The business of baseball invades. How can it not? Francisco Lindor is a Met because the Indians decided they couldn’t afford him in the future while continuing to pay for the rest of a competitive roster.
And in the seconds – the seconds – after the Mets acquired Lindor, the thought immediately shifted to whether Lindor could be held long-term by the strength of Steve Cohen’s wallet.
The cha-ching is never far away. After all, it is a business.
But there really is a game to that company. And while the Mets will be on the clock from now until the end of spring practice to see if they can keep the short stop, there should be a little longer – especially among Mets fans:
Francisco Lindor is on your team.
And Cohen owns your team.
So don’t worry too much about keeping the Mets Lindor. The guy who signs the checks is now doing it with “COHEN” and not “WILPON.” That should console Mets fans that if the team wants to keep the player long term, they will. Whether the contract is closed at the end of spring practice or after the season, Cohen comes to the party with the biggest wallet and probably the most motivation. So, for now, put the baseball business aside if you’re rooting for the team and enjoying this:
One of the best players in the world is a Met.
Think about it. If there were a scattered draw of every player in the majors tomorrow, how many choices would pass before the selection of a 27-year-old switch-hitting shortstop with five tools, durability, and a winning off-field personality? Who do you have Mookie Betts and Mike Trout and maybe Trevor Story and / or Fernando Tatis Jr. You can make a list. For Lindor, you don’t get a 10. Heck, you probably won’t get 10 until you take Lindor and Jacob deGrom, especially if the priority now is to win.
Several times in a Zoom conference on Monday with reporters, Lindor noted that he wants to be “a little piece of the puzzle” that brings a championship to Vlissingen. Nice humble sentiment. But it is not a small piece. He is what you draw to make a difference.
Lindor comes on the field like no other current midfielder, playing in 96 percent of the Indians’ regular and post-season games over the past five years. He hits well on both sides of the plate, but if he’s better it’s on the right, which should help a Mets setup that tilts to the left. And he is arguably the best defensive shortstop in the game for a team that hasn’t made it to that position well in recent years. Fittingly, the player fits the team like a glove.
Maybe the city too. In his 41-minute introductory press conference, Lindor honored his representative for his positivity and enthusiasm. He handled questions in English and Spanish like a hanging curveball – no problem at all. He thanked Cleveland and hugged New York. He relied heavily on feeling “excited” and “blessed” for this new union.
Lindor’s best moment came when we discussed the plague of the pandemic. Lindor had been outspoken with two of his teammates – Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac – last year for breaking protocols. On Monday, he said he loved the duo as teammates, but noted that following the protocols was not just about protecting a healthy, well-groomed professional athlete, but the vulnerable around you. It was just the right tone, which was true for all of his responses.
That also meant that – as with Cleveland – he remains open to discussing a long-term deal, though he explained that once spring practice is over, it’s time to focus only on play, not money. So he signs for the long term for the first pitch of the regular season or again after that.
What are the Mets doing? There are some of the Indians who felt last year that the contract was looming and might explain his worst offensive year. Or maybe it was only 60 games (he played them all, by the way) and that would have been more than 162 Lindor Lindor. Nevertheless, if the Mets believe in the player, they might be able to get the contract out of his mind by getting it done sooner rather than later. Or maybe the Mets want to make sure that Lindor is really productive and happy here before such an investment. Again, Cohen’s wealth ensures that they can wait and probably end up winning for this player anyway and – by the way – if he’s offered $ 350 million at the All-Star break, will he really decline and wait until after the year?
But then again, for Mets fans, that business and business must be filed now to enjoy landing a player with this skill. Twice in his conference, Lindor used an expression about what he intended to do. It is also good advice for those who will be rooting for him.
“Enjoy the ride.”