The New York Mets decided to move on from Pete Alonso after tumultuous negotiations in previous years. The first baseman signed a five-year, $155 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles in the offseason.
While Alonso is still building up to achieve his best form as an Oriole, the Mets’ offensive struggles have been a bigger talking point. Their lineup, even with new injections like Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette, has been a major reason for their 14-23 record.
On Thursday, insider Jon Heyman, in his New York Post Sports Plus column, recalled previous conversations between Alonso and Mets president of baseball operations, David Stearns.
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A frustrated Alonso had called out Stearns and his data-analytic tactics.
“When my career is being evaluated for the Hall of Fame years from now, you’ll still be fiddling with your [flipping] formulas,” Heyman reported. “Only he didn’t say “flipping.””
While some fans on social media agreed with Alonso’s assessment of Stearns’ overemphasis on data, others felt there was a sense of overconfidence from the five-time All-Star.
Here are a few reactions:
“Hall of Fame? Lmao. Pete’s delusional. Keep throwing him sliders away,” a fan said.
“Fire David Stearns!!!! We miss Pete!!!!” a fan exclaimed.
“Pete was my favorite Met before reading this… now he’s my favorite Met and he’s not even on the team,” a fan stated.
“Pete should’ve been a lifelong Met & I doubt there is anything that will ever change my mind about that,” a fan wrote.
“Truly betraying the adage of keeping mouth shut. O well, time will tell,” a fan added.
“I don’t care if the Mets win 5 World Series ….. I will never get behind David Sterns Mets,” another fan said.
Alonso and the Mets couldn’t agree on a long-term contract. He had initially turned a seven-year, $158 million. Last year, the Mets only committed to a two-year, $54 million contract, which Alonso opted out of after hitting at .272 with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs.
MLB writer brushes off possible Mike Trout-Mets deadline trade
The Athletic writer Tim Britton answered questions related to the Mets’ trade deadline in his column on Friday. Considering their poor start to the season, the Mets could have to sell assets.
But a proposal saw the Mets acquiring Mike Trout, who has had a resurgent year with the Los Angeles Angels. Britton stated that David Stearns wouldn’t be up for it.
“Would I enjoy watching Mike Trout play baseball every day? Yes,” he wrote. “Can I envision a scenario, however narrow, in which it would make a single iota of sense for the Mets to try to trade for Trout? Maybe. Can I imagine David Stearns actually doing that? No.”
The Mets are fourth-last in the MLB in hits (283), second-last in runs scored (134), fifth-last in home runs (30), and second-last in average (.229) and OPS (.644). Injecting Trout into their lineup will definitely improve their look.
Edited by R. Nikhil Parshy
