A recent post on Metsblog.com insists that the Mets are making it their first priority this offseason to lock up their current third baseman David Wright “for life.”
Matthew Cerrone, the executive editor of the popular blog, said that the Mets and General Manager Sandy Alderson will begin their negotiations with Wright by offering him a deal that would keep him in orange and blue until 2020.
Besides being a necessity for a team that is desperate for a good PR move, this deal would send a strong message to the fan base and league that the Mets are not in a firesale mode and are dead set on having the next “ambassador” for the team for the foreseeable future.
According to the report, the Mets are getting ready to offer Wright a six-year deal that will guarantee the third baseman $100 million. However, Cerrone points out that he has been hearing that the team intends for the deal to start after Wright’s current contract — which is scheduled to expire at the end of 2013.
Lets face it — Wright is the Mets. He has been the face of the franchise since he was called up all those seasons ago, and starting the negotiations with him for a deal similar to the one Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman agreed to is the right move.
The idea of Wright playing for another team is nauseating, and while the reports of the Mets’ potential offer is a step in the right direction, it is worth noting that these are negotiations—which are always volatile at best—and are based off of rumors, which always engulf the baseball offseason.
However, there is hope. Most league insiders believe that these negotiations will not resemble the debacle of Jose Reyes last season and a deal seems to be the desired endgame for both the team and Wright.
Reports around the league seem to suggest the Mets and Wright are hoping to reach an agreement by the end of the World Series. If not, things could get scary very quickly.
If Wright and the Mets can’t see eye-to-eye by then, some believe the Mets will begin to shop Wright to other teams in an attempt to maximize on his value and receive an astronomical package of prospects in return.
However, if this happens, the Mets will be going into a full-fledged rebuilding mode, which would be devastating for both the already flustered fan base and the team itself—who views Wright as a de-facto captain and leader of this team.
The above scenario doesn’t seem likely, but baseball is a business and sometimes tough decisions need to be made.
Overall, it seems like the Mets will have their star third baseman locked up by the end of the month, and they will be able to move onto other needs that have to be addressed.
Andrew Wyrich