February 12
Boston Herald sports reporter John Tomase says that free agent shortstop Stephen Drew has not received a contract offer from the Red Sox for more than one season as had been previously reported.
A source told Tomase that Drew is looking for at least a one-year deal with an option for a second year.
Yesterday, Sandy Alderson did say he could sign Drew, but only under the right circumstances, and that he would not sign any player for $15 million at this stage of the game.
Wow, this story just keeps getting wackier and wackier.
February 11
Sandy Alderson was a guest of Mike Francesa on Tuesday and was asked if he had the wherewithal to sign Stephen Drew.
Alderson responded by saying, “if you are asking me if we could sign another player for $15 million a season, the answer is no.”
He added that he could sign Drew on his terms, but the fact is that any deal would have to be on mutual terms.
I guess that was his way of saying that Drew is looking for at least a two-year, $30 million deal or a three-year, $45 million contract.
It certainly didn’t sound like the team was still counting on signing Drew and that Ruben Tejada will be the starting shortstop, but that’s just my read on the situation based on what I heard.
Funny thing, Francesa never bought up his breaking news that the Mets had agreed on dollars with Drew last week…
February 10
A Mets official said Sunday there was “nothing” indicating progress on the Drew front. Just like the Red Sox, the Mets are amenable to signing Drew for a short-term deal. Drew’s agent, Scott Boras, who possesses a rich history of extending his clients’ employment searches into spring training, naturally wants more years guaranteed.
There were a couple of other rumors on Friday and Saturday about the Mets being the best fit and how they were still negotiating and getting close, but those accounts predate this report from Puma and comes directly from a Mets source.
Also, this from Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington:
“Stephen did an excellent job for us last year. He was a really solid player. He was a big part of our team. And so out of respect to him, we’ve kept a dialogue going, But at this point, we’re really focused on the guys we have on the roster. … I wouldn’t expect anything major to happen between now and when we report, at this point.”
I would imagine every GM would probably say the same thing at this point in deference to their current players, many who have already showed up to camp early.
It’s like Sandy Alderson saying that “we are very happy with Ruben Tejada and Ike Davis and look forward to seeing them have a solid camp.”
You see what I did there?
February 8
Stephen Drew’s agent, Scott Boras, is seeking an opt-out clause after the first year of a deal, reports ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin.
Rubin says that though the Mets are willing to consider guaranteeing two or even three years to the free agent shortstop, they view the opt-out as a “deal-breaker.”
And the plot thickens.
Of course the opt-out clause would diminish his trade value should that eventuality present itself…
February 7
According to Sandy Alderson, the Mets are now willing to offer three years to free agent Stephen Drew.
It’s a departure from what we’ve been hearing from Alderson all Winter long and it may signal that the Mets might be willing to blink and give Drew what he wants.
On Tuesday, Mike Francesa said the Mets made an offer to Drew, but that was strongly refuted by the team.
“It’s the number of years. They’re fighting over the number of years. I know they have made him an offer … It’s not the money. It doesn’t matter if they did a refinance or not. They already offered him the money. It’s a questions of years. They already made him an offer.”
Maybe it is the years…
Drew clearly is on the Mets’ radar but team executives continued to say that it was a “long shot” as recently as 48 hours ago, so that makes Alderson’s comments quite surprising to say the least.
Of course he was addressing a group of season ticket holders and that may have something to do with it as well.
Boras is believed to be seeking a deal of at least three years for Drew and the Red Sox reportedly have extended a two-year offer to Drew, but with no guarantee he would be their starting shortstop.
Is that the opening the Mets need to jump in and grab him?
