Francisco Lindor: The Final Countdown
The clock is about to strike midnight for the Mets to strike a deal with Francisco Lindor. Both sides have been negotiating around the clock to come to some kind of a resolution. Here is where things stand as of right now with Francisco Lindor and the Mets.
Mets offer and Francisco Lindor Counter
As of late last night, the Mets offered Lindor 10 years and $325 million. That would be the largest contract in Mets history by almost $200 million. He would surpass David Wright’s 7 year $138 million from 2011. Lindor officially countered the Mets offer with a 12 year $385 million contract. What is interesting about Lindor’s offer is that it actually brings the AAV down from what the Mets offered.
As others have reported, the Mets have offered Francisco Lindor a 10-year deal worth $325 million. It is their final offer.
A source says Lindor's camp is still seeking $385 million over 12 years.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) March 30, 2021
As Anthony DiComo noted above, the Mets offer is considered to be their final offer. However, I highly doubt that. The two sides were said to be brainstorming ideas about how to close the gap. From what it seems, both sides were standing firm in their stances.
Risks all around
However, both sides also have a lot to lose by not getting this done. Francisco Lindor risks having a down season that would cost him a lot of money. He also risks getting injured that cause his value to diminish. In addition, he also risks being involved in a very saturated SS free agent market next season. Lindor would join Trevor Story, Corey Seager, Carlos Correa, and Javy Baez on the free agent market.
The Mets risk losing their best position player since Mike Piazza. Not only would it look bad for the team as a whole, but also bad for Mr. Cohen. Steve Cohen has taken a very public stance on the negotiations.
What do think Lindor will accept? I’m going to crowdsource the answer
— Steven Cohen (@StevenACohen2) March 26, 2021
He has even taken to being funny old Uncle Steve and joking with fans about it. Lindor is Cohen’s first real test of showing his is the real deal and putting his money where his mouth is. Fans are understandably stressed. Especially after missing out on all of the top free agents this offseason. However, there is some optimism that the two sides can come to a comprimise.
Other Player’s Thoughts
Next, Lindor is already a favorite in the clubhouse. Pete Alonso is on the record by saying that Lindor is worth every penny he is asking for.
"No question about it," Pete Alonso says when asked if Francisco Lindor is a $400 million player.
"Not only does he have the quantifiable numbers of a superstar, he has the X-factor." pic.twitter.com/BdW1uEHVcn
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) March 30, 2021
It is obvious that the other guys want him around. I believe it would certainly be a distraction throughout the clubhouse if he is not signed long term.
Final Thoughts
I honestly have no idea how this will end. It can go either way and I would not be surprised. However, my gut does feel like they will come to an agreement sometime tomorrow. Both sides have to much to lose by not getting this done. I do not think Lindor would get what he is asking for on the open market. He has too much competition and teams can easily pivot to a cheaper option. For example, the Mets can easily pivot to Trevor Story and not lose that much production. However, the Mets already have one of the top players on their own team. They cannot afford to let him go. It is the final countdown for both the Mets and Lindor, and he will keep us waiting until the very end.
-Pete Chatterton (@Pchat12)