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Added by Eddie Utley on May 7, 2012.
David Wright has stepped up his game this season. Now it's time for the Mets to pony up and give their guy a contract extension.
There is still no contract extension for David Wright. The Mets third baseman went to see his high school coach this winter and it seems to be working as his performance has been excellent. He seems to be back to the way he was when he first came up, instead of those long looping swings and standing far off the plate.
While it is early in the season, Wright is carrying an OBP near .500 and batting average close to .400. He’s hitting line drives all over the field, and looks more like the guy from the winning Mets teams, the guy who was in MVP conversations.
David Wright is basically Mr. Met at this point, without the huge head.
Wright now leads the Mets in all-time RBI’s and, while that is not a very big achievement when you look at other teams, having it only take 700+ RBI is. He leads in other categories as well. He’s been the face of the franchise since he was called up from the minors.
When he was injured earlier this year, the Mets made it sound like Wright was wimping out of coming back and playing by saying he can play as long as he can tolerate the pain. Sound familiar? The Mets did this crap with Reyes. He was legitimately hurt and if he went on the DL it would have been fine, but they made it seem like he should only be out for a game or two and come back. To Wright’s credit, he came back and hit a homerun.
Wright used to feel like he had to carry the whole team and you could see him trying to hit five run homers. Now, he’s not getting much to hit, but he’s carrying his weight and others are helping. It’s not just David Wright anymore in this lineup and, if the other big guys start hitting, then this team has some wins in them.
The guy has shown characteristics that you would want in a leader or team captain, and now it’s truly his team. No more older guys who he deferred to, no more Jose Reyes. It’s David Wright’s team, and it’s about time to extend his contract and not make the same mistakes of the past with letting players reach free agency. He could have possibly been signed for less if you signed him off a bad year, but now he’s definitely in line for a Ryan Zimmerman type contract or more. Don’t let him get away without even an offer…hint hint.
About Eddie Utley
Tyler Moore
May 7, 2012 at 12:11 pm
I might agree with you except for a few things. Right now, David Wright still has next year with the Mets if the team executes his option, which they will. That means they still have all of this season and next to work out an extension. It doesn’t have to happen right now. Another thing is, unlike Reyes, Wright is the face of the franchise and a huge leader for this team. Even though he doesn’t wear the “C”, he is captain of this team. That’s something we couldn’t say about Reyes. Wright will be here to stay.
E
May 7, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Technically no, it doesn’t have to happen now. But you don’t wait until he’s at the apex of his value like they did with Reyes. If they signed Reyes the year before or even early in 2011 then he wouldn’t be in Miami right now for over $100M.
And there is no guarantee that they pick up the option and keep him either.
Jose Reyes was as big as Wright in the heart of the Mets fans, through all the ups and downs with injuries. They could have been co-captains.
As much as I’d like to believe Wright will be here, there is something about Sandy and company that irks me and I just don’t trust them. The same way Reyes isn’t here now, I can see Wright going too. Sandy was talking about his value to the fans before the season and then when it was over they did nothing and let him go.
I hope Wright is here but I don’t think it’s 100% or even 80%.
stretm
May 8, 2012 at 11:40 am
I am curios – did you want the mets to sign in 2010 after his 36 game season. Also what makes you think Jose would have signed with his value down?
E
May 9, 2012 at 10:00 am
it wouldn’t have been a 36 game season if the medical staff wasn’t inept. Mets blamed the Dodgers people but in the end it was all on the Mets for not going over everything again.
But they could have done something earlier in the season, last year, if they really were going to keep him. But we all know they weren’t no matter what Sandy said.
herman clements
May 7, 2012 at 4:01 pm
i believe david will be their @ first thought he was going but in due time he will get a contract exstention & be named capatian of the team it will be a no brainer he is the franchise of the mets makes perfect sense now that jose is no longer their the only other player i dont see with the mets is johan santana …
E
May 7, 2012 at 6:58 pm
You would think Jose Reyes was a no brainer but he’s not here so I wouldn’t put it past them to let Wright go. They already tried to make it sound like he’s injury prone like they did with Reyes then tried to make him look weak with the pinky.
Johan is gone when the contract is done. Even if he has a great year no one will take his $25M contract. Just like Jason Bay is stuck here.
Mr. Must See TV
May 8, 2012 at 12:20 pm
Good grief! Can we stop comparing David Wright to Jose Reyes already in terms of contract status? They’re nowhere near the same situation. Jose Reyes was in the last year of his contract in 2011, while David Wright has one option year left for 2013.
Fans and journalists need to separate sports fandom from sports economics. I love David Wright, but his performance and health over the past 2 years has been suspect. Yes, he is tearing it up during the first month of the baseball season, but it’s only the first month of the baseball season. I don’t understand why fans and journalist are clamoring for the Mets to resign Wright to a long-term deal right now, especially when (as I already pointed out) he already is under team control for 2013.
If you sign him now and his performance and/or health regress to what they were in 2010 and 2011, then those same fans and journalist will crucify the Mets for being dumb for having signed David Wright when he was already under control for 2013. You can’t have it both ways. Besides, signing him now just doesn’t make good business sense.
Why not just let Wright play out the season and show that he can maintain his performance and health at an above-average player level. If he does, then the day after the World Series you hold a news conference announcing a new long-term deal for David Wright and that he’s been made the Mets captain. Anyone that suggests otherwise just doesn’t understand how to properly manage a business, assets and risk.
E
May 9, 2012 at 10:04 am
Fractured back on a freak play, hit in the head, and other random things but none that say he’s a major risk. Teams wait until player’s are at their apex value and then they can’t sign them.
Using Niese as an example. They didn’t wait for him to boost his value through the roof. It’s the same thing other teams are doing.
Are you saying they couldn’t sign him to a reasonable deal…say 6-7 years at $16M? They could even put an out clause if they wanted to.
Look what the Reds had to do for Votto.
When players get to the market there is no telling which way it will go. Why not secure yourself earlier than that instead of waiting until it’s too late.
Phil
May 8, 2012 at 12:23 pm
“the Mets made it sound like Wright was wimping out of coming back and playing by saying he can play as long as he can tolerate the pain. Sound familiar? The Mets did this crap with Reyes.”
A fractured finger is EXACTLY that in most cases…..a matter of pain tolerance.
My brother wrestled and won a county championship with a broken thumb on his left hand, and a broken pinky on his right hand. (the pinky had multiple pins through it to hold it together.)
The doctors advised him that there was very little he could do to make it worse. Worst case scenario was that he would extend the healing process. However, the doctor’s said that he could participate in sports as far as he could tolerate the pain.
I enjoyed the article, but really felt the need to comment on that. Hopefully some firsthand experience can give you a little more insight on that type of injury.
E
May 8, 2012 at 12:33 pm
What’s bothering me is the way they are going about it. Not that he fractured it or pain tolerance but they made him sound like he’s weak. It did not sound like a vote of confidence.