Post updated by Joe D. on 12/12

Mike Puma of the NY Post sheds more light on what now appears to be a tenuous situation that existed between the Wilpons and R.A. Dickey even before Tuesday’s Holiday Party at Citi Field.

Besides the financial roadblocks, what became clearer yesterday was a underlying tension between team and player. Dickey is frustrated he cannot get the Mets to move faster, especially because, as he said, “I feel we are asking for even less than what is fair.” The Mets, meanwhile, have mounting concerns whether all of Dickey’s off-the-field endeavors could impact his on-field results or his standing in the clubhouse if the perception is that he has become too absorbed with his new celebrity.

The Mets already were annoyed, The Post has learned, Dickey last week turned down a personal appearance request from owner Fred Wilpon. Nevertheless, they knew he was in town for a business matter and asked him a few days ago to appear at Citi Field for yesterday’s holiday party. The Mets expected Dickey to be more diplomatic in his comments.

The Mets were seriously pursuing a trade of Dickey anyway, and this will only add impetus. The Mets wanted to wait until Zack Greinke signed (he inked with the Dodgers) and James Shields was traded (he went to the Royals) to clear out two big starting options and see if that motivated teams still needing top-flight starters to sweeten bids for Dickey. The Mets have sensed some movement in that direction.

Sandy Alderson said: “We’re in a similar place today as we were last week. Some of the surrounding circumstances [Greinke/Shields] have changed somewhat. I would hope that we’ll have more clarity within a few days, but in the meantime we’re more or less status quo.”

Dickey was asked if he felt insulted by the Mets’ offer.

“Things are emotional for me,” Dickey said. “When people say it’s business, it’s not personal, that just means it’s not personal for them. It can be personal for me.

“I’m hoping that it’s going to end up in a good place, but you can’t help but in the back of your mind think it may not, and that’s sad.”

It was already predetermined, even before the offseason started, that Sandy Alderson was going to “work in parallel” with the Dickey situation. That is they would be negotiating with him while shopping him at the same time. Yes, this was their plan all along.

It was a risky proposition and ill-conceived because it would mean no real urgency to negotiate a deal because you are also trying to shop for the best offer which would naturally drag the process out for months. Not a good thing when you’re talking about the team’s most valuable player.

This tactic seems to have backfired on several levels. Not only did it damage the process with Dickey and undermine the trust that is needed by both sides to get a deal done, but it sent the wrong signal to other teams who were reluctant to trade two prized prospects for a player that the Mets were apparently reluctant to sign.

I’ve said this before about the front office, but they always over-analyze things to a fault.

They are incapable of making a quick decision which is essential in today’s fast-paced baseball environment. Everything is a long drawn out process and during last year’s Winter Meetings Jon Heyman reported that teams were reluctant to deal with the Mets because of their dysfunction.

“We’re waiting to see how the market develops.” That’s the automatic response you get from Sandy Alderson whenever he is asked about progress on any front or situation.

There are some who want to hang the blame for this on Dickey. Don’t. This scheme was doomed to failure. You either make the decision to keep Dickey or you re-sign him. You don’t openly leave him flapping in the wind and then cry foul when things go awry. Make a damn decision. This is a reigning Cy Young winner and the only good thing to happen to the Mets in the last three years. Get your freaking act together for crying out loud.

What this front office is doing is not normal… It breeds the often chaotic situations you have seen these last three winters and turns everything into a media circus. #LOLMets is alive and well for those of you who think Omar Minaya took it with him when he left.

The other thing is – who made the decision to invite R.A. Dickey to the Holiday Party in the first place?

How do you invite him to a setting that is swarming with media and not expect him to get bombarded with questions about this screwed up situation which you yourselves created?

Of all the players in your system you invite the one person you probably don’t want in front of ten cameras and two dozen recorders? Really?

The incompetency that is going on by ownership and the front office is out of control.

This Dickey situation is getting ugly, but don’t blame Dickey for it.

I’m glad to see more and more people coming around and are finally seeing the incompetence and lack of direction with improving this team. Even MetsBlog is coming around as you may have seen yesterday. Welcome to the party…

What’s happening here is not rebuilding…

It’s not competing…

It’s just keeping up appearances and doing things in the hopes that it motivates fans to buy tickets. That is what ultimately guides every decision including re-signing David Wright which I always maintained would be done for the fan’s sake and not for rebuilding’s sake.

Original Post 12/11

Mike Puma of the NY Post says that according to a team official, the Mets are “not happy” that Dickey used yesterday’s holiday party as a forum for an airing of grievances.

The Mets continue to explore trading Dickey, but haven’t made headway in convincing potential suitors such as the Rangers and Blue Jays to part with top prospects.

Also, a high-ranking club official brushed off a report indicating the Mets just increased their offer to $20 million on Monday night.

“Nothing has changed since last week,” the official said.

Dickey is seeking $26 million over two years, according to sources. In context, Jake Peavy recently received $29 million over two years, writes Puma.