Buzz: Mets Leaning Towards A-Rod
According to a MetsBlog.com poll of more than 3,600 people, 47 percent of those polled do not want free-agent 3B Alex 
Rodriguez on the Mets, while 38 percent do, leaving 15 percent undecided.
However, this morning, in a report for the Bergen Record, Bob Klapisch writes…
“Early indicators suggest the Mets are leaning toward a full metal jacket courtship of [Rodriguez], pending David Wright‘s blessing.”
A Mets insider, as quoted by Klapisch, said…
“We can afford him. It’s going to be a baseball question more than a money question. Do we want him? Is he a good fit for one team? That’s what we have to talk about.”
Despite his report, Klapisch lists the Mets at 20–1 to sign Rodriguez, fourth behind the Cubs, Red Sox and Angels, who he lists at 4–1.
…i keep looking at this through three sets of glasses…my fan glasses would enjoy the excitement of bringing on this tremendous player, who will break the home-run record in Citi Field, most likely retire with a Mets hat on his head, etc…at the same time, my baseball glasses realize that having the best player in the game on your team means nothing in terms of wins and losses in baseball - this is not basketball - and i fear that his presence will have a blowback effect on other people on the team…lastly, though, my financial glasses realize what he will bring to the cash registers and marketing ability of SNY, which, while insignificant for the Yankees, would be huge for the Mets, who could use all the help they can get to take over their cross-town rivals when it comes to marketing…so, yeah, i am one of the undecided in the above poll…
…the thing is, what happens to wright…
Yesterday, on ESPN Radio in New York, host Michael Kay discussed the possibility of forcing Wright to to second base for one season, after which he could shift to first base in the absence of Carlos Delgado.
During spring training last season, Wright told the New York Post that he would move positions to accommodate Rodriguez.
The next day, Klapisch wrote the following for ESPN.com…
“Nice guy, David Wright.
“‘Maybe too nice,’ said one Met veteran. ‘He’s the guy we need to be the leader here, not A-Rod.’”
Meanwhile, today, according to Steve Popper at his blog for the Bergen Record, as well as Klapisch’s column for the same paper, Wright sent a text message to reporters last night stating that he will not comment on a position switch until the team talks with him about it first.
…i have advocated building the Mets around wright’s style…that being said, he’s not a great defensive third basemen…he’s good…not great…he can pick it with the best of them, but his arm leaves a lot to be desired…i believe he could handle second base, though he is a righty…he’d probably be best served at first…of course, any switch could also be a colossal disaster…
…i’m just not sure it is wise to disrupt your franchise player, forcing him to change habits and learn a new position, especially coming off a season in which he could have realistically won an MVP award at just 24 years old…i know he would make the move, and that’s what makes him such a great teammate, but that doesn’t mean it is smart to make him do it…
According to Klapisch, team officials plan to talk with Wright about the idea of switching positions, though they had yet to do so by last night.
