Blogging Mets

It is a sad night for Mets fans, as multiple reports say Jose Reyes has agreed to a contract with the Miami Marlins.

The reports say the deal is for six years, $106 million. There is an option for a seventh year at $22 million or a $5 million buyout. It was just too rich for the Mets blood, who reportedly only wanted to give Reyes up to $85 million and would not under any circumstance guarantee a sixth year.

Reyes waves goodbye

MetsBlog.com reports that Mets GM Sandy Alderson spoke to reporters at the winter meetings in Dallas Sunday night, saying  ”I wouldn’t say we’re happy that he could be leaving, but there is a substantial amount of risk. You have to draw a line somewhere when it comes to multi-year contracts.”

Surprisingly, Alderson admitted he never made an official offer to Reyes.

“There was an understanding on their part, as far as what we were talking about, as far as a complete contractual sense,” he said.

So Reyes is apparently gone. This is devastating for Mets fans, who have watched as every one of the team’s homegrown stars have left for greener pastures over the decades. We all thought the exodus would end with Reyes and David Wright. Now we sit and wait until Wright is sent packing.

The really sad part about this is that the Mets will not put the money they would have paid Reyes into other areas of the team. The cash will got right into the Wilpons’s pockets. Look for a 2012 payroll close to $90 million.

Remember during the season Alderson said the 2012 payroll would likely be around $120 million? Then he later said anywhere from $100 million to $110 million? Then closer to $100 million? All lies.

The Mets were a fourth place team in 2011 that finished 77-85 with the National League batting champion leading off. What can we expect without him in 2012?