Mets May Start Talks With Wright & Dickey Next Week
Mets GM Sandy Alderson has made it no secret that signing both David Wright and R.A. Dickey beyond 2013 is one of his top offseason priorities, and a source told Andy Martino of The New York Daily News that formal contract negotiations with both players could begin next week. "Too early to tell," said a source when asked if either player could agree to a new deal this month.
Earlier this week we learned that the team intends to open talks with Wright by offering a deal in the $100MM range, which would be in line with the six-year, $100MM extension Ryan Zimmerman signed with the Nationals earlier this year. The 29-year-old Wright hit .306/.391/.492 with 21 homers this year, and the Mets will surely exercise his $16MM club option for next season soon after the World Series.
Dickey, 37, could be in line for an Oliver Perez-like contract following his Cy Young caliber season, meaning three years and $36MM. The club will surely exercise his $5MM club option for 2013 as soon as necessary. Martino hears that Alderson is sincere in his desire to sign Dickey, but there is some in the organization who are concerned about his age and injury history. The knuckleballer pitched through a torn abdominal muscle this season and dealt with a right foot problem last year.
NL East Notes: Martin, Desmond, Strasburg
The Nationals will host Washington's first playoff game in 79 years today when they welcome Chris Carpenter and the Cardinals to Nationals Park. Here are some links from the NL East…
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post suggests the Mets should sign Russell Martin if the Yankees let him leave as a free agent this offseason. The Mets could use catching help and they know Martin can handle New York while offering a combination of defense, power and youth.
- Multiple teams have tried to buy low on Ian Desmond, but GM Mike Rizzo says he “never one time considered trading him at all," according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post (quote via Twitter). Kilgore explains that Desmond’s tremendous year can no longer be overlooked now that he’s producing for the Nationals in the postseason.
- If the Nationals get eliminated from the playoffs, questions about Stephen Strasburg’s shutdown will be coming from within the team’s clubhouse and from outside critics, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports.
- In case you missed it, here’s my offseason outlook for the Mets. A top priority for the club is locking up David Wright, and they’d like to reach a deal for $100MM or so — an unrealistic price in my view.
Arbitration Eligibles: New York Mets
The Mets are next in our 2013 Arbitration Eligibles series. Matt Swartz's salary projections are below.
- First time: Daniel Murphy ($3MM), Bobby Parnell ($1.5MM), Josh Thole ($1.2MM), Rob Johnson ($600K), Ike Davis ($2.8MM)
- Second time: Fred Lewis ($500K), Manny Acosta ($1.1MM)
- Third time: Andres Torres ($3.2MM), Mike Pelfrey ($5.7MM)
The Mets have nine arbitration eligible players, but more than half stand a good chance of being non-tendered. Pelfrey had Tommy John surgery in May, and even with his recovery going well there's no reason to pay him nearly $6MM again. Seeing as how the former first-rounder is a client of the Boras Corporation, he'll probably be reluctant to allow for a club option when he signs somewhere as a free agent.
The Giants have been thrilled with Angel Pagan, but a change of scenery didn't help Torres on the other end of that trade. Torres' ineffective season was marred by injuries, and he'll be cut loose. Acosta was removed from the Mets' 40-man roster in May and re-added later; he'll be off it again soon. Johnson struggled at both Triple-A and in the Majors, ending his season with a ligament tear in his thumb. Lewis spent little time with the Mets this year and is also likely to be removed from the 40-man.
Davis and Thole will be arbitration eligible as Super Two players. The Mets were rewarded for sticking with Davis, who was brutal for the season's first two months and then hit .253/.341/.536 with 27 home runs in 413 plate appearances the rest of the way. If the Mets feel good about Davis' future, perhaps they could look to extend him now with some variant of Billy Butler's four-year, $30MM contract. Thole had a rough year, but at a low projected salary he can be retained as a backup and personal catcher for R.A. Dickey.
Murphy is penciled in as the team's second baseman after a solid 2012 campaign. Parnell hasn't had much success closing out games in his career to date, but overall he had a strong year and will have a key role in next year's bullpen.
Assuming only Murphy, Parnell, Davis, and Thole are retained, we're projecting $8.5MM for four arbitration eligible players.
Matt Swartz's arbitration projections are available exclusively at MLB Trade Rumors. To read more about his projection model, check out this series of posts. For more on the Mets, check out Ben Nicholson-Smith's offseason outlook.
