Latest / The 3-0 Take / Pete Alonso Back With the Mets

Transcript

Pete Alonso Back With the Mets · The 3-0 Take

0:00
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Three O Take, where we talk
0:04
all things Major League Baseball.
0:06
Here's Kyle Corwin and Nate Reyes.
0:10
It. All starts right now.
0:15
Welcome back to the three O take presented by a sea kick this
0:17
episode 510. I'll be your host Kyle Cord.
0:21
I'm here with my Co host Nate Reyes.
0:24
Nate. We are baby back ribs.
0:29
We back freaking Peter. Thanks a lot.
0:32
Thanks. Peter.
0:34
Ruins I swear this guy ruins everything.
0:38
You know, we waited all offseason.
0:40
I'm I'm going to go ahead and say all offseason because we're
0:45
pretty much at the point of pitchers and catchers.
0:47
We're there so essentially waited the whole offseason to
0:50
make this happen and had to do it right after we recorded five
0:54
O 9, he said. I've got something I I've made
0:58
you folks wait, but I've got something up my sleeve for you
1:01
that I think I'm really going to like. 10 Eastern.
1:05
I got a little something that I think you guys are really going
1:07
to like. I hope you enjoy it.
1:08
Here's a here's a signing announcement after you've
1:11
recorded the episode. Sick.
1:12
Thanks, Peter. Unbelievable.
1:16
So we're back. We.
1:17
So we're back. Third episode we got.
1:20
To We got to do as quick as we could.
1:22
We got to do as quick as we could.
1:25
I was busy today. You are responsible and worked.
1:32
We had responsibilities. Now we're here.
1:37
Now we're here, we're talking, talking about that's.
1:39
Commitment to run it back. Run it back.
1:43
Third episode of the week. Glad to be here.
1:45
Glad to be talking some ball. Peter Lonzo.
1:52
Freaking Peter. Pedro back with the Mets.
1:56
Isn't it like? Gabriel or something?
1:59
Oh boy, I need to know now. Freaking Peter.
2:05
Is isn't it? I swear it's Gabriel, isn't it
2:09
Gabriel. Morgan, Peter.
2:12
Morgan, Alonzo. Morgan.
2:16
Back with the Mets, Was this a surprise?
2:23
I mean, we, I don't know, I don't know, I don't understand.
2:26
I don't understand where the the contracts have like come like
2:31
fallen. Wasn't it like, oh wasn't he
2:36
offered like 150? During the season last year.
2:39
So he was offered, what was it, 1?
2:46
Why do I think it was one? It was over 100. 158 yeah summer
2:53
of 2023 rejected A7 year $158 million contract extension and
2:59
then hired Boris as his agent that fall and then agrees after
3:09
a very we'll just call it a bizarre, bizarre offseason a a
3:15
bizarre free agency for for Peter after that finally comes
3:20
to a close agrees to A2 year $54 million deal.
3:25
Going to go ahead and chalk this up as an L You know, it's, it's
3:30
very clear, very evident that he wanted to be back with the Mets
3:36
so much. So like we talked about, like
3:39
was reported that he and Boris made an offer to the Mets, an
3:45
exclusive a, a Mets only offer, a three-year deal offer made to
3:54
the Mets, which at that point you can just kiss all your
3:57
leverage out. You can kiss.
3:59
It's out the window. This just reeks of desperation.
4:04
Reeks. Wasn't there like a three or $90
4:06
million deal on the table a couple months ago as well?
4:12
Something like that, like a three-year?
4:14
Not from the Mets, that that. Comes from the Mets.
4:19
Are you thinking of the offer that he presented to the Mets?
4:23
Because his his whole thing, him and.
4:25
Boris, all this stuff. More so with Boris, his thing is
4:28
that he wanted to set the AV record for first baseman.
4:33
Of course, of course. Sure, Boris does.
4:36
Every freaking player he. Has that's what Boris does.
4:39
Set a record like. He will.
4:41
He will cost his his clients, reps, confidence, money, time.
4:53
He'll cost him anything and everything to get the deal done
4:57
that he wants. And this is just another
4:59
example. He came dangerously close to
5:02
repeating what we saw last year with guys like Snell Montgomery.
5:09
Where? Still wait.
5:10
We still got to wait. Who knows?
5:13
Who knows what impact this has now.
