7:28PM: Alonso and the Mets “are said to be making progress on at least the structure of a proposed deal that’s expected to be for three years and include at least one opt out,” according to Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman. “While the sides appear amenable to that short-term structure,” Sherman and Heyman write, there’s still “a gap between offer and counteroffer,” with specific figures not mentioned.
5:15PM: The Mets and Pete Alonso have seemingly been in a staredown for quite a while and it’s still unclear who will blink first. Reporting from last week indicated that Alonso’s camp had pitched a short-term deal with opt-outs to the Mets but Alonso remains unsigned. Reports from both Andy Martino of SNY and Joel Sherman of The New York Post suggest a pivot point is coming where the Mets may move on to plans that don’t involve Alonso having a place on the 2025 team.
It has long seemed possible that Alonso’s free agency could go this way. Last winter, the “Boras Four” lingered in free agency well into the new year and eventually settled for contracts below expectations. Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery all signed deals that only were guaranteed for two or three years, though with each player having the chance to opt-out after each season. There were reasons to expect Alonso might follow them down this road.
Alonso reportedly turned down an extension offer of seven years and $158MM back in the summer of 2023. He still had one arbitration season to go at that point, ultimately making $20.5MM in 2024, so he effectively turned down $137.5MM for six free agent years. There had been reports that Alonso was looking at the contracts of Freddie Freeman and Matt Olson at targets. Freeman signed for $162MM over six years, though with deferrals. Olson signed an eight-year, $168MM extension when he was still two years away from free agency.
But Alonso isn’t as well-rounded of a player as those two. While his power is elite, his plate discipline and defense are both below Freeman and Olson. He’s also coming off a couple of relative down years. He had a career batting line of .261/.349/.535 and a 137 wRC+ through the 2022 season but then hit .229/.324/.480 for a 122 wRC+ over the two most recent campaigns. That’s still strong production but it will naturally concern a club thinking about making a long-term investment.
Alonso is still unsigned with pitchers and catchers set to report to spring training in less than a month. There is apparent willingness to pivot to a short-term deal but a deal still hasn’t come together. There is still more time, as Bellinger’s agreement came together in late February last year, Chapman’s in early March. However, today’s reports both point to the Mets starting to consider other options.
The Mets have had a front office shakeup since offering that extension to Alonso. Billy Eppler was the general manager at that time but David Stearns is now running the club’s baseball operations department. Stearns never really dedicated a lot of resources to first base, as shown in MLBTR’s Contract Tracker. A three-year, $16MM deal for Eric Thames was his biggest investment in the position for the Brewers. Milwaukee non-tendered Chris Carter after he hit 41 home runs in 2016, rather than pay him a projected $8.1MM salary.
Stearns is working with more resources now that he’s with the Mets but has continued to be measured in how he uses those resources, apart from the Juan Soto deal. Instead of signing top free agent starting pitchers, he has taken bounceback fliers on guys like Frankie Montas and Griffin Canning. He also signed Clay Holmes, hoping to get starting pitcher value for reliever prices.
The Mets do have some internal options for corner infield work. Mark Vientos had a great season in 2024, mostly playing third base, but his defense didn’t receive strong grades. It’s been suggested that he could be moved over to first base, with the hot corner then being open for a competition between guys like Brett Baty, Luisangel Acuña and Ronny Mauricio. There’s some uncertainty in going down that road and there would be some sense in adding Alonso back into the mix, but it seems the Mets and Alonso’s camp can’t agree on a fair price.
Teams will naturally be attracted to a short-term deal as it lowers the chances of them being saddled with a player’s decline years, but the player usually looks to get a higher average annual value as a compromise. Bellinger’s deal guaranteed him $80MM but in frontloaded fashion, allowing him to opt out after one year with $30MM in his pocket or after two years with $60MM in the bank. Alonso is perhaps looking for something similar, which the Mets may not be keen on.
The Mets are set to be a third-time payor of the competitive balance tax and RosterResource projects their CBT number at $276MM next year. Signing Alonso to something in the range of $25-30MM annually would push that close to the fourth and final tier of the tax, which is $301MM this year. The Mets would pay a 95% tax on spending from tier three to tier four, then a 110% tax for spending over the top line. As such, even employing Alonso for one year and then having him opt out would cost them something like $60MM. If he has a disappointing season and doesn’t opt out, as happened with Bellinger, they would be stuck with the deal for another year or two.
