I guess we should start getting used to a constant cycle of these types of posts as each beat writer and national journalist take turns over the next five weeks confirming what is now the common sense decision that the Mets are leaning toward extending Daniel Murphy a one-year qualifying offer.
The latest confirmation of said rumor comes from Matt Ehalt of the Bergen Record, who adds “but no final decision has been made.” Shocking, yes I know.
Murphy, who has hit seven home runs in nine postseason games, including the last six in a row, is set to become a free agent this offseason.
“We’re going to take it the same way we make all other decisions,” Mets assistant GM John Ricco told on Thursday, which meets with all equal opportunity employment guidelines.
As you know, because I’ve posted it a dozen times already, the qualifying offer as established by MLB is $15.8 million this offseason. And as it’s been since this system was adopted, if Murphy accepts the offer, he remains a Met. However, if he declines it, the Mets would receive a compensatory pick in the 2016 June Draft. Blah, blah, blah… Thank you, Captain Obvious.
Let’s move on…
“There’s times when players who are good players, once in a while they get to show the world how good they really are,” said Terry Collins on Wednesday. “And this series so far in the postseason Daniel Murphy has done that. He is a good player. He is an overachiever. He’s not blessed with the greatest of talents. He can hit. I mean, he can hit. But this guy works to make himself a good player, and that’s why I love him.”
The only real story is not whether the Mets will tender the QO – of course they will – but whether or not Murphy accepts it. That’s the real question. Will Murphy actually become the first player to ever accept a qualifying offer?
It’s not as easy an answer as it seems. Murphy is cut from a completely different fabric than the majority of players. He says things like, “God has blessed me with more money than I can ever spend in my lifetime.” And to him that’s not just a load of bunk, he means it.
It’s also no secret that he loves this team from the bottom of his heart, and again, he’s not just giving you a line, he means it. Repeatedly, and to the dismay of reporters, he passionately responds to every question about his performance by deferring to his starting pitcher, or the bullpen, or whoever made a great defensive play, basically anybody but him. It’s amazing.
He is extremely close with captain David Wright and Curtis Granderson, and while most pitchers on every team have their own little clique, where the Mets are concerned Murph is always rubbing shoulders and goofing off with the Mets’ quartet of young fire-ballers who consider him one of their own.
By the way, that clip of the NLDS press conference that had deGrom secretly lowering Murphy’s chair still cracks me up when I think of it.
So here’s the thing, I’m thinking there’s a 75% chance that Murphy actually accepts that qualifying offer. So I’d like to pose this question…
Would it behoove the Mets to make Murphy a three-year $33 million offer in a show of goodwill for their homegrown hero who has batted over .280 in his last five seasons, led the team in hits twice, and doubles three times, and was their lone All Star in 2014?
The value that Murphy brings is not only with his bat and propensity for clutch hits, but he provides valuable insurance at third base for David Wright, can easily slide over to first base when needed, and gives the team a two-hitter who makes contact with the best of them and is the toughest player in baseball to strikeout.
The Mets have an incredible opportunity to make this a public relations bonanza – a PR Grand Slam – heading into the offseason. Or we can just read hundreds more articles and reports about “will they or won’t they” that ultimately leads to a final headline similar to this one 29 years ago, “Knight’s Gone! Mets Part Ways With World Series MVP.”
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