The one thing that having Cohen as owner should give Mets fans is a lack of stress re: pending free agents. If the player wants to stay and the Mets want the player to stay, that player will stay (see Diaz and Nimmo). If the player wants to leave, he will leave (see Jake). Pete has decided he wants to test the market; that is perfectly fine. None of us know what has been offered or discussed at a high level, so it's pretty tough to opine on what each side should have done differently.
I have basically no stress about Pete. I'd like him to stay but we will see how the season plays out and what the markets look like next year. If he has an MVP type season and plays himself into the 8-year area then the Mets will have a decision to make. However the decision will be "do we want to do this?" not "can we do this?" and that is quite a big difference.
* I think it's a little cynical to think that Scott, Megill, and Butto will be the three to emerge from the current group of pitchers to start in 2025. I mean, I know you were saying "as of now," but it's pretty meaningless to say. There are a lot of compelling arms in the Mets system and we really have no idea where McLean and Sprout will be a year from now, much less Vasil and Hamel and Stuart and Tidwell and Ziegler and Peterson. They *all* project to be #3-4-5 types? Somebody will emerge from the talented pack. Plus there will be a trade. And if we want to keep Houser, or Severino, or Manea, we have the ability to do that. Personally, I don't believe in Mr. Megill.
* If Soto is part of the plan, it's a terrible plan. He's a Yankee for life. They are not going to watch him cross the street to star for the cross-town rivals, and only a fool would leave the Yankees for the Mets. It never happens. Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Soto. I will admit that you never know, and anything is possible, and there's always a chance, but as a strategy, it's awful. The Yankees traded for him knowing that he's going to require a $450-$500 million deal.
* I'm happy to make Pete the highest paid 1B in baseball. He's a free agent and it's his time. Look at the QBs in the NFL. The highest paid guy is mostly a function of timing and leverage. With Pete, it's about contract length. Six years sounds right. 6/$180 or 7/$200. My guess is that he wants 10/$300. If somebody wants to top that, and Pete wants to leave NY, I would wish him luck in Colorado with Kris Bryant.
* I'm curious: There's been anger expressed here & elsewhere at Cohen/Stearns for not signing Pete yet, despite no one having any idea about the terms of that contract. Now that you've watched the signings of other Boras contracts -- Chapman, Snell, Bellinger -- do you still feel that the Mets should have so easily and quickly capitulated to the agent's demands? Or does the current strategy now make sense? Are you less livid about it?
* The other Pete factor here is: Who replaces him? The additional time of a year's development for Parada and Clifton, and Baty and Vientos, will provide more information. For the Braves, they figured, let's trade for Olson. For the Mets . . . ?
* I hope the Mets can keep Pete, he's an asset to any lineup, and I also really hope that he plays a lot better than he did in 2023, with a BELOW LEAGUE-AVERAGE BA and OBP.
I've said it before and i'll say it again. I have no problem with the Mets making Pete the highest paid 1B in the game. The problem is that it appears that isn't enough for him. We have heard from Boras that the current top 1B contracts are not a fair comparison to Pete. Instead hes looking at contracts given to Fielder ($214m), Votto ($225m). I've heard more than once that he wants something similar to Judge! Bottom line, Its gonna be a long off-season in 24/25.
Pete has to establish his value. First, he needs to have a much better season than he had last year. I think he will He had bad luck with BAPIP last year and his overall numbers are brought down by playing through the wrist HBP. Second, what he’s worth is not some number Boras pulls out of the air; it’s what another team is willing to pay him. The only way to find that out is by free agency.
And I think part of the reason that Vientos is being handed DH at bats on a silver platter is that they want to see if he can be next year’s first baseman. He probably projects as a good defender there-better than Alonso.
I have been saying for months that signing Alonso may not be in the Mets long term best interests. People have been slamming the organization on social media for not extending him, which is absolutely ridiculous. He retained Boras to become a free agent and then sign with the highest bidder. There was never a chance of extending him. In the meantime, the Mets get to let the season play out. Not only in terms of Alonso’s performance, but to see what the prospects have. I love Pete, and there is a value to his being home grown, but he is NOT a $300 million player. I was far more attached to Jacob deGrom, but because of his injury history, I didn’t think he was worth $185 million. All indications are, he wasn’t. The article provides very tangible reasons that it may not be best for the Mets for Alonso to remain in the Orange & Blue beyond 2024.
