The Mets have interest in free-agent OF Michael Bourn, but would have to surrender their first round draft pick to sign him.
However, because the Pirates moved ahead of the Mets to No. 9 in the draft ' after failing to sign their top pick last year - the Mets are lobbying MLB to get their No. 11 overall pick protected (a right reserved for the top 10 picks). This would instead allow the Mets to give up a second-round draft choice in exchange for Bourn, according to the following reports.
3:45 am: Bourn is realistic possibility for the Mets, a major league source said (Puma, New York Post).
2:49 am: The Mets are seriously considering whether to sign Bourn, who has been seeking a five-year deal. The Mets have $15 million to spend, despite reports to the contrary. (Heyman, CBS Sports).
2:00 am: The Mets could squeeze in a multi-year deal despite budget constraints, a person with knowledge of the team's thinking said (Carig, Newsday).
Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com:
MLB insiders I've talked with all seem to think the Braves, Mariners and Rangers are most likely to end up with Bourn, with one of these teams also maybe acquiring Justin Upton from the D-Backs. I'm sure the Mets are interested in Bourn, at least to the extent that they'd petition the league about their draft pick. But, with more than one team in the mix, I don't see how he doesn't get something close to the five-year deal he is seeking. And, money aside, I don't see any evidence that Sandy Alderson is interested in giving out such a long-term deal to a player who relies on his legs and is 30 years old. It's inconsistent with what he's been saying the last few years. So, I'm skeptical, to say the least. As I've said before, the Mets have more money to spend than people think, which Heyman reported above as well. However, unless Alderson has changed his stance on second-generation contracts, I'm not sure why money matters.
Jan. 22: There is zero chance the Mets meet Bourn's asking price, considering his agent is Scott Boras, said one person familiar with the situation (Rosenthal, FoxSports).
Jan. 22: The Mets have real interest in Bourn, and are petitioning MLB to view their top pick as protected. (Harper, Daily News).
Jan 20: If Bourn's asking price comes down, the Mets might consider signing him (Cafardo, Boston Globe).
Jan. 8: The Mets are not interested in surrendering their first round pick, Sandy Alderson said (McCullough, Star Ledger).
Statistics, information and analysis on Bourn...
Stats: In 155 games with the Braves last year, Bourn hit .274 with a .348 OBP and .739 OPS, 9 HR and 57 RBI with 42 stolen bases in 55 attempts.
Contract: Bourn signed a one-year, $6.8 million deal with the Braves to avoid arbitration before the 2012 season.
Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com:
I still expect Bourn to either go back to the Braves or sign with the Rangers, but time will tell' He had a career year in 2012, so I'd be leery on overpaying and overcommitting to a guy who is 30 and relies so much on his legs. I like him, but not at the cost of Sandy Alderson's first-round pick, nor in return for a long-term deal. Also, when Alderson decides one day to spend big bucks on a free agent, be it this winter or next, he needs to pay for power not speed. The Mets need outfielders today, but they don't need the wrong outfielder.
Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:
Ideally, yes, Bourn is a fit and he would give the Mets outfield some instant credibility. He does strike out a lot, but he's become an excellent top of the order catalyst as an outstanding base stealer with triples-speed. The Mets don't have much of that, and it's something they have desperately needed since Jose Reyes and Angel Pagan. That said, Bourn depends on his legs to be successful, and he's 30 years old looking for a five-year deal.
