Steve Cohen on the Pete Alonso negotiations
The Mets held a winter experience for fans that they dubbed, “Amazin’ Day.” And it somewhat predictably morphed into the fans chanting for the club to re-sign Pete Alonso. Steve Cohen was at the event and here’s what he had to say:
“We made a significant offer to Pete,” Cohen said. “He’s entitled to explore his market. That’s what he is doing. Personally, this has been an exhausting conversation and negotiation. I mean, Soto was tough — this is worse.
“A lot of it is, we made a significant offer … I don’t like the structures that are being presented back to us. It’s highly asymmetric against us. And I feel strongly about it. I will never say no. There’s always the possibility. But the reality is we’re moving forward. And as we continue to bring in players, the reality is it becomes harder to fit Pete into what is a very expensive group of players that we already have. That’s where we are. And I am being brutally honest.
“I don’t like the negotiations. I don’t like what’s been presented to us. Listen, maybe that changes. Certainly, I’ll always stay flexible. If it stays this way, I think we are going to have to get used to the fact that we may have to go forward with the existing players that we have.”
Source: Will Sammon, The Athletic
Soto was tough - this is worse
I don’t like the structures
Highly asymmetric against us
The reality is we’re moving forward
I don’t like the negotiations
This has got to be tough to hear for those who imagined that Cohen was going to rush in and save the day.
I’m a big fan of Alonso and I was a big fan of deGrom but as tough as it was to lose Jake, I think a lot of people were glad in hindsight that we didn’t give him the contract that he got. We may very well feel the same way in a year or two if we don’t resign Alonso. I’m also going out on a limb here and am going to predict a big year for Baty if he’s a regular. He will have an OPS similar or better than Pete’s mark from last year.
I hear some gamesmanship here. I don’t think Cohen’s statement says “We’re out,” as much as it says “Keep [playing] around and find out how much we actually ‘need’ you: it’s less than you need us.”