Category Archives: Contract Talk

No, The Mets Should Not Pursue Michael Conforto

20 Mar


Conforto already turned down a $100M deal from the Mets last year and now there’s all this talk about re-signing him to a 1-year deal because he’s still out there on the free agent market and there’s only 3 weeks left until the regular season starts. But screw that. While Conforto always gives 100 percent in the field and is an above-average right-fielder, he’s also way too streaky a player who had awful season last year. So while I understand the sentiment many Mets fans feel about bringing Conforto back home, if Brandon Nimmo can finally stay healthy and we get a big year from Dom Smith, with the new additions of Marte and Hanra, I think that we’ll be fine in the outfield.

Jacob deGrom Gives Mets Deadline To Work Out Long-Term Contract Extension

12 Feb

Jacob deGrom
NYPost.com:

Jacob deGrom is putting the Mets on the clock.

After a winter of inactivity in long-term contract discussions, the reigning National League Cy Young award winner has informed team officials he will not negotiate a new deal during the season, an industry source told The Post on Tuesday. DeGrom’s camp has set Opening Day as the deadline to complete any potential long-term deal.

Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen initially declined comment, but he changed course after The Post report surfaced and addressed the issue following a voluntary workout by players on the reporting date for pitchers and catchers at First Data Field.

Van Wagenen called the decision not to negotiate beyond Opening Day as “mutual” between him and deGrom’s CAA agent, Jeff Berry.

“There is no reason for a distraction to carry into the regular season, and we will continue to have dialogue over this spring and see where those discussions lead,” Van Wagenen said. “But the last thing either side wants is this to be a distraction once the season starts.”

Remember, deGrom was already an All-Star before his Cy Young season last year. In other words, the Mets need to learn from past mistakes and lock up their best pitcher now.

Wilmer Flores Is Now a Free Agent, But Mets Offer Travis d’Arnaud

1 Dec

Travis d'Arnaud Wilmer Flores
ESPN.com:

The Mets failed to offer a 2019 contract to Wilmer Flores, allowing the infielder to become a free agent.

Flores hit .267 with 11 homers and 51 RBI in 126 games this year, when he made $3.4 million. He endeared himself to Mets fans when he got emotional during a game against San Diego on July 29, 2015, believing media reports he had been traded to Milwaukee. The proposed swap for Carlos Gomez fell through, and two days later Flores hit a game-ending 12th-inning homer to beat Washington.

New York did offer a contract to catcher Travis d’Arnaud, who was limited to four early season games this year by a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow that required Tommy John surgery. D’Arnaud, on the disabled list for the fifth straight season, had a $3,475,000 salary.

Does making an offer to d’Arnaud mean that the Mets aren’t going to be pursuing a new starting catcher? d’Arnaud can’t throw and he’s injury-prone. But the guess here is that keeping him around as a back-up would be more beneficial than letting him go because he can hit with a little power and knows the Mets pitching staff so well. As for Wilmer, of course he’s fan favorite, being home grown and coming up with big hits for the Amazin’s time and time again. But if he can’t come back here because of playing time or whatever, hopefully he gets a starting job somewhere else with an opportunity to make much more money, which he deserves.