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The New York Mets took care of their biggest offseason question late Thursday night, one that would have dogged them through the winter, spring training and the regular season had it not been addressed. 

Third baseman David Wright agreed to a seven-year, $122 million contract extension with the Mets. Including Wright’s $16 million option for 2013, the total package works out to an eight-year, $138 million deal that is the richest in team history. 

The deal reportedly won’t be officially announced until next week, but the Mets no longer face the dilemma they had last year with shortstop Jose Reyes. 

But should a team that has been struggling financially, one that had to trim more than $50 million off its payroll before this season, have committed to pay Wright nearly $20 million per year through 2020? Would the best thing for the franchise have been to disperse that kind of money throughout the roster?

I realize that’s kind of an unfair question. If you’re a Mets fan, maybe you’re yelling at the screen right now. What else was this team supposed to do? 

If they didn’t sign Wright to a contract extension and lost him to free agency after the season, general manager Sandy Alderson and owner Fred Wilpon would have been skewered for that decision as well. 

Depending on how you view the situation, this was a no-win scenario for the Mets. Either they overpaid for a player who may have already had his best seasons, or they were cheapskates for letting the team’s cornerstone player go because of money. 

Wright certainly helped himself by having a strong season one year removed from free agency. With questions about whether or not he could stay healthy over a full season after struggling with a back injury during the 2011 season, the Mets third baseman came back to put up MVP-caliber numbers.

With a .306 average, Wright finished seventh in the National League this past season. He also ranked among the league’s top 10 with a .391 on-base percentage and .883 OPS. Had the Mets not finished fourth in the NL East with a 74-88 record, perhaps he would have received more support for the NL MVP award.

But for his own purposes, Wright showed he could still be a star hitter and excellent defensive third baseman. According to FanGraphs‘ Ultimate Zone Rating, Wright had the best third base glove in the NL. He saved 15 more runs than the average player at the position and was credited with 16 defensive runs saved, second-most among MLB third basemen. 

Coming through with a season like that only increased the pressure on the Mets to sign Wright to a contract extension. The market was also going up with the six-year, $100 million extensions that Ryan Zimmerman received from the Washington Nationals and Evan Longoria got from the Tampa Bay Rays.

Those contracts set a benchmark for Wright to surpass with his deal. It’s probably not a coincidence that the Mets initially offered those same terms to Wright. On one hand, it was a demonstration that the team would pay market value. But on the other, the Mets had to know Wright would turn that down and push for more. 

Had the Mets risked letting Wright go to free agency to find a richer contract, he likely would have received it.

Both the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies could use a star third baseman, and sticking it to a division rival would make the transaction even sweeter. Other teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels could have gotten involved as well.

It would have been an embarrassing loss for the franchise. The Mets are trying to win fans back after falling out of contention, cutting payroll and flirting with bankruptcy, as Wilpon was involved with the Bernie Madoff fraud scandal. 

Mets fans showed how much they were willing to support the team as they competed with the Nationals and Braves for the NL East lead during the first half of the season. The appetite for a winning team in Flushing is voracious. 

How could the Mets follow that up by letting perhaps the best reason to watch the team play a ballgame go to another team? The backlash and outrage—which would eventually lead to apathy—is something the Mets would have fought against for years to come.

Winning a fanbase back after losing it can be a long process. The Mets had to sign Wright, lest they risk irrelevance both to Mets fans and MLB at large. 

The question now is whether or not Alderson can build a winning team around him.

The roster needs one to two outfielders for next season, depending on whether or not Kirk Nieuwenhuis can be a full-time contributor. Shortstop is an uncertainty, though Ruben Tejada showed he could play the position well. The Mets could also use some help at catcher, where Josh Thole doesn’t appear to be a long-term solution. 

On the pitching side, the Mets should have a strong rotation. NL Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey is the No. 1 guy and could be for the next three years, if he and the team can agree on a contract extension. Johan Santana, Jonathon Niese and Matt Harvey fill out the rest of the top four. The fifth starter could be Dillon Gee or perhaps top prospect Zack Wheeler at some point. 

Other than with Dickey’s extension, Alderson shouldn’t have to worry about investing money into his starting rotation. He could even free up some payroll by buying out Santana’s $25 million option for 2014 at $5.5 million. He could also trade Dickey before next season, as CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman suggests. 

But the Mets do have to be concerned with their bullpen. Frank Francisco is signed for next season and will probably be the closer, but finding a backup and/or eventual replacement should be a priority. Even if Alderson re-signs Jon Rauch as the setup man, the relief corps probably needs at least one more arm. 

That gives the Mets quite a few holes to fill, a project that could take a couple of years to properly address—especially with the team committing so much money to Wright now. 

