Signing Sugar

[ashie62]

Hey! This is Vinnie from NJ, first time caller longtime listener.

Hey Vinnie, whats up?

Ya know, I've been a Yankee fan since the cradle and lets face it Arod may be goin to Miami and the captain is gettin on too...

Why not call the Mets about that Wright guy. He's no superstar but a very good playa.

Say uh, we get Wright and we send them, say...Brett Gardner and Russ Martin. It's alot to give up but we need to rebuild. Whadya think Mike?

Love it Vinnie! Now for the 20-20

[Vic Sage]

what's irksome is Megdal uses theoretical bases for WRight's "worth", rather than real-world comparables. Ryan Zimmerman is a real-world comp, both in age and general production, and he signed a 6yr/$100m deal. Maybe Wright can squeeze more out of a NYC franchise than a DC franchise can afford, but its certainly reasonable to think its going to be in that range of 6-8yrs / $17m-$20m per, not $35m/yr, regardless of how much new tv money is floating around in the marketplace.

[Ceetar]

Eno Sarris at Amazin' Avenue weighs in

Using the third baseman on free agent contracts that are currently comparable to David Wright produces $100 million as a viable answer. Using true talent value estimations produces a number that's ten-to-twenty million more. That's good news if you like David Wright and you want him on the Mets. If the team can afford to throw $100 million out there as a first offer, it seems likely they can afford $120 million when push comes to shove.

[MFS62]

I think we're concentrating too much on the money. When the first discussions of re-signing Wright showed up in the papers, there were also comments that he would want to sign with a team that had a genuine chance of competing for a championship. I'm not sure if they were actual quotes from David, or stuff made up by the writers to take a shot at the Mets and downgrade the possibility of their re-signing him.

But if he feels that way, I fear a "Gift of the Magi"-type situation happening. Sandy could spend so much (players, prospects and money) to upgrade the rest of the team that they wouldn't have enough money to pay Wright what he and his agents think he deserves.

I'm anxious to see what Sandy can do to satisfy that part of his requirements if it is in fact real.

Later

[Edgy MD]

100% of players say they want a good situation. 90% find a way to convince themselves that the situation is right if the money is right. Of the remaining 10%, I would guess that 9% have no clue what a good situation looks like no matter how serious they are.

If Sandy can put together the right packages for Wright and D'KAY, I'm sure he can paint a rosy enough picture of the future to accompany the offers.

[ashie62]

They almost always go to the highest bidder. We shall see.

[Frayed Knot]

Couple of comments from Joel Sherman today

- I have spoken to more than 10 officials outside the organization in the past few days and every one of them thinks the Mets will end up extending Wright � and sooner rather than later because it will give them a base from which to move forward both this offseason and into the future.

And he winds up suggesting that a package of 8/143 would be around a likely final figure including when the 2013 option is included - an option which needs to be triggered five days after the completion of the WS.
In all, a deal that size would top both that of Ryan Zimmerman on a per year and length basis and also wind up as the highest total package in NYM history, just above that which was given to Santana.

[Ceetar]

Sherman basically made that up. I doubt he heard more than "He's probably worth more than Zimmerman" and extrapolated from there.

Also, he talks about the option deadline and then implies that the Mets would just add it in anyway and make the extension beyond that instead of including it, bumping up the figure even higher. It's sloppy math at best

[Edgy MD]

Well, I imagine he did speak to 10 officials outside the organization. What authority, expertise, or knowledge they have is certainly a matter of conjecture.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: Well, I imagine he did speak to 10 officials outside the organization. What authority, expertise, or knowledge they have is certainly a matter of conjecture.

yeah, that's what I meant. Did you talk to them and say "What would you give Wright, right now?" or did he simply ask how much do you think he'll get, the same way we speculate what he's worth here?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Ceetar wrote: Sherman basically made that up. I doubt he heard more than "He's probably worth more than Zimmerman" and extrapolated from there. Also, he talks about the option deadline and then implies that the Mets would just add it in anyway and make the extension beyond that instead of including it, bumping up the figure even higher. It's sloppy math at best

I don't think Sherman makes stuff up. I'd say the deal goes down within the time frame and more or less near the figures, he mentions.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Ceetar wrote: Sherman basically made that up. I doubt he heard more than "He's probably worth more than Zimmerman" and extrapolated from there. Also, he talks about the option deadline and then implies that the Mets would just add it in anyway and make the extension beyond that instead of including it, bumping up the figure even higher. It's sloppy math at best I don't think Sherman makes stuff up. I'd say the deal goes down within the time frame and more or less near the figures, he mentions.

did he mention a deadline? he implied that if they did sign him before the option pickup they'd add the option in anyway making the deadline a moot point.

