PORT STREET SEA — David Wright cares so much about wearing a Mets uniform that he signed a team-friendly contract a year before he became a free agent, allowing him to play his entire career with one organization.
Brandon Nimmo found himself at the same crossroads nearly a decade later and under a different Mets owner. However, as hard as it was for Nimmo to imagine leaving Queen’s, he decided he had an obligation to at least explore free agency. Nimmo joined the tour, but he chose to stay after receiving an offer that may have been far beyond his expectations.
Despite taking different approaches, Mr. Wright and Mr. Nimmo ultimately got what they wanted when the process began.
That brings us to Pete Alonso, who is certain to become a free agent after this season, and Wright and potentially Nimmo (whose contract runs through his age-37 season and includes a no-trade clause). The question remains whether they will have the opportunity to join the ) Lifetime as a Met. Alonso has repeatedly expressed his desire to remain in the only organization known as a professional club.
Two years ago, Nimmo began spring training in the same spot where Alonso now sits, coming off a walk and feeling the pressure to succeed.
“You have to let the results be what they are,” Nimmo says. “You can get wrapped up in everything, but in my experience, it never made things better. … Don’t get me wrong, you go through some tough times and you think, ‘Oh, the situation is… We have to turn things around.” But you have to get back to that positive mindset. ”
Nimmo hired Scott Boras to represent him in his final year before free agency. Alonso is following that blueprint. After receiving high praise from Nimmo about the giant agent, he moved to Boras in October last year.
Boras coached Nimmo throughout Walk’s year and told him what to expect when free agency officially begins. Every once in a while, an agent would call me and just tell me there was a part of Nemo that seemed to be behind the game.
Nimmo says he was never offered any money by the Mets until free agency, but he suspects that happened at some point last year in Alonso’s case.
But Alonso only had to look across town to Aaron Judge and the jackpot he found by betting on himself in a walk-on year. Or Alonso could have turned to Nimmo, whose eight-year contract worth $162 million was significantly higher than expected numbers as he enters his final season before free agency.
“From Pete’s perspective, he’s earned the right to see what’s out there,” Nimmo said. “Like me, he could still stay with the Mets and I’m really happy about that. But he’s earned the right to go find out what other people think of him. .”
The Mets improved in Nimmo’s final season before he became a free agent, allowing him to focus squarely on the team rather than the center fielder’s own situation. Nimmo stayed healthy throughout the season (unusual for a player who had previously been frequently placed on the disabled list) and performed at his best.
Health has never been an issue for Alonso. He hit 46 home runs last season, but his on-base percentage of .318 was the lowest of his career, prompting him to focus on strike zone discipline this spring. Alonso wants to become a more complete hitter.
In other words, the All-Star first baseman is not satisfied with his performance last season. With free agency as a carrot, he is motivated to improve.
“It’s a long season and there’s going to be ups and downs, but Pete has always enjoyed pressure situations,” Nimmo said. “He always comes in clutch. He wants to win. That’s what he’s worried about right now. That should have great perspective. What made 22 years so great for me is that I just had to focus on winning. It really wasn’t about me day in and day out. All that mattered was whether we won or we lost.”
Nimmo remained on the free agent tour that Wright avoided. Both remained with the Mets.
Alonso has come a long way. There’s a good chance he lands elsewhere next year, but it’s too early to suggest that’s a foregone conclusion.