5:15
I'll say it's a little bit different for hitters.
5:20
Hitters I think have a better ability to stay ready during the
5:27
offseason. You know what I mean?
5:29
I think it's a little different, but we'll see.
5:32
Like this still, still going to be weird.
5:38
Maybe not. He probably didn't sell his
5:40
place, you know what I mean? Like he's still in the work.
5:42
No, no, he it's, it's very possible he would have retired
5:46
had he not ended up back with the Mets.
5:48
I think that's how much he loves the Mets.
5:50
He. Probably moved to an apartment
5:52
closer to Citi Field and probably got closer and.
5:58
Probably included that in his presentation the Cohen and
6:01
company he was like, hey, this is how much I love this team.
6:04
I I moved temporarily right to express to you how much I
6:10
appreciate this team, but on a more.
6:12
Series you remember those commercials were like Baker
6:15
Mayfield was like living in the Brown Stadium.
6:17
Yes, that's him. Yeah, Yeah.
6:20
But less funny, not funny. Yeah, it was.
6:23
It was more out of desperation. He's just.
6:25
A desperate, awkward guy, Yeah. It's very possible he moved into
6:29
the the suite that's now reserved for Soto's family and
6:33
was like, hey, just keeping this warm for you all until, until
6:36
things get get rolling here. No, But on a more serious note,
6:40
do we think that oh, like, what do we, what do we think the
6:45
factor here as a player or the OR the primary factor?
6:48
If you take money out of it? If you just if you if you
6:52
assigned that element of it to Boris and say Boris was the one
6:56
that was getting greedy here and maybe Pete was more OK with
7:02
something a little little lower on the scale in order to come
7:06
back to the Mets. Let's just take money out of it
7:09
for for Alonzo, do you think this was more about his personal
7:13
legacy as a guy who's only known the Mets?
7:16
Do you think this was him wanting to be a part of what is
7:21
now on the table for the Mets and their future?
7:25
Having brought in Soto, having brought back Banaya, you know,
7:29
the excitement continues to build around this team.
7:31
I feel like I think the fans are responding accordingly in that
7:35
regard. Like what do we, what do we
7:37
think? Again, money out of the out of
7:40
the equation here just for the sake of this exercise.
7:42
Maybe it was a a primary factor, but what do we think was
7:45
ultimately pulling Pete back-to-back to Queens?
7:52
I mean, in all seriousness, like I, I would want back too, like
7:56
you, you've, you've been a part of the bad times.
8:02
You've been one of the lone good things during the bad times.
8:12
You've been embarrassed. You've you've done weird things,
8:17
the organization has gone in weird directions.
8:20
You've gone through. So like we can run down the list
8:25
of the managerial changes the the fake hitting coaches, the
8:30
the players launching gloves, Donny barrels over Nets.
8:35
Like you've been through so many different strange things and you
8:40
finally get to see like, wow, you know what?
8:44
We got over the hump. We had fun last year.
8:46
We succeeded. We had a little run and we feel
8:51
like we kind of got most, if not all the monkey off our back
8:57
rolling in the offseason. And you, you bring in the best
9:00
player in his generation and lock him down.
9:05
I'd want back to I'd want back to like I went through all that
9:11
I I went through the mud with you guys.
9:12
I wouldn't want to come back to him.
9:14
So I don't blame him. I I think unfortunately for him,
9:20
then I'll say unfortunately for Scott Boris, I don't really care
9:22
about Scott Boris. But like unfortunately for Scott
9:24
Boris, the Mets knew that the Mets knew that the Mets
9:29
understood that. But now what this deal is
9:33
because there's an opt out after one correct, correct.
9:37
Now, what this does is the Mets can say, hey, we could still
9:42
have a shot. We can bring our guy back, see
9:46
if this is a year, see if he becomes what he's, you know,
9:52
always been and really just jumps over the hurdle and
9:55
becomes like a league leader offensively and locks down the
10:00
middle of the lineup with Juan Soto and Frank Frank, Frankie
10:02
Landor and, and the Mets blow up and maybe they have an NLCS
10:07
appearance. Maybe they even get to the World
10:08
Series. Who knows, but if not, let's go
10:14
take a run at a guy who's younger and better because
10:17
Vladdy will be available next year.
10:22
This was a job well done by the Mets.
