Yesterday’s developments in the contract negotiations between the Met front office and David Wright’s representatives seemed to kick into high gear. First we learned of the preliminary offer which was said to be in the range of 6 years at 100 million dollars. Most fans cried in horror thinking it was a low ball number – a small contingency of fans just bellowed to trade him. Later on it was leaked that the Mets allegedly raised to offer to 7 years and around 130 million – this time fans cheered expecting the ink to dry on a new contract by midnight last night while other fans grumbled ( yes there is a anti Wright contingent within the ranks of Mets fans).
Later on last night MLBTR.com reported that they spoke to Wright and his representative, Seth Levinson who said that most of the stories that were leaked to the press yesterday were “inaccurate”.
Okay folks let us face the facts if these negotiations were a television show it would be called ” As The Stomach Turns” . During contract negotiations there will always be information leaked. Some information will be true – some will be false , but the fact of the matter is at least both sides are talking and it seems as though talks are gaining speed and progress is being made.
I do not know why either camp acknowledged yesterdays leaked information. Was it a leverage move by Wright’s camp to extract more money from the Mets as some may have suggested – or was this a ploy by Mets management to embarrass Wright into signing because the offer (if it is a real offer) is more than fair and within the market recently set by Ryan Zimmerman and Evan Longoria.
We fans just have to sit back and not get to caught up into these negotiations because if you believe everything you read in the papers or in blogs or on twitter – then your psyche will spiral into madness. Just remember there are 3 sides to every story – The Mets front office side, David Wright and his camp’s side – and the TRUTH !!
And with that said….HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!!
Mets alumni celebrating a birthday today includes:
Mets manager from ’65-’67, Wes Westrum would have been 90 today (1922).
Starting pitcher from the ’02 and ’03 season, Pedro Astacio is 43 (1969).
Middle reliever from the ’04 season, José Parra is 40 (1972).
On this date in 1998, original Mets Chairman Of The Board, M. Donald Grant passed away. Grant held this title from the teams inception in 1962 until is resignation in 1978, and is considered by many as the most hated figure in Mets history because of his spendthrift ways which turned the team into laughing stocks by the late ’70′s with his unwillingness to sign high priced free agents and ordering the trades of some the team’s best players.
The New York Mets traded outfielder, Gus Bell to the Milwaukee Braves for outfielder, Frank Thomas on November 28, 1961.Bell would be reacquired by the Mets before the start of the ’62 season.
The Mets drafted outfielder, Amos Otis from the Boston Red Sox on November 28, 1966. Otis would end up one of the premier outfielders in baseball – just not with the Mets.
The New York Mets drafted outfielder, Tommie Reynolds from the Kansas City Athletics on November 28, 1966.
The New York Mets traded middle reliever Juan Castillo and minor league pitcher, Todd Beckerman to the Houston Astros for starting pitcher, Pete Harnisch on November 28, 1994.
The New York Mets purchased the contract of middle reliever, Brian Stokes from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on November 28, 2007.In his two seasons with the Mets, Stokes went a combined 3-4 with an E.R.A of 3.82 with one save.
Mo Vaughn knows how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop – but he’s not telling !!!!
20 comments
kingman 26
11/28/2012-8:54am at 8:54 am (UTC -4)
Rusty my friend, I am most definitely not anti-Wright.
Not sure if you read my pieces these days, but when you view Wright’s career in two four-year segments of 2005–2008 and then 2009–2012, EVERY number is down significantly. This deal means we have him for TWO more four-year periods.
He will be 31 when this new deal starts. How many teams sign a player to a 7-year deal beginning at age 31? For money like this, when his best years are long past?
Yes, he was MVP-like for the first half of 2012, and then in the second half of 2012, all of his numbers (ALL of them) reverted to the mediocrity of the 2011 season.
People keep saying it is the park, it is not having Beltran and Delgado around him, etc., but that is not going to change!
In addition, the team’s payroll is dramatically lower than it used to be.
We could fill several holes on this team for the outrageous annual salary Wright may receive. And if the starting pitching develops as hoped for, we won’t need much more than a group of solid fundamental players (such as Ike and Tejada) filling the starting eight.
The Wilpons know that fans have blind love for Wright, and I know from visits to Citi how many wear his jerseys and cheer his every move. And that my friend, is most definitely what this is all about.
Satisfying the masses who love David and trying to sell tickets while the team will continue to languish in the second division.
I wish Wright had a few more years on his deal and this was not an issue.
A 7-year, 130-million or whatever extension for a guy who will be 31 in year 1 and who has not been the same player since 2008 is insanity.
Minayan insanity. As we will all see.
Rustyjr
11/28/2012-8:57am at 8:57 am (UTC -4)
Wasn’t directed towards you Doug
kingman 26
11/28/2012-9:16am at 9:16 am (UTC -4)
Oh I know my friend!
I just really think I have a strong case here!
But I certainly appreciate and respect your opinion Ed, and most of all I am thrilled that you are back on a regular basis.
SaltyGary
11/28/2012-9:12am at 9:12 am (UTC -4)
If we knew the team had the financial flexibility to build around him then the deal is fine, you lock up the ambassador. BUT they continue to show they can’t and that’s why this contract stinks to holy hell.
I would not lump this move into past Minaya over-signings, simply because Wright means a whole lot more to this organization. With all the non-baseball activities that he does and promotional pieces, he will make up the cost. Even in the waning years of the contract they will be able to squeeze out some extra juice like doing a “farewell tour”.
The place where the money is the issue is in direct relation to how the team handles this signing. Do they say they are tapped out still or do they start re-investing in the team. If they continue to play the tapped out card, then why waste everyone’s time.
