Open Mike Podcast: Will Mets Break the Bank for Jacob deGrom

We are three games into Spring Training and the questions regarding Jacob deGrom's long term contract are still on the minds of many Mets fans. Why not discuss this issue and the latest news around baseball with Mr. Baseball himself, John Pielli of the Passed Ball Program!

Yankees Dodge a Bullet, Manny Machado Signs with Padres

To the Yankees fans who begged that the Bronx Bombers sign Manny Machado -- you can stop complaining.

Machado, who was never coming to the Yankees, finally ended his long and ridiculous pursuit of a long-term deal, striking one with the San Diego Padres on Tuesday morning. Machado will make $300 million over the next 10 years in sunny So-Cal -- that of course if he isn't dealt to a contender before than.

There is an opt out clause in the deal after five seasons -- which -- considering the state of the Padres, will likely be executed by Machado.

Last season between stops in Baltimore and Los Angeles, Machado hit .297 with 37 homers and 107 RBI. He has hit 30 or more homers for four straight seasons dating back to 2015, and is a lifetime .282 hitter.

However in the playoffs last year, Machado was quoted as saying he doesn't like to hustle, which certainly played a role in hurting his market value during the entire free agent process. Machado wanted $300 million, but nobody was willing to bend.

The Yankees were rumored to have offered an eight-year deal worth about $240 million, but wouldn't go above that for a guy who has been good, but not great in his Major League career. And it's not like the Yankees were desperate here. The Bronx Bombers had a loaded team with Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Miguel Andjuar and Gary Sanchez in the lineup. They didn't need Machado, which certainly would have created an awkward situation in the clubhouse. Undoubtably, had Machado become a Yankee, General Manager Brian Cashman would have been forced to move Andjuar.

Instead the Yankees keep the team they wanted this season intact. Machado now heads to San Diego to a team that will probably end up in last place in the NL West, so I guess that means he won't have to worry about hustling in the postseason.

With Machado now signed, sealed and delivered, it is only a matter of time before Bryce Harper signs a deal. Rumors are swirling that Harper could choose between the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants.

Yankees Extend Severino, while Mets Remain Deadlocked with deGrom

No week better exemplifies the difference between the Mets and Yankees are than what has transpired over the past few days.

Last Friday, as the Yankees reported to Spring Training, the Bombers inked Luis Severino to a long term extension, four years at $40 million, clearing away the arbitration eligible years left on his contract, and making both sides happy.

It's a great deal for both sides. The Yankees get to keep their ace at a terrific price tag, while the young Severino doesn't have to worry about getting into a contract squabble over the remaining years of arbitration.

Severino will make $6 million (with bonus included) this season, and $10 million in 2020, $10.25 million in 2021, and $11 million by 2022. There is also a club option for $15 million in 2023 -- a nice security should there be a lengthy MLB holdout in the next couple of years.

Meanwhile, over in Queens, things are not so rosy for the Mets and their ace pitcher Jacob deGrom. The Mets and deGrom settled on a $17 million arbitration number for this season, but with only one year of arbitration left, and coming off a Cy Young campaign in 2018, deGrom wants a long term deal. Unlike the Yankees, the Mets don't seem so willing to oblige.

deGrom's contract standoff has taken a life of its own. Last year, when current Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen was deGrom's personal agent, he lobbied the Mets to sign deGrom to a long term deal or trade him. Now that Van Wagenen is working for the Wilpon's, he is singing a much different tune.

Meanwhile deGrom and his new representation have asked the Mets to meet an Opening Day deadline for a contract, or negotiations will cease until the end of the season. This is normal procedure during standoffs such as this. Players don't like being bogged down by contract talk during the season, they rather go out there and play.

Yet, when pressed by the media if he would be willing to limit his innings depending on his contract, deGrom acknowledged it was something he would have to talk to his agent about -- not exactly a comment Mets fans want to here -- some of whom have blasted deGrom for being greedy. But is he really?

Consider the state of baseball right now. There are dozens of players, some of them All Stars in their prime that still remain unsigned. It has been a nightmare offseason for the MLBA and free agents seeking long term contracts as teams are unwilling to spend, even though they are making hand over fist in revenue. The players have called foul, and it is setting up for a potential clash before the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) runs out in 2021.

So let me as this question again. Is deGrom really being greedy? Or, is he using this as a negotiation ploy, knowing full well what is happening to other players on the market?

 deGrom is coming off the best year of his career, but it is not like he just came out of nowhere to have a Cy Young campaign in 2018. deGrom has been the Mets best and most reliable starting pitcher for five years running. He has been somewhat ignored until last season, because he didn't blast the radar gun with triple digits the way Matt Harvey and Noah Syndergaard have done, but if you ask any Mets fan who has been the steadiest pitcher in the Mets rotation over the last half dozen years, they would say: 'Jacob deGrom.'

So yes, deGrom is making a pretty penny of $17 million this year, and with another year of arbitration coming to him that could pay him upwards of $25 million -- he isn't dirt poor, but he doesn't exactly have the collateral of knowing where he will be beyond that.

