Francisco Lindor isn't going anywhere! That's right, Steve Cohen backed up a Brinks truck full of some serious cash for Lindor. Lindor signed in the wee hours of Wednesday night to bring his total deal with the Mets to 11 years and $363M.
BREAKING: Francisco Lindor and the Mets have a deal, per source. Ten years, $341 million.
Lindor's deal, unlike the Mets' previous $325 million offer, does include deferrals that reduce its real-world value.
It begins in 2022, meaning Lindor's previous contract still exists. Thus, the total value is $363.3 million over 11 seasons, bringing Lindor up to his 38th bday.
Lindor is a bonifide superstar. He's everything you want in a team's centerpiece. After signing a nine-figure contract, Mr. Smile's grin is stretching from the West to East river right about now. This is the type of player every franchise wants to build their team around.
Fortunately for the Mets, there's a damn good team in place around Lindor already. This core is ready to win now and for years to come. Uncle Stevie wasn't joking about his desire to win a World Series in the next 3-5 years.
Damn, does it feel good to be a Mets fan right about now. We knew Uncle Stevie buying the team symbolized the dawn of a new era. We just didn't know when exactly that would sink in. Well, it happened late last night. Like, minutes before the midnight deadline Lindor's camp set went into effect.
The trade for Lindor was nice. It gave us the first glimmer of hope. Signing Lindor to this kind of deal is a message to all of Major League Baseball: The Mets are a major market team again.
We are the NEW YORK Mets once more. This doesn't mean the Mets are going to blow away the rest of the league in payroll over time. It does mean they are going to be serious contenders to acquire the right pieces, and Lindor is one of them.
New Yorkers don't wait around for things to happen. We put our sights on something and go out and take it. That's what Uncle Stevie did with Lindor. That's the kind of attitude you want in a New York sports owner.
There hasn't been a pitch thrown yet this season, and there's already a swagger about this team. The culture has completely changed in Queens. The team genuinely likes each other. Like, I can't remember a team that appears to be having this much fun together in recent history. It's contagious watching that kind of team energy from afar. That helps bring the energy of the fans together, too. We feed off each other.
Let's not stop at Lindor. Take care of your nephew Michael Conforto next, Uncle Stevie.
Just like last couple holiday seasons, for a very limited time, we're offering in person pickup at our warehouse! This year each order of $20 or more is going to come with two free gifts.
We'll be spending Opening Weekend in Houston! Hopefully you'll be one of the 1,300 Mets fans kicking the season off with us in Texas! The Astros didn't have enough availability to fit us for Opening Day, so we locked up 1,300 tickets to game 2 of the season on March 29th.
Tim Reilly
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