The Mets are next in MLBTR’s 2013 Contract Issues series:
Eligible For Free Agency (6)
- D.J. Carrasco - Carrasco, currently in DFA limbo, has no reason to expect a roster spot in 2013, since he's no longer a member of this year's team.
- Jon Rauch - Rauch has seen his strikeout rate dip to 4.9 K/9 so far this year, and he's generating fewer swings and misses than before. It would be understandable if the Mets' confidence in Rauch were diminishing.
- Ramon Ramirez - A one-year, Major League contract seems like the most probable outcome for Ramirez this offseason.
- Ronny Cedeno - The addition of Cedeno has been a success so far, and he's still just 29. Presumably he'd prefer a starting job if one's available to him as a free agent.
- Scott Hairston - Hairston remains a capable extra outfielder, though it's too early to know what the Mets' outfield needs will be this winter. Alternatively, the Mets could stick with internal options like Mike Baxter.
- Tim Byrdak - Byrdak has been effective as a Met and could be a fit again in 2013. He won't obtain a qualifying offer from the front office, nor will any of the team's other free agents.
Contract Options (2)
- David Wright: $16MM club option with a $1MM buyout. Wright can void option if traded. The Mets will exercise Wright's option and they're expected to try to work out an extension with the hot-hitting third baseman. Wright leads the NL in batting average (.411) and on-base percentage (.513), so he'll be paid like a superstar on his next contract.
- R.A. Dickey: $5MM club option with a $300K buyout. Dickey will be a bargain for this price, and I expect the Mets to exercise the option.
Arbitration Eligible (8)
- First time: Daniel Murphy, Ike Davis, Josh Thole, Bobby Parnell
- Second time: Manny Acosta, Rob Johnson
- Third time: Mike Pelfrey, Andres Torres
Pelfrey will presumably be non-tendered, and Acosta will have to pitch better to avoid a similar fate this December. It's possible Torres could be non-tendered despite his defense and .352 on-base percentage. His salary ($2.7MM this year) is on the rise and the Mets have outfielders Lucas Duda, Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Jason Bay. Though four of the Mets' key players will head to arbitration for the first time this winter, this doesn't figure to be a prohibitively expensive class, assuming Pelfrey obtains his release.
2013 Payroll Obligation
The Mets have committed $54.5MM to next year's payroll, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts. Their 2012 payroll is below $100MM for the first time since 2004, but they may be able to spend more freely now that the team's owners have reached a settlement to resolve their involvement in Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme.
Mets are in a better position long term than people give them credit for…
They have arms for both the rotation & the pen in waiting && their young guys hit well enough (I doubt Ike Davis is this bad)..
Extending Wright is of the utmost priority
I think Ike is in a sophomore slump honestly. 2010-11 were one who year for him (because of ’11 injury). He’s finally hitting the ball hard, but he’s getting so unlucky where he hits in. I can see him hitting .200 before the second week of June.
Great series. Two notes, though.
Miguel Batista’s also eligible to be a free agent (and an AARP member, I think) following the 2012 season.
Also, Rob Johnson will still be a first time arb guy next winter. He had enough service time (3.007) to go to arbitration this past offseason, but was DFA’d by the Padres in October and refused the assignment, becoming a FA. And this year, he was called up late enough after the season started that he won’t have hit 4 years of service (I have maxing out at him at 3.156) by the end of the season, even if he spends the rest of the year up with the Mets.
I guess we could say goodbye to Acosta, Pelfrey and Torres?
Yeah, that would be a really painful goodbye, wouldn’t it?
How much would a potential David Wright deal cost? If Zimmerman’s 6/100 is a baseline, you have to figure Wright will surely exceed that…hopefully something gets done fast. He’s probably the best 3B in the game right now, especially with Longo on the shelf.
Zimmerman’s a baseline, but the fact that Wright is 2 years older could factor in. My guess was 5/90 with a 6th year option. Wright would make more than Zimmerman from 2014-2018, but 2019 (his age 36 season) would not be guaranteed.
I think Wright wants to stay there and bring a title to NY. He’s a lifelong Mets fan. If anyone in the world will give a hometown discount, it’s Wright. He’s not going to hold a grudge like Reyes did/does.
Not to mention, he’s the face of the franchise. If this doesn’t get done, then it’s going to be hell to pay.
I predict 5/95 with a 6th year team option and healthy buyout. 2 years older than Zimmerman plus a small hometown discount. GET IT DONE WILPON! Also, Alderson has done one of the best jobs ever cutting payroll without gutting the team and Collins deserves credit for the job so far. Imagine what they can do when Santana and Bay come off the books!
There’s no way I’d accept anything under $100 million if I were Wright and I’d ask for greater than what Reyes got for the Marlins. And he’ll get it from the Mets.
Wright is not a local product, he grew up in VA
Yeah I think that’s common knowledge amongst Met’s fans. Hometown discount here would push towards the fact that the Mets drafted Wright, came up through their system and became a star.
Just a quick fix here. Wright didn’t grow up in the NY area. Wright grew up in Norfolk, Va. and became a Met fan due to their long-time AAA affiliate, The Norfolk Tides. If I’m not mistaken, the Tides were the Mets’ AAA team through the 80’s, 90’s & until around 2006/2007 when they became affiliated with the Vegas Zephyrs, which lasted a year. The Mets’ current AAA affiliate is the Buffalo Bisons & I believe the Norfolk Tides are now the Orioles’ AAA affiliate. As a side note, Wright’s father was the police commissioner / Police Chief for Norfolk & used to get Wright onto the field with the young Mets when Wright was a kid. Also, Wright played on a regional travel baseball team with the Upton brothers & Ryan Zimmerman, based out of Norfolk. Could you imagine going up against that team? Who played 3rd I wonder?