10:25
Like as far as calling someone's bluff, as far as calling a free
10:29
agent's bluff, calling an agent's bluff and just saying,
10:32
hey, fine, go somewhere else, I dare you.
10:38
And meanwhile, Pete's just freaking knocking on the doors
10:41
of Citi Field trying to get someone's attention.
10:44
Please, I'll take $12.00. I don't care.
10:48
Actually, just kidding. He got paid pretty well.
10:49
It's. A pretty good deal yeah, I got
10:51
paid pretty handsomely. I mean he's going to make 30
10:53
million this year. I just I don't know not to
11:01
always bring it back to like the girlfriend illustration, but it
11:06
the and you mentioned Vladdy, but it it just this whole
11:10
situation just really reeks of like, hey, this is like we'll
11:16
we'll hang out for the time being, but just understand that
11:20
this isn't going to last long. Look, I really appreciate what
11:23
we've done and like what we've had for these many for this many
11:26
years. But I'm, I'm going to be moving
11:29
on soon. And I think what I, what's
11:32
waiting for me down the pipe is, is a lot better.
11:36
And maybe you're a little younger.
11:39
Dude, this is like, yeah, this is 100% like boyfriend.
11:45
You find out boyfriend has a crush on someone else and you're
11:48
like, and then you kind of break up for a little couple months.
11:52
You're like no please like give. Me another chance, Give me
11:55
another chance. Take me back, I promise and like
11:58
well, I still have that crush but sure come on back.
12:01
I don't know. This is just it's so strange to
12:04
me. I feel like it was a good
12:07
opportunity and maybe he still has it next year, but a good
12:11
opportunity to go get a fresh start somewhere and just kind of
12:15
carve your own path, man. Like job well done Pat on the
12:18
back. I think you get a lot of respect
12:20
from the Mets organization and Mets fans.
12:23
If you were a part of the it's he gives me like Don Mattingly
12:29
vibes. You know what I mean?
12:31
Like you were there through the tough times.
12:34
You finally got to the point where like you were able to
12:37
witness where a good era started, you know, so I, I, I
12:46
would like to see him long term, but shame on you for, you know,
12:53
turning down deals seven years, 160 is, is it's not that bad.
13:01
It's I understand you may think you're worth more and I
13:04
understand the transition into going and getting the best
13:07
agent. But like, I think teams are
13:10
really starting to call Scott Boris's bluff and just making
13:16
him sit. Out, yeah.
13:18
And I think I think I saw it in a in the replies or something
13:24
recently, but somebody made a good point where they're like,
13:28
it's easy. It's easy if you're Boris to to
13:31
claim a victory with soda. Like a 5 year old could have
13:37
handled that situation and and gotten a hefty payday.
13:41
But these are like names we talked about Snell, Chapman,
13:46
Alonso, Montgomery. That's what I'm saying.
13:51
Reputable. Names Soto gets his contracts
13:54
with or without Boris. That's what I'm saying.
13:56
So yeah, like, I I think you and I were both.
13:59
I don't want to lump you into this.
14:01
I know I. Felt bump me in part of the lump
14:04
I. I feel like we were both jumping
14:07
the gun a little bit when when, when that deal did go down with
14:11
Soto. We're thinking, OK, maybe maybe
14:14
Boris has found a swagger a little bit after last offseason.
14:17
But you know, now that we now that the dust has settled from
14:20
that move and we've had a chance to to look back on it a little
14:24
bit, we've gotten a little bit of distance from it.
14:27
And then also seeing how the the off seasons have gone for Alonzo
14:31
and and Bregman, it's like, are we right back where we were last
14:37
off season with Boris? Like, is he really actually
14:40
genuinely losing his step? Because like you said, and Steve
14:47
Cohen, Steve Cohen is in the ultimate position to call a
14:50
bluff. He's like we if, if, if we want
14:53
to slap Mark Vientos at first for a year, just because we can,
14:58
we're going to do it. We don't need Pete Alonso.
15:01
Like again, Pete, thank you for all you you've given this
15:04
franchise for the last however many years.
15:06
But like we're we're just not interested in playing these
15:10
games anymore. And you heard him at the at the
15:12
amazing day the other day. He was like the the negotiations
15:14
have just been exhausting and he got he got real, real
15:18
transparent with the fans there and, you know, respect to him.
