Ken Davidoff of Newsday (subscription required) reminds us that the Mets made offers to Jason Bay (four years and about $65MM) and Bengie Molina (two years and about $10MM) on December 10th. After talking to a Mets official, Davidoff explains the team's strategy:
If the team fails to secure Bay, it will strongly consider raising its offer to Molina. But if Bay signs, the Mets will hold a harder line with Molina.
MetsBlog's Matthew Cerrone doesn't see why the two would be related, and I agree. Is it a payroll thing? Or do the Mets simply hold Molina in higher regard than the other 29 teams?
Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post says both players are holding out for an extra year, and the Mets might start considering other options if the stalemate continues.