The Mets also stand to receive draft pick compensation if Alonso signs elsewhere. As a tax payor, their bonus pick wouldn’t be until after the fourth round. That’s not massively important in baseball terms but it’s not nothing and it would go away if they re-sign Alonso.
It’s a tricky calculation for the Mets to make with a franchise favorite, but it seems they are willing to play hard ball and move on to other options soon. Martino does mention that the Mets checked in with the Blue Jays about Vladimir Guerrero Jr. but also downplays the talks significantly, characterizing the fit as “fantasy baseball.” That aligns with public comments from Toronto’s general manager Ross Atkins, who has often downplayed the likelihood of the Jays trading Guerrero or Bo Bichette.
Martino mentions a reunion with Jesse Winker or signing Anthony Santander as other possible pivots, though he adds that the latter is less likely to come to fruition. For Alonso, if he’s not destined to go back to Queens, he will have to do his own pivot. MLBTR recently looked at some of the clubs that could potentially sign him to a short-term deal, with the Giants, Blue Jays, Red Sox, Angels, Athletics and Tigers some of the options.
Should have taken the $ Pete
Boras strikes again.
Not sure Boras was his agent and whoever the agent is Pete could have said yes still right?
He wasn’t but regardless, neither was Stearns in charge. While we can’t go backwards, it would be nice to go back to see if there was an opportunity to compromise back then, Probably not given Pete’s attitude and possibility that he believed even then the all boats high tide theory and Soto’s pending 24 season ending free agency. No one knew how high it would get but he thought he was worth more based on his career at that point.
Pete didn’t educate himself. Maybe his agents failed him. Either way that was a offer if true you can’t turn down. He’s a 1 tool player. He can scoop but that’s not an additional tool. Doesn’t crush the ball.
He should have fought to keep a straight face and counterd for a bit more and said yes as fast as he could.
“Boras Four” situation once again. This time Alonso & Bregman are paying the price for not signing earlier
Have they received bad advice from Boras or have they over valued their worth?
When, where & what they receive will shed more light on their free agency
I am seeing it reported on CBS Sports that Alonso hired Boras in October 2023, which is after the Mets made that offer and were rejected.
Almost hilarious to see how many of Boras’ guys have screwed the pooch
Conforto and Alonso, to name two.
Both had career worst years in a contract year.
Reminds me of when CHC made Anthony Rizzo an extension offer he turned down, and they decided to walk away. In the end it was the right thing to do, and Rizzo blamed everyone but himself. Sometimes both sides just don’t come to terms.
He’ll sign a 3 year deal with opt outs in Toronto once the Jays trade Vladdy to the Mets
Ohhhh yes budddy I neeed the disappointment when this doesn’t happen
Pete needs to leave the Mets and go somewhere he is appreciated for the player and leader he is….
The hr derby
AAA
@Cambo
Isn’t it a little weird that the organism that boasts the multi- billionaire owner that just laid out $800 mil for A FA assassin who’s promoting we’re a family here in Queens is playing herbal with their home grown beloved star? Again, I know he turned down a $156 mil offer, but why play him so hard if “money ain’t a thang.” I wonder if they pulled that offer or if he would take it now?
It’s not Cohen, it’s more Sterns which I’m thankful for. Look at Jerry Jones and Cowboys, they like to sign homegrown/drafted guys that were fan favorites to above market $ and it hasn’t worked out too well for them.
but why play him so hard if “money ain’t a thang.”
===========================
That’s the way the world works. I get paid $x. I could be beloved, but I will still only get paid market wages.
And that line cuts both ways. Alonso could also come to his senses. Neither side is scraping by.
@Joe
Bad example, but I get it. Mets need another at bat and Alonzo has been durable.
Mets need another at bat and Alonzo has been durable.
=======================
Absolutely, it is a perfect match. My guess is that the offer was made prior to Stearns, and that Stearns considered that a gift and won’t go near it.
What they should do is to ask Pete to bring him the best offer he receives, and match it or say good bye.
