When Michael Cuddyer signed with the New York Mets last November, he turned down a substantial qualifying offer from the Colorado Rockies to do so. He later admitted that had the Mets not given him a deal, he would’ve re-signed with the Rockies.
Cuddyer received a two year deal worth $21 million from the Mets, but would’ve made $15.3 million from the Rockies just for this season alone. But with the Mets winning the NL East title, Cuddyer says he has no regrets and only validation for his decision.
“This is the reason I came here,” Cuddyer explained. “And I said it at the time of the press conference – money is not everything all the time. To me it was more about winning. It was more about being on the East Coast and playing for an organization that was ready to win… That was the reason why I came here.” (Mike Vorkunov, NJ.com)
Cuddyer’s first year with the Mets wasn’t what the former batting champion expected. He hit .267 with a .721 OPS and really struggled in June and July before landing on the DL with a knee injury. He started hitting better when returned and learned he was demoted to a platoon role after the Mets called up Michael Conforto and also acquired Juan Uribe, Kelly Johnson and Yoenis Cespedes.
Despite the Mets going through rough stretches during several parts of the season, Cuddyer said that the team’s path was smoother than it actually looked. He pointed to the Mets sweep of the Nationals at Citi Field during the first weekend of August. The Mets were never in second place again after that.
“I think that was what gave us the confidence – that final push of confidence,” said Cuddyer. “I think we were a confident team but sweeping them at our place, that big series, Sunday night baseball, that’s what said to us ‘We’re good. We can do this’. I think the sweep at their place – for all their intents and purposes – ended it.”
One of the reasons Cuddyer cited for signing with the Mets, was their abundance of young starting pitchers. It is also why he believes the Mets will have success in October.
Cuddyer last appeared in the playoffs with the Minnesota Twins in 2010. He has a .338 batting average in six postseasons with the Twins, who were consistently eliminated in the first round. That team had Johan Santana and a bunch of soft throwing starters. But the Mets have much more with Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz, all young power pitchers who throw fastballs in the mid to upper 90s.
