New York Mets yet to decide on Jose Reyes’ contract – MLB Update
The New York Mets have looked shady in the offseason and the main reason for this has been the curious case of Jose Reyes. The management of Mets has already announced a plan to slash the payroll for the next season, sending them into a dilemma over the
signing of their home-grown shortstop, which the newly cash-rich Miami Marlins are pursuing with great interest.
The Mets were planning to keep Reyes onboard for 2012 with a not-so-lucrative, short-term contract. They had not extended an offer to their free agent and had said that they are waiting for other interested teams to determine a price tag for Reyes, a strategy
which has backfired on them. The Marlins, showing their keen interest in Reyes, have offered a six-year 90-million-dollar contract to the free agent and the Mets are now in a fix over the signing of their key player.
It was generally believed that the Mets are willing to extend a five-year contract to Reyes, but an initial offer of six-years has made things difficult for the management. Mets’ owner Fred Wilpon did not answer any question related to the All-Star player,
but it has become evident that the Mets are not going to remain idle.
The Mets are aware of the fact that not signing Reyes will pose a lot of problems for them and losing him to a division rival will pose added pressure on them. Mets’ general manager Sandy Alderson still believes that there is room for negotiations with the
player and that things might take a different course as time progresses in the offseason.
“I actually think more takes place over the phone than in the course of meetings like this where there is a pretty stiff agenda,” Alderson said. “The next couple of weeks over the phone is probably more important as a platform for the winter meetings.”
While the Mets have continued to remain silent on the issue of Reyes, the Milwaukee Brewers and Detroit Tigers are expected to extend their offers to Reyes sooner than later, making things more difficult for the Mets. It will be interesting to see how matters
unfold.
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