Since the Mets season ended in late September, and frankly long before that, New York's fans have been impatiently waiting to find out whether shortstop Jose Reyes will re-sign with the team as a free agent this offseason. General manager Sandy Alderson shed some light on the situation Monday, telling reporters not to expect a quick resolution of Reyes' contract status after the 28-year-old filed for free agency the day before.
The Mets have exclusive negotiation rights until midnight Thursday, but it does not appear the team will bring Reyes back for his 10th season with the club by that time.
“Take it out of the Jose Reyes context into just the general free-agent context,” Alderson said. “There are some situations where a player might indicate what it would take for him to forgo the free-agent market. There are some situations where a club might try to make a preemptive offer to preclude that [open bidding].
“I don’t think either one of those things is going to happen in this case. I don’t think Jose is going to give us a number for which he would forgo free agency. I don’t think we’re in a position to make him what I would characterize as a preemptive offer.”
Alderson did say that the team would not "punt" in 2012 if it did not re-sign its shortstop, who led the National League with a .337 batting average in 2011. He also said he thinks third baseman David Wright will likely remain with the team in 2012.
“I couldn’t say that with any degree of certainty about any player that we have," Alderson said. "Do I think that he’ll be a Met next year? Yes.”
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