Here is the kicker, the Wilpon’s will try their best to not let fans know what the truth is in terms of their financial flexibility. In reality it’s really none of our business but due to past actions, their continued inaction’s are driving fans away. They will need to turn this around at some point if they want to move forward on that Willits Point development and they should look to this year as the time to place the engine in second gear.
kingman 26
11/28/2012-9:22am at 9:22 am (UTC -4)
Sorry my friend, I just totally disagree.
What is he the “ambassador” of? I just don’t get that thinking. As someone said elsewhere, look what the Cards did with Pujols, who blows Wright away in EVERY way.
They refused to overpay him, let him go, and picked up winning right where they left off.
It’s crazy. This is not how ANY team aside from the Yankees behaves. And they make the postseason EVERY year.
Wright’s the Face of Fourth Place and the Ambassador of Second Half Collapses, and has been since 2009.
This team is in dire need of a facelift and a NEW Face of the Franchise.
“With all the non-baseball activities that he does and promotional pieces, he will make up the cost”
Wow, I could not disagree more.
fongulalou
11/28/2012-9:33am at 9:33 am (UTC -4)
Stop!….You make too much sense.
kingman 26
11/28/2012-9:59am at 9:59 am (UTC -4)
HAHAHA!
Where the HELL have you been sir?
You are missed here!
Traffic is up, new visitors and commenters, and DAMN it is good to see you!
How ’bout those Brooklyn Nets??
TX
11/28/2012-10:11am at 10:11 am (UTC -4)
Chaz Batch sucks. just wanted to commiserate….
srt
11/28/2012-9:04am at 9:04 am (UTC -4)
‘You can’t handle the truth!’
Seriously, did Wright actually believe all these negotiations would remain secret? Kind of impossible in this day and age, I would think. I can just imagine what lengths these beat writers go to, to be the first to report on anything.
I still think this deal with Wright gets done. There has to be something to these reports yesterday. If I had to guess, I think he’ll probably get around 18 MIL per year, for 7 more years. Maybe with that 7th year as an option year.
Wish we were hearing about progress with Dickey.
SaltyGary
11/28/2012-9:13am at 9:13 am (UTC -4)
I think it gets done as well, the Reyes saga never came close to progressing this far.
srt
11/28/2012-9:47am at 9:47 am (UTC -4)
My cynical nature is starting to think the Mets might be delaying the Wright signing – and possibly Dickey – until next week at the Winter meetings. Some PR move that if they got at least one signing announced next week, it would defer the attention from the fact that we’re probably not going to be doing much else with the projected payroll given what it is.
Or more to the point we’re not going to be making any big splash FA signing this winter.
Prismo
11/28/2012-9:20am at 9:20 am (UTC -4)
I’m done. I’m not discussing the deals any further until something actually happens. I take my leave.
TX
11/28/2012-10:12am at 10:12 am (UTC -4)
At least give us a weather update.
greggofboken
11/28/2012-9:29am at 9:29 am (UTC -4)
How many deals get done once one side feeds info to the press to leverage public opinion at the expense of the other? I believe the Mets hurt their position here — and haven’t helped it in terms of negotations w/other players.
Since the money and length figures differ from source to source it’s premature to say. But if there is any truth to the report that a sticking point may be a substantial amount of deferred payments, I hate the practice. And it’s a practice that has gotten this ownership in the financial mess it is still trying to emerge from. It’s highly disappointing that they’ve learned nothing about spending beyond their means/living on credit — IF those reports are true. (One big if….like all the rest of this hoo-hah),
srt
11/28/2012-9:48am at 9:48 am (UTC -4)
I agree with you on that defer money. I hate the practice too, as well as most heavily back-loaded type contracts – especially for players 30 or older. (think Reyes).
Stick
11/28/2012-9:44am at 9:44 am (UTC -4)
Huh. I did not realize M Donald was there at the beginning. And these days, i guarantee there are some fans that have him no higher than #2 on their list of most hated!
Stick
11/28/2012-9:54am at 9:54 am (UTC -4)
I pretty much agree with Knog philosophically. And I have to say, Prismo is probably the smartest person here for his comment!
couple of quick points:
1) The money (year) is not really that bad at the rumored levels (~18 per). The length is more of an issue, but who knows what the situation will be 5 years from now, so it may be insignificant. May also be mid-loaded (18 20 20 20 18 16 16, something like that).
2) my real issue is not keeping him, it is he should be treated like any other aging, high-priced FA. Only do it if the foundation is in place, and you need the part to put you over the top. Since they need a foundation rebuild, they should be trying to trade him for more building blocks.
3) This deal in no ways menas the team (and it is the mets, not the Wilpons) are suddenly fulsh with case. All they would be doing is pre-spending a portion of the $ coming off payroll after 2013 (bay, Johan, and of course, Wright himself). So it in no way means they can or will spend more.
Anyway, I just think (IMHO!) that given all the circumstances right now, the best course of action was to trade him, and dickey, and try to retool/rebuild (actually they should have done this 1-2 years ago, but can’t go back!)
srt
11/28/2012-9:59am at 9:59 am (UTC -4)
#3 – Absolutely
I don’t understand the comments I’m reading that just b/c the Mets are contemplating a Wright extension, it suddenly means they’re no longer broke.
kingman 26
11/28/2012-10:00am at 10:00 am (UTC -4)
Thank you!
Right on the f***ing money.
darknova306
11/28/2012-11:17am at 11:17 am (UTC -4)
” Only do it if the foundation is in place, and you need the part to put you over the top”
Exactly. That’s something I mentioned yesterday. This signing is the type you make when it can put you over the hump while the team is in its ‘window of opportunity’. The Mets are most definitely not in a ‘window’ right now. Their window has been nailed shut since 2007 ended.