I bet he signs for less than that, at least less committed. maybe option years at the end get it to 8 (2020) years.

[Edgy MD]

time frame = "sooner, rather than later"

[Benjamin Grimm]

Andy Martino wrote: Now that the Mets have exercised David Wright�s 2013 club option, the team and its signature player plan to intensify negotiations, discussing years and dollars as soon as this week, according to a person briefed on the process. Mets officials are determined to conduct talks in private, and avoid leaks that could complicate efforts to retain their third baseman. But a well-placed source outside the front office expects discussions to accelerate immediately. As the Daily News reported late last week, negotiations were slow through most of October, with no talk of years or dollars. On Tuesday, the Mets made the procedural move of picking up next year�s options on Wright ($16 million) and Dickey ($5 million), which they had to do this week. If either player agrees to a multi-year contract extension, the new deal will supercede the option. With that out of the way, talks are expected to proceed at a faster pace. As of Wednesday, neither player was close to signing, and there remained a genuine possibility that Dickey could be traded instead. All along, general manager Sandy Alderson has wanted a quick resolution to both situations, so he can proceed with planning for this offseason, and future years. With the team committed to pursuing an extension, Wright, who turns 30 in December, will soon decide if he wants to remain a Met for many years, perhaps his entire career.

[Edgy MD]

The Mets want to proceed expeditiously, but plan on keeping things private, with no information leaking out, says a well placed source with intimate knowledge of proceedings who asked to remain nameless.

Nice.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Tracky is on it!

[Edgy MD]

He's not that far from five-and-dime status, I guess.

[ashie62]

Hurry the fuck up Mets

[Benjamin Grimm]

Ken Rosenthal wrote: The Mets, trying to lock up their franchise player, have offered third baseman David Wright a contract extension, according to major league sources. Wright�s agents, Sam and Seth Levinson, responded by sending the team a counter-offer, sources said. Representatives from both sides declined comment, and the details of the proposals are not known. Wright, however, is believed to be seeking an extension that would approach, and perhaps surpass, left-hander Johan Santana�s club-record six-year, $137.5 million deal.

[Edgy MD]

I don't want them sending a counter-offer. I want them locked in a sweaty room making amendments in pen.

[MFS62]

Edgy DC wrote: I don't want them sending a counter-offer. I want them locked in a sweaty room making amendments in pen.

Ans while they're in there, I'd serve hotdogs, sauerkraut, chili and beer. Then I'd lock the door and windows and tell them they can't get out to a bathroom until a contract extension has been signed by both parties.

Later

[seawolf17]

MFS62 wrote: Edgy DC wrote: I don't want them sending a counter-offer. I want them locked in a sweaty room making amendments in pen. Ans while they're in there, I'd serve hotdogs, sauerkraut, chili and beer. Then I'd lock the door and windows and tell them they can't get out to a bathroom until a contract extension has been signed by both parties. Later

Agree on all counts. Seriously, what else do you have going on right now, fellas?

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Evan Longoria signs an extension for $100 million over six years beginning in 2017. This will cover his age 31-36 seasons, the same ages that Wright's extension would cover should it begin in 2014. Ryan Zimmerman, as has been noted, signed for the same duration and total, but his covers his age 29-34 seasons and contains an $18 million team option for a seventh year.

Longoria is already signed through 2016 for a total of $36 million over the next four years ($6.0, $7.5, $11.0, $11.5). There is a $3 million buyout in there that they may or may not have kicked in.

[ashie62]

Ashie62 wrote: Hurry the fuck up Mets

This

[Edgy MD]

It's as comforting as ever to know Ashie agrees with Ashie.

Meanwhups, Ken Rosenthal of Foxy Sports says an offer is on the table.

[metirish]

Edgy MD wrote: It's as comforting as ever to know Ashie agrees with Ashie. Meanwhups, Ken Rosenthal of Foxy Sports says an offer is on the table.

Madgal on Twitter said it's an offer Wright can't accept.

