The Pete Alonso Conundrum

[Centerfield]

I don’t think I have what it takes to be a GM. I would have blinked by now.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Me too.

[smg58]

Yeah, I don't think you have to limit it to three years less. I was mainly hoping they didn't get bluffed into five and up.

I mean, it sounds odd considering that we're coming off being giddy that they just locked Soto up for the net decade and a half.
And while that is a ridiculous length of time, at least he's 26 years old and a unicorn. Don't have to get crazy twice in one winter.

Well it's one thing to open your wallet wide for an already elite player who might not have even entered his prime yet. It's another thing to do it for a 1B/DH when the market rate for first basemen who were better in 2024 has been set significantly lower.

[smg58]

I sincerely hope Pete doesn't get left in the cold like Mike Conforto did

It's starting to feel a bit chilly

That was on Boras, not the Mets. Like he's done with a number of other players, Boras waited and waited for a better offer that didn't come. And then Conforto got hurt and got nothing. The Mets chose not to overpay to bring their guy back just because he was their guy. And it turned out to be the right decision.

[Centerfield]

Does anything typically happen during this week between Christmas and New Year's? I'm guessing baseball execs are sitting on a beach or next to a fire or something.

The interesting thing about this lack of market is that I originally thought this next contract was an opportunity to lock up Pete for the rest of his career. It's becoming increasingly clear that this won't be the case, and that Pete is looking at going back to the market again, whether he takes an opt-out or not. I guess for him the best case scenario is for him to stay productive so he can get a Christian Walker type deal in a few years.

If I were Stearns, I think I'd be inclined to offer Pete 4 years guaranteed. 4 years, $100M, opt-out after year 1. Those four years take him to his year 33 season, and even among big bodied RH hitters, 33 can still be a productive year. So maybe the best bet is to offer 3 years/90, or 4 years/100 and see which one Pete takes. Opt out after 1 in each of those deals.

[Frayed Knot]

The interesting thing about this lack of market is that I originally thought this next contract was an opportunity to lock up Pete for the rest of his career. It's becoming increasingly clear that this won't be the case, and that Pete is looking at going back to the market again, whether he takes an opt-out or not. I guess for him the best case scenario is for him to stay productive so he can get a Christian Walker type deal in a few years.

It could very well end up as his final contract, even if it's one of five years or less.
1B/DH guys have to hit to keep a job so it doesn't take too much of a slip to have the phone stop ringing.
Lucas Duda had a better OPS season at age 29 than did Pete [838 OPS/130 OPS+ vs 788/123 (less power but a higher OBA)]
Lucas then slid the next year but was hitting even better in 2017/age 31 (879 OPS) when the Mets dealt him at mid-season.
Over the next two years he'd be granted FA-gency twice and released three times all while amassing < 500 PAs for his post-NYM career.
Exactly two years after the trade he played his final ML game. He was 33


Now, not saying this is a predictor of how things will go for Pete but when more one dimensional sluggers falter it sometimes goes quickly.
Keeping the possibility of that type of scenario in mind was pretty much the reason for starting this thread just a couple weeks shy of two years ago.

[metirish]

Make of this source what you will

Translated to 3 years $90 million offer

[kcmets]

Whippoorcoob will vouch for Baerga's truthfulness and character.

[Buck4Prez]

imho Mets are sitting pretty because of Soto, they need another hitter and probably two, but they have a lot of options and ways to achieve that. And a lot of 1B have signed now, so Pete doesn't have many options. It'll probably get done, there's some sentimentality there that makes it make sense, but Alonso probably is going to have to concede.

[Edgy MD]

The thing about looking for a firstbaseman is that everybody is a potential firstbaseman.

And everybody who is so defensively talented somewhere else that he would be wasted at first can knock some other catcher, leftfielder, or thirdbaseman over to first.

[whippoorwill]

imho Mets are sitting pretty because of Soto, they need another hitter and probably two, but they have a lot of options and ways to achieve that. And a lot of 1B have signed now, so Pete doesn't have many options. It'll probably get done, there's some sentimentality there that makes it make sense, but Alonso probably is going to have to concede.

I don’t think that’s fair.

[AIMrMet]

Transylvania Conundrum... Peterbilt Connect 4... Pinnochio Aqueduct... oh breadsticks... peter pan...! No, you called it 'The Pete Alonso Conundrum' right? A blip on our unforgiving hot pilaf, oh bugger, uh I mean the hot stove, yes, it's simmering real good—hang over the flames before making any cravings or shovings.

Now comes the kicker, the cojones or cobblers of my sloppy reverie. Roll it on up fellers, this here's the chewiest nut of the bunch, The PETE ALONSO CONNUNDRUM! The Roman's colosseum, the seven blocked pounders of Babylon, ain't Sui generis delivery style he embraces!

And here's the soft pretzel bit: Pete's just too bonkers at busting blimps in mid-air. Heck of a sweatband collector, but seems to forget wrapping up his batting gloves in special pickle wrappers every Full Moon Thursday. Base-poodles!

What's more, the Cruella De Vil stupid, sorry I mean bastion unwise I mean hot stove, sez the Mets can have only one spiral helix shaped French-toast rotating 5.6 times per breakfast. Eh, I mean a limit of 'Disgruntled Kangaroo-PogoJump' Mikitas under one merry-go-round. Basically, but not in SVG circles... Or crayon lines…Or they have to sustain Venus orbital booms. Doesn't make forty-dimensional mathematical Pi-ents, does it? Neither does another round of Hazed Confused IPAs. And another. Are we there yet?

[Lefty Specialist]

Word.

[metirish]

If you bought a house !

[Lefty Specialist]

Did that when I bought my current house. It worked.

[metirish]

Please lead the negotiation

[Edgy MD]

Is Jayson Love joelmon?

[ashie62]

I believe the potential destinations for Pete are dwindling

My not so magic 8 ball says 3/90 somewhere

Not a terrible deal for Pete considering the next contract he signs could be for one year

[Lefty Specialist]

Please lead the negotiation

lol, I could get him to come down by $30,000.

[Edgy MD]

My not so magic 8 ball says 3/90 somewhere

Your 8-ball answers much more specific questions than mine.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Rumors are that the Giants have entered the picture for Alonso.

[metsmarathon]

That’s not a great stadium for a power hitter not named Barry bonds.

I hope Pete comes to his senses!

[ashie62]

It is not a stadium for Pete but it's mostly about the money

I've been going under the assumption that Stearns does not want Pete back and failing an intervention by Cohen he goes elsewhere

Sure feels like it to me at this point

Washington Nationals sign free agent 1st basemen Josh Bell and another market falls away

The Mets gave an obscene, almost irresponsible amount of money to Soto and now they nickel and dime a lifelong Met and current face of the franchise

Grow some balls Stearns and sign the guy

[Benjamin Grimm]

I've been going under the assumption that Stearns does not want Pete back and failing an intervention by Cohen he goes elsewhere

I suspect he likes Pete for two or three years but not for six or seven.

[ashie62]

It is not a stadium for Pete but it's mostly about the money

I've been going under the assumption that Stearns does not want Pete back and failing an intervention by Cohen he goes elsewhere

Sure feels like it to me at this point

Washington Nationals sign free agent 1st basemen Josh Bell and another market falls away

The Mets gave an obscene, almost irresponsible amount of money to Soto and now they nickel and dime lifeling Met and current face of the franchise

Grow some balls Stearns and sign the guy

This is my response