Wright presumably believes in the Mets’ plans, since he signed up with them for seven more years after next season. But since he’s getting paid superstar money during that span, perhaps he’s not the most objective judge at this point. 

Depending on what moves the Mets make in the weeks and months to come, it might not be a better team than this year’s 2012 edition. It’s possible this team could be worse, losing more than 88 games. 

But signing Wright is certainly a strong move for the present and future of this team. Without him, it’s difficult to imagine the Mets being competitive, let alone interesting to watch, for the next few seasons. At the very least, this is a big start in the right direction. 

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The New York Mets have finally done something to please their fans: David Wright is set to sign the largest contract extension in team history.

Eddie Coleman of the WFAN first reported the news:

Eddie Coleman (@metswfan) confirms live on @wfan660: David Wright’s extension with #Mets is 7-years, $122M. Total contract: 8-years, $138M.

— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) November 30, 2012

After the Mets picked up a team option for $16 million for next year, Wright was due to hit the open market after the 2013 season. The team did not let that happen and made a move that will keep him on the roster through 2020.

The total contract of $138 million is slightly more than the $137.5 million that pitcher Johan Santana received only a few years ago. It is only fitting that the richest contract goes to the player who owns most of the other career records for the franchise.

Last season, Wright became the all-time leader in total hits and currently stands at 1,426. He also leads the Mets in career runs, RBI and doubles. 

He finished tied for sixth in the MVP voting in 2012 after hitting .306 with 21 home runs and 93 RBI. His 6.7 wins above replacement were the fifth most in the National League.

However, this contract is more than just keeping a great player on the team for a number of years. Wright has become the most popular player on the roster, and his presence is one of the reasons that fans continue to come to the stadium.

Fan support has slowed in recent years after four straight losing seasons and countless questionable moves by management, including big contracts for Jason Bay, Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo. 

This is all on top of financial issues, stemming from the Bernie Madoff scandal, that saw the largest team payroll drop in MLB history from 2011 to 2012. 

While this move does not erase all that, it helps keep the most marketable player on the team for years to come. 

In an interview with ESPN’s Adam Rubin last week, pitcher Jon Niese said of Wright:

I know he wants to be what Chipper was in Atlanta. He wants to be — he is — the face of the franchise. And he wants to be a part of it throughout his whole career. You have to respect a guy like that.

The third baseman will now get his wish…he will be a Met for at least most of his career.

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In the wee hours of the morning, David Wright can sleep easy tonight.

All because he’s now a hundred millionaire, and the highest paid New York Met in franchise history.

The All-Star third baseman has agreed to a brand new, seven-year contract extension with the Mets, worth in the ballpark of $140 million, according to Ed Coleman of WFAN.

Ed Coleman of WFAN reports that the Mets and David Wright agree to a seven-year extension.shar.es/67y3G

— Record Sports (@TheRecordSports) November 30, 2012

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Wright had yet another productive season as the cornerstone of the New York franchise, leading the Mets by batting .306, hitting 21 home runs and driving in 93 runs.

Having played for the Mets his entire career, a long-term contract is what Wright has been looking for for quite some time. He hit his 200th career home run this past season, and upped his career batting average to .301. If he can stay healthy, there may be a good chance that Wright can easily become the greatest hitter in franchise history.

The Mets picked up Wright’s $16 million option in October after the previous five-year, $55 million offer wrapped up. The 30-year-old Wright was one of the few bright spots in what would be considered another disappointing season for New York, finishing with 74 wins and placing fourth in the NL East.

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One of the biggest goals for the New York Mets this offseason was signing David Wright to an extension. Rumors about a possible extension for Wright have picked up recently and salary figures for a deal have become available.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has reported that in addition to the $16 million that Wright is due in 2013, the Mets have offered a seven-year contract worth between $119 and $129 million.

The reports of the discussion have seemingly angered Wright, who mentioned to Zach Links of MLB Trade Rumors that the information that came out was inaccurate.

If Wright does sign an extension with the Mets, it will be a major deal and Wright will be worth the money that he is paid.

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The New York Mets offered David Wright a seven-year contract extension worth somewhere between $119-129 million on Tuesday afternoon, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

The Mets offer, which jumped a year and $20 million from yesterday’s reports, will test whether Wright really wants to be a Met for the rest of his career or whether he has just said the right things for years. 

The majority of Mets fans have been enthused by the offer. They see it as a testament to owner Fred Wilpon’s financial security. 

The negative, though, is that Wright is already 30 years old. Wright is in the prime of his career and the Mets haven’t even completed the post-Omar Minaya turnaround. Since 2011, they have cut almost $50 million in payroll and still have $56 million tied up in just five players. 

By the time Zack Wheeler and Matt Harvey develop into a formidable top-of-the-rotation duo, Brandon Nimmo becomes a major league right fielder and the Mets can bring in some players through free agency, Wright will be on the decline.