Believe that $156Million ship has sailed. Probably trying to jack up the AAV on short term deal w/opt outs. To save face. Gotta think twice bout hiring Boras as agent now a days. Alot of his gazillion dollar promises have not come to fruition plus he’s persona non grata for some organizations where they don’t consider his clients. How much more is he getting his players than all the other reputable agents n agencies are getting for their clients. I remember when Jeff Weaver told em “no” to going into free agency cause he like being in Anaheim n didn’t need to milk every penny out of owners.
@Neikro
I don’t think they’re at teams that won’t sign a client if his. You can’t take this personal.
I would think they consider who is agent is in many instances.
He has probably pushed a trade decision or affect longterm planning at least a time or two.
KnicksCavs: Organism? Herbal?
Do you actually watch what you are typing or are you on drugs?
@Blue
Called a “typo”. my apologies. watching “Mayor of Kongstown” and was distracted.
Kingstown
“but why play him so hard if “money ain’t a thang.””
Because years are a thing. And by all accounts the actual hang up to getting a deal done.
Stearns isn’t married to Alonso in any way and is under no real pressure to cave on a deal.
Agreed
@cambo – he’s the farthest thing from being a leader. He’s no Keith and his little temper tantrums are exhausting. He’s needs to grow up.
So if the Mets give him a short term deal, he’s not appreciated but if another team offers him that deal then he is appreciated?
Men’s League
Alonso a ‘leader’?
I can’t stop laughing.
One clutch HR in October doesn’t offset his invisible man act most of the season. So caveat emptor NYM fans when he’s flailing at sliders over and over in important moments next year and beyond.
@10cent
162 games with 34 numbers and a near. 800 OPS is not nuthin’.
With no other value, it’s not $30m a year sumthin …
KnicksandCavs-An OPS+ a little north of 120 and two consecutive years with WAR trending down puts him in a very weak negotiating position. And his first year was, by far, his best. The pitchers have made adjustments and he has demonstrated that he has been unable to adjust to their adjustments. By turning down the Mets overly generous extension he bet on himself and he lost.
@Agee
12th in homers and 39th in OPS isn’t bad. Just saying
Im willing to bet 6 years from now he’s ahead of the 137. Whether it be one deal or two
I’d take that bet. Outside of hitting homers, he just piles up negative value in every other aspect of the game. At the end of the day, he’s barely better than a 2 win player. And his decline is obvious. As the homers drop year after year, he becomes less and less valuable.
At the end of the day he’s a 3.3 WAR player average in his career but let’s not let a little thing like facts get in the way of emotion
learn about the mlb aging curve. he’s a 30 year old unathletic K prone 1B who tend to age like poop
Learn about the game he put up a 24.7% k rate that’s not “k prone” in 2025. You see 170 k’s and poop. I see 695 at bats as well.
thats an above average K rate, which will only get worse as he ages into his mid 30s
@TheGr8One
…and trending downward.
Still an issue. In 21-22, he had a 2/1 K/W.
In 23/24, his K/W is 2.4.
I think he can still be signed, but not nearly for that long.
So we went from “k prone” to “above average” once facts were applied lol hilarious
he is K prone… liable or likely to K, shown by above avg K rates. arguing semantics to avoid the obvious issues with Alonso’s likely crappy aging
It’s worth pointing out that Pete’s increased K rate was the result of taking too many called strikes. His swinging strike rate actually decreased. It’s possible, however, that he knows he can’t get around on velocity inside, and was thus spitting on strikes on the inner third, which put him in bad counts. It’s also possible that it’s purely an approach issue. It’s also interesting that if you look at the heat map of sliders he saw last year versus prior years, pitchers located their sliders incredibly well against him last year. Seems to me that there’s a certain amount of randomness to that. ♂️
Gr8one- Here are a few relevant facts.
1. His first year was his best
2. His WAR has trended down for two consecutive seasons
3. Players with similar profiles with lifetime WAR around 20ish by age 31 get about another 6 WAR on average for the rest of their careers.
4. He has been unable to hit sliders down and away on a consistent basis
5. Most of his defensive metrics are well below average
6. He plays the easiest position on defense
7. His walk rate is not great, so his projected OBP will decline significantly in his early-mid 30s when he can’t catch up to the heater
AgeeHarrelsonJones;
Agree with everything except the part about 1B being the “the easiest position on defense”. Could go on about it, but 1B is the most underrated and challenging defensive position to play well on a baseball team. Since the 1B handles the ball more than any position other then P and C, a quality 1B helps his team quite a bit.