The guy has put his body on the line for the Mets for a long time, and deserves to have a long term deal.

Unlike the Yankees, who decided to take care of their ace pitcher before things got hairy, the Mets have let this thing get out of control.

Last week I was listening to Joel Sherman on MLB Network explain what kind of deal the Mets could give deGrom, a five-year deal right now that would take him through his age 35 season. That would make perfect sense -- and yes, the Mets would have to play $20-$30 million a year upfront to do it -- something that would make the Wilpon's wince. Think about it, if the Mets pay deGrom on a long term deal now, they will do so knowing they are paying him during his prime, rather than waiting until 2020 or 2021 to pay a 33-year old pitcher what he once was.

It's time to end the silliness and get a deal done. If the Yankees can lock up their guy, the Mets can lock up their own.

Jacob deGrom Gives Mets Deadline to Reach Contract

Picture it now. Somewhere in Florida, Mets ace Jacob deGrom is on the phone from his hotel room, he’s got Brodie Van Wagenen on the other end. And deGrom asks the Mets General Manager to repeat after him: “Show me the money!”

Welcome to Spring Training 2019, Mets fans.

On the first day of camp it didn’t take long for the Mets to have their first crisis. deGrom and his new representation from Creative Artist Agency (CAA), Jeff Berry, have given the Mets a March 28 deadline to reach a new contract for the National League’s reigning Cy Young Award winner.

Should neither side reach an agreement by Opening Day, discussions are off until next winter when deGrom will be entering the final year of his contract in 2020.   

The news comes just a month after the 30-year old deGrom won his arbitration case that will pay him a hefty $17 million this season. Still, neither side seems close to a contract extension.

According to several reports, deGrom’s agent met with Jeff Wilpon during the winter meetings to discuss a contract extension, but both sides left without much traction. That was nine weeks ago.

Since then, Van Wagenen has stressed that deGrom has a future with the franchise, even going on Mike Francesa’s program to dissuade any thought that there may be “tension” between the parties.

“I don’t think they are strained. He showed up to camp the same Jacob deGrom he has always been, loose, smiling, and happy. We love him, he knows it,” Van Wagenen said. 

“I think the communication has been important with Jacob and it will continue to be. He matters to us. We value him; our goal is for him to be part of the future beyond the remaining two years. Whether the timing is now or down the road. There is no mistaking it, he is a franchises player for us.”

Asked by Francesa again if there is dialogue between the two sides, and if deGrom is content, Van Wagenen said there is no drama at all. Hours later the story that deGrom is pushing the Mets to meet a deadline broke by the New York Post.

Ironically, Van Wagenen ignited a lot of the problems the Mets are facing over deGrom’s contract when he was the pitcher’s agent a year ago. During the All-Star Break Van Wagenen said the Mets should sign deGrom to an extension or trade him.

If anyone knows what deGrom wants and expects in a deal it is Van Wagenen. That relationship is now being put to the test as the Mets new GM now has to do the bidding of Fred and Jeff Wilpon – a father and son ownership tandem that has historically played things close to the vest.

“I don’t regret what I said. Jacob knows what we want for him in 2019, and time will tell. Jacob knows how I feel about him, and how this organization feels about him.”

deGrom also knows he is coming off the best year of his career. A winner of the Cy Young award, after posting a 1.70 ERA and 0.91 WHIP for a team that couldn’t score runs for him was a remarkable sight. In an era where starting pitching has been relegated to bullpen by committee, deGrom was historically dominant every single time he touched the baseball.

deGrom has earned the right to seek a bigger contract. The question is are the Mets willing to lock up a pitcher over the age of 30, or do they risk losing him before his contract expires in two years.

Did the Mets have an Amazin' offseason? 2019 Spring Training

The Mets had a busy offseason nabbing the likes of Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz and Wilson Ramos. Was it enough to put the Mets into contention in the NL East? Michael Cohen and Rick Laughland of 24/7 Sports discuss and review the entire Mets offseason, and what the club can do as Spring Training approaches.

Patriots Win Possibly Worst Super Bowl Ever Played

PATRIOTS 13 - RAMS 3

Sunday night was not a good night for the NFL. In fact it was an abject failure.

In what will be remembered as the most "boring" Super Bowl in NFL history, the Patriots outlasted the Los Angeles Rams 13-3, in a game that featured terrific defense, some horrible offense, one of the worst halftime shows in history, and a postgame where CBS's Tracy Wolfson was practically trampled as she tried to secure an interview with Tom Brady.

Yep, it was not a good night for the NFL, and the proof was in the podding, when word came down that Super Bowl LIII was the lowest rated Super Bowl in 10 years with a national rating of 44.9, a five percent drop from last season's miracle win by the Eagles over these same Patriots.

Clearly people were turned off by the fact the Patriots, a team that most folks outside of New England despise, were in the game for the third straight season, and ninth time in the last 18 years. Call it Patriots fatigue. That on top of the fact the game was a snooze fest for three quarters didn't help matters.