If Wright agrees to sign with the Mets, he’ll be one of the richest players in baseball for the next seven years, but he’ll also have to likely endure at least a few more seasons of losing baseball.

The money doesn’t seem to be that much of a factor. Wright is getting a lot, but if he waited until next winter and put up similar numbers from April to September, he could make even more. 

But Wright has said that he needed more than just money. He wanted a vision of where Mets’ GM Sandy Alderson was taking this team. 

If Wright accepts the offer, Mets fans will not only celebrate the return of their star player, but they’ll also have direction. At least enough to convince Wright to spend the prime of his career in a rebuilding phase in New York. 

Pete Barrett is a sophomore at Gettysburg College and writes the Around the Atlantic/Mid-Atlantic Column for D3hoops.com. You can follow him on twitter @PeteBarrettJr.

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As the New York Mets continue to hash out a deal with the current star of the team and face of the franchise, there is more and more speculation that the Mets will be looking to deal David Wright this winter.

Everyone who thought that David Wright would end his career as a Metropolitan is starting to show some doubt.

On one hand, you have Sandy Alderson saying he wants to build a team for the future from the minor league system. On the other hand, Alderson says he wants to sign David to a long term extension.

That sounds great, but the two ideas sort of contradict each other. For one, if you are building for the future and want to build the minor league system, then you should trade Wright and get as much in return as possible. Secondly, the organization’s top position player prospect, Wilmer Flores, also plays third base—the same position as the current face of the franchise.

The logical thing to do is to trade David Wright. But is Flores ready to fill his shoes?

Flores is coming off of his best season of professional baseball. He split time in 2012 between Single-A and Double-A ball, compiling a combined .300 batting average, 18 home runs, and 75 RBI. At 21 years old, he is finally showing what he can do offensively, leading to Miguel Cabrera comparisons.

Even more impressive, and a sign that Flores may be ready to fill the big shoes of David Wright, is his strikeout ratio. This kid is tough to strike out. In 547 at bats in 2012, he only struck out 60 times. This is an indicator that he has an excellent feel for the strike zone, doesn’t get fooled much and is very patient at the plate.

Flores has a short and compact swing. His hands get through the zone quickly and he drives through the ball. He makes consistent contact, and by putting the ball in play he keeps the pressure on the defense.

Flores is still only 21, and you can see that his body still has room for development. As he fills in, you can expect him to add 10-15 more home runs to his totals per year. Eventually, he should hit 25-to-30 home runs per year in the major leagues.

Flores is currently the No. 3 prospect in the New York Mets organization on mlb.com behind Zack Wheeler and Jeurys Familia. However, he is most likely going to jump over Familia very soon (if he hasn’t already).

Is Flores ready to fill David Wright’s shoes yet? The answer is no, but he is getting close, and they can only keep him down on the farm for so long. Expect Flores to join the big league team some time in 2013.

That being said, Flores’ development could still pave the way for Wright to be traded this offseason.  If the Mets could gain some young prospects and major league-ready players for David Wright, and have a Miguel Cabrera-type player waiting in the wings, a trade seems inevitable.

It should also be noted that Flores can also play second base if the Mets don’t open up a spot for him at third by trading Wright. Don’t say we didn’t give you advance notice, Daniel Murphy.

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According to R.J. White of CBSSports.com, the Arizona Diamondbacks are willing to listen to trade offers involving their phenom pitching prospect, Trevor Bauer. This would be a potentially risky move for the Diamondbacks.

Trading young pitching can haunt teams longer than you can say John Smoltz for Doyle Alexander. Just last year, the Diamondbacks dealt Jarrod Parker and Ryan Cook in the deal for Trevor Cahill.

But for an impact player, dealing a prospect could be the right move—or, perhaps, the “Wright” move.

New York Mets star David Wright is going to be a free agent after the 2013 season. According to Marc Carig of Newsday.com, the Mets and Wright have begun contract discussions but have not been talking about numbers yet.

If the two sides cannot reach an agreement, it would behoove the Mets to get more for Wright than they got for departing free agent Jose Reyes last year. They got top prospect Zack Wheeler from the Giants for Carlos Beltran. 

The Mets have a ways to go before they are a pennant contender again, but perhaps a combination of Wheeler, Bauer and Matt Harvey could be a foundation for their future.

Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks could be in a rare position to be able to trade from a strength of young pitching. Cahill, Ian Kennedy and Wade Miley are all solid starters. Patrick Corbin has talent, Daniel Hudson should be back and Tyler Skaggs is another excellent pitcher.

All will be 28 years old or younger next year.

Dealing Bauer would not leave the Diamondbacks without youth in their staff.

Plus, according to Matt Snyder of CBSSports.com, Bauer didn’t exactly endear himself with the team after his call-up by acting like he didn’t need to make adjustments.

