INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — The Mets are progressing, albeit slowly, in completing a long-term extension with David Wright, but were not expressing the same optimism with R.A. Dickey, multiple sources told The Post.
In fact, while Dickey told reporters in Manhattan that there was “progress” in negotiations, the impression the Mets were leaving on executives at the General Managers Meetings was that there was a substantial gap between what they are willing to offer the righty and what they perceive Dickey wants.
It is still early in the discussions, Dickey’s rep, Bo McKinnis, is not viewed within the industry as a cut-throat negotiator and the Mets have invested much more time trying to get Wright done. So the tenor of discussions could change. But the Mets’ initial impression was that there was a large difference of opinion between team and player over Dickey’s long-term worth.
In response, the Mets were intensifying efforts at the GM meetings to learn just what they would receive back if they did trade Dickey. They want to weigh that against the value of keeping Dickey into his walk year if an extension cannot be completed.
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The Mets are conflicted on the subject. One team official said that to have any chance at contention next year, the Mets need to retain their strength, which is starting pitching, and try to augment around that. However, another executive described a roster in need of multiple upgrades and limited prospects and dollars to address those holes. Dickey would provide a chip the Mets could turn into potentially a few long-term solutions.
The free-agent starting pitcher market is thin and expensive. In Dickey, the Mets have an NL Cy Young finalist working on a sweetheart $5 million deal for 2013. Conversely, Dickey is 38 and, though his 2.95 ERA was the 10th-best in the majors over the past three seasons (minimum 500 innings), there remains some skepticism about the reliability of a knuckleballer.
This is why the Mets are trying to determine just how far interested teams would go for Dickey. I suspect if they are offered the right two- or three-player package, the Mets would strongly consider making the trade while retaining their other interesting trade chip, Jon Niese, because the lefty is younger and already on a somewhat club-friendly long-term deal.
If they cannot find an appetizing deal, the Mets would go into next season with Dickey and re-assess as the July trade deadline nears. If they are in a playoff chase, they could just stick with Dickey and/or try to extend him before he reaches free agency. If the Mets are not in the race, they could see what his midseason trade value is.
For now, the Mets are not looking seriously at trading Wright and, instead, continue to feel a long-term deal will get done because ownership and the third baseman want just that. The halting pace of the negotiations signals that the sides have yet to find common ground. The Mets still are not on firm financial footing. Meanwhile, Wright surely wants to be paid like not only a star, but the face of a franchise.
Last month, I wrote that executives around the game expect that an extension will eventually get done for around seven years at $127 million plus the $16 million Wright is due in 2013 on his expiring contract.