MLB Rumors: Mets Must Sign David Wright to Long-Term Extension

The New York Mets continue to take a cautious approach when it comes to giving players long-term deals. After watching Jose Reyes depart for the Miami Marlins, however, the team can't afford to suffer a similar fate with All-Star third baseman David Wright.

Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reports the two sides haven't even begun to discuss an extension even though all that's left on Wright's contract after this season is a one-year team option. That means they are starting to play with fire.

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Wright’s current issue, a fractured pinkie suffered Monday when he dove into first base ahead of a pickoff attempt, was a result of bad luck, not age (with no significant developments Thursday, the Mets will decide Friday if Wright will play or head to the disabled list).

But add this problem to last year’s fractured back, and the side muscle strain that ruined his spring training, and the new regime has simply not seen Wright play enough to decide if he is still in his prime.

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First and foremost, injuries are a part of the game and unless a player has a significant history of missing time, which Wright doesn't, that shouldn't play a major factor in contract talks. Prior to last season, Wright had played at least 144 games in six straight seasons.

The most important thing will always be production. Even though Wright's power numbers have fluctuated over the past few years, he still finds a way to produce. Last season, which was the worst of his career, still equated to a WAR of nearly two.

Moving the fences in at Citi Field should help him provide more consistent power. The park probably served as more of a mental hurdle than anything else, so now that it plays more reasonably, Wright should thrive.

He's a career .300 hitter with both power and speed at a position that doesn't have much depth. At just 29 years old, the Mets can't let him walk away and expect to find somebody with the potential to provide similar production.

Instead of putting extra pressure on him by making it seem they are considering not locking him up, the Mets front office should by trying to work out a long-term deal right now. Giving him the security of a new deal will allow him to focus solely on baseball.

Dragging the process out doesn't help anybody. If the Mets want to become a contender in the competitive NL East, they can't afford to keep letting key pieces walk out the door. And there isn't a bigger piece right now that Wright.

The front office needs to give him the extension he deserves and turn its focus to building a contending roster around him. It's really that simple.