As for Pete…..
He’s the sort of lumbering, low-BA / HR-hitting 1B that often finds himself in his 30’s playing for a 2nd division team paying him as a gate attraction. A team like the Rockies would be a perfect fit.
@gr – sure, if you include his first couple of years. Remove those and he’s Dave Kingman.
You see plate appearances….not AB’s. You also see a decline in every important number for 3 straight years. That’s hard to ignore
@TheGr8One
I’d keep your money in your wallet if I were you. He’s VERY one-dimensional. Below average glove as well.
Go ahead and Pivot. Vientos to 1b. Trade for Nolan or sign Bregman. Pete can come crawling back in March. They need a dh too. Just don’t bid against yourself on Pete. Or Nolan. Or heck even Bregman.
If only Bregman’s agent weren’t Pete’s agent.
Don’t see why the agent matters.
@Your
Would love to be on mute to hear that call.
Because Pete would core Boras is he found out his agent backfired his own client.
Nolan makes no sense. Nolan at 3B and Vientos at 1B is worth less than Vientos at 3B and Pete at 1B. Plus they would need to trade for Nolan. Bregman makes more sense if they’re going that route.
Trading for Nolan is easy. Just take most his salary.
Let the kids play. Vientos to 1B and Baty to 3B.
You know it’s slow when mlbtr has to repeat the same stories every other day with basically zero new news.
Tomorrow it will be how do the padres shed payroll.
It was a new report with new information. No one forced you to read it. Also some people might not see every story so good to have uodates. Might want to relax your nasty attitude Mr. Non member who reads it for free.
Repeat away. Free agents have been thinned out. Brutally slow day after day. Hope they get creative with articles but until then repeats better than nothing.
Hence what I said…you know it’s slow when..
Thanks for saying the same thing.
Small meat Pete will be washed in 2 years
@empty
cringe… dude, focus on a spot on the wall when you’re using the urinal.
boras made me look no cap
@empty nahhh… you’re a looky lou.
I really dont know what other teams make sense for Alonso if it isn’t the Mets. I think the Mets will end up with one of Alonso, Bregman or Arenado.
Giants. They have a decent 1B in Wade but he’s on his last year of control and would not block Pete. Plus they don’t have a regular DH, and they have the money.
Read up
Yeah I suppose the Giants could make sense. Wade probably needs to be platooned and he can play some outfield too.
agreed, giants should overpay another aging overrated free agent who will be washed in a few years, so they can reach 83 wins. Geriatric team with a geriatric fanbase.
Not a good park for him to hit in, just not a good fit in SF. He will regret it there.
Giants have their first baseman of the future in Bryce Eldridge. They passed on one year placeholders Goldy and Santana in the hopes that Wade Jr. can hold serve until Eldridge is ready to be called up in June. Polar Bear has limited uses and definitely no place on this team.
eldridge is a bust
Reds
If a pillow contract, small market TB could use a thumper in 2025.
If that’s the case, he might as well just stay with the Mets.
I think they could be a surprise team now that they have a TV contract in place. They did say they could be active in the market now. Hitters ballpark. Win win.
not sure why mets declined pete’s short term offer with opt outs. either boras wants $150 mil for 3 yrs or the mets think they can swing a trade for vladdy making pete redundant. mets should grab pete for 2025, then either he’ll walk to earn a bigger contract or if he opts in for another yr or 2, mets can trade him and sign vladdy when he’s a FA
If they sign Alonso for 3 years with opt outs, and he doesn’t opt out, that will handicap their ability to go after Vladdy in 2026.
Vladdy wants much more than $30M a season
i guess you missed the part where i said mets will trade pete if he opts in after 2025
If he opts in it’s because he had a year worse than the open market will pay. Who’s trading for that?
@gr8
cubs traded belly didnt they ?
Yes and when Pete can play center they’ll get something for him. He’s unsigned now and available to 30 teams. None are biting so who’s biting after a down year with an opt in and if you name anyone why aren’t they biting now?
They had to throw in $ to do it.
Just because the Cubs made a mistake doesnt mean the Mets should do the same.
@John If nobody wants to pay him now, why would they trade talent for him next year and assume his contract after a potentially down season?