Give credit to the defenses, both units played outstanding football.

The Patriots completely shut down the Rams high-octaine offense, with incredible amounts of pressure on quarterback Jared Goff, who looked totally lost. Goff completed only 19 of 38 passes for 229 yards and an interception, but, even that doesn't begin to tell the tale of how the Patriots harassed the quarterback all night. The blitzes clearly confused the young quarterback, who didn't have the services of wide receiver Cooper Kupp and running back Todd Gurley in this game. Gurley, in fact spent more time on the sideline when the Rams had the football. Perhaps he was still nursing the injured knee that has bothered him all postseason.

The Rams inability to run the football on the Pats, only gave New England more opportunities to hit Goff, who was sacked four times, including a nasty shot Klye VanNoy on a critical third and two in the fourth quarter that knocked Goff to his knees.

As for New England it was really the Julian Edelman Show. The speedy slot receiver dominated the game, and rescued Tom Brady from having one of the worst showings in the Super Bowl in his career. Edelman caught 10 passes for 141 yards, slicing and dicing a Rams secondary that had no answer for him.

At halftime Edleman had seven catches - a Super Bowl record, and was well on his way to MVP honors.

While Brady struggled for the most part on Super Sunday, his 41-year old arm mustered one scoring drive in the fourth quarter when New England went with a five wide receiver spread that totally befuddled the Rams. Brady hit Rob Gronkowski for 18-yards on first down to get the ball rolling, then came back to Edelman for 13 more to move the chains into L.A. territory.

After Rex Burkhead caught an underneath slant from Brady for a seven yard pick-up, the 4-time Super Bowl MVP delivered his best throw of the night when he connected with Gronkowski in triple coverage at the Rams two yard line. Sony Michel caped of the drive by flying into the end zone to give the Pats a 10-3 advantage with seven minutes to play.

The Rams had one last shot to really do anything against the Patriots, and for a short while it looked like the Rams were about to wake up from their doldrums as Goff finally guided the Rams into Patriots territory. However on second down from the Patriots' 27, Goff heaved up a lollipop that wound up in the hands of Patriots corner Stephon Gilmore for the final dagger.

New England would chew up the next three minutes on the clock, using a heavy dose of the run to set up a Stephen Goskowski field goal to put the game out of reach with 1:12 to play.

The victory solidify's the Patriots sixth world championship in the Brady/Belichick era. Who knows how much longer their domination over the National Football League will continue, but if this season was any indication, it won't be coming to an end anytime soon.

Kevin Mawae named to NFL Hall of Fame

Former Jets center Kevin Mawae is now a member of the NFL Hall of Fame Class of 2019.

Mawae was one of eight members that will enter the hallowed halls of Canton, in August, joining the likes of former Ravens safety Ed Reed, former Patriots cornerback Ty Law and former Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez.

Former Broncos cornerback Champ Baily and Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, along with senior finalists Johnny Robinson and Gil Brandt round out the select group.

For Mawae it is an honor well deserved.

Drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 1994, Mawae was signed by the Jets and then-head coach Bill Parcells prior to the 1998 season. Mawae soon became the anchor of one of the most consistent offensive lines in football as he helped pave the way for Hall of Famer Curtis Martin, and provided ample protection for quarterbacks Vinny Testaverde and Chad Pennington over eight years.

In ’98 the Jets were second in the NFL in yards per game with 357.2 ypg, and Testaverde went on to have a career year, throwing for 29 touchdowns and only seven interceptions, as the Jets marched all the way to the AFC Title game.

During that season, Mawae established himself not only as one of the best centers in the sport; he became a team leader, and a face of perhaps the best era in Jets history.  During his eight years in New York, the Jets made the playoffs four times, winning two division titles.

In 2004, Mawae and company plowed open holes for Martin, who led the league in rushing (1,697) beating out Shaun Alexander by one yard. After a 5-0 start to the season that year, the Jets finished 10-6 before beating the San Diego Chargers in a thrilling wild card playoff game. The season ended in heartbreak in Pittsburgh a week later.

Mawae becomes the second Jet in the last seven years to be inducted into Canton, with the other being Curtis Martin.

Mawae is the fifth Jets player in the Hall joining Joe Namath, Webb Ewbank, Don Maynard, and Martin.

The Jets formally inducted Mawae into the Jets Ring of Honor two years ago. We will see if they formally retire his number 68, which right now is being worn by Kelvin Beachum.

Had injuries befallen his own career, Wayne Chrebet could have ended up in the Hall of Fame with both Martin and Mawae, but that probably won’t happened.

Super Bowl 53 Prediction

Super Bowl 53 is just hours away between the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams in a game that nobody on this planet wanted to see. I know, I know you wanted to see the Chiefs and Saints. Maybe even the Patriots and Saints for that matter.

But, no we get Tom Brady and Bill Belichick up against Jared Goff and Sean McVay in a battle for the Kings of the NFL throne. Not a bad match-up at all, if you ask me.

Check out my prediction here!