Pete Alonso Finally Signs

The drawn-out Pete Alonso negotiations ended with what amounts to be a continuing resolution that is as unsatisfactory. It's a two-deal worth 54M with thirty million in 2025 with the ability to opt out. This sets up this whole thing popping up again in a year or two. 

Charming. 

And Scott Boras is happy because even though he failed mightily on his promise to get Alonso substantially more than the seven years, $158 million offer from the Mets he turned down in June 2023, he was able to save face by getting him an AAV of $30 million for 2025 that is the highest of any first baseman in the game.

Bill Madden provides commentary explaining how Alonso, though beloved by Mets fans and a useful piece short term, would not get a highly paid long-term deal. How much money, long term, will he get above and beyond that seven-year offer? 

Is all this stress worth it? He is due to decline in the next few years. The tail end of those seven years won't be as productive or lucrative. Why can't he take that money? 

It's not my money but Alonso is supposedly a positive person who doesn't focus on the negatives. There is the usual drive and belief in yourself.

Nonetheless, the stress and hard feelings the drawn-out contract negotiations have brought in theory should affect someone like Alonso more than some others. At some point, a few more million is a matter of diminishing returns. It is depressing.

Anyway, the 2025 Mets might be mostly set though Mr. OMG isn't back yet. The bullpen looks pretty good. The starting rotation is filled with reclamation projects, including Senga off an injury. 

Well, things worked out last year. Still, it would be nice if they had one steadier top-line starter. Also, the expectations will be much higher this year. 

(People generally give the Mets good marks, other than the rotation, for their off-season moves. One move that has received some pushback is Siri to replace Bader. One analyst ranked it a "C" move. 

It seems silly to think too much about this especially with Soto coming in. Siri is a good defensive outfielder. His bat might be weaker than Bader, but Bader was not exactly top notch in that sense. 

The tradeoff is not much less than a wash, especially since you save a bit of money in the deal.)

The top two teams basically made it to the Super Bowl. The Lions might have been the #1 seed but they deep down had issues. The Eagles had a special weapon with special thanks owed to the Giants.

I acknowledge that without being too pleased with the ultimate result. Kansas City also seems to get all the breaks. Great teams make their own breaks including pressuring other teams to screw up. Mahomes also has the magic of making those game-clinching plays. 

We are told that surely the refs aren't in on it. People just keep on finding cases where things seem to go their way. I can't find it now, but one analysis showed how a bunch of close calls, some the person acknowledged were probably wrong, went their way. 

I know. That's loser/conspiracy talk. Toss in some luck and Kansas City seems a bit too blessed this season. Not that I am a big fan of the Eagles, being a NY guy and rooting for the Commandeers (hard not to) this season. And, their season ended with a clunker.

Oh well. Hopefully, it is a good game. I'm not watching it. I would have Bills/Eagles. 

ETA: Eagles win in a rout.