The New York Mets are being completely transparent about their interest in Michael Bourn. However, the same display of affection is not being reciprocated by the free agent outfielder and his agent Scott Boras. Mets' general manager Sandy Alderson recently stated that he was unsure about Bourn's signing decision and if he was interested in signing with the team.
"For us, he would be a very nice fit. I think we're still in the mix, but I couldn't really predict anything at this point," said Alderson in a video on Metsblog.com.
From what it appears, all the buzz made in relation to Bourn, as of late, has been about the Mets possibly signing the outfielder, but the team's main interest lies in keeping their first round draft pick. However, signing a free agent like Bourn would cause a team to forfeit their first pick in the 2013 MLB draft.
Another big deal in the Bourn discussions are contract negotiations. This is where Boras comes into play. The Mets are on a budget, not a New York Yankees budget, but they have been emptying their roster and payroll in attempt to start fresh. With the talent the Mets have in the minors and the extra cash that would allow them to acquire free agents in the following years, the team hopes to become competitive by 2014 or 2015.
As we are now days away from Spring Training, nobody has tried touching Bourn or offered a real deal. It's all been rumors. The Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners were at the top of the list during the beginning of the offseason.
It's not that Bourn isn't an efficient outfielder or hitter, they just don't want to overpay for a Boras client. The Mets feel they can get a bargain now that training camps are about to launch and the outfielder is still on the market.
Currently, the Mets do not want to exceed the $40 million plateau. This would mean they'd sign Bourn for three or four years. However, nobody knows if the mets are willing to go a little higher. Originally, it was believed Bourn was seeking a contract that would pay around $15 million a year, but that will not be the case.
Since Bourn's game is speed, any deal exceeding four years will be too much. He is currently 30 and, though at the top of his game in the previous seasons, Bourn is bound to get slower cutting down on his efficiency on the base pads and defense in the fields.
We will continue to update you on the latest Bourn news. Do you think Bourn should sign with the Mets? Share your thoughts with us.
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