed relief not to have signed Bourn — the Mets, ultimately, sought to wait to see if they could retain their draft choice via grievance before Bourn decided to take the same guaranteed money plus the option with Cleveland – another Mets exec said, “I think it’s a little early to write off Michael Bourn.”
Baseball is funny this way…
Who could have imagined that a desperate last minute gamble on Marlon Byrd as their “Plan B” would have resulted in a career year for Byrd, while Bourn batted .258 with a .311 on-base for Cleveland.
The Mets of course than parlayed Byrd in a deal with John Buck to acquire second base prospect Dilson Herrera and righthanded reliever Vic Black.