Off-Topic: I'd love to see us all post our season predictions a day or two before Opening Day. Just the win-loss record. I vacillate until the very last minute. Last year I was pessimistic and had us at 87, which was relatively low (but not nearly low enough!). This year I suspect that I'm more optimistic than most (not my usual position to be in). What's a great bullpen worth? Will the Mets have one? I'm thinking yes, I think so. At least, okay, it should be very good. That's a huge change from last season (if, you know, it actually happens).
No evidence it will require $300M to sign Alonso. No evidence of an offer made and declined. Nothing.
He’s happy in NY. The fans are happy with him. Cohen has the ability to pay him what the market will bear. There are few better options to play 1B and bat 4th.
Let’s stop worrying about Pete and his contract. Pete has to produce or this conversation is moot. I don’t care what Pete wants - I want him to play at a Judge-like level all season. Hit, hit with power, run, field and throw. Right at this moment, Pete only hits with power. A very flawed free agent, indeed.
I caught a bit of Opening Day in South Korea. Mrs. Ohtani is the definition of “kawaii” and gets excited when Shohei hits a foul ball. Baseball seemed new to her. Also, Mookie Betts is amazing. I cannot believe he’s the Dodgers’ shortstop and he’s more than serviceable. Just a great athlete.
It’s the Nimmo contract that is gonna age terribly. That’s a ton of AAV and years tied up in a guy already moved off CF. I know he’s immensely popular in the fan base and for good reason, but he’s the one they should’ve let walk. Then you’re in a much better position to overpay Pete, who is the sexy power bat “2nd tier” star from a league perspective, “1st tier” from the standpoint of what he means to the Mets.
I like Alonso as a person and for his power. But sorry if Boras thinks he will get 30m aav or a long term contract then good bye. He isn’t a top 1b in the game. Mets finally have a front office that I think I can trust in Stearns.
But otherwise a fantastic note. It is a real conundrum. I know this can’t be quantified by fancy analytics but there is real value to fans (important people in this context) of seeing home grown stars, especially those who bleed orange and blue, stay with their team.
The one thing that having Cohen as owner should give Mets fans is a lack of stress re: pending free agents. If the player wants to stay and the Mets want the player to stay, that player will stay (see Diaz and Nimmo). If the player wants to leave, he will leave (see Jake). Pete has decided he wants to test the market; that is perfectly fine. None of us know what has been offered or discussed at a high level, so it's pretty tough to opine on what each side should have done differently.
I have basically no stress about Pete. I'd like him to stay but we will see how the season plays out and what the markets look like next year. If he has an MVP type season and plays himself into the 8-year area then the Mets will have a decision to make. However the decision will be "do we want to do this?" not "can we do this?" and that is quite a big difference.
Little quibbles:
* I think it's a little cynical to think that Scott, Megill, and Butto will be the three to emerge from the current group of pitchers to start in 2025. I mean, I know you were saying "as of now," but it's pretty meaningless to say. There are a lot of compelling arms in the Mets system and we really have no idea where McLean and Sprout will be a year from now, much less Vasil and Hamel and Stuart and Tidwell and Ziegler and Peterson. They *all* project to be #3-4-5 types? Somebody will emerge from the talented pack. Plus there will be a trade. And if we want to keep Houser, or Severino, or Manea, we have the ability to do that. Personally, I don't believe in Mr. Megill.
* If Soto is part of the plan, it's a terrible plan. He's a Yankee for life. They are not going to watch him cross the street to star for the cross-town rivals, and only a fool would leave the Yankees for the Mets. It never happens. Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Soto. I will admit that you never know, and anything is possible, and there's always a chance, but as a strategy, it's awful. The Yankees traded for him knowing that he's going to require a $450-$500 million deal.
* I'm happy to make Pete the highest paid 1B in baseball. He's a free agent and it's his time. Look at the QBs in the NFL. The highest paid guy is mostly a function of timing and leverage. With Pete, it's about contract length. Six years sounds right. 6/$180 or 7/$200. My guess is that he wants 10/$300. If somebody wants to top that, and Pete wants to leave NY, I would wish him luck in Colorado with Kris Bryant.
* I'm curious: There's been anger expressed here & elsewhere at Cohen/Stearns for not signing Pete yet, despite no one having any idea about the terms of that contract. Now that you've watched the signings of other Boras contracts -- Chapman, Snell, Bellinger -- do you still feel that the Mets should have so easily and quickly capitulated to the agent's demands? Or does the current strategy now make sense? Are you less livid about it?
* The other Pete factor here is: Who replaces him? The additional time of a year's development for Parada and Clifton, and Baty and Vientos, will provide more information. For the Braves, they figured, let's trade for Olson. For the Mets . . . ?
