METS APPEAR TO BE MOVING ON FROM ALONSO

Loyalty means nothing to the Mets.  Wow.

The Mets are making a mess of things. They splurged on Juan Soto, a billion-dollar player, and now they’re suddenly tightening their budget. It’s ridiculous. Loyalty matters in some businesses, and considering everything Pete Alonso has done for the Mets, they owed him the respect of serious contract negotiations. Instead, they’ve moved on publicly and it’s gotten ugly.

The Mets have already decided on Alonso’s replacement amid a contract stand-off. In a recent interview with the New York Post, infield coach Mike Sarbaugh hinted that they’re confident in shifting young third baseman Mark Vientos to first base. Vientos had a breakout 2024 season, hitting 27 home runs, driving in 71 runs, and maintaining a .266 average. Sarbaugh said, “I haven’t seen him a lot at first base, but Mark puts a lot of work in, so I think wherever he ends up, he’ll be just fine.”

Meanwhile, Alonso, a four-time All-Star and the 2019 National League Rookie of the Year, hit 34 home runs and drove in 88 runs with a .240 average. He’s a top-tier athlete, and the Mets’ reluctance to negotiate a fair deal with him is shortsighted. They should’ve made a better offer instead of penny-pinching. Shame on them.

If they can afford Soto, they can afford to treat Alonso right. Steve Cohen, touted as a good businessman, just doubled Mets ticket prices and now the team is supposedly on a tight budget. It’s a joke. Alonso deserves a big contract, and I hope he signs somewhere else and continues to dominate. Even if he’s not wearing a Mets uniform, he’ll always be a Met at heart.

Reportedly, Alonso turned down a three-year offer worth $68-69 million, seeking a longer deal. A four- or five-year contract would’ve made more sense. The Mets’ failure to secure Alonso’s future will haunt them when Soto is past his prime and Alonso is still crushing home runs, possibly in San Francisco or another city that values him.