LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — If the Mets still have any significant dollars left to spend, baseball’s top agent has an “astronaut” he wouldn’t mind selling to them.
Agent Scott Boras indicated Wednesday at the Winter Meetings he spoke with Mets COO Jeff Wilpon, with the conversation, according to sources, focusing on free-agent shortstop Stephen Drew.
The Mets whiffed in their attempt to land Jhonny Peralta earlier in the offseason — he signed with the Cardinals for four years and $53 million — leaving Drew as the best available shortstop option on the free-agent market.
But the Red Sox have emerged as the favorite to re-sign Drew, with the Mets on the periphery of the pursuit, according to sources.
Ruben Tejada would be the Mets’ starter for 2014 if the team can’t acquire a shortstop.
At the general managers’ meetings last month, Boras compared the Mets to NASA and said they need more astronauts. He stayed with that theme on Wednesday.
“They’re a very successful franchise,” Boras said. “I think that rocket ship has got room for about six astronauts rather than a couple. We meet with them, we talk with them. We’ll see what they’re going to do, the offseason is not done yet.”
The Brewers, Pirates and Rays are among the teams interested in first baseman Ike Davis, but Mets general manager Sandy Alderson indicated he would be content to leave the Winter Meetings on Thursday without making a deal.
“Let me emphasize one thing: We’re not in the business of giving players away,” Alderson said. “We don’t expect to get in that business.”
Alderson is expected to meet with the agent for relievers John Axford and Kevin Gregg, according to an industry source.