During Spring Training the debate was whether the Mets should keep Pete Alonso down for three weeks to gain the extra year of control. My position then was that if the Mets determine that he’s one of their best 25 guys, then he should make the Opening Day roster. Now, that’s not to say my belief in him was rock solid. It wasn’t. But in a year where it seemed like four teams were going to battle for the division title, there was no reason to make it any harder than it had to be by leaving a top guy on the sidelines for three weeks.
In his first 21 games, Alonso hit eight homers. While the Mets didn’t make the playoffs, if they kept him in the minors to get the extra year of control, he does not set the rookie record for homers. With perfect hindsight, do you make that trade? There’s no easy answer to that question. It does seem like the Mets got a ton of positive publicity from Alonso’s exploits. But when Alonso becomes a free agent a year earlier, will that good PR still mean anything?
While you’re pondering that – enjoy this awesome montage:
My guess is the Mets will make an all out push to resign him before he becomes a free agent.
I am glad that he made the opening day roster. He earned it.
So, here is my question of the day for all of you.
What are your odds that Callaway gets the ax?
My odds – 70%
The “extra yeR of control” issue at the beginning on the 2019 season is based on the current labor agreement in MLB. That specific issue of holding guys in the minors for more control, as well as the overall issue that the current system does not compensate less tenured players properly for production, makes it highly likely that there will be some new rules in place when Pete hits year 5 and 6. So, we don’t really know what those weeks cost at this point.
Judging by the current rules, I still think it was worth it to have him up from day 1. There are no guarantees on his future performance, but who knows what would have happened if he started in AAA.