15:21
He was just like, this is it's it's just gone on too long.
15:24
Like it's been exhausting. It was tougher than the
15:27
negotiations with Soto. So it's like.
15:31
Love transparency? Yeah, right.
15:33
And so it's like if he's looking, if he's looking at this
15:36
going Pete, look, you're you're loved by fans here.
15:40
You're loved by us in the front office here by ownership, but we
15:44
it's just not going to work, man.
15:46
Like these negotiations just aren't going the way we would
15:48
hoped. OK.
15:50
You can call the bluff of Scott, Boris and like you said, wait
15:54
out Vladdy if you want to be in the mix for that.
15:56
You're going to be presumably first in line at least
15:59
financially. And as you continue to add names
16:03
like Soto, you bring, like I mentioned, bring back Panaya,
16:06
you, you and we talked about that.
16:08
We've talked about this all all offseason.
16:10
You make it a destination. You may not be in the most ideal
16:14
place like I, I know New York certainly has its benefits, but
16:17
some people may look at that and go, I'd rather go to a place
16:20
like San Diego. If if you have a, if you have a
16:25
player who maybe is interested in maybe a West Coast scenario.
16:28
If you continue to build up your organization and insert yourself
16:34
into the conversation of potential destinations, you're
16:38
only helping yourself out that much more knowing specifically
16:44
talking about the Mets, that you're going to be in the front
16:46
of the line financially in in or near the front of the line
16:51
financially. Yeah.
16:53
So if, if they, if they didn't want to make this work there,
16:57
we'll call it quote UN quote Plan B of Vladdy next year, that
17:02
would have been justice. That would have been equally
17:04
fine, if not better. Is there a club option?
17:09
I'm assuming mutual. Yes.
17:22
Right. I'm trying to find it.
17:27
By the way, when I typed in Peter Alonzo, 'cause I was, I
17:31
was grumpy. Google's like, you mean Pete?
17:36
I was like, no, I'm in. I'm in Peter.
17:39
No one's just named Pete. Dude dude.
17:44
Player option. Player option.
17:45
Yeah, another 24 mil in 2026. So well, I mean, let's talk
17:51
about that. If let's let's play out the
17:54
scenarios here. He goes out, has AI, won't say a
17:59
record setting year, but a a Gold Star caliber year, we'll
18:05
call it. Let's let's say MVP hunt year.
18:11
He receives MVP votes. Yes.
18:13
We'll we'll say that. Let me ask you this before we
18:20
even get to the end of the season in these scenarios, do we
18:23
think that there's any chance that if he if he starts off the
18:27
year well, do we see any? And I have to be honest with
18:30
you, I haven't seen much conversation about this thus
18:32
far, but I feel like it's a question worth asking.
18:37
Could we see any sort of contract reconstruction at any
18:43
point this year before we get to that point, say, hey, you know
18:46
what? I think every, I think both
18:49
parties involved here were a little fatigued by the
18:51
negotiations this offseason, but you're, he's clearly a fit here.
18:57
We'll find a way to make it work, even if we have to slot
18:59
him in if we have to, you know, sort of use the DH as like a
19:02
rotating wheel situation. Let's let's make this work.
19:07
We'll keep you around for a few more years, give you a little
19:09
bit of that. We won't we won't give you the
19:11
full security that you're looking for in like a 6-7 year
19:15
type deal, but we'll, we'll, we'll negate this whole opt out
19:19
situation. We'll give you a couple years
19:21
and move forward. Do we think that that a
19:24
situation like that happens or do you think that the the Mets
19:27
are just open that that Vladdy comes knocking next year?
19:34
No, In a word, no. Because it's not just the Mets
19:40
anymore. It's the Mets and Juan Soto.
19:44
I think the I think the relationship between Juan Soto
19:48
and Vladdy is is a. It weighs a lot more into this,
19:53
into this equation. It's a play for sure.
19:56
So I think this tells us that there's absolutely no way,
20:05
barring a Blue Jays extension of Vladdy, there's no way that the
20:09
Mets won't be in on Vladdy. Which they have I think 11 days.
20:13
I think it was, I think I saw it was the 17th that the that he
20:16
gave the Blue Jays. Yeah, there's just no way.
