It has been a tough year for the Mets and it doesn't seem like the club is in position to back up a Brink's truck to reload in 2013. Recently, it was reported that General Manager Sandy Alderson will basically working with the same payroll next year with the lid being in the neighborhood of $90MM. Here's more out of Queens and other items from the National League East..
- Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson said that he expects David Wright to be with the team for the future at a Q&A session for season ticket holders, tweets Matt Ehalt of ESPNNewYork.com. Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter) notes that it takes two to tango, however, and the question isn't whether the Mets want Wright back.
- During that same gathering, Alderson also said he expects R.A. Dickey to be with the Mets "long-term," writes Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. Dickey and Wright have options for 2013 that will be exercised by the club, but Alderson will not wait until the pair hit free agency to negotiate. "It's not our intention to simply rely on those options and go into next season and deal with their free agency after 2013," the GM explained.
- The Red Sox-Dodgers blockbuster underscores the tough situation that the Mets are currently facing, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman wonders why the Mets never looked at the Dodgers' need at third base and pitch them on Wright plus a bad contract or two in exchange for payroll relief and prospects.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wonders if Brian McCann is playing his way out of a big contract as he struggles to fight through a pair of injuries in his right shoulder. The Braves hold a $12MM option on McCann for next season, making this winter the ideal time to discuss a new deal.
Edward Creech contributed to this post.
Mets only have 2013 left in bad contracts, don’t really know why Sherman is (as always) yacking about nothing and blowing hot air.
Do they sign Wright? Only if it makes sense, but not if Wright decides he wants one of those glamorous6-7Y and 20m+ AAv deals that they would only have to try and unload on another team when it turns brutal 3-4 years down the road.
What an organization. It takes me back to the DeRoulet / Grant regime. Have yet to set foot in Citi Field
You should. I’m a Braves fan, ATL native living in NYC and it’s better than Turner Field. Pays more of an homage to the city’s baseball teams (Bklyn Dodgers) while having some interesting points and a decent location. It’s a beautiful stadium although it lacks an interesting trademark to really make it standout from Yankee Stadium. Nice play to watch a game without dealing with the Yankee fans…and there’s always tickets available…
I’m hardly thrilled with the way this team has been run recently, but this seems like a strange reaction to a post saying the team intends to keep it’s two best players long term. This seems like the only inkling of good news we’ve had all year.
No catcher deserves a $100M deal. McCann is no exception. If ATL was an AL team, I’d offer him $85M max, but ATL shouldn’t go more than $65M, if even. I love his talent and leadership, but he’s not the right fit for the contract.
Big fan of his, and he is the heart of the Braves going forward, but I think it would be wise to go 2 or 3 years at a time with Mac. Doesn’t mean paying any less AAV, but maybe keep it to 40 mil over 3.
I agree with his heart for the team, but you’re not doing him any favors by paying him 2-3 years at a time in a market he could possibly get twice the years and more than twice the price. He’s not a greedy player, by any stretch, but we don’t value him as much as an AL team in need of a DH/C.
And $40M for what he’s meant to the team is sad.
Yeah, I agree. You’re right that the market is full of ridiculous spenders, but I don’t think its any disrespect to give a guy 40 mil now if you plan on extending him again later. Maybe 5/$65M is better for his “prime years” deal.
I can’t see McCann leaving the Braves, but I’d be reluctant to give him more than a 3 year extension for $45M. His eyes seem to always give him problems and the last two years, his bat hasn’t lived up to his early output. Additionally, he’s certainly not known as a defensive whiz and his arm is average at best. First base is of course blocked by Freddie too so he’s stuck behind the plate. By all accounts, McCann’s a great leader and great guy, but I’d much rather have Bourn roaming CF the next 5 years and roll the dice with Bethancourt than lock up McCann for 5+ years.
I don’t think the market for McCann is as strong as you think. He’s not having that great of a season to command a 5 year deal or an annual average salary of $15 mil or more. He’s not as valuable if he’s not healthy enough to stay on the field or has to move from C because of health issues.
I don’t think ATL would be willing to give him more than a 3-year deal. And based on his fragility this season, I’m not sure many other teams would either. Yadier Molina proved his contract by putting up a strong year, and McCann is appearing more like Mauer than Molina, and it’s not even time yet. Good thing is ATL still has Bethancourt to mature and a reasonable option year for McCann to really see what McCann is made of. Hopefully he sees how much he’s needed when Chipper isn’t there to provide that veteran support in ’13 – provided ATL goes in that direction.
I think Joe Mauer actually deserved a deal somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 Million. Not the kind of deal he’s got now, obviously. But perhaps 15-16 mil a year.
I wouldn’t be opposed to $70 mil for McCann, if he had a place on the field to go besides catcher to rest his knees, but 1B is on lockdown and he’s not exactly spry enough to play LF. I’d like to see a 4 yr/ $40-45 mil deal if he can continue to produce and not too hampered by injuries.
I don’t recall McCann having problems with his knees. Last season it was his oblique, and this season it’s his shoulder. He still moves around pretty well behind the plate, and is rated as a plus defender.
I also don’t think the Braves should go more than four seasons with McCann, but I would say the same for almost everyone else on the roster too (Heyward being the exception).
He’s overweight, like most catchers. He’s one of the slowest players out there running including Prince Fielder, and I’d love to see his UZR if put in LF. We’d need a softball team’s OF of 4 outfielders to make up for McCann’s coverage.
Who rates him as a plus defender? He’s average at best behind the plate, and he’s only going to get worse as he ages.
Figure of speech really. Its been eye problems, obliques and other issues besides his knees, but catching 140 games a year, half in the Atlanta heat, will take its toll on all parts of your body.
I don’t know what to think about McCann. On one hand, he’s a hometown
guy and I’d love him to be a Brave for life. On the other hand, his
body is breaking down and his days playing catcher are numbered. Wren
has a tough decision to make after 2013.
McCann should play in the AL considering his injury history. He needs to be able to get some relieve at DH every 3rd or 4th game.
So Atlanta should trade him. Great, great player. But doesn’t hold up in the current type of game schedule.
It’s either that or make him play part time first base.
Freeman is way too good defensively to have McCann split time there. We’d be creating a big hole defensively just to his bat in the lineup.
IMO the best catcher in the majors is Yadier Molina. His contract should be used as a measuring stick for everyone else (meaning, nobody deserves more than him).
If a team is about to pay close to the same as what the Cards are paying Yadi, they should check whether the player compares to Yadi as a player currently and a few years down the line.
Yadier is likely to hold up at least 2-3 years with the same type of production .
The power may go down, and his OBP should go up slightly.
He’s fairly light weight and small, so knee injuries should not be as much of an issue as with bigger catchers (idiotic to play big guys like Mauer as catcher in the first place).
I’m really hoping that the Braves can get McCann to sign a 4 year contract extension this winter. They aren’t going to find anyone better on the free agent market and they don’t have any close to major league ready catchers in the minor leagues. They have one defense only catcher (Bethancourt) but it’s doubtful if he ever becomes a major league regular due to his weak bat.
The home run apple outside the rotunda is a nice touch.
McCann will be 29 before next season, a 5 year deal would be a huge mistake.
For catchers, yes. I wouldn’t be opposed to offering him a 3 year deal and have Bethancourt be a regular back-up to ease in, maybe even Gattis to get his bat in there, if possible (though I don’t know if Gattis is still catching in AAA).
The problem with McCann is he’s below-average defensively, but it get’s overlooked because he can hit. If he can’t hit, whether because of injuries or skill decline, his value goes down drastically. 2013 will decide McCann’s fate with the Braves.