N.Y. Mets ~ David Wright's Stellar Season Will Cost Mets Plenty

From the desk of:   HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

NEW YORK METS:  David Wright Continues to Drive Up His Price.


How much are two more home runs worth?  David Wright hit his thirteenth and fourteenth home runs of the season in Thursday's matinee game against Washington.  For every round tripper David Wright hits without a new contract extension, his price tag continues to go up.  The longer he maintains a lofty batting average, his price goes up.  For every game he continues to be one of the top RBI guys in the National League, his price goes up.  Every day he receives consideration as an MVP candidate, his price skyrockets.  And the longer this keeps up, the more overwhelming support David Wright will have from the fan base, and the more obliged Fred Wilpon will be to meet David's price.  Or something like that.


Didn't Sandy Alderson and David Wright's representation say they were going to start talking about a new deal by now?  Of course I know this is the wrong time to bring up contract matters.  We're making a run for a playoff spot.  I get it.  This is precisely why teams, and/or players, sometimes chose not to deal with such matters in-season.  It's a nuisance.  So that's exactly why I'm bringing it up.  But I'm only going by what the GM summarized and the time table he set just a few short months ago.


Now riddle me this?  As an owner, I would argue Fred Wilpon already knows whether or not he is committing long term to David Wright.  I mean, shouldn't he?  Isn't it reasonable to believe he has already decided David Wright's future with the New York Mets?  If I were owner, I wouldn't be foolish enough to divulge my hand per se, but I would certainly know what the plan for my franchise player was.


Sandy Alderson will, or has already, most likely formulated a revised opinion for Mr. Wilpon regarding David Wright.  The pre-season article in Sports Illustrated, in which Fred Wilpon came down pretty heavily on his third baseman, is probably no longer representative of the owner's view.  Not in light of the season David Wright is having.


Then there is what I am calling the Improbability Factor.  What are the chances we are in the midst of watching the first Mets' player to win the National League MVP?  Think about it.  After a half-century, the Mets had their first N.L. batting champion and the Mets' first ever no-hitter both occur within one calender year of each other.  So, who's to say that in their 50th Anniversary season, David Wright isn't working on becoming the organization's first MVP?


As of right now, there has been little spoken in the way of contract negotiations, if at all.  The trade deadline is right around the corner.  Would Sandy Alderson dare ship out David Wright for a bevy of top prospects, or an MLB ready reliever and just a package of prospects?  Trading David Wright now would no doubt turn into a P.R. nightmare the Wilpons would never risk at this point in their financial, emotional, and organizational, recovery.  So that leaves either a new deal, or David walks when the time comes.


If I didn't know better, Sandy Alderson seems to be engaged in a little game of cat and mouse.




Mike.BTB