Mets Harder On Dickey Than We Thought
According to Andy Martino of the Daily News, the Mets have just increased their offer to R.A. Dickey to two years, $10M. Wait, what?
Per Martino:
Mets sources told the Daily News late Monday that the team, while still refusing to rule out a trade, was in the process of increasing its offer to the Cy Young Award winner to approximately three years, $25 million.
The breakdown: A two-year contract extension at about $10 million per season, in addition to the $5 million already owned to Dickey in 2013. Despite reports to the contrary, Mets sources insisted that the team had not offered that much during last week’s winter meetings.
Originally, we were led to believe that a 2-year, $20M extension was already on the table, but those figures turn out to be an increase. The Mets’ first offer was two years, $16M, which works out to $21M over three years when you factor in R.A.’s 2013 salary.
My oh my. No wonder there hasn’t been progress in these negotiations.
So in other words, the Mets do not believe R.A. Dickey is as valuable as Joe Blanton. Or they believe R.A., being poor all his life and at an advancing age, will cave in and take the money and all the security that goes with it. Or they’d prefer to trade R.A., and made a pittance of an offer to keep up appearances.
Personally, I’m stunned that the Mets would come to the table with such an insulting offer. Basically, what they’re telling R.A. is “yeah, you had a great year, but we’re pretty sure you can’t do it again — and we’re also pretty sure you don’t have the stones to prove it in 2013 without the security of an extension.”
Again, it’s all about perspective. I’d be very happy to receive a two-year, $16M extension from my employer, but this is fantasyland MLB, where they pay in Monopoly money. And considering the cost of pitching these days — not even good pitching, just pitching in general — I find the Mets’ offers thus far to be an insult, and truly question whether they’re sincere in their efforts to keep R.A. Dickey in a Mets uniform.
Your thoughts?
This is what they’ve been taking so long to “offer”?
No wonder why so many guys get turned off by the Mets. Hope Wright feels good about what their pitch was….to “turn things around”.
agents push alot of deals in the backround. i wonder how much RA agent is pushing for him to sign so he gets paid. something to think about.
Mets have all the leverage here. What gets leaked to the media is not always representative of what reality is, and this current offer is simply what the Mets are negotiating at for the moment. It is a negotiation which means this could and very well might change in time. I think this is completely overblown.
Even if he bombs this year, he will be able to get a nice 1 year deal somewhere. Pettite just got 1yr/$12m, look around at the contracts being handed out. He will do ok. Of course if he pitches well…
The end will be the Mets enjoying next year at a bargain salary and likely getting nothing in return. Another popular player spit on. Classic Mets.
I agree with Hart. If R.A. signs this lowball offer he is more attractive to another team. If he doesn’t sign then the Mets can trade him and let someone else work out a deal. In any case the intent is to trade him.
I believe the Mets have to fill too many holes and trading Dickey makes sense if you can fill two holes in the deal. On the other hand, if they can’t accomplish the above, Dickey should be kept because he is a positive representative for a team that has too many negative p.r. notes.
Alderson’s job – as even RA pointed out – is to make the Mets a better team. He’s certainly not going to get two elite prospects by lowering the value of Dickey to prospective employers.
The Mets raising the offer to 2/20 indicates to me that they have realized no one is going to make the offer they wanted. I am fairly certain RA Dickey will be paid what he wants for 2014/2015 or darned close to it.
Three years of control at $10M per year for a pitcher coming off a Cy Young Award would seem to be a tremendous bargain.
But if that’s their position and they’ve been lying to him about it in an attempt to get him to accept half of what he’s worth (thus probably making him even more tradeable), then that’s outright scumbaggery.
You can rest assured that if R.A. had a more aggressive agent, the tabloids would be filled with stories about how the Mets had spit in Dickey’s face and he would never play for this organization again and was requesting a trade. (Remember the Boras theories on Manny’s exit from Boston?)
For an adversarial negotiation in a vacuum, I agree. However, in the weird world of baseball, lowballing an employee pretty much guarantees that employee will find a job elsewhere. And because everyone knows this, a lowball offer is generally perceived as “we don’t want you”. This usually seems to burn bridges.
Dickey thought he was being more than fair, asking for 2 years at #2-#3 starter money, without asking for a change to his 2013 pittance. If I did that, and my boss played hardball, I’d be done. I’d raise my demands, just in case the shoe winds up on the other foot.
Scumbaggery is an interesting word and quite ftting for Jeffy. Despite Alderson giving the image of an adult running the team, it is hard to think JW isn’t involved in some capacity. That said, even though RA seems ruffled, and once again the Mets find themselves in a poorly handled negotiation, another few million with an option will get this done and everyone will kiss and make up. If the Mets botch this one, and going into 2013 with RA unextended is a botch, Alderson should be run out of town, even if RA pitches to a 5.00 ERA in 2013.
I don’t think R.A. Dickey is an epic liar.
I wouldn’t worry about the obvious needs, OF, RP and C… The most important thing is too improve your club anyway you can. Right now in free agency, the Mets are as attractive as the Astros… David Wright was an important chip but not enticing anyone to come to Queens. You need more solid players!
Here are the trades I’d make…
1. It looks like the Indians are in complete re build mode. I would get Asdrubal Cabrera right now to play along side David Wright. Sending Tejada and Familia should get it done. Tejada, a young promising SS could be a loss but remember the Mets just drafted Guccini last year who can take over for Cabrera in a few years. Familia a power arm would be a loss but Cabrera is a rare talent and ready now, proven all star and would be a great sign for the fans who just lost their beloved Reyes last year to Miami.
2. This could be a long shot but worth a look. It seems in Texas, Kinsler is upset. Needing to move positions for the young 2B who will likely start this year. It also seems the Rangers are getting younger and could be willing to move Kinsler who turns 30 soon if he is so unhappy. They may need Dickey in this trade but what about offering NIese, Murphy and Ike. I know that sounds like a lot and Rangers would send cash with Kinsler but it would be a perfect fit for both squads.
Team:
SS Asdrubal Cabrera
OF
3B David Wright
2B Ian Kinsler
1B Lucas Duda
OF
OF
C Josh Thole
SP Johan Santana
SP R.A. Dickey
SP Dillon Gee
SP Matt Harvey
SP Zach Wheeler
With moves like this, go back to FA and see what OF, RP or C won’t sign with you. With all the money differed from Wright and signing Dickey, this year would still only be 5m, over pay a bit for one year deals. Make some moves Mets!