Mets To Offer David Wright $100MM Deal
The Mets are expected to start negotiations with David Wright by making an offer for somewhere in the neighborhood of $100MM, people familiar with the team's thinking told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The Mets are also expected to give negotiations at least most of October before even considering a deal for the star third baseman.
Heyman was told that General Manager Sandy Alderson & Co. hope to make Wright a Met "for life." A deal could include team options toward the end of the pact with the hope that the 29-year-old stays productive into his late 30s. Wright has opted to remain with the embattled ACES agency but Heyman writes that there's no indication that they have pressed the contract talks because of the timing of the probe into their practices.
While Wright is likely seeking a $100MM+ deal, a veteran agent told Mike Puma of the New York Post that R.A. Dickey is probably eyeing Oliver Perez-type money, which would be $36MM over three years. However, Heyman writes that the Mets don't want to go beyond two years for Dickey as the Mets have concerns that his high-velocity for a knuckleballer will hurt his longevity. A rival GM sees the soon-to-be 38-year-old as being worth $15MM, but the Mets aren't believed to be thinking of a deal in that ballpark.
Offseason Outlook: New York Mets
The Mets will discuss extensions with their top players this coming offseason, when significant changes are expected up and down the roster.
Guaranteed Contracts
- Johan Santana, SP: $31MM through 2013
- Jonathon Niese, SP: $24.5MM through 2016
- Jason Bay, OF: $21.125MM through 2013
- Frank Francisco, RP: $6.5MM through 2013
Arbitration Eligible Players (estimated salaries)
- Mike Pelfrey, SP: third time eligible, non-tender candidate
- Andres Torres, CF: third time eligible, non-tender candidate
- Manny Acosta, RP: second time eligible, non-tender candidate
- Fred Lewis, LF: second time eligible, non-tender candidate
- Rob Johnson, C: first time eligible, non-tender candidate
- Daniel Murphy, IF: first time eligible
- Ike Davis, 1B: first time eligible
- Bobby Parnell: first time eligible
- Josh Thole, C: first time eligible
Contract Options
- David Wright, 3B: $16MM club option with a $1MM buyout (pictured)
- R.A. Dickey, SP: $5MM club option with a $300K buyout
Free Agents
The Mets have an assortment of needs heading into the 2012-13 offseason and, according to most reports, they won't be shy about addressing them. While GM Sandy Alderson is expected to turn over a considerable portion of the team's roster this offseason with non-tenders and trades, it doesn't sound as though the Mets plan on spending on the winter's top free agents.
The team could spend big, but if it does David Wright and R.A. Dickey figure to be the beneficiaries. Wright, 29, has considerable leverage coming off of a season that will place him on many an NL MVP ballot. He has said he'd like his next contract to last until he retires, and the Mets haven't ruled the possibility out. Wright appears to be in line for a long-term deal worth $20MM-plus per season.
There are fewer precedents for Dickey's contract negotiations. Not only is he coming off a Cy Young caliber season, he's a knuckleballer who didn't establish himself as an MLB starter until he was 35. It's unclear how long the Mets expect Dickey to keep pitching at this level, but there's no way he'll be earning $5MM per season anymore if the Mets extend him. Dickey's annual salary could triple on a new contract, and some Mets executives seem wary of making a sizable commitment to the knuckleballer, who turns 38 this month.
It'll take considerable resources to lock Wright and Dickey up to long-term contracts, but it doesn't sound as though the Mets intend to spend aggressively beyond those potential contracts. Their payroll will probably sit in the $90MM range again, and with nearly half of that going to two players — Johan Santana and Jason Bay — the timing doesn't seem right for major free agent expenditures.
There's a good chance the Mets will create some payroll flexibility by non-tendering some prominent arbitration eligible players. Mike Pelfrey will surely be cut loose following a season in which he earned nearly $6MM on the disabled list. Andres Torres is also expected to hit the free agent market, and Manny Acosta, Fred Lewis and Rob Johnson could follow.
The team's class of arbitration eligible players also includes Ike Davis, whose name has surfaced as a possible trade candidate. According to a number of reports, the Mets will consider trading Davis or Lucas Duda under the right circumstances. Davis placed fifth in the NL with 32 home runs this year and is under long-term control, so the team's asking price would be high.
