Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times is reporting that the Rays have exercised their 2014 option on shortstop Yunel Escobar who will earn $5.0 million next season.
It was believed that the Mets would have pursued Escobar had he become a free agent based on what a front office official told Andy Martino of the Daily News last month.
Escobar, 30, batted .256/.332/.366 for the Tampa Bay Rays in 507 at-bats with 27 doubles, nine home runs, 61 runs scored and 57 RBIs.
I must admit that I’m glad he’s off the table as I was very skeptical about how he would fit into the Mets clubhouse given his past controversies.
Escobar is a player who alienated his entire clubhouse in Atlanta and then made headlines buy putting gay slurs on his eye black when he played for Toronto.
The enigmatic shortstop has also ticked off his manager Joe Maddon on more than one occasion this season with Tampa Bay for showboating twice after hitting a home run.
And I haven’t even mentioned his PED suspension this season.
To me Escobar is overrated offensively and defensively. Given all his baggage, mental lapses, and his overall volatility, bringing him to the Mets was probably the worst thing they could have done this offseason.
