If this offseason doesn’t make you want to raise your children to be baseball players, I don’t know what will. There has been a significant amount of money handed out this season, and the most surprising part is that most of it has come from contract extensions, not just the big ticket free agents like Manny Machado and Bryce Harper. Mike Trout was the recipient of the largest contract handed out this offseason, and, ever, with an unprecedented but well-deserved extension of 12 years and $426 million extension with the Angels. This move did two things for Mets fans. On one hand, it keeps him on the west coast, way out of the hands of Harper and the Phillies and in a place where he can do virtually no damage to the Mets and their playoff hopes.
On the other hand, it set off a wave of contract extensions of some of the more elite players in Major League Baseball. Paul Goldschmidt, Alex Bregman, Blake Snell, and Chris Sale all inked extensions with their teams this past week. Despite reports that talks are optimistic, Jacob deGrom has yet to put his name on the dotted line to extend his career with the New York Mets. His deadline to sign an extension, Opening Day, is now less than a week away.
There are several frustrating aspects about the lack of an extension. To start, deGrom has repeatedly stated that he would like to remain a member of the Mets organization, which is a rarity in today’s professional sports, where we see loyalty to one’s team run as thick as a sheet of paper in some cases. On March 12th, deGrom even told the Daily News on March 12th that “I would like to be a future part of this organization, we have until the end of spring so yeah, I’m still optimistic.”
If the Mets were to follow the league-wide trend of extending their star, it would not only make the fan base happy, but it would remove one task from the free agency period that will follow the 2019 season. The Mets will already be faced with the tall task of retaining Zack Wheeler, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the last pitch has been thrown of the 2019 season. Trying to retain Wheeler and deGrom during the same offseason might be too difficult a task for the organization, especially if they handle things the way that they have so far handled the deGrom extension.
Someone will eventually pay deGrom, whether it is the Mets or another team. The Mets have finally decided to honor the best pitcher in franchise history, Tom Seaver with a statue and a street name. It was unanimous that this was a long-overdue move, much like how many believe that a deGrom extension is overdue. Luckily for the Mets, Seaver could not walk out of their history books. The Mets can only hope and try to extend deGrom so he will not walk out on the team.
Teams are locking up their best players. They need to lock up deGrom, now. I clearly remember the horror of losing Tom Seaver, terrible day in Mets history. Lets not have a repeat.
When you have an apple to cut, and everyone must eat from that apple, you need to figure out how to the satisfy as many as you can. The Mets payroll is around $170MM but considered close to $190MM. So, in order to avoid a tax by MLB, they can’t go too much higher. Therefore, would you rather pay JdG $33MM or pay Wheeler and Syndergaard that money? Wheeler would be about $17MM and if you sign Thor now, you can get him at about $17 AAV. That’s economics, and those answers aren’t very easy. Consider also that pitchers get hurt quicker than other positions…
Well stated. I’d have to take the two over the one.
DeGrom is two full seasons removed from FA… I hate the present system, but that’s the reality. At some point, the Players will negotiate a deal that forces money down to younger players at an earlier pace..until that time, it’s a Boom or Bust Lottery.
My beliefs:
-DeGrom should not Pitch without a forward guarantee
-Mets should not pay him as if he has “subjected himself” to further or full risk of the following two seasons.
My feeling is that they should be talking 4 years at 25 or so per….maybe a 5th year option— taking out this year’s and next year’s numbers. That seems fair. They should cough up dollars, and He should surrender some top end for the risk aversion.
Eraff, JDG has two years before free agency. Say, you’re DeGrom: would you sit out or hold back any? And if you did that, how would the other teams feel about paying you the big bucks you want? Is he really that insulted with his $19MM?
Gus… I’m not sure I understand your question—- this has nothing to do with “Insulted”
If I were DeGrom, I would not pitch…. bit I’d be transparent and reasonable. His own statements as quoted in the NY Post reflect on the fact that Sale was closer to FA——- Jake Gets it, and seems willing to discount, based on the reality
4 years at 100, including this year, is a very fair starting Point
Thats ridiculous. He’s under contract to pitch and is making 17M$, which he signed a contract on. If he didn’t pitch just to be a friggin cry baby – to get an extension the Mets are 100% in no obligation to do, Id have MLB rain merciless hell on him and run him out of baseball. Choosing not to pitch is not reasonable.