* I hope the Mets can keep Pete, he's an asset to any lineup, and I also really hope that he plays a lot better than he did in 2023, with a BELOW LEAGUE-AVERAGE BA and OBP.
I've said it before and i'll say it again. I have no problem with the Mets making Pete the highest paid 1B in the game. The problem is that it appears that isn't enough for him. We have heard from Boras that the current top 1B contracts are not a fair comparison to Pete. Instead hes looking at contracts given to Fielder ($214m), Votto ($225m). I've heard more than once that he wants something similar to Judge! Bottom line, Its gonna be a long off-season in 24/25.
Another excellent podcast guys ! Very fair and objective- especially about Cohen and totally correct on Boras - well said.
The Mets won. I sat in the press box.
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nationalleaguetown/episodes/Sean-Manaea--Brett-Baty--a-Press-Pass-e2had0b
Pete has to establish his value. First, he needs to have a much better season than he had last year. I think he will He had bad luck with BAPIP last year and his overall numbers are brought down by playing through the wrist HBP. Second, what he’s worth is not some number Boras pulls out of the air; it’s what another team is willing to pay him. The only way to find that out is by free agency.
And I think part of the reason that Vientos is being handed DH at bats on a silver platter is that they want to see if he can be next year’s first baseman. He probably projects as a good defender there-better than Alonso.
I have been saying for months that signing Alonso may not be in the Mets long term best interests. People have been slamming the organization on social media for not extending him, which is absolutely ridiculous. He retained Boras to become a free agent and then sign with the highest bidder. There was never a chance of extending him. In the meantime, the Mets get to let the season play out. Not only in terms of Alonso’s performance, but to see what the prospects have. I love Pete, and there is a value to his being home grown, but he is NOT a $300 million player. I was far more attached to Jacob deGrom, but because of his injury history, I didn’t think he was worth $185 million. All indications are, he wasn’t. The article provides very tangible reasons that it may not be best for the Mets for Alonso to remain in the Orange & Blue beyond 2024.
Off-Topic: I'd love to see us all post our season predictions a day or two before Opening Day. Just the win-loss record. I vacillate until the very last minute. Last year I was pessimistic and had us at 87, which was relatively low (but not nearly low enough!). This year I suspect that I'm more optimistic than most (not my usual position to be in). What's a great bullpen worth? Will the Mets have one? I'm thinking yes, I think so. At least, okay, it should be very good. That's a huge change from last season (if, you know, it actually happens).
If i told you that the Mets could sign Juan Soto OR Pete Alonso to a long term contract - is there anyone around here who would really prefer Pete?!?
No evidence it will require $300M to sign Alonso. No evidence of an offer made and declined. Nothing.
He’s happy in NY. The fans are happy with him. Cohen has the ability to pay him what the market will bear. There are few better options to play 1B and bat 4th.
Let’s stop worrying about Pete and his contract. Pete has to produce or this conversation is moot. I don’t care what Pete wants - I want him to play at a Judge-like level all season. Hit, hit with power, run, field and throw. Right at this moment, Pete only hits with power. A very flawed free agent, indeed.
I caught a bit of Opening Day in South Korea. Mrs. Ohtani is the definition of “kawaii” and gets excited when Shohei hits a foul ball. Baseball seemed new to her. Also, Mookie Betts is amazing. I cannot believe he’s the Dodgers’ shortstop and he’s more than serviceable. Just a great athlete.
I've been a life long ny mets fan .and not to many bright spots over my lifetime.
If mets let generational player pete alanso walk in free agency..I will burn all my mets merchandise and stop being a fan!!!
It’s the Nimmo contract that is gonna age terribly. That’s a ton of AAV and years tied up in a guy already moved off CF. I know he’s immensely popular in the fan base and for good reason, but he’s the one they should’ve let walk. Then you’re in a much better position to overpay Pete, who is the sexy power bat “2nd tier” star from a league perspective, “1st tier” from the standpoint of what he means to the Mets.
I like Alonso as a person and for his power. But sorry if Boras thinks he will get 30m aav or a long term contract then good bye. He isn’t a top 1b in the game. Mets finally have a front office that I think I can trust in Stearns.
But otherwise a fantastic note. It is a real conundrum. I know this can’t be quantified by fancy analytics but there is real value to fans (important people in this context) of seeing home grown stars, especially those who bleed orange and blue, stay with their team.
Is it me or did you call Pete Alonso a second-tier star? “I said good day, sir!”