The Crane Pool Forum
Spirited discussions about the New York Mets and just about everything else
Also can’t blame the Mets for wanting to do this.Frayed Knot wrote: ↑Wed Jan 11, 2023 9:03 pmYeah, that sounds too open-ended, that a club could cite almost anything in a physical in an attempt to get out from under a declining player's deal.Centerfield wrote: ↑Wed Jan 11, 2023 2:00 pm Can’t blame Correa if the Mets insisted on yearly physicals following the 6 year guaranteed portion.
So WTF were we doing continually hitting refresh in search of resolution? Dude wanted to be a Giant. Dude was so happy to be a Met he tackled Boras in euphoria. Dude never really wanted to leave the Twins.On Jan. 5, Buxton decided to re-engage. He’d previously been involved right before Correa agreed to a 13-year, $350 million contract with San Francisco, but had since stayed at arm’s length. Mostly their conversations were about making sure that Correa, whom Buxton had known since they were selected with the first two picks in the 2012 amateur draft, was OK.
But then it became obvious to Buxton the Twins might have a chance to sign Correa again. It had been 15 days since Correa agreed to a 12-year, $315 million deal with New York and the process had little momentum.
As they discussed the situation, Buxton not only determined Correa wouldn’t become a Met any time soon, but he also realized how much the two-time All-Star wanted to rejoin the Twins after spending the 2022 season with the organization.
OK, I'll bite: how much? And why?how much the two-time All-Star wanted to rejoin the Twins after spending the 2022 season with the organization.
I think this is one of those cases where the MLB Players' Union forces these guys to always accept the biggest offer, or coerces them anyway. I was talking about this with my wife. Like, would I even really know how to tell the difference between $157 million and $200 million? It's just a bigger pile. Is there something you really want that costs $180 million that you're worried you won't be able to afford?roger_that wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 6:36 am Hey, second opinions cost money. You think the Mets have co-pay dollars just laying around?
OK, I'll bite: how much? And why?how much the two-time All-Star wanted to rejoin the Twins after spending the 2022 season with the organization.
I get it that $200 mill in hand is more than 157 mill in hand, but why would anyone want to play in a small-market with a much worse record and much less to spend than a megamarket coming off a 100-win season?
You mean they're not taking into account the way some areas have better school systems?the MLB Players' Union forces these guys to always accept the biggest offer,
Like virtually every other free agent before him, Correa took the most lucrative deal he could get.roger_that wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 6:36 am
I get it that $200 mill in hand is more than 157 mill in hand, but why would anyone want to play in a small-market with a much worse record and much less to spend than a megamarket coming off a 100-win season?
https://theathletic.com/4089872/2023/01 ... ed_articleCorrea: The Giants used an ankle specialist who didn’t pass me. Then the Mets used the same specialist, who obviously wasn’t going to pass me. He had already given an opinion to another team about my ankle. He was not going to change that. He was going to stand by what he was saying, of course, because that is what he believed.
We did have other ankle specialists look at it and say it was going to be fine, orthopedists who know me, even the one who did the surgery on me. They were looking at the functionality of the ankle, the way the ankle has been the past eight years. I’ve played at an elite level where my movement has never been compromised. It was just a year ago when I won a Platinum Glove at shortstop, one of the most demanding positions, where you have to move the most. But the one doctor that had never touched me or seen me or done a test on me, that was the one who said it wasn’t going to be fine.
TA: Did everyone in your family just jump on a plane to New York?
Correa: We flew back to Houston the next night (after the Giants’ news conference was postponed). I dropped them off. Then I flew by myself to New York the first thing the next morning for the physical. (Mets owner) Steve (Cohen) sent his plane. I got on the plane and flew there, did the physical that night. The next morning, I did some blood tests. After that, they took me to Citi Field. I did some extra testing over there. Everything seemed fine.
TA: Did you really tackle Scott after learning of the Mets’ deal?
Correa: Oh yeah, I tackled him.
TA: What was that moment like?
Correa: I gave my family the news that there was no deal, that we were still free agents. Then all of a sudden, this great dude — I don’t think I can curse here, but in baseball terms you’d say this bad m——f—— gets me another deal in a matter of hours.
He told me again the same words. “We need to talk. I need you to come to the room.” I was like, “OK, here we go again.” He gave me that news. He was sitting in bed. I just tackled him a little bit.
The thing I was most concerned about was having to wait a long time again to get another deal done. What I went through last year with the free-agent process, where the market closed in on me with the lockout and everything, I was concerned that might happen again.
TA: Did you talk to (Mets shortstop Francisco) Lindor?
Correa: Right away. Forty-five-minute conversation.
TA: What was that conversation like?
Correa: It was more me talking about how I was OK with playing third base and I was never going to step on his toes. Out of my mouth would never come the words, “I want to play shortstop.” Out of my mouth would never come any form of betrayal toward him.
From that moment on, from the moment the deal was agreed on, my mind was set to play third base every single day. That was never going to change. I wanted him to know I would always be loyal. I would always be there for him, whatever he needed. Just making sure we left everything clear. When players of both our calibers play shortstop and there’s a change there’s always some animosity in there. I wanted to make sure he knew out of the gate I was OK with playing third base. I was going to make the move, no problem.
TA: How comfortable were you moving? I know you take a great amount of pride in what you’ve accomplished at short.
Correa: I was comfortable because he’s a really good shortstop and a really good player. At this stage of my career, it’s all about winning. I do feel like in that case, me moving to third base was going to make the Mets a better team. So I was OK with it. My main focus right now is winning championships. I’m not focused on anything else.
TA: Did you do the same thing with the Mets players and coaches that you did with the Giants, talking to everybody?
Correa: I did talk to some coaches and some players. But not as many as I did with the Giants. When I (agreed) with the Giants, right away they sent me all the numbers, all the information I asked them to. It was easier for me to connect. The (Mets) players that texted me are the ones I talked to. I never got a chance to speak with Buck (Showalter). He was waiting for it to be official to talk about it.
TA: Did you ever speak with Steve Cohen?
Correa: Yes I did.
(The conversation took place after Correa returned to Houston from San Francisco, and before he left for New York.)
TA: What was that like?
Correa: He was very happy. He was very excited. I even spoke with his wife. It was a good, fun conversation. He was in Hawaii. He seemed like a really, really nice guy. I definitely enjoyed that conversation. He was just welcoming me and all that.
After the Mets' physical turned up similar questions surrounding Correa's surgically repaired right ankle – New York consulted with orthopedic specialist Dr. Robert Anderson, the same person who raised concerns during the Giants' examination – Boras was apparently left seething.
“I don’t understand the Mets,’’ Boras told Nightengale. “I gave them all of the information. We had them talk to four doctors. They knew the issue the Giants had. And yet, they still call the same doctor the Giants used for his opinion. There was no new information. So why negotiate a contract if you were going to rely on the same doctor?
“It was different with the Giants because a doctor had an opinion they didn’t know about. But the Mets had notice of this. They knew the opinion of the Giants. So why did you negotiate when you know this thing in advance?"
San Francisco did not re-engage with talks after their physical, but the Mets attempted to find a solution. And Nightengale wrote that Boras offered language in the contract to protect New York: the contract would be reduced if the right ankle injury forced Correa to miss more than 60 days and the contract could be voided if he spent more than 120 days on the injured list over a two-year period. And if Correa finished the season on IL, he would be given a physical “to determine if they wanted to part ways.”
Carlos Correa opted for the Land of 10,000 Lakes over Flushing Bay, leaving the Mets’ lineup without a big winter splash. But general manager Billy Eppler doesn’t necessarily share his boss’ view that another hitter was needed this offseason.
