The Great Gonzalez Chase is starting to feel more like a hostage negotiation than a baseball deal.
And nobody knows whether Met GM Steve Phillips is going to end up looking like Ronald Reagan or Jimmy Carter circa January 1981.
Agent Jeff Moorad flew to Puerto Rico yesterday to rescue his client, Juan Gonzalez, from indecision.
It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that Gonzalez’ ultimate choice is small potatoes in light of current events, because three organizations -the Mets, Rangers and Orioles -were on pins and needles again yesterday afternoon.
A decision was supposed to be due last night, a source said -but where have you heard that before?
One Met official characterized Phillips’ dealings with Moorad as “ongoing negotiations,” indicating the two probably had talked sometime between Monday afternoon and yesterday afternoon. That’s a key distinction, since the Mets looked dead in the water at one point Monday.
Industry insiders insist the Mets have the best deal on the table -one that Gonzalez characterized last weekend as a two-year, $26 million offer that includes a $2 million buyout for 2004. Various reports that the deal was a take-it-or-leave-it offer with a deadline are untrue.
At any moment until Gonzalez makes up his mind, the Mets could sweeten their offer by adding or improving a signing bonus, rearranging the amount per year or vesting the third year of the contract.
That simply means Gonzalez, a 32-year-old, two-time MVP, would have the third year of the contract kick in after a certain number of games and/or plate appearances this season and next. One source thought a vested third year already was in place.
The Mets are prepared to hunker down and play this out until the end, whether Gonzalez’ final decision is bitter or sweet for them.
But they’ve been in the dark on this like most everyone else, even calling third parties to see if they’re still in it.
They are. Gonzalez was upset that various U.S. media reports have said he’s written off the Mets and would head to Texas if the money were close. The sweet-swinging outfielder told Puerto Rican reporters that a lack of state income tax in Texas would be a deal-breaker for the Mets.
Then he heard some stateside reports were alleging he was chickening out of playing in the Big Apple’s spotlight.
“I can play in New York -who says I can’t play in New York?” a ticked-off Gonzalez said Monday afternoon.
Baltimore reportedly is willing to guarantee a third year, something the Rangers and Mets had not done as of yesterday morning. The Orioles came in short with their initial two-year, $21 million offer.
Reportedly, much of their money is not guaranteed, but their offer has a slew of incentives, escalators and vested clauses that could turn Gonzalez into a very rich Oriole for as many as the next five seasons.
The Rangers seem to be the most logical choice to many, but more than half of their two-year, $23 million offer was deferred for as long as 10 years. They reportedly “modified” that deal, probably giving Gonzalez more money up front, but it still wasn’t enough as of yesterday morning.