Boras Pete originally asked for over 200m allegedly. Turned down 150m or whatever extension allegedly. Chances are the 3 year is unrealistic allegedly.
Are we certain the Mets have declined this offer?
@johncoltrane It’s because the rumored 3/90m for a 2.1 fWAR player is idiotic.
Most fans don’t have the faintest idea why opt-outs are offered, and why they aren’t. Alonso’s an old 29 in steep decline, who was barely worth a starting gig notwithstanding (OMG TEH HRZZZ!!!! ) in 2024 and is now 30.
You give opt outs w/ high AAVs to very good players on short deals in order to (A) entice them to play for you, and (B) as an insurance policy for the player in the unlikely event he has a bad year and sticks around, presumably to bounce back and leave for FA.
Alonso is neither of these things. He’s not a very good player, and he’s very likely to have a 2025 worse than his 2024, meaning he hangs around at your expense.
He’s not worth 3/90m. He’s certainly not worth 3/90m with opt-outs which ensures that in the unlikely event he actually rebounds in 2025 and has a shot at carrying that into 2026, he’ll leave for FA. Opt-outs are absurd for a player of Pete’s type, a ‘slugger’ whose SLG was 40th in MLB, and who is below average at everything else.
I mean, he’s a solid player and more importantly, consistently healthy. I think he could be a good asset but he won’t get paid superstar money.
If I am the Orioles…I would jump all over this…I would love to have the Polar Bear in Bird Land
LOVE HIS POWER
LOVE HIS PERSONALITY
I don’t know about his personality.
I am a Cardinals fan. When Masyn Winn got his first hit Alonso had the ball. He sort of showed it off to everyone then threw it in the stands. It was weird I wouldn’t swear that he was doing it to be a jerk but it was weird I don’t know why he did it.
Haha I never heard that story
Maybe you can find a video of it. It was weird you can draw your own conclusions from it.
Um, you had better better production at about half the salary last year with O’Hearn and Mountcastle. Plus, with Mayo and Bassallo coming up, 1B/DH should be last on the Orioles’ list.
O’s ain’t giving up their draft pick. Already have as good 1b options. Could have signed or traded for someone as good.
I don’t see why any team would want to lose draft pick for Pete. And they didn’t because they all signed or traded for almost as good better 1b.
Alonso is not enough of an upgrade over Mountcastle to be worth the cost.
He stays healthy though
I am a Lord Mountcastle fan….but he needs to stay healthy and Polar Bear stays healthy
Wall is moving back in. I bet Mountcastle hits 25 hrs this year. No thanks on Pete.
Lefty Orioles
YOU CAN HAVE HIM!
Signed,
Most reasonable Met fans
Hahahaha
Alonso put his trust in Boras, which has backfired so far. Both teams want each other, find that midpoint, and get it done already. But for the Mets, they should NOT bid against themselves. However, Alonso has earned it as a 6 year Mets veteran, so they should give a bit more to make it happen as well. Both sides, sit down and hammer it out already! LFGM!!!
He’s not going back to the Mets I don’t think. I know Cohen is loaded but whatever he pays Pete he pays in taxes as well. Sign him for 3/90 he costs 180+. I just don’t see that happening. It could sure Cohen has money but he didn’t get money by doing dumb things with it
Cohen doesn’t care about the tax. This is about Stearns. And you say he doesn’t go back to the Mets but well then exactly where will he be going? The Mets are still the best bet.
Boras is responsible for Petes hit data and results? I don’t think so.
No, Boras is just responsible for analyzing Pete’s hit data and overvaluing his market.
Overvaluing his market doesn’t matter. Boras wasn’t agent when Pete turned down extension. Asking for more than 200m makes owners gms laugh at him but didn’t hurt his market. Pete’s talent is reason for his market. Nothing Boras can do about it. They just need to wake up and realize his worth.
Jugg – Boras was not his agent when he greedily turned down the Mets overly generous extension. This is all Pete. Not a lot of self-awareness, apparently
What if nobody signs him?!?!
Then nobody will pay him!!
Hahahaha
Every year one or two guys. Think they are worth more then people will pay. Other teams think Mets have unlimited money . Yet they have not signed guy . Why? This has Atkins signing written all over it. Last empty chair is Atkins special. The genius probably offer more then he turned down from Mets.
