NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Mets’ optimism is high they will be introducing Ben Zobrist as their new second baseman within a matter of days.
With it becoming more evident a three-year contract won’t close the deal, the Mets are prepared to offer the veteran switch hitter a fourth year, according to sources, much in the same manner they went the extra mile to land Curtis Granderson two years ago.
As of Monday, the Mets had not extended the four-year offer, but that invitation might come as soon as Tuesday, after Zobrist meets with Nationals officials in what could be the final sales pitch he receives before making a decision.
The Mets originally thought Zobrist would tour the Washington, DC, area, in much the same manner he visited New York last week, and that would entail him needing beyond these Winter Meetings, which conclude Thursday, to reach a decision. But Zobrist, who lives in the Nashville area, will meet with the Nationals at a nearby site, leaving the Mets hopeful a decision will come this week. The Giants are a third team that has shown strong interest in the 34-year-old utilityman.
“Our sense is that it’s not going to be too much longer,” assistant general manager John Ricco said after meeting with Zobrist’s representatives at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center.
It may only be a coincidence, but team COO Jeff Wilpon arrived at the Winter Meetings on Monday. In recent years, Wilpon has usually only attended these meetings when the Mets have a significant announcement to make — such as David Wright’s new contract in 2012 and Granderson’s signing a year later.
The Mets were reluctant to give Granderson a fourth year, but did so after realizing they likely weren’t going to get the veteran outfielder otherwise. That is where they stand with Zobrist, who may receive an offer from the Mets that trumps the $60 million Granderson got.
It doesn’t hurt the Mets’ chances that they are willing to make Zobrist their primary second baseman and would move him sparingly around the diamond.
“He mentioned to us at this stage, although he is versatile, it’s easier to have a place to play on a semi-regular basis and then move around from there as opposed to just completely,” Ricco said. “But we know what we have available and we certainly see him as a guy that can play second base for us and provide versatility as we talked about.”
Though Zobrist has spent his career playing in small markets — Tampa Bay, Oakland and Kansas City — the Mets are not concerned he will stumble on the New York stage.
“That is the point to some extent of the meeting we had last week,” Ricco said. “You want to get to know the guy and what he’s about. You spend a few minutes with him and I think those fears quickly go away.
“He’s a veteran player, really knows himself, knows what kind of player he is, he’s really self-confident and I don’t think he will have any problem at all. There was the small sample size of seeing how he performed in the postseason and how he has in the past gives you a little window into how he will perform on the big stage.”
One former teammate says Zobrist would thrive in New York.
“He’s the hardest-working dude I’ve been around, and that goes for something these days when you see how the game has changed,” said former Mets outfielder Cliff Floyd, who played with Zobrist on Tampa Bay’s pennant-winning team in 2008.
“I ain’t worried about him. He’s not one of those guys who is in the streets. He’s a devout Christian who wants to be at home. The pressure of playing in New York, he understands that — he just won [with Kansas City]. So regardless of playing in a small market, he knows what to do.”
Additional reporting by Ken Davidoff