The powerful agent is saying he has attractive offers elsewhere for Michael Bourn. The Mets are essentially challenging him to prove those offers exist by remaining relatively inflexible in what they are willing to spend on the fleet center fielder.
Bourn does not have an obvious place to sit now after the Phillies and Braves, in particular, solved their center field needs.
Rangers GM Jon Daniels said publicly again yesterday he does not imagine another high-profile move prior to spring training.
ESPN’s Buster Olney reported the Indians could be interested in Bourn if his price drops “a lot.”
So where does that leave the Mets?
The Mets have discussed a three-year deal for Bourn and hinted at willingness to go to a fourth season and once again dare Boras to prove he has someplace else to go. The Mets might be biding against themselves here and may have the largest offer on the table.. It is up to Boras to prove..
The Mets also have let it be known they will only sign Bourn if they know for certain they would not lose the 11th overall pick in June’s draft. Currently, only teams with one of the top-10 picks have those protected should they sign a tendered free agent, such as Bourn.
But the Mets and the Boras Camp believe they have a winning argument should the case go to an arbitrator, mainly built around the spirit of the rule, which they believe is to protect the teams with the 10-worst records. The Mets had the 10th-worst record last year.
However, according to Sherman. the Mets do not want to win an arbitration before they have an agreement with Bourn because if the draft impediment is removed, there likely will be intensified pressure from fans to get a contract done, which would give Boras leverage — at a time when the Mets are playing chicken that Boras has little leverage.
With pitchers and catchers now less than a week away, we wait to see if Boras has another suitor with bigger pockets or he has to take a deal with the Mets, because it's the only deal in town.
