Rangers not in on Bourn, Mets have interest in back-loaded deal
January 24th, 2013 2:18 pm

The Mets have sincere interest in signing free-agent OF Michael Bourn to a long-term deal that would likely be backloaded (Ken Rosenthal, FoxSports).

Bourn would cost the Mets their first round draft pick if they sign him. However, the Mets are petitioning MLB to view their top draft pick as protected, (Harper, Daily News). The MLBPA supports allowing the Mets to surrender their second-round pick instead (Rosenthal, FoxSports).

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2:18 pm: The Rangers are not involved in talks for Bourn, leaving the Mets and Mariners as the favorites to sign him (Nightengale, USA Today).

Even if we get to keep out draft pick, $15M is too much to spend on a guy over 30 without power.
We can get speed and defense from den Dekker for minimum salary. Spend the big bucks later on on a game changer.

adam rubin just said this VIA twitter

Adam Rubin ?@AdamRubinESPN

MLB has zero incentive to change it. By essentially upping number of protected picks to 11 they're encouraging more bidders--driving up cost

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They are not going to sign him if they lose a pick not happening

What game changer are the Mets targeting next year in free agency? Just curious and not trying to be negative. I just don't see who is worth paying next year either. Soo Choo? Corey Hart? Hunter Pence? None of those guys will be worth what they'll command either since the pool is so weak. I'd be more than happy with Bourn at 10-12 million per year IMO

Mets have been after a premium CF for the past couple years, so thought they would be interested in Victorino if his price fell, but eh....I only want him to look in on him if the pick gets protected.

He is not over 30 he just turned 30, That said 15 Mill a year is not alot if it is for 4 or 5 years max.

Maybe not next year, but the opportunity will come along eventually.

not as likely as it once was....any good young guys get locked up nowadays and usually the bigger name FA's are around 30 or older now...things are changing

Well, Bourn is 30, so it's not like he's anything so different.

Just a thought....the game changer the Mets could be targeting next year might not be coming from free agency. The game changer they could be targeting could be coming from a trade. A trade that this year they can't make because this year they can't afford to take on that salary or that player is not yet made available by their present team. They may also be hoping that an additional year of maturation for some younger players (Syndergaard, Nimmo, Flores, Cecchini, Havens, Fulmer, Montero and Tapia) might boost their stock to include some of them in a package for that player who is not available today. Hmmmmmmm.... Stanton? Not saying it will happen, just that it COULD be a consideration.
I truly believe that 2013's off season will be light years different from the current one. Then it will be put up or shut up time, as many of the current financial restrictions/excuses will not apply. This coming season should be used for a final determination as to what players are our foundation, and next off season will be pursuing the players needed to "Complete to Compete"

..and we've done so well with back-loaded deals..it's not going to happen....there are still 4 or 5 other teams on the radar that from Bourn's perspective are better than us.

I agree. If we sign him for what he's asking for, we're clearly spending money in the wrong places

I agree 8 or 9 is the ceiling for him

>>>"He is not over 30 he just turned 30, That said 15 Mill a year is not alot if it is for 4 or 5 years max."<<<

I do not like those number at all.

>>>"giving Bourn 15 million is ridiculous"<<<

I agree, and with Boris, you gotta expect the ridiculous.

If they wanna to sign him, I am not crazy about it, but I am fine if the deal stays within reason.

I certainly wouldn't consider going beyond 3 years with him - ideally I'd only go one of two years at the most if it were up to me.

And the money per year has to come down significantly.

Heck, if they are going to give Bourn 15 million per year for 5 years, they almost might as well have overpaid Reyes instead... lol

After rooting for the Mets since day one the signing of Victorino would probably be my exit card . I think he is a filthy (not just dirty - that's bad enough this guy is filthy from top to bottom and he loves being that way)

I am ok with them but lets see what happens.