What they're saying about Pete Alonso

After helping the New York Mets reach the National League Championship Series, Florida Gators great Pete Alonso is testing free agency this offseason. Alonso, a first baseman, batted .240 with 34 home runs and 88 runs batted in — not his best season by any stretch. But he did come up very big at times in the playoffs. What will Alonso do? What will the Mets do? With the start of spring training only a month away, the answers should come soon. Here’s what media outlets are saying about the player affectionately known as “Polar Bear.”

The Gators great had a big postseason … but not a great regular season

–Steve Adams, MLB Trade Rumors: “A three-year deal for the Mets — something in the Cody Bellinger mold — would make plenty of sense for both parties. New York would retain the NL home run leader dating back to Alonso’s big league debut and do so without needing to commit long-term to a 30-year-old first baseman who offers minimal defensive/baserunning value. Pairing Alonso and Juan Soto in the heart of the Mets’ order would be formidable. For Alonso, he’d secure multiple seasons at an annual rate presumably higher than anything available to him on a lengthier deal.”

–Bridget Hyland | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com: “Alonso always was expected to test the market this offseason. But he’s coming off of a season in which he batted .240 with a career-worst .788 OPS, including 34 home runs and 88 RBIs, and he’s not viewed as a good defender. Alonso will likely need to settle for a short-term contract with a high average annual value that includes opt-outs.

The Mets have the clearest hole at first base after their competition — the New York Yankees (Paul Goldschmidt), Houston Astros (Christian Walker), Arizona Diamondbacks (Josh Naylor) and Nationals (Nathaniel Lowe) ― have filled their needs at the position. Alonso has spent his entire career with the Mets since being drafted in 2016. Since then, he’s become the 2019 NL Rookie of the Year and a four-time All-Star selection. He ranks third in Mets history with 226 home runs, a mark (252) he could break this season if he re-signed.”

Could Pete Alonso end up back with the Mets?

–Ian Miller, Outback: “It had previously been rumored just a few weeks ago, in a now-deleted section of a post by Bob Nightengale, that Alonso was looking for a $200 million contract and long-term commitment. Now he’s apparently willing to take a short-term “prove it” type contract to sign with the Mets. How did it fall so far, so quickly?

There are several explanations, chief among them being that teams have learned not to value aging first basemen very highly. The bar for offense at first is so high, and the aging curve for most is so steep that many big money deals handed out to elite hitters often wind up as disastrous overpays within a few short years. 

Alonso also has several factors going against him as a player: his best season in 2019 was the juiced ball season, when 53 players, including names like Paul DeJong, hit more than 30 home runs. And while Alonso has consistently delivered above-average power, his atrocious defensive ratings weigh down his overall value. Last season, despite hitting 34 home runs, he was worth just 2.1 wins, per Fangraphs, and was just 14 runs above average as a hitter.”

-Ryan Canfield, Fox News: “Mets legend David Wright had some advice for free agent first baseman Pete Alonso, who has spent his entire career with the Mets. ‘It’s a different feeling when you’re drafted, developed and playing for the team that gave you your first opportunity,’ Wright said at a press conference Wednesday. ‘There’s a little more — maybe a lot more — pride when you put that jersey on every night. And I hope he remembers that and doesn’t lose sight of that. With that being said, I’ve never, ever faulted a player for maximizing his earning potential.'”