Comfortably uncomfortable with the continuing reporting on a certain free agent
Hey, what do you know – it’s a barrel with some fish in it! Somebody fetch me a gun.
Truly, it’s hard to know what to make of the ongoing saga involving the National League’s top home run hitter since he came into the league and one of the most prolific in the history of the franchise. But from my drama-free distance, it feels like Alonso desperately hopes to return while the Mets could go either way.
The all-or-nothing Alonso has compromised to where he’s offering a three-year “bridge” contract (with opt-outs, of course), in effect conceding the all-important term. It’s fair to say the Mets have already “won” the negotiation. But if they lose one of the rare prolific power hitters in their star-crossed history, then what have they gained?
If they want to make fans happy, they can bring back Alonso. But that’s a business decision, and it’s unfair to think Cohen can’t have some financial limit.
Source: Jon Heyman, New York Post
It’s hard to know what to make of this? Really, it’s extremely simple. Pete Alonso has an over-inflated idea of his value, and the marketplace – not just the Mets – has delivered a cold bucket of water to him.
Your drama-free distance? Shoot, aren’t you the one creating the drama? And distance? Ha-ha-ha!
Conceding the all-important term? Is it really a concession when none of the 30 teams is willing to give you what you seek and you accept reality?
Fair to say the Mets have “won” the negotiation? The Mets want him back and he’s still a free agent. That’s an incredibly odd definition of “won.”
If they lose (Alonso) then what have they gained? Freedom from an anchor contract. No sense paying for the decline years of Alonso when you’re already going to be doing that with Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo.
If they want to make the fans happy… There’s a vocal contingent of fans who want to see Alonso return no matter the terms. And others who want to see him back with some guidelines in place. But you know what the fans really want? A team that makes its mark in the playoffs. Maybe Alonso makes that happen. Or maybe they get there without him. Or the opposite of those scenarios. No one knows here in late January and to pretend otherwise is incredibly foolish. All of the pundits thought the Mets were going to top 95 wins in 2023. And those same experts thought last year would be a .500 team. And both of those January proclamations were way off base.
It’s unfair to think Cohen can’t have some financial limit. Why, that’s mighty magnanimous of you not to demand the Mets operate with a payroll that flies pass the Cohen tax. So, are we to think this is Heyman’s idea of balance and objectivity or is this a carefully worded phrase from Scott Boras in an attempt to mollify Cohen?
Neither of those explanations are particularly comforting.
*****
Hat tip to John from Albany from Mets News and Links for the tip about this article.
Seems Boras has put Alonso in a corner with an asking price that exceeds what any team is willing to pay. Kudos to the Mets for being realistic but the fans still feel jerked around. Give Alonso a deadline with the best offer and then say good bye if he balks. Toronto, SF and Seattle could all use Alonso’s bat but it would be easier to sell it to their fan base if he was the last piece of the puzzle instead of just one more bat. And he won’t get the same chances to be in the post season with the way those three teams are expected to finish in the standings. And his best chance for additional income would seem better in NY but that might just be the Met fan in me talking.
He does not deserve to be the highest AAV first baseman and it’s not like $70-80 million over three years won’t allow him to secure the Alonso family for generations to come. Time for Alonso to sh*t or get off the pot.
One more bat. Well said. Pete being a DH for a year won’t help him maintain the fielding skills he does have. And how much more could Toronto being willing to pay him. I’m with Cohen on Alonso as I am honestly so sick of this waiting game. It’s not fair to us die hard fans. Boras does get his clients top dollar, but don’t any of those players know when to tell their agent to get a life and let’s get this done?