John Ricco on Ben Zobrist: “We’ll Move On”

Mets Assistant GM John Ricco is speaking out Tuesday night after losing Ben Zobrist to the Cubs.

“It’s disappointing,” Ricco said, according to ESPN New York. “I’m going to be honest. He’s a guy we thought fit very well for us. So I will say that. But we’ve been through many situations where you have to adjust and adapt. That’s why you have a plan that has multiple options and don’t go all in on any one of them. I think we’ll be fine.”

Zobrist will reportedly sign a four-year, $56 million contract to play for his old Rays manager Joe Maddon in Chicago. Ricco would not say how much the Mets offered, only to say it was comparable. However, he does not think it was the final factor.

“I don’t think this was about money,” Ricco said. “It was about him finding a place that fit. I think he liked a lot about what we were. He has some history with the manager in Chicago. It’s a little closer to home for him. He made that decision, and we’ll move on.”

Indeed, Ricco said, “We’ll move on and we’ll be all right.”

It is not clear what the Mets will do now. Ricco said they can give the job to hit prospect Dilson Herrera, or they can consider resigning Daniel Murphy. Ricco said he has been in contact with Murphy’s people.

Whatever happens, it says here the Mets dodged a Michael Cuddyer-like bullet. Zobrist turns 35 in May, the age at which players historically start their declines. Do they really want to be committed to him for four years and major bucks?