The Mets Should NEVER Trade Pete Alonso

It’s the Tom Seaver Situation All Over Again

Back in 1977 the New York Mets were run by a stockbroker, the infamous M. Donald Grant, the board chairman and part team owner. A stubborn, old skinflint, Grant continuously refused to spend any money on free agents in 1976. When then-future Hall of Famer, the late Tom Seaver requested a contract re-negotiation, Grant refused, calling Seaver an ingrate and leading local sportswriter Dick Young to write several articles berating Seaver until Young brought Seaver’s wife Nancy into it. Seaver then demanded a trade and on June 15, 1977, in what became  known as “The Midnight Massacre,” Seaver was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for far below equal value. (Dave Kingman, their best slugger, was traded to San Diego for a similar low-end return.

Fast-forward to 2024 and it looks like it’s happening again although without the hostility and cheap ownership. Like Tom Seaver was as a pitcher, Pete Alonso is the best slugger in franchise history, has hit more home runs than anybody in baseball over his first five seasons, is a well-liked leader in the Mets’ clubhouse, a goldmine when it comes to community relations and has publicly stated that he wants to be a Met for his entire career.

So what’s the problem? Last year the Mets multi-billionaire owner Steve Cohen spent money to the tune of a record $350 million payroll (more or less, depending on what publication you read), delighting Met fans all over who were sick and tired of the Wilpon regime, which, ironically, resembled the Grant regime in their refusal to spend to keep the team a winner.

The 2023 Mets were a colossal failure and that appears to have shifted management’s direction completely away from spending in favor of several bright prospects, which, in and of itself, isn’t wrong at all. But the real concern is that Pete Alonso is due to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2024 season and management doesn’t appear to be in any hurry to lock up Alonso for the rest if his career. There’s still plenty of time at this point to get a deal done.

Now here’s the part that’s eerily similar to the Tom Seaver situation. It started when two media types interjected their "opinions." Bob Nightengale of USA Today and Sal Licata of WFAN New York, in their endless effort in trying to make a name for themselves by being loud, negative and controversial (An infuriating method sports media types tend do to make up for their lack of ability in their field) by saying Pete Alonso was a “toxic” presence in the clubhouse with Nightengale adding unsubstantiated trade rumors. What’s worse, many sports media outlets jumped on the bandwagon because they want the notoriety of causing more worry among Mets fans as well as jockeying for the position of being the first responders in case a trade actually does happen   

Whether there’s fire where smoke is or not, the Mets shouldn’t even begin considering trading Alonso because, like Tom Seaver was, Pete Alonso is wildly popular in New York and respected all around baseball. 

The Mets better not make the same stupid mistake that M. Donald Grant did 47 years ago or else they’ll be facing a public relations catastrophe that even Steve Cohen can't afford.

Sign Alonso A.S.A.P.!