Unlike CC Sabathia, Jose Reyes will test the free-agent market when other teams can start bidding, and that likely doesn’t bode well for the Mets.
“There are better fits, places that give him a better chance to win, probably,” YES Network analyst David Cone said of the shortstop, who can be contacted by other teams beginning tomorrow. “If he really loves playing for the Mets, maybe he’ll give them a discount, so to speak, or work with them.”
But Cone also knows that a 28-year-old, who just won a batting title and never has been a free agent before, likely isn’t inclined to sacrifice much.
“It’s his first go-round,” Cone said. “It’s gonna be hard [for him to take less money].”
Another former Mets player who analyzes Yankees games agreed.
“Whenever a star player says, ‘Let’s wait till November,’ to hat’s code red for, ‘I wanna see what other teams are not only offering, but what options you have,’ ” said Al Leiter, who was with Cone at John Franco’s charity bowling tournament at Chelsea Piers to benefit the NYPD Foundation and FDNY Foundation.
“Any time you have a great cornerstone player and let them become a free agent, that’s the risk you take,” Leiter said. “To me, it’s a red flag.”
And on the other side of town, Cone said the Yankees had to figure out a way to keep Sabathia.
“To me, he’s the most important Yankee right now,” Cone said. “You can’t afford to lose him. He’s irreplaceable.”
* Though Mets general manager Sandy Alderson will explore free agency to find a closer, Franco said he doesn’t think Alderson has to.
“I still believe Bobby [Parnell] can be a dominant closer,” Franco said of Parnell, who didn’t fare well in the role last season. “You need to have tough skin to close in New York, and I think he has that.”
As for the offseason tutelage, Franco offered to help Parnell, but nothing has been set up.