The waiting is over as the Mets and Francisco Lindor agreed to a 10 year $341 Million contract which is the biggest contract in Met franchise history. The two parties had reached a stalemate with the team offering 10 years at $325 Million while Lindor wanted a 12 year $385 million deal.
We had all heard there was a gap in the offer the Mets were offering and what Lindor wanted but agreeing on that $341 million number eclipses the contract that Fernando Tatis Jr. recently signed and once that number was reached it made the deal work. The truth here is both Steve Cohen and Sandy Alderson played this brilliantly releasing information at key points in the talks and it made the Lindor camp blink. Granted he is receiving more than the original offer but my feeling is that the public sentiment was actually favoring the Mets and that brought Lindor back to the table.
For Steve Cohen this is a real symbolic moment in that it provides living proof to Met fans that his words when he bought the team were both genuine and prophetic. He said that he was not going to spend like a “drunken sailor” but also said money would be available to bring megastars to CitiField and he has accomplished that.
From a historical perspective this is the highest contract ever tendered to a shortstop in major league history. There is a limited no-trade but no opt outs in this deal. He has performed at a high level the last 3 seasons with 78 homers and 53 stolen bases over that span.
In the past few days fans were using social media to express their displeasure but on this night joy was evident in every corner of the social media world. And only Mookie Betts and Mike Trout have richer contracts in the game which is a testimony to both his skill level and his unbridled enthusiasm he brings to field every single day. And as the Mets enter the 2021 season, they may now possess the game’s best player as well as the best pitcher in the game in Jacob deGrom.
Steve Cohen wanted to make a splash and in fact that splash is a tidal wave which is bringing the type of joy to MetNation I remember the night they signed Mike Piazza.
And that make this a historic day in Met history.