20:18
And then like you said, at that point, say Pete is still reeking
20:24
of desperation, he's probably picks up his player option and
20:28
then you, you know, rotate first base in DHA little bit for a
20:33
year and then send Peter on his way.
20:37
I think that'd be the move. But in my mind, I I, I don't see
20:43
a world where the Mets aren't fully in on Vladdy next year.
20:51
Well, this let's look at this year and I wanted to ask you
20:55
how, having watched Soto as closely as you did this past
21:02
year, how do you think that this could potentially impact Pete's
21:12
offensive output this year with just a different type of bat
21:17
around him, a bat that he, I mean, sure, like him and him and
21:20
Frankie have have been up there at the top of the the lineup for
21:24
for some number of years now. But I mean, you, you, you insert
21:29
Soto into that lineup before or after Pete.
21:34
I don't know what that line UPS going to look like on a
21:38
day-to-day basis. I would say.
21:40
Having sort of around, how do you think that's going to change
21:43
Pete's output? Safe to say it gets better.
21:51
Safe to say it goes up. You know what I mean?
21:54
Right, which brings us back to the whole like if what, like
21:57
what happened? Like what does this look like if
21:59
Pete's get if pulling MVP votes at the end of the year because
22:03
of. I think the thought that he
22:04
received, the Mets do need to like reconsider that that
22:07
conversation. But it's it's evident to me.
22:11
We joked about it before. It's evident to me that like
22:13
Juan Soto is, we see it all over sports now.
22:19
We see it in multiple examples that you have a superstar that
22:26
is a part of decision making moving forward.
22:31
We've seen it with Judge. We've seen it with LeBron James,
22:35
right? We've seen it all over the
22:39
place, which was show it. We've seen it all over the place
22:41
where it is. I'm committing myself here.
22:48
I want to be a part of where the ship goes from here.
22:56
If you're giving him a suite and giving a shopping expense to his
23:00
family, I can promise you that it's it's not, it's not going to
23:08
matter. Like, unfortunately for Pete, I
23:12
don't think it's going to matter like what Juan Soto just had.
23:16
He got MVMVP votes last year. And a lot of that is like, hey,
23:24
you, you were connected with Judge.
23:26
Like you had your best year ever and Judge was a part of that.
23:29
Don't care. I'm out.
23:30
See ya. Juan's going to do Juan and the
23:36
Mets have clearly shown that they are going to be at his back
23:41
and call. That's valid point.
23:45
That's valid point. And you know, the more I think
23:47
about it, because honestly, I haven't thought about it until
23:50
just now, but thinking about what those friendships, we can
23:56
call it relationships. I don't even have friendship.
23:58
I feel like it's too far because it's just I, I think, I think
24:01
Soto and, and Pete are going to, you know, they're going to play
24:04
together because they play for the same team.
24:08
But if we if we have any sort of clue as to the type of player
24:12
Soto is and the type of vibes that he's looking for, I don't
24:16
think Pete aligns with that. Really at all.
24:19
I agree. I'll be honest, I struggle to
24:21
see with Judge. Have you seen that clip that,
24:24
like, has gone out of them? Well, like the audio of them
24:28
being next to each other and BP during the All Star game.
24:32
And it was like, it's kind of awkward.
24:33
Like, there, there wasn't a whole lot of chemistry going on
24:36
between Judge and Soto. And I think Judge is a lot
24:40
cooler of a human than Pete Alonso.
24:43
Yeah. And Juan Soto is very cool.
24:48
I just don't see that gelling at all compared to a Vladdy.
24:54
Hello. Yeah.
24:56
I mean, I, yeah, I think to that point, I think Soto's going to,
24:59
you know, he's going to pay his respects to what Alonzo's done
25:03
for this organization and he's going to he's going to coexist,
25:07
we'll say. But I think you're right.
25:10
I think, I think he's going to be pulling all the stops for.
25:16
And and shame on and shame on Scott Boris for for not
25:24
projecting that to your client in Pete Alonso.
25:28
Your other client is very much holding on to the strings of
25:32
this organization in Juan Soto like your your other your other
25:38
client who you also represent. Dude is going to get what he
25:43
wants and what he wants is not you.
25:46
So shame on Scott, Boris for being like, we just want money,
25:50
you know what I mean? Pete wants to be here, but let's
25:53
make it happen. But let's be honest, like we,
25:55
it's easy to rag on Scott, Boris, we don't know that he
25:59
didn't relay that and try to and try to make that clear to
26:03
Alonso. It's very possible.
