Alex Rodriguez Reached Out to Astros' Jim Crane for Advice amid Mets Bid

Houston Astros owner Jim Crane says Alex Rodriguez reached out to him for advice on purchasing the New York Mets.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Crane said he told A-Rod:

"We looked at so many teams before buying this one, I told him I had a lot of information. I told him you've got to be willing to understand and know what you're doing. But that could be a good investment. It's a great market. There's a lot of upside. If you turn that team around, you could do as well as the Yankees, in my opinion."

Rodriguez and his fiancee, actor and singer Jennifer Lopez, head one of the groups that have submitted offers to buy the Mets from the Wilpon family.

Their group is one of four suitors reportedly in the running to buy the Mets. The others are Steve Cohen, who backed out of an agreement to buy the team earlier this year; the tandem of Josh Harris and David Blitzer, who own the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils; and a mystery bidder.

The best thing for baseball might be for Rodriguez to win the bidding since he is one of the greatest players of all time and is deeply rooted in New York after spending 13 years with the Yankees.

He owns a career batting average of .295 with 696 home runs, 2,086 RBI and 3,115 hits in addition to winning three American League MVP awards and one World Series.

However, A-Rod also admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs and was once among the most hated people in the sport. He has worked to rehabilitate his image since retiring after the 2016 season.

Rodriguez has become a somewhat endearing figure as a broadcaster, and he would help make the Mets front-page news in New York despite the fact that the Yankees are arguably the best team in baseball.

Crane's Astros lost over 100 games in his first two seasons as the owner before turning things around and becoming a juggernaut. They have reached the playoffs in four of the past five years and won the 2017 World Series.

He has also dealt with controversy much like A-Rod, as the Astros were punished in January for illegally stealing signs in 2017 and 2018. MLB suspended manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow for the 2020 season, and Crane subsequently fired them both.

The Mets haven't been to the playoffs since 2016, but they have an impressive collection of talent in place, and with Rodriguez as an owner, perhaps the team would be even more attractive for free agents.