WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Mets president Sandy Alderson watched from seats near the visitors’ dugout on Sunday as potentially a half-billion dollar contract was unloaded against the nationals in extensions.
First, Michael Conferro sneaked into the meadow behind the center-field fence at Palm Beach’s ballpark. Later, Francisco Lindor blasted his third homer in less than a week, a two-run shot inside the right-field foul pole, also against Max Schazer.
Checkbook, Steve Cohen?
Both players are discussing a long-term extension with the Mets, but as Opening Day draws to a close, they are on the clock. Lindor said last week that he would not negotiate in the regular season and that he would be ready to become a free agent if the season opener did not arrive. When asked about possible conversations in the regular season, Conforto sounded less contradictory on Sunday.
“Ideally I would not like to do that,” he said.
And it is also clear that he has finished speaking about the subject, other things have happened other than accepting the expansion talks.
“At this point I’m focusing on baseball a lot right now,” Conforto said. “I’m not really interested in speaking about contract stuff, it’s between me, my family, my agent and the team. I want to focus on baseball because I can do it right now.”
Lindor could face a multiyear deal north of $ 300 million, which would place him in the same stratosphere as players such as Mookie Bates and Fernando Tatis Jr., who have received the Mammoth extension in the past year. According to an industry source, the Mets’ offer to Lindor has been under $ 300 million at this point, but the team is set to raise it to that level. It is unclear what Lindor is asking for, but it is thought to be over $ 300 million. MLB Network’s John Heyman was the first to point out that the Mets are keen to extend their initial offer.
If a six-year contract on $ 150 million George Springer’s contract with the Blue Jayes is used as a barometer during the winter, the 28-year-old Conforto – who is three years younger than Springer – is expected to be worth $ 200 million next. Might be possible. Deal. Conforto is represented by Scott Borus, who typically pushes his clients into free agency.
To keep Lindor and Conforto, it cost the Mets half a billion dollars.
Jacob DeGrom said after playing a century of 4 ₃ / out in the Mets’ 6–2 win, “Those two players are great players, so you definitely want to keep them around you and on the same team.” “So this is definitely something that I implied for.”
DeGrom, who finalized his contract extension (five years, $ 137.5 million) just a day before he implemented his season-opener deadline in 2019, was asked what advice he would give to Lindor and Conforto.
“Whatever they decide to do, let them decide and just you take an offer or leave an offer that is your decision and just go for it from there,” DeGrom said.
If de-over is given, will DeGrim sign the extension?
“I honestly haven’t thought about it,” he said.
Conforto, which was drafted and developed by Mets, has only expressed a desire to remain with the organization he knows. He repeated that stance to an extent on Sunday.
“This is where I came in,” he said. He said, “It’s something that we think is a good thing for a player to spend their entire career in one place, but there are many other factors that go into it and I won’t go too far, in depth. I’ve been very open about it before, but I like the people I want to work with every single day. This is a good place for me. I have grown very much. I have learned a lot and I love the city. “
Leave a Reply