26:06
I mean. That's fair, he didn't care.
26:08
Like that's the best, the best friend.
26:10
Just telling the girl dude it's time to move on.
26:13
Boris got his eyes on someone else.
26:15
Somebody else? No, he he may have lost a step,
26:20
Boris, but I don't think he's an idiot.
26:24
And I think even he can look at that and go, Pete, I don't this
26:28
isn't going to work. Like we know.
26:29
I know you want to be here long term.
26:31
They know you want to be here long term.
26:33
The fans know you want to be here long term, but you're not
26:36
going to be wanted here very soon, especially by the guy that
26:41
you're taking the field with. So it's very possible that maybe
26:44
he did relay that, but Pete was just hell bent on coming back to
26:48
this team, which I can like, I can respect like I can respect.
26:52
I've already backed I. I would have come back to I.
26:55
Would have won back in an age where where guys chase the money
26:58
and again we we don't know how much or how little of a priority
27:01
that was to Peter specifically not not him and Boris just
27:05
Alonzo. Maybe it was a factor.
27:08
But in an age when when a lot of guy, a lot of athletes, not just
27:11
baseball across sports, chase the money, he was like this,
27:15
this is where I want to be. And you know, we, we, we can sit
27:18
here and call them a cornball we want, but, you know, got to
27:21
respect. That at least.
27:22
And also like look at the status of the Mets in summer of 2023
27:27
when that offer is on the table of seven years, 150 change.
27:31
Look at the status of where they were at.
27:33
You know what I mean? Last year changed a lot and
27:39
Uncle Steve opened up his checkbook for Juan Soto.
27:44
Finally, I put his money where his mouth is so and then you see
27:49
other guys coming back right? You see him Anaya being resigned
27:52
like it. It makes you want to makes you
27:55
want to get the gang back together and then invite a new
27:58
superstar in and say let's let's run it back this year.
28:03
So I don't blame him, but. Speaking of Superstar, we got an
28:08
interesting question in the chat.
28:11
Jay Farrell, three O 5, says when the Mets play the Yankees
28:14
for the first time this year, who's got the bigger chip on
28:16
their shoulder? So do or judge?
28:19
It's a great question. I'd probably say judge.
28:22
I would also say judge. Yeah, Like the Yankees were in
28:25
that hunt. Like they were right there as
28:27
far as offers go. I don't think they were willing
28:29
to do the sweet. I don't think they were willing
28:31
to do with some of like the family stuff from what it
28:34
sounded like because they've never done that stuff before.
28:36
And it's difficult for an organization that has done that
28:42
and signed big free agents in the past.
28:44
It's not as difficult for the Mets being like, well, we've
28:46
never done this before. Let's let's might as well do it
28:49
for him. So I think the Yankees were in
28:52
it. I don't see like, I don't know
28:57
if Soto gets the payday. He he probably gets something
29:00
great, but I don't know if he gets this payday if it wasn't
29:03
for the success he had with the Yankees last year.
29:07
Yeah, and if you're judge, you probably got to be looking at
29:09
this situation being like, I understand why Soto got the the
29:13
the love that he did this offseason and the contract that
29:18
he got this offseason. But like, make no mistake to
29:21
you, like you just said, make no mistake, I played a huge I
29:25
played a huge role in making that happen because like Juan
29:28
Soto was going to be Juan Soto for the rest of his career like
29:31
that. That's that's a given.
29:34
But to to come off of the year to hit, to hit free agency
29:40
coming off the year that you just did, that's not a
29:45
coincidence, Juan Soto. And and I'm not trying to
29:47
diminish anything he's done to this point.
29:49
I'm not trying to discredit his. Future of being in the Hall of
29:53
Fame like it's going to happen. He's going to end up in the Hall
29:55
of Fame. But if if you're Aaron Judge,
29:58
you got to be looking at that going.
30:01
This is still my team. And frankly, it was still my
30:04
team when you were on the team. But I was willing to sort of, to
30:09
use the word I used earlier coexist.
30:11
I was, I was more than willing to make that happen.
