The big story of the past week is the New York Mets pursuit of free agent center fielder Michael Bourn. This comes as a surprise to everybody considering the fact that at the start of the offseason, Michael Bourn and the Mets together were only a pipe dream of fans with a chance of slim to none of ever happening. At this point in the offseason though, there's not only a chance Bourn ends up patrolling center in Citi Field, but the Mets are considered the front runners to make a deal.
This comes as no surprise, but the Mets are currently sporting one of the worst outfields in Major League Baseball. Other teams that were interested in Bourn, have already upgraded at the center field position. the Nationals made a trade for Denard Span, the Braves have united the Upton brothers, the Phillies traded for Ben Revere, and the Rangers who were expected to make a run at Bourn stated they are done for the offseason, leaving the Mets as the favorites to sign him along with the Mariners and Indians who have had interest, but have not seriously pursued him. Although Bourn won't instantly turn the Mets into contenders, keep in mind that they are only a year or two away from seriously competing and Bourn will be a great asset to build around. The 2014 free agent class also boasts some attractive outfielders that Sandy Alderson and company can go after to solidify the outfield. The top outfield free agent in 2014 should be Jacoby Ellsbury, yet his injury concerns are a bit troubling. Focusing on 2013, Bourn brings the ability to steal plenty of bases, something the Mets have a desperate need for. His defense, arguably tops in the NL, will play out well in cavernous Citi Field and should take some pressure off lumbering left fielder Lucas Duda and allow him to focus on hitting. The only thing holding the Mets back is the possibility they lose their 11th overall pick. The Mets would have had a protected top 10 pick, but the Pittsburgh Pirates failure to sign first rounder Mark Appel in last years draft puts them in the 9 overall spot, unfortunately pushing the Mets out of the top 10. The Mets will consult with the baseball union to rectify this and allow them to give up a 2nd round pick, not the first. Although this may seem like a lost cause because of the new CBA, Jim Bowden of ESPN stated that should the Mets sign Bourn, he believes the Mets along with the union will likely get the pick protected. Another issue is Bourns age. He's 30 years old and analysis over at Fangraphs shows that players that rely on their speed don't age particularly well, yet some of the players mentioned weren't playing everyday, I don't expect a serious decline for Bourn within the next 3 years. It may come with a few bumps in the road, but if a deal gets done Michael Bourn can be a serious asset for the New York Mets.
So far no signs point to the Michael Bourn saga of the offseason coming to an end anytime soon, as Sandy Alderson and Scott Boras continue to negotiate a possible deal for the fleet footed center fielder. It seems as though the Mets will reluctantly offer a 4 year deal, yet nowhere near the 5 year 75 million dollar deal Bourn was seeking at the start of the offseason. In conclusion, Michael Bourn brings a lot to the table and can only help the Mets as they continue to build a team with potential to compete for years to come. Mets fans can only hope for a compromise that nets them Bourn, but for now they'll have to wait patiently and see if Alderson can work his magic.
