LAS VEGAS — To set the scene a bit, the work rooms on the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas have been eerily quiet Monday because the MLB common supervisor conferences bought underway. Members of the media, crew personnel and even league personnel haven’t been resistant to the air site visitors troubles plaguing the US as a result of authorities shutdown. Hardly ever is Las Vegas quiet, however a sluggish begin is on-brand for the GM conferences to start with.
Whereas playing allegations are on the forefront of baseball this week, with regards to the new range season, Pete Alonso is on the heart of all of it. Mets followers desperately wish to know if the crew will re-sign the homegrown first baseman, who lately opted out of the second 12 months of his contract to grow to be a free agent for the second straight winter. It’s unlikely something concrete shall be decided this week on the common supervisor conferences, however with all 30 golf equipment and the entire prime participant representatives in a single place, folks discuss.
For the time being, the discuss Alonso isn’t what Mets followers have been hoping to listen to. Early chatter suggests the Mets are able to let the Polar Bear stroll. This could possibly be the primary large showdown between proprietor Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns. His handpicked government was able to let Alonso go final winter till Cohen made the ultimate name to signal him to a bridge deal.
Cohen pays consideration to what followers are saying and what they need. He understands the followers will purchase tickets to see Alonso play at Citi Discipline. This could possibly be the primary showdown between the proprietor and his prime government, however Cohen isn’t prone to capitulate to the fanbase. Finally, he lets his baseball operations crew make the choices they really feel are finest to place a aggressive crew on the sphere.
More often than not, the executives are unconcerned with the wishes of the followers. They merely face an excessive amount of strain to concern themselves with what persons are saying about their selections on social media, and loyalty is excessive with the Mets already.
Stearns understands that he didn’t do sufficient final season to place collectively a ok roster. Poor protection was one of many greatest points that hindered the Mets in 2025, and Stearns cited “run prevention” a number of instances in his end-of-season media availability.
Alonso’s defensive metrics have declined over the previous couple of years. His -9 defensive runs saved was the worst out of all certified first basemen final 12 months, and the identical goes for his -9 outs above common. Whereas he’s glorious at choosing balls within the filth, his throws aren’t correct and his vary is proscribed. The correct facet of the sphere stays a difficulty with Juan Soto’s defensive limitations.
Nonetheless, the metrics can’t account for his clubhouse presence as a vocal chief. The Mets additionally don’t have an in-house substitute who can account for the manufacturing on the plate he brings. A perennial 30-40 home-run hitter, they will’t rely on Mark Vientos to supply like that. Soto wants extra lineup safety than Vientos or Brandon Nimmo.
Alonso shall be 31 subsequent month, and reportedly desires a six-year contract within the realm of $150 million. As a prime hitter within the recreation, having job safety in his 30s with a long-term contract is barely pure. He’s made it recognized that he desires to win, and after final season, it’s truthful to be uncertain about these prospects with the Mets. Cash seemingly has not been a deterrent for the Mets with Cohen, so it’s not clear if Stearns doesn’t wish to signal him to a multi-year contract due to his age, protection, or a mixture of each. However folks across the Mets have been saying for 2 years that Alonso isn’t extremely regarded by the membership’s prime baseball ops government.
If that’s not the case, Stearns can set the report straight. It’s in all probability not private for him, however it’s to the followers who noticed him develop up within the group.
This week, we must always discover out if the Mets have made any progress with Alonso and free agent nearer Edwin Diaz. It could possibly be simpler to lock up Diaz. Nonetheless, the Mets’ offseason plans are closely depending on what occurs with Alonso.
By the top of the week, there must be some readability on the Mets, however it could possibly be some time earlier than there’s any readability on their particular state of affairs with Alonso.