[Ceetar]

metirish wrote: Edgy MD wrote: It's as comforting as ever to know Ashie agrees with Ashie. Meanwhups, Ken Rosenthal of Foxy Sports says an offer is on the table. Madgal on Twitter said it's an offer Wright can't accept.

I'm pretty sure I could run his twitter account, with how predictable his tweets are.

[Frayed Knot]

metirish wrote: Edgy MD wrote: It's as comforting as ever to know Ashie agrees with Ashie. Meanwhups, Ken Rosenthal of Foxy Sports says an offer is on the table. Madgal on Twitter said it's an offer Wright can't accept.

So either Medgel knows what's in the offer -- in which case he's got some REALLY good sources and we should take as gospel everything he says from now on
OR ...
he decided beforehand that the NYM offer was going to be something Wright's camp would reject -- in which case we should simply ignore everything he says from now on.

[Benjamin Grimm]

From what I'm hearing, it doesn't sound like they're too far apart; a few more dollars and a contract that lasts through 2020 should get the deal done. The Mets might be able to get away with 2020 being an option year.

[metirish]

Let's look at the Rosental report.


Mets take risks with contract stalemates

UPDATED NOV 27, 2012 7:15 AM ET The standoff between the New York Mets and third baseman David Wright continues. And for the team, the risk is only becoming greater. The Mets offered Wright a six-year, $100 million contract extension on Monday, according to major-league sources. It is an offer that Wright is certain to refuse. Wright, who is under contract for $16 million in 2013, prefers a deal of seven years or longer, sources say. The Mets� proposal offered Wright only a slight raise, and matched the terms of the Ryan Zimmerman and Evan Longoria extensions, the latter of which was announced on Monday. Wright, who turns 30 on Dec. 20, is older than Zimmerman, 28, and Longoria, 27, but perhaps the safest long-term bet. Longoria is the best offensive player according to OPS-plus, a statistic that adjusts a hitter�s OPS to his league and ballpark. But he has appeared in more than 133 games in only two of his five seasons. Wright�s career OPS-plus is nearly as good as Longoria�s, and he has averaged 149 games in his eight full seasons. Zimmerman�s career OPS-plus is the lowest of the three, and he has not been as durable as Wright. A six-year extension would take Wright through 2019, same as Zimmerman. Longoria, on the other hand, is now under contract through �22 � and with one of the game�s lowest-revenue clubs. The Mets, playing in New York, should be at the opposite end of the financial spectrum. The team, with its latest proposal to Wright, is taking a more aggressive approach than it did last off-season with shortstop Jose Reyes, who said that he never received an offer from the club after signing a free-agent contract with the Miami Marlins. Club officials say their off-season priority is to sign both Wright and Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey to extensions. But the winter meetings are next week in Nashville, and the team is making little progress on either front, sources say. A trade of one or both veterans is possible, but Dickey also is signed for only one more year, at a salary of $5 million. Players entering the final year of contracts generally yield less than full value in trades, rival executives say. The Mets would gain little more than salary relief from such deals, unless they included cash to get better prospects. Another option for the Mets would be to grant potential trade partners windows to extend Wright and/or Dickey, knowing that teams would make more tempting proposals if they were assured of keeping their desired player long-term. Such windows, though, might only complicate the negotiations, particularly if the trades became public and the teams were unable to reach agreements with the players. Then there is the Mets� public-relations challenge. A trade of Wright would create the possibility that the team�s homegrown star could appear in the July 16 All-Star Game at Citi Field wearing another club�s uniform. To avoid such a scenario, the Mets could keep both Wright and Dickey into next season, continue trying to sign them to extensions and then � if the talks failed � trade them after the All-Star Game but before the July 31 non-waiver deadline. Such a strategy, however, would further depress the trade values of both players; teams are less willing to trade elite prospects because of a new rule that prevents them from receiving a high draft pick if they acquire a potential free agent in the middle of a season and he then signs with another club. But back to the central issue. The Mets� stalemates with Wright and Dickey raise questions about the team�s willingness to add to its payroll, which has dropped from $149.4 million at the start of 2009 to the $94.3 million at the start of last season. Even if the Mets kept both Wright and Dickey, they would need to add other players to contend in one of the game�s most competitive divisions, the NL East. Mets GM Sandy Alderson said recently that the team would need to gain �a little more clarity� on their talks with Wright and Dickey between Thanksgiving and the winter meetings. The meetings start Monday. And right now, both situations are far from clear.