Alonso should have taken the Mets 158 mill. MLBTR handwaves about how Alonso will beat that money by trusting in Boras. We’ll see about that bit of PR for the Mighty Scott.
If the Mets don’t want him on a short-term deal, Alonso is royally shafted. He won’t get anywhere near the dollars and years he wants from anybody else. A sluggish slugger with a bad glove and worse baserunning and declining offense. Just doesn’t appeal much outside New York.
Some folks said the same thing about Blake Snell and Matt Chapman the same time last year. Even in a down year, he’s got elite power for a 1B when only four firstbaseman hit 30+ homeruns this past season. If he wants to sign for an opt-out year, so be it. Odds are Pete Alonso will get paid very well this year or the next.
Yeah, he’ll get an okay salary for maybe a three-year deal with opt-outs. But he’s not a good all-round player and the slugging is starting to dry up. The trend in his SLG for 2021-24: .519 .518 .504 .453.
If the Mets don’t pony up he’ll have to take a smaller prove-it deal from someone else. Nobody seems inclined to sign this guy for any kind of major long-term money.
We could ask Jordan Montgomery how he feels about Scott Boras’s representation but he already told us.
I’m pretty sure Profar was with Boras when he was steered into opting out of his Padres deal and landed himself in Colorado for a season. Which went so badly that the Rockies waived him. He then switched agents, went back to San Diego for near the league minimum and had a career year.
For middle to lower tier players Boars is awful.
Someone will always get left behind. It’s the risk you take choosing Boras. They’re functions of the market and player performance.
4 years / $114M or $28.75M AAV over 4 years, which is a more than fair AAV and contract length that is the median between the original offer he declined and that Hail Mary contract he suggested to the Mets.
Meet in the middle. Why don’t teams and players meet in the middle like this more often?
Overpay.
Overpay and too long.
Because it’s a gross overpay for a minimally competent regular in decline.
You said it yourself. Why should the Mets sign an offer that’s ‘more than fair’ to the player?
In addition, 3/90m with 2 opt outs for Alonso is ridiculous. Alonso isn’t a player who should be getting a superstar AAV or anything close to it. If you offer Pete 3/60m, a fair offer, and he counters with 7/158m, why would you ever ‘meet in the middle’ when 5/109m is laughably more than his talent level and age warrant?
Sign Bregman this year and Vladdy next year. Sorry, Pete, goodbye.
I thought the Mutts are a family team, what are they doing. They sign Soto and now they turn into the Rays.
Ignorant
@Logan1429 And here we thought Alonso “was desperate to stay with the Mets and remain a Met for life.”
And yet he turned down an offer a lot better than anything else he’s been offered.
As for the 3/90m, it’s a joke. Two opt outs kick the value up to at least 3/100m, and Alonso turned down 7/158m, which included his last arb year. Call it 6/137.5m, total, for his six FA years meaning the ‘deal’ Boras is currently offering the Mets leaves Alonso needing to only make 3/37.5m after 2027.
Tell us again how 3/90m with opt outs is ‘fair’??
Mets are waiting for Vlad Jr. Pete is a cooked, one trick pony.
Agreed.
Stearns couldn’t care less about the fat 1Bman on the Jays who’s looking for $400m-plus.
“coming off a couple of relative down years” is a polite way of saying “has entered his decline phase”
It never ceases to amaze me that players don’t pay attention to the markets of their peers at their positions. Matt Olson and Freddie Freeman, both are superior defenders to Alonso and both are better overall hitters didn’t even hit the $180 million mark and Olson was younger than Alonso when he signed his deal.
Miguel Cabrera was on a Hall of Fame trajectory when he signed his extension and also had the ability to play 3B and the corner OF, which Alonso doesn’t. Team’s have shied away from the Pujols/Fielder albatross deals to one-trick pony’s in recent years and the fact that he seemingly only wants to play for the Mets are all working against him
I really don’t understand why these players never take a little bit less money to play where they want instead of holding out for every last dime of a payday. Alonso is a good player, but no way is he going to approach Freddie Freeman $$$. He seems to like playing for the Mets and he is somewhat beloved there, so take 5 years and $100m and call it a day. Better yet, if he had taken the extension they offered him and skipped testing the market altogether he would be miles ahead.