Bauer went 12-2 with a 2.42 ERA and 157 strikeouts in 130 innings in the minor leagues in 2012.

The Diamondbacks have offense, but a glaring hole at third base.

Trading for an elite talent like Wright, holding on to Justin Upton and still having MLB-tested pitching in their 20s could give the Diamondbacks a chance to get back to the postseason for the next few years.

That might be worth Trevor Bauer.

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The General Manager of the New York Mets, Sandy Alderson, has made it clear that the No. 1 priority this offseason is to get David Wright signed to a long-term extension.

The Mets have activated David’s option for 2013, with hopes of hashing out the details of a new deal before the end of the winter. However, the question of whether or not the Mets should lock up Wright has created somewhat of a rift between fans.

Please don’t take the previous statement the wrong way. Mets fans absolutely love David Wright. He is to Mets fans what Derek Jeter is to Yankees fans. He is the face of the franchise. He plays the game with passion, stays out of trouble and he is a home grown star. He is a role model for the younger fans, and parents want their children to grow up and be like David. Oh, and he is still one of the premiere third baseman in the game today.

So after reading all that, why shouldn’t the Mets ensure David retires a Met with a long-term deal?

The answer isn’t as easy as it seems. The New York Post recently reported that the negotiations between David and the Mets have stalled, which definitely adds some uncertainty to the situation. It makes us wonder if the Mets are starting to get cold feet with regards to David’s long-term extension.

The issue at hand is if the Mets tie up a bunch of money with one player, it handcuffs them with respect to improving the team in the long run. Unless the Mets are going to be able to spend some money in 2014, they should consider trading him before the trade deadline (and not sign him to a long-term deal). However, if the Mets can build around Wright, then they should definitely extend him and make him the foundation to build on.

The good news is, the crippling contracts of Jason Bay and Johan Santana will be coming off the Mets’ books after the 2013 season. Once that happens, the Mets will be in a much better position to bring in some help for David Wright in the free agent market.

It is absolutely the right move for the Mets to sign their star to a long-term extension. With pitching prospects like Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler looking to make a major impact, money to spend on free agents on the horizon and Wright as the foundation and leader of the team, the future for the New York Mets is starting to look bright again.   

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The title of this article says it all—Could David Wright pack his bags and take over third base for the Cincinnati Reds? Well, it just may be possible. 

Assuming that the New York Mets are unable to re-sign (or just decide not to re-sign) David Wright, a trade could be in the foreseeable future. A recent article by Mark Simon on ESPN.com suggests that the Cincinnati Reds could be one of five possible suitors for Wright if such a circumstance arises. 

Not only does the article suggest a possible trade, but it also suggests that Cincy may have the means to sign Wright to an extended contract. If you still don’t believe the Cincinnati Reds are suddenly into the money, you need to think again.

Cincinnati committed $250 million to Joey Votto and also gave Brandon Phillips (aka @DatDudeBP) a six-year, $72.5 million contract before the start of the 2012 season. Not only are the Reds convinced they have the ability to spend, but it seems as though the national media is beginning to believe as well—Mr. Simon’s article states just as much.

The Reds reworked their radio deal in recent years and are due to receive a lucrative new TV deal in the very near future. The Reds maintained the top radio listener-ship and were in the top two in TV ratings among all MLB teams in 2012—both equal money.

But back to David Wright.

Where does he fit, you ask? Well, at third base of course. What does that mean for Todd Frazier? Left field, my friends. He has proven that he is much more than a body in the field. He played very well at first base, third base, and yes, left field in 2012.

David Wright is a Gold Glove-caliber third baseman. He is also a .301 career hitter—he hit .306 with 21 home runs and 93 RBI in 2012. Wright did all of this in a pitcher’s ball park. Just imagine what he could do at GABP.

Simon’s article suggests using Mike Leake and/or Drew Stubbs in such a trade. I am sure that this appeals to many. It also suggests that the Reds may need to use catching prospect Devin Mesoraco—a much more realistic option.

Just think for a minute, though, a lineup that consists of Joey Votto, David Wright and Jay Bruce? Now that is appealing. Very appealing.

You can follow Josh Ramsey on Twitter @JRamCincy

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The New York Mets will be looking to make a number of changes this offseason. Rumors about the players that the Mets are interested in pursuing this winter have already come to light, and there are certainly some interesting players mentioned.

New York has already made what will likely be their two biggest moves of the offseason. Both David Wright and R.A. Dickey had their options for the 2013 season picked up by the Mets (h/t Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports).

Pitching, outfield help and a catcher will be three of the Mets’ largest priorities this winter. The Mets have a number of pieces in place, and with the right moves, they could be a team that contends for the Wild Card in 2013 if things go right.

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