I hope they do come to an agreement, but I see zero recourse just to be a baby to demand things the Mets don’t have to do.
What’s Ridiculous is that He has something worth about 150 million Dollars (at full market value) and he’s guaranteed just 17 million for it
He can force the issue— that’s Business… Not “Baby” You don’t like it?… too bad. I don’t like it either.
If I were him, I would not Pitch. His comments in the Post speak to how reasonable and aware He is that he is Pre Free Agency…. I believe it would be reasonable to take out his last two years and extend to 4— maybe with a 5th year option…. somewhere around 23-27 million per… somewhere around 100 million guarantee
He has assigned contract to perform. He has to play by the rules signed by players as represented by MLBPA and agreed by MLB.
If he played idiotic cry baby and refused to play, I’d would sue him to back to the stone age with strings of law suits for every conceivable labor law on the books and damage his value so that being night manager of a 7-11 would be a step up.
Chris—there is no labor law that forces someone to work a Job. What a ridiculous comment.
Playing for 17 Million versus Fair Market Value is “Idiotic”. This blister is about to Pop… Noah spoke out today.
PS…I wouldn’t throw a Pitch if I was Noah…if I decided I wanted Guaranteed Money.
The Mets are now hurting themselves—you wanna be on The Wilpon Team?..go ahead
It starts with Breach of Contract and slides down from there.
Exactly!
By the way, the good news is that this scenario will never happen because its ridiculous, not to mention headed to litigation that deGrom, CAA, and MLBPA would lose their shirts on. Im not pro Wilpon or anti deGrom; Im pro abiding by a signed contract.
I also never said that Im a fan of the Wilpon’s or that Im against extending deGrom. Elsewhere Ive written that I see looking at a 4 year deal with maybe a 1 year option for 115-120M$. My sense is that would be worth it.
By the way, your argument isnt about deGrom, its about the system that forms the core of the CBA signed by MLB, ownership, and the MLBPA, the most powerful union in the country. None of the RoY’s, pre FA MVP or CY winners etc are making “what they are worth”. The agreed upon system places salary for pre-arb based on service time, not merit. Arb salaries, while getting closer to merit-based, are strictly not either. Given the way the game has evolved, your argument isnt with ownership or MLB, it should be focused on the MLBPA, which signed off on this agreement. Im all in favor of changing it to get more salary into younger players and still give teams control years. I hope the next CBA sees much more of a merit-based system for pre-arb and arb players, given that the FA contracts for many 30 somethings are scarcer than hens teeth.
Fred Coupon ain’t signing deGrom or anyone long term.
I have no idea how negotiations typically work, but why is it always portrayed that the team has to be the first to engage and make the initial offer? Why do we never hear of reports that player X has offered a contract that the team has declined?
If a player wants to sign someplace, they should determine a value they are comfortable with and start the negotiations themselves… it doesn’t have to be a one way street.
Jake is under their control for 2 more years. He must honor his contract and pitch. If he has another good season he will be north of $25 million for next season. Not concerned with an extension before the start of the season. Things will get done when they get done. Feel bad for him living in the poverty of a $17 million contract when that is several times what most people make in a lifetime. Don’t get me wrong because I believe he is a key to their success going forward and want him under contract. Just believe his former agent and current GM has a plan in place. He knows what numbers are appropriate. If Wheeler has a big year, and we all hope he picks up where he left off, he must be signed first. Let’s all concentrate on balls and strikes and not spending other people’s money. #LetsgoMets!
More than Nola got but less than Sale. 5/130 should get it done.
What about signing Wheeler at some time this season—preferably soon?
I’m thinking 4 years/$72 million, with a 5th year option for $20 million.
I would do 4/60, but not much more. He hasn’t really proved anything to this point, except being hurt.