Francisco Lindor's extension negotiations may be brushing up on Opening Day, but optimism remains strong within the organization that the two sides can complete a deal.
The latest evidence surfaced Saturday in Florida, according to Mets manager Luis Rojas and others, who confirmed that owner Steve Cohen spent a night dining with Lindor. Cohen hinted at the meal on Twitter, replying to a question by quipping: ¡°The ravioli wasn¡¯t very good.¡± He later told another fan that Lindor ordered chicken parmesan.
In that manner, Cohen has become playful in recent days regarding Lindor¡¯s contract negotiations. He also jokingly crowdsourced extension terms, asking fans what they thought the Mets should offer Lindor. Most responses came in well over $300 million, which many industry sources have long considered the floor for a Lindor extension.
Lindor¡¯s price certainly has not fallen this spring, which has seen the switch-hitter bat .365/.431/.615 in 16 games. The Mets acquired him in a six-player deal with the Indians on Jan. 7.
¡°He¡¯s been a great asset so far,¡± Rojas said. ¡°So we can¡¯t wait to watch him in the season performing to help us win games, like we expect.¡±
While sources stopped short of calling the dinner a key negotiation session, meals of this nature do often precipitate agreements. Days before signing a $60 million free-agent deal with the Mets in 2013, Curtis Granderson said he joined then-general manager Sandy Alderson for a meal of ¡°yummy salmon.¡± Two years ago, during a marathon negotiating session with Jacob deGrom at a Florida airport, former GM Brodie Van Wagenen broke away from talks to purchase taquitos and mini tacos for the group from a nearby 7-Eleven.
For Lindor, it was chicken parm on a slightly looser deadline. Earlier this spring, Lindor was adamant in saying he will not negotiate past Opening Day. That gives the Mets three days with which to complete an extension.
¡°I will not be negotiating during the season. I will go to free agency if something carries on during the season,¡± Lindor said. ¡°It¡¯s not fair for me, it¡¯s not fair for the team. I¡¯ve got to give everything I¡¯ve got into winning baseball games. So if it doesn't happen in Spring Training, I¡¯ll go to free agency and we¡¯ll talk in November.¡±
Deadline aside, Lindor has been open in saying that he's willing to sign an extension. Early this spring, he noted that he wanted to ¡°get to know¡± the organization before potentially committing the next decade of his career to it. Midway through camp, shortly after negotiations began, Lindor seemed satisfied in that arena.
¡°I¡¯m very comfortable,¡± he said. ¡°I like the guys here. I like the coaching staff, trainers, athletic trainers -- everybody¡¯s on the right path. We¡¯re all trying to win. We¡¯re all trying to get better. So yeah, I¡¯m liking the organization. I¡¯m feeling more comfortable as we go through every day. It¡¯s a good workplace. I¡¯m happy right now, so we¡¯ll see what happens. I¡¯m blessed once again to be surrounded by a great group of guys.¡±
The Mets have also been negotiating a potential extension with Michael Conforto, but the outfielder has not set as hard of an Opening Day deadline as Lindor. It¡¯s possible the Mets could complete deals with both players in the coming days, though team officials have expressed a desire to complete Lindor¡¯s negotiations before turning more seriously to Conforto.