Let's get this Pete Alonso thing done already!
Also - Mets players have begun arriving and working out at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie
What’s up with the Mets? 🍎
Players have begun to arrive and work out in Port St. Lucie - Clay Holmes threw live batting practice on Monday, Ronny Mauricio was performing baseball activities, and Christian Scott was working on strength and conditioning as part of his recovery from UCL surgery (SNY)
Anthony Rizzo - who has not been linked to the Mets in free agency - could be a strong backup plan to Pete Alonso (SI)
The Mets appear to be altering their primary road uniforms, adding a blue an orange racing stripe to the pants and a blue and orange cuff to the sleeve and the collar (Mets style guide via Howie Rose)
Rumor Mill 💨
The Tigers are still in pursuit of Alex Bregman (ESPN)
Let’s get it done already… ✍️
Pete Alonso still isn’t a Met. He still isn’t anything for that matter.
It’s now February 4, six weeks since the first base market collapsed on him in a matter of about 48 hours.
Alonso still hasn’t signed with the Blue Jays, despite some reports to the contrary and others stating the two sides were close.
Alonso still hasn’t signed with the Angels, hasn’t signed with the Reds, hasn’t signed anywhere Scott Boras has made an attempt to smoke the Mets out and try to get them to bend and get this ink onto the paper.
For the record, Alonso isn’t at fault for anything, nor are the Mets. Alonso had a right to assess his value and try and maximize that value. That’s free agency, that’s business. I seem to recall the last time I was looking for a job, I tried to get the most amount of money I could as well as a free agent in my industry.
Of course, I don’t have the kind of money Alonso has in the bank, nor was I looking for money in the order of magnitude Alonso is looking for, but free agency is free agency in any industry and we all have the same goals in mind when we are looking for jobs.
But needless to say, this is a gross miscalculation on the parts of both Boras and Alonso. The Mets specifically have played this about as well as they could right from the jump in the off-season, although I do think to an extent Alonso’s free agency is part of the clog that is keeping other big names from signing. David Stearns made it pretty clear the Mets wanted him back, still want him back, and will not give any ultimatums to Alonso, but will only do a deal on their terms and what they view is at fair market value for a player like Alonso.
That’s fair for them. There’s no question the Mets see and understand the sentimental value with Alonso, what he could mean for the history of the franchise, and recognize the fan position on all of this. But all of that contains compassion and front offices can’t and won’t operate emotionally. They will not place a dollar value on their emotional connection for one another.
Rather, they still must be transactional in an effort to protect their organization from assuming a more than acceptable amount of risk, and that’s what Stearns is trying to do while at the same time understanding the club has a significant need for Alonso and there probably aren’t three players out there they can sign for the same money who will give them the sum total of 40 home runs that Alonso can and probably will provide in year one.
Even so, we are exactly one week away from pitchers and catchers officially reporting to Port St. Lucie. Someone needs to get Stearns and Boras into a room or onto a Zoom, 1:1, and get this hammered out so the narratives and storylines change as camp begins.
That’s not to say that if the Mets sign Alonso and he comes to camp, that it will be a comfortable re-introduction for their franchise first baseman. A lot has happened in the months since he hit his last home run for the Mets in the NLCS, a lot for both sides to explain.
But there is a less desirable outcome than that for the Mets, and that is having to explain why Alonso isn’t a Met at the start of spring training and the media pressing the players for their thoughts and viewpoints on the matter. That’s a negative distraction a team with such positive vibes coming off a great 2024 season and the signing of Juan Soto two months ago doesn’t need.
So, let’s go already. Where else is Alonso going? Where else are the Mets finding the wins Alonso is going to provide them in 2025?
Let’s get a damn deal done already.
Around the League 🚩
MLB fired umpire Pat Hobert for sharing a gambling account with a professional poker player who used that account to bet on baseball
The Yankees signed RHP Carlos Carrasco to a minor league contract (YES Network)
I’m not sure anyone wants Pete back more than Michael Baron. Lol. I do agree Alonso and the Mets make a lot of sense for each other. And the Mets are a better team with him than what they are currently looking at. But, stating the obvious, Alonso has to have a reality check on his value. I do think Toronto is still an option for Alonso but of course any team that signs Alonso outside of the Mets will forfeit a draft pick. That may be a real deterrent for other teams. It’s obvious the market just wasn’t there for him and he and Boras overestimated his worth. So getting a deal done with maybe a first year opt out will give Alonso an opportunity to prove the market wrong and up his value next offseason. Or not.
I’m with you. Let’s just get it done!