30:13
We, we were, we, we pushed the chips in, made it to the World
30:16
Series. But now you're across town and
30:22
I'm, I'm still here and I feel like I still have a little
30:28
something to prove because there's a lot of people
30:30
wondering, well, maybe, maybe I was feeding off of you a little
30:33
bit. And maybe that's true.
30:34
I, I think it, I think it's safe to say that that was true.
30:36
They were feeding off each other.
30:37
But I think Judge wants to put the league on notice yet again
30:43
and and remind them like, I can play ball too.
30:48
There's also very rough ending to his season on A on the
30:54
biggest. Scale correct, Yeah.
30:59
Thoughts on what this does for the, the division looking at the
31:03
NL E because you look at what the, what the offseason was for
31:09
the Mets prior to this deal. And I think you could have
31:12
chalked it up as certainly a, a, a very successful offseason.
31:17
But now that you you get a guy back that's capable of putting
31:21
50 in the in the seats, regardless if he's going to be
31:27
here the year after or beyond you, you at least get him for
31:30
this year. And if all things, if all if the
31:35
the cylinders are are clicking, like you said, NLCS run.
31:42
Maybe even you find yourself in the World Series somehow.
31:46
What is crazier things? What?
31:48
Is prior to that though. Short of that, what?
31:52
How does this shake up the division if it all because we
31:59
talked about the Braves? I'm committing to being out on
32:02
the Phillies. I'm not going to back out on
32:04
that. I'm giving.
32:06
Them one, I may look stupid at some point this year and that's
32:09
cool, but I I said it, I got to die on it.
32:13
I respect it. So remind me that when I'm
32:16
feeling a certain way that at a certain point about the
32:20
Phillies. But I think the Braves are back,
32:23
you know what I mean? I think they're back.
32:24
They're healthy. The Nationals are better than I
32:32
think a lot of people expect. I'm not going to sit here and
32:34
say they're going to be in the hunt.
32:40
I'll say again, I wouldn't love to have seen them take a very
32:43
step forward. The Mets have a very real chance
32:45
to take this division. I don't love their pitching.
32:51
Still some question marks in the rotation.
32:53
You don't know how you're going to get for Clay from Clay
32:55
Holmes. Who knows what that's going to
32:57
be. So yeah, a lot of question marks
33:00
there, but job well done in the offseason.
33:08
A team that will likely be a buyer at the deadline and can
33:11
plug holes wherever they see them.
33:17
I still think the Braves are better.
33:19
I think they're deeper. I think they have a deeper
33:21
lineup and I think they have a better staff, but I think it's
33:30
going to be it's going to be close, man.
33:31
I could I I could honestly see the Phillies in in finishing
33:34
third. I think the Braves, like I I
33:37
genuinely chalking last year up as a as a fluke, as a injury
33:42
plagued fluke. So I don't know, it's different,
33:48
man. It's it's weird because like,
33:51
you also have the conversation of like when the Mets have
33:54
expectations on them, they normally poop down their leg.
33:59
When they don't have expectations is when you saw
34:02
what you saw last year, when everyone's out on them, that's
34:05
what you saw. Sure, they got to bring back
34:10
Jose Iglesias. That's the only way.
34:15
To your point about the because I was curious, I was like, I
34:18
need to refresh myself on the back end of that Braves
34:21
rotation. You know, you can sit here and
34:23
say, well, there's question marks with the Mets.
34:25
Like what are you going to get from a healthy Kodai Senko?
34:28
Like, what are you going to get from Clay Holmes in a rotation?
34:33
What's Frankie Montaz going to look like?
34:35
Yeah, I think you kind of know. Assuming he he sticks to what
34:41
what changes worked for him, meaning Shawn Manaya and
34:44
assuming you get similar output from him, I think you'll be all
34:48
right there. But for as many question marks
34:50
as you have with the Mets rotation, you could equally say
34:53
the same thing for the Braves. Like, are you going to captured
34:58
lightning in a bottle with Chris Sale last year?
34:59
Absolutely. And if he can stay healthy,
35:02
you're probably going to get more of the same.
35:04
May not end up with a Cy Young, but if he can stay healthy,
35:08
that's the biggest thing. Can he stay healthy?
35:10
If he can, you pretty much know what you're going to get.
35:14
Reynaldo Lopez What is that encore look like to last year?
35:19
There's a stud. Spencer Schwellenbach certainly
35:23
is a high ceiling there. Grant Holmes and Ian Anderson
35:28
are projected to the back the back end of the rotation.
