David Wright ain’t goin’ anywhere. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

The announcement came in the early morning hours of Friday, almost ashamedly, as if there was something to hide. But both sides knew once the light of day was upon them, all the world would see what they had done.The New York Mets announced Friday morning they had agreed to a contract extension with their franchise player, third baseman David Wright.

The seven-year, $122 million deal is the richest contract in Mets’ history, eclipsing the deal signed by starting pitcher Johan Santana. Somehow, the Mets were able to dig through the cushions of their debt-ravaged couches to come up with a contract that will pay Wright an average of $17.4 million through the 2020 season, when he will turn 37.

Two recent extensions signed by star third basemen appear to have helped set the market. Tampa’s Evan Longoria agreed Monday to a $136.6 million, 10-year contract with the Rays that adds six guaranteed seasons and $100 million to his previous deal. It includes a team option for 2023 that could make the agreement worth $144.6 million over 11 years. The Nationals’ Ryan Zimmerman signed a deal with Washington in February that guaranteed him $126 million for eight seasons, with a club option for 2020.

Wright would have been entering the final year of his previous deal, and there were brief nuggets of hope, thought or speculation that New York may not have the money available to sign their best player to a long-term extension. There was also hope, thought or speculation that the team might decide to test the trade market for Wright at some point this offseason, or at the trade deadline next July.

I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the Phillies have a black hole at third base.

Wright batted .306 with 21 homers and 93 RBIs last season, and is the club’s career leader in several major offensive categories including hits, RBIs, runs and walks. He is a homegrown star, drafted by New York with the 38th overall pick in the 2001 draft.

Honestly, even if the Mets had decided to gauge the market for their start third baseman, it’s highly unlikely the Phillies would have been suitors. New York probably would have been leery of trading him within the division, the prospects required to land him would have been astronomical, and the price tag to lock him to a long term contract incurs a lot of risk, mainly because of the length of the deal.

With young third baseman Cody Asche in the minor league system, the Phillies will likely look at stopgap measures for third base this offseason, such as Kevin Youkilis, or in-house options like Kevin Frandsen and Freddy Galvis, perhaps platooning with a left-handed hitting free agent like Eric Chavez.

The great news for Phillies fans is that they can continue to hate one of their most despised players in the National League. Perhaps that’s because Wright has hit .281/.349/.507 for an OPS of .857, with 27 HRs and 94 RBIs in his career against the Phils. The only team against which Wright has hit more homers is Atlanta, with 28.

Yeah, he’s been a real pain in the butt.

So, cross off another potential (albeit unlikely) third base solution for the Phils.

Trying to get excited for Kevin Youkilis, guys.

David Wright could be a casualty of the Mets’ financial disaster. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

If the Mets make David Wright available via the trade market, the Phillies ought to send Bernie Madoff a nice basket of muffins in prison.

Thanks to a series of Tweets on Sunday by Michael Salfino, a freelance journalist for the Wall Street Journal, speculation abounds that the Mets may be so broke, they don’t have enough money to sign David Wright or R.A. Dickey to contract extensions.

In those tweets (which have since been deleted) Salfino said…

The Mets have already made Dickey available and are actively fielding offers for the Cy Young candidate. Wright, meanwhile, has not been presented to the world as a potential trade candidate.

Yet.

Still, one wonders just how bad New York’s financial situation is, and whether it is so bad that they would be desperate enough to trade their lone marquee  player. Matthew Pouliot of HardballTalk.com says trading Wright would only hurt the Mets’ asking price in the event they are forced to sell the team.

I still wouldn’t buy the idea that a David Wright extension can’t happen because the Mets have no money. An extension wouldn’t up Wright’s 2013 salary, and having Wright in the fold would likely make the team more attractive to a buyer should the Wilpons be forced to sell.

And of course, after making those initial tweets, Salfino deleted them and replaced them with these.

I have no knowledge of the Mets financial situation other than hearsay.

— Michael Salfino (@MichaelSalfino) November