I think it’s the agents and managers who manipulate players from a young age. Hell even the parents during their youth. The message is just hammered into them early on. Everybody surrounding these athletes are relying on them for a meal ticket. They could care less about their happiness.
I think back to when Freddie Freeman left the Braves. Seemed pretty clear he did not want to go elsewhere but it’s like someone had him convinced if the Braves didn’t pay him every last cent that he wanted then nothing else mattered.
Pete Alonso spelled backwards is OnlyoneLeft
Yes Alonso ruined his chances. But this goes to show how much of a small market GM Stearns is. He’s been at the helm for two off seasons and a trade deadline and has left a lot to be desired. They made the same mistake at the deadline by not going all in. Instead he lived on the fringes and Blackburn and his reliever moves didn’t pay off. Yea you can say Winker was good. But look at his numbers since he was acquired. Cohen claimed they would be modeling after the dodgers but after these off season moves (save Soto who was all cohen) the look more like Brewers East.
Sterns got them into the playoffs in a step back year. Complain all you want.
I’d be a little careful about relying on Vientos to replace Pete. Vientos’s expected numbers (for what they’re worth) we’re nearly identical to Pete’s, except that they came with more Ks, AND in what might end up being the best season Vientos ever has, rate-wise. He’s a very obvious regression candidate. The team obviously has data that we don’t have, and I get not offering Pete a 5+ year deal, but they’re talking about a short-term deal, and it seems like Pete should be fine for the next 2-3 years (though he might benefit from a little more rest here and there). And who would play third if Vientos moves to first? Alex Bregman is entering his age-31 season, is also declining, and wouldn’t have the cozy dimensions of Houston. And they certainly can’t bank on any of their internal candidates. It’s weird.
Doesn’t matter who plays 3B. Internal or external, nothings guaranteed.
Please tell me why you think they can’t fill the position internally?
If your “that guy” Boras will get you the money. Unfortunately Pete isn’t that guy. He is average at best on defense and mid .200 hitter that last two season hasn’t come through when needed. One big HR in post season doesn’t award you a mega deal. I would like to see him stay a Met but won’t be heartbroken if he goes. He’s easily replaceable.
By rejecting Billy Eppler’s misguided extension, Pete Alonso will end up leaving at least 30 million on the table. He did the Mets (and Juan Soto) a solid. Pete, don’t let the door hit you on your way out. You had a sensational rookie year – one for the ages. But you over-estimated your worth and underestimated the inevitable decline in skills and athleticism that comes with age.
Alonso’s deficiencies are now perceived as more important than his talents are valued. It’s possible he ends up with a one year pillow. Possible
Alonso’s deficiencies far outweigh his one modest talent, a 459 SLG.
I see a lot of Dave Kingman in Alonso, albeit with a higher BA and somewhat better defense.
Yawn.
Mets should be on hands & knees thanking god pete rejected 7yrs/158mil
Huh I wonder why Jon heyman all of the sudden says that they are close to a deal…
I swear he’s got to be employed by boras corporation it’s not just a conspiracy theory anymore
Milwaukee brewers need to sweep in and sign Alonso. Much better numbers than Bregman, hasn’t shown decline yet. 3-5 year deal
I heard a rumor that he’s signing with the Mariners on a 4 year/$4 million deal with an option to throw fish in the off-season. However, that might just be a rumor.
Mets under no pressure to offer him any better than 3/60 with an opt out. Other clubs don’t want to be used by him and Boras when 1B doesn’t need to be an expensive part of most teams rosters.
Casual fans simply do not understand opt-outs.
Train is leaving the station Pete. Take it or leave it. Will we see Freeman like tears from Alonso? (Cue flounder)
I read often about the comparisons to Freeman et al First basemen contracts. Seems to always be mention of Bora$$ and ‘record ” amounts…the total or the AAV. Always more. Always more.
I understand being short change $6M seems pretty heavy, but getting $24 seem like decent income. And really, he isn’t losing any money if he signs for $22M. He is currently getting zero.
Bora$$ is the one who missed his record-seeking drive.
What is more important to Pete?,playing in Mets uniform or squeezing a few more million above a pretty good wage.
like: I won’t settle for$22M. I want $24M .Really ??
That was a great contract offer he turned down. Lucky to get 3 years $66 million now.