35:31
There, it's kind of out on you. So it's like, I don't know.
35:34
I mean, you can talk about the depth of the lineup, certainly.
35:36
But the weight of of Spencer Strider.
35:42
The Mets don't have a Spencer Strider.
35:44
I'm sorry. I, I think Akoda Isenga is at
35:48
best A2 in, in a, in a rotation. I don't think he's an ace.
35:54
Sure, yeah. I would probably slide him as a
35:58
three. You put him in any other any
36:00
other rotation that's solid around the league and he ain't
36:04
leading it. So I think I think the Mets did
36:11
great. I think Juan Soto is going to do
36:14
a lot for that lineup. I don't know, you may see
36:21
something crazy out of Ronnie, Ronnie Acuna's little brother.
36:25
Maybe he steps in and starts getting some more starts and
36:28
plays a little bit more. Maybe the Jeff McNeil ride needs
36:32
to end at some point. And I've.
36:37
Never seen so many more out on Jeff McNeil.
36:42
Most punchable face, anyway. Yeah, I like the, I like the
36:48
Braves, I think a little bit more, but it's going to be close
36:51
to me neck and neck. And there ain't no reason that
36:55
the Mets can't repeat what they did last year.
36:57
They got better. Sure.
37:00
Well, you may be out on the Phillies, but like I said, I'm
37:02
giving them. I think I'm going to give them
37:04
one more year. So for me at least sounds like
37:09
for you, it's more of a two team race, but for me, and, and we'll
37:12
get into this as we get closer to the season, obviously.
37:14
But for me, I, I still think it's going to be as it has been
37:18
for a little while now. You know, any one of those three
37:22
teams I think could could make a run at it, but it'll be
37:25
interesting to see. Last question before we head
37:28
out. Yeah.
37:30
Do you see whatever kind of season Pete Alonzo has, Do you
37:37
ever see another $150 million contract offer on the table for
37:42
him? Well, let's, let's see here he
37:52
is at the end of this season. He is going to be he's still
37:58
going to be 30. He's he turns 31 in December.
38:02
So next year will be his age 31 season.
38:05
Let's say he opts out, goes to free agency again.
38:09
In order to get 150 dollar $150 million deal, that would have to
38:15
be minimum 7. Yeah, 6 is pushing it.
38:22
Yeah, we'll just say 7. So you really want to sign up
38:28
Pete Alonso into his 38? Isn't pushing it. 2525 million a
38:32
year is not crazy. Yeah, well, yeah, I mean, I
38:34
guess it just depends on what he gives you this year.
38:36
But OK, we'll say 6. Do you want to do you want to be
38:39
locking? Do you want to be digging
38:42
yourself into a hole where you have Pete Alonso into his age 37
38:45
season? Probably not.
38:51
Because the other thing you have to keep in mind too is the the
38:53
the first baseman market has seemingly just plummeted.
38:58
Like there just seems to be less and less interest in
39:01
overextending yourself financially for, for first
39:04
baseman, like they're still going to get paid for sure,
39:06
because you need to feel the first baseman.
39:08
But I, I think he, I think he missed his shot.
39:13
But you know. Yeah, I agree.
39:15
I guess this is the next best thing, even though it's still
39:18
objectively an L But anyway, not about do it.
39:24
Peter Alonzo back to Queens. I'm just glad he's not coming to
39:27
Boston. That was I was a sigh of relief.
39:30
Although we may have to revisit this conversation next year.
39:33
I sure hope not, because I'm hoping Boston will be in the
39:36
Vladi mix too. So as long as Peter Alonso never
39:40
Dons a a Red Sox uni, I'll be happy man.
39:43
It does make the Vladi conversation interesting next
39:46
year if he does opt out, it's kind of like a if we don't get
39:52
Vladi, we can still get Pete kind of thing.
39:54
But like, I don't know. I don't know what the market
39:56
told us this year. Maybe he ignored all other
39:58
calls. Whatever, he's a met.
40:03
In the meantime, I'm on the bed. I'm tired.
40:06
Let's go to let's get to bed. It's that time.
40:09
Don't go chasing curveballs, man.
40:11
The Le'veon is always looking forward to talking more baseball
40:13
with you guys soon. Until next time, stay filthy.