Reese Kaplan -- Spring Training Starts February 10th, Mr. Stearns

It would seem that after the unexpectedly high level of performance of the 2024 Mets that there would be a plethora of teams actively seeking the pieces that propelled them into mid October baseball.  When the 2024 World Series ended and the offseason officially began it turned out that the Mets were facing a pretty empty locker room with a great many choosing to explore enriching their bank accounts based upon either an ill fit with the Mets organization or an unrealistic sense of self worth.

On that latter point, just take a look at Scott Boras and his client Pete Alonso.  Obviously the agent fed off his history of great success and convinced Alonso to shop himself around either to land a top notch deal or at least to increase what the Mets would have to invest to have him return to Citifield.  Now if we believe this week's narrative, the Mets and this pair are no longer viable.

Depending on whose version of the story you choose to believe, the fact remains that as we move to the latter half of January the Mets have not secured a first baseman and Pete Alonso still does not have employment.  Right now it would seem that the issue at hand is not so much about the amount of money spent per year or the number of years of guaranteed revenue to the player, but instead about the ancient concept of saving face.  Who is going to walk away from this sad scenario the better and who will have become victorious?

From Alonso’s perspective, he has to know that for the right price — $20-$25 million per season — for 4-5 years he should not have that much difficulty in landing a new contract.  He would, of course, accept it with his tail between his legs knowing he could have had more years with the Mets had he accepted what was offered in 2024.  

On David Stearns’ plate is the hard swallow that by holding a rigid line in the sand he’s running the risk of Alonso giving up on the Mets entirely and leaving the club with no obvious protection for new $50 million plus per year cleanup hitter Juan Soto.  Yes, the club could shift Mark Vientos across the diamond and use their plethora of middle infielders to man third base, but no matter how optimistic you are that the likes of Jeff McNeil, Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio or Luisangel Acuna will provide even the substandard 34 HRs and 88 RBIs that Alonso did in an off year. His more normal average is 43 HRs and 112 RBIs per year which would be even harder to replace.

We’ve all heard how the Mets will allegedly go all hot and heavy after Vlad Guerrero, Jr. to provide an unbelievable 3/4 in the batting order next year, but there is no guarantee that the Blue Jays are open to a trade this year, have given up completely on getting him to agree to an extension or that the Mets would be the winners in a bidding war for the young man’s services.  In the interim a whole laundry list of viable first basemen found new homes while Pete Alonso and the Mets front office continue to play a childish game of chicken.  

Of course, the Polar Bear does not stand alone in his unemployment.  Ex Mets without work include Harrison Bader, Adam Ottavino, Phil Maton, Ryne Stanek, J.D. Martinez, Jose Iglesias, Jose Quintana, Drew Smith and Brooks Raley may all need to join Alonso at the millionaires’ soup kitchen.  Sean Manaea did return to the Mets and his rotation mate Luis Severino will be wearing a green uniform shirt for the Athletics.  2 days ago Jesse Winker and the Mets agreed to a reunion which makes for a weird Nimmo, Marte and Winker share of the DH position?

The fact that the Mets chose not to bring any of these folks back yet they also have not yet found new homes makes one question if they were not playing at a level people didn’t feel was likely to be replicated or some have aged out of primary consideration.  Then folks like Smith and Raley have long term health questions that might earn them at best minor league contracts with options.  

While it is understandable that there are a number of former Mets without jobs but so too are there unemployed free agents from other teams.  What’s frustrating for Mets fans is that to some extent the plan to move forward with any of the rest of the team roster’s improvements until the great dance with Scott Boras comes to an overdue end.  That conclusion may have been accurate as A.J. Minter finally was extended an offer only after the Mets closed the chapter on Pete Alonso.  Still, resources are becoming less palatable as other clubs are demonstrating a greater willingness to secure their 2025 group of available players.  

Tick tock, tick tock...