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.
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