Still, the Mets have many areas to address this offseason, so it'd be imprudent not to consider trades. The team needs offense, after placing 25th in MLB in runs scored this past season. Clear needs exist behind the plate and in the outfield.
The Mets are expected to pursue potential upgrades at catcher this offseason, when Kelly Shoppach will hit free agency. Though there's typically a shortage of available catchers, the upcoming class of free agents offers some decent options at the position.
The free agent class is also flush with outfielders, but the Mets aren't expected to bid aggressively on the top options available. Instead, they can pursue trades for players such as Denard Span, Justin Upton and Shin-Soo Choo or seek late-winter bargains in free agency. Opposing teams figure to ask Alderson about affordable, young starting pitchers such as Jonathon Niese in trade talks.
If the Mets are uncomfortable offering multiyear deals to free agent outfielders, Scott Hairston may have played his last game with the team. The 32-year-old hit 20 homers this year and continued hitting left-handers (.286/.317/.550 batting line vs. LHP) so he should generate multiyear interest elsewhere. The Mets wouldn't get compensation for Hairston or any of their other free agents, as they aren't valued as $13MM players and won't get the requisite qualifying offers.
The Mets spent a considerable portion of last offseason's budget on Frank Francisco and Jon Rauch, and are expected to seek veteran relief help again this offseason. This time, they're expected to let Rauch and Ramon Ramirez leave as free agents while pursuing outside options. Still, improving the bullpen is a must for a team that ranked 29th in MLB in reliever ERA (4.65), 25th in reliever strikeout rate (7.7 K/9) and 27th in reliever walk rate (4.0 BB/9). Upgrades will come from within if players such as Josh Edgin and Robert Carson continue to develop in 2013, and the presence of these young relievers could lessen the pressure on Alderson to find short-term solutions.
The team's rotation seems set, with a promising combination of certainty and upside in place. Though it's generally preferable to add a starter or two on a minor league deal, such pitchers may look at the Mets' projected rotation and pursue opportunities in places with less competition.
The Mets have enough pieces in place that Alderson can focus on problem areas this offseason. But they have too many shortcomings to contend without making changes. Expect a busy offseason in Queens.
Photo courtesy of US Presswire.
Quick Hits: Braves, Leyland, Soriano, Phillies, Rays
Depending on what happens with Michael Bourn, the Braves could potentially have two major holes to fill in their lineup. Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) offers some suggestions for replacing Bourn and Chipper Jones and notes that the club could have some added flexibility if Martin Prado can be shifted from left field to third base. Ben Revere of the Twins, Peter Bourjos of the Angels, and Chris Young of the Diamondbacks could all be trade targets in center field. There aren't a lot of great third base options on the open market but Atlanta could zero in on guys like Mike Olt of the Rangers, Chase Headley of the Padres, and maybe even the Mets David Wright. Here's more from around baseball..
- Tigers manager Jim Leyland has been telling people in recent days that he has no plans to retire, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. Given his desire to return, it's likely that Leyland will be managing the Tigers in 2013. Leyland's contract expires at the end of the season.
- Even though he has been linked the Marlins opening, Mike Lowell tells Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that he has no interest in managing at this point in his life. The former third baseman is currently working for the MLB Network as an on-air analyst.
- The Yankees' desire to keep their payroll under $189MM in 2014 could complicate their chances to sign Rafael Soriano to a long-term deal once he opts out, writes Heyman. Soriano's three-year, $35MM deal seemed like a stretch last year but it now seems like the Bombers view the possibility of a last year at $14MM more favorably than the right-hander.
- The members of the Philadelphia Daily News staff bring us their suggestions for retooling the club heading into 2013. David Murphy believes that Ruben Amaro & Co. should start by revamping the bullpen while Marcus Hayes writes that the club should stick to making small moves while allowing the younger players to flourish.
- Bill Parker of DRays Bay looks in the rear view mirror to discuss what the Rays could have done differently in 2012. The trade of John Jaso to the Mariners for Josh Lueke was among the missteps highlighted.
Mets Could Sign Wright & Dickey Before World Series
GM Sandy Alderson recently said that the Mets will make every effort to retain both David Wright and R.A. Dickey beyond next season, and today Mike Puma of The New York Post reports that new deals could happen quickly. His source says it's "conceivable" that both players could have new contract extensions in place, at least in principle, before the World Series.
Alderson has acknowledged that he's had "informal conversations" with Sam and Seth Levinson, Wright's representatives, however Puma hears that the GM has yet to reach out to Dickey's agent Bo McKinnis. While Wright will likely seek a long-term contract in excess of $100MM, a veteran agent told Puma that Dickey is "probably looking at Oliver Perez dollars for sure." That would be three years and $36MM.
The Mets hold club options for the 29-year-old Wright ($16MM) and 37-year-old Dickey ($5MM), though both players can become free agents after 2013. Both options can be torn up or simply guaranteed and blended into new contracts. Alderson has referred to Wright and Dickey as core pieces of the club has they move forward and continue to rebuild.
Minor Moves: 28 Players Elect Free Agency
A total of 28 players — all with big league time under their belts — recently elected free agency after finishing the year in Triple-A. Here is the full list, courtesy of the International League and Pacific Coast League transaction pages…
- Infielders: Brian Bixler (Astros), Sean Burroughs (Twins), Blake DeWitt (Cubs), Alberto Gonzalez (Rangers), Angel Sanchez (Astros), Nate Spears (Red Sox), Drew Sutton (Pirates)
- Outfielders: Travis Buck (Astros), Ryan Langerhans (Angels), Mitch Maier (Royals), Darnell McDonald (Yankees), Jai Miller (Orioles), Trent Oeltjen (Dodgers), Jason Pridie (Phillies), Mike Wilson (Mariners)
- Right-handed Pitchers: Roman Colon (Royals), Mike Ekstrom (Rockies), Jack Egbert (Mets), Ryota Igarashi (Yankees), Evan Meek (Pirates), Scott Richmond (Blue Jays), Kip Wells (Padres), Randy Wells (Cubs), Dan Wheeler (Indians)
- Left-handed Pitchers: Alex Hinshaw (Cubs), Cesar Jimenez (Mariners), Zach Kroenke (Diamondbacks), Garrett Olson (Mets)
NL East Notes: Mets, Phillies, Marlins
A few items out of the National League East..
- The Mets can be expected to prioritize a catcher this offseason, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. In addition to that, they’ll also seek help in the outfield and bullpen plus possibly an additional starting pitcher.
- Earlier this evening, the Phillies announced that first-base coach Sam Perlozzo, bench coach Pete Mackanin, and hitting coach Greg Gross will not be returning in 2013. The trio of moves may create a chance for Ryne Sandberg to join the staff next season, writes Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- The Marlins have officially released Adam Greenberg, according to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). Greenberg was given a chance to have his second at-bat seven years after he was hit in the head by the first pitch he faced in the majors.
Alderson Talks Free Agents, Wright, Dickey, Trades
The fourth-place Mets will wrap up their season against the Marlins this afternoon, a season that saw them sit in second place and 4.5 games out of first as late as July 7th. GM Sandy Alderson spoke to the media earlier today, saying he is "not prepared to blow up the team and start over again." Let's recap the full media session with some help from ESPN New York's Adam Rubin…
- "I don't want to give the impression that we're going to be out in the free-agent market looking for significant additions," said the GM. "We have lots of payroll tied up in a handful of players. That's a situation that gradually has to resolve itself."
- Alderson said he believes the team is headed in the right direction, but they are not yet in a position to spend lavishly or "pay for today with deferrals until tomorrow."
- The Mets will make every effort to retain both David Wright and R.A. Dickey. The team holds affordable club options for both players, but they can become free agents after 2013.
- Alderson would not rule out a contract extension that takes Wright to the end of his career, and he acknowledged that both sides have already had "informal conversations."
- The team's goals are to first build through the farm system, retain core players, and add players from the outside on a "fairly judicious basis."
- "I think it's possible, given what we have, that we'll be more active in the trade market," said Alderson. "But that's not a given, necessarily. I really do believe some of our players are on the verge of making bigger contributions." Alderson said they would be cautious with their starting pitching depth, however.
- The team's payroll for 2012 ended up being about $100MM, and the $9MM in total buyouts owed to Jason Bay and Johan Santana will be considered part of the 2013 payroll. Both players can become free agents after next season.
- Manager Terry Collins is under contract through next year and there have not yet been any talks about signing him to a contract extension.