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| Photo by Mack Ade |
These were the infamous 11 words that Fred Wilpon told Sports Illustrated[i]
about David
Wright.
What many Mets fans don’t realize is that, according
to people I talk to, Mr. Wright hasn’t spoken one single word with Mr. Wilpon
since that article came out.
Everyone keeps writing that Sandy and Company have a
hard decision to make regarding the possible trading of Wright in 2012. The
assumption is that David would gleefully put his name next to Fred on a new
contract.
Once more… David Wright has not shared one word with
Fred Wilpon since the above mentioned story came out in SI.
Wright has been carrying for years what character is
left in this organization. I’ve stood in the Mets clubhouse. I’ve been there
through all the Wilpon-Omar-Jerry bullshit, including flame outs at reporters[ii],
signings of injured re-treads[iii]
, and I haven’t even mentioned anyone with a name that rhymes with Moliver
Merez.
Wright has had this team’s back on every interview
with every reporter that approached his locker. He has never been reluctant to
answering a question and always took the high road when a reporter was looking
to go low.
Did you understand what I just said?
David Wright will talk to anyone… except Fred
Wilpon.
I approached
David three years ago when the Mets played their annual intra-squad spring
training game the day before the Grapefruit League started. The Mets always dedicate this game to Brian Cole,
a prospect outfielder that was killed returning home from the 2001 ST season.
I was working on a story about Cole and asked David
if he could give me a couple of sentences. I assumed they both knew each other,
but researched later that night from my hotel room that Wright didn’t sign with
the Mets until he was drafted by the Mets three months AFTER Cole had died.
Still, David didn’t take the easy road. I was some
minor league old dude that didn’t do his due diligence. He could have dismissed
me with letting me know that he had never met Cole. Instead, he gave me five
minutes on tape that I could transcribe and write a Mets story no one else
wrote that week.
That’s the class act that David is, both on and off
the field.
Do you honestly think he’s going to resign a
contract with a man that he won’t even talk to?
I’ve been a fan of this team for 50 years. They have
one member of the HOF and he was traded. Could someone tell me one great New
York Met that started and ended with this team?
David Wright will take what he does elsewhere and
all fans can do now is hope that Sandy Alderson can
negotiate two good prospects for his services. He will then work for someone he
talks to which, in the real world, has always been a condition of employment on
the first day you go to work.
13 comments:
Mack, this is a GREAT post! Seriously.
If David plays this season like the old David, theres no way in hell Sandy trades him. Sorry, but at this point, David IS the Mets. Theres no way the Wilpons would ever allow a healthy and productive David Wright to be traded unless they lost the Madoff case by the deadline which doesn't seem likely. Also, if he plays poorly, who will want him? The only way a productive Wright leaves is via free agency. If he's moved while doing well, the Wilpons would lose the majority of the fan base during a time when they need every last one of their fans to stave off their decreasing revenues. To move him would be suicide, regardless of the returning prospect package because the average fan doesn't give a hoot about the farm system until the prospects actually make it to Queens. He only gets traded if the Wilpons say yes and I just can't see them letting him leave while he's a productive "face of the franchise". But like you said, David can split as soon as he is able after 2013 when his contract is up.
thank you, David
Charles, you might be missing the point of the post. David Wright has no desire to associate himself with Fred Wilpon... anymore.
If what I say is correct (which, I believe, is true), why wouldn't the team trade him and get something better thandraft picks?
@ Charles,
I think that this article might put the post into perspective: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/letter-freed-slave-former-master-draw-attention-151653952.html
If you had a job where the boss publicly told people you weren't that good at, where you felt under appreciated or ... in the case of my link... where your employer shot at you, what amount of money would it take for you to go back? Frankly, there doesn't seem like anyone anywhere is giving ANYONE a "Home Town Discount" and further that the Wilpons are such a disgraceful pair that players might not want to play for them.
If there is that rift with Wright then Alderson NEEDS to trade him because as we've seen with Jose Reyes, you don't necessarily even get a top pick for your BEST player.
Unless the Wilpons sell the team, Wright will leave via free agency. They slapped the one guy in the face who has stood up for this franchise through all of their shenanigans. Who could blame him for wanting nothing to do with them? Hell, I could see him taking a few million less(not a lot but a few) to go to a place he feels appreciated.
From an organizational standpoint they have to assume he's leaving and trade him while they can recoup something for him.
I would bet Wright hasn't talked to Fred Wilpon in person since that interview because Fred Wilpon & Wright haven't been in the same room since that time. Fred Wilpon does not make many public appearances these days. It appears it's mostly Jeff Wilpon and Alderson and Howard who take care of the day to day management of the club.
Wright very well may hate Fred Wilpon OR maybe he doesn't. The point is, I don't think anyone knows (except maybe his family), and saying he is purposely avoiding Fred Wilpon is pure speculation.
David Rubin and I did some research today.
We found:
Fred let an apology message on David phone.
David returned the message either by leaving a tel-message or a text
Jeff apologized to David for his father.
David talked to Jeff...
but...
still no in person or telcon between Fred and David
Right. The telephone tag was widely reported at the time. It was played with Reyes and Beltran too.
There is still nothing to suggest that the reason Wright and Fred Wilpon haven't talked since then isn't because they simply have never been in the same room at the same time in all these months.
There is no evidence to suggest he is purposely avoiding Fred Wilpon.
It remains pure speculation on your part.
I believe Wright said publicly that after he talked to Jeff, he considered the matter closed.
There was no need to talk to Fred Wilpon after, and if they have never been together in the same room since then, they wouldn't have had any occasion to talk.
He very well may dislike Fred Wilpon, but it's really a stretch to say that he has been purposely avoiding him. No one knows how he feels.
I'll stick by what I wrote. Kinda think they'd have to be around each other. Really, really, really doubt David walks by Fred in the clubhouse without saying hello. He's to polite and respectful. As I've said, if he plays well they're not trading him. If he wants out, itll come when he's a free agent.
Well, Metro.... we seem to be saying the same thing with a different spin on the importance of actually having a real conversation with your boss.
Reminds me of the Tisch-Parcells days.
I'll leave it here
I don't think this is a big deal...at least not based off the info thus far. There has been nothing out there suggesting Fred has been trying to talk to David and David refused to talk. Just that they havent talked [though I do believe it was reported that they did talk after the inital phonetag following the incident]. It could just be they have nothing to talk about . We have no idea how often they talked prior to these comments. Wright said he doesnt hold a grudge over the comments...while he might not admit if he did..if he was truly mad and didnt want people to know he probably wouldnt admit that they havent talked bc he wouldn't want people to read into it. I also think the fact he talks to jeff is good. He might be annoyed about freds comments but I doubt hes refusing to ever talk to him or that it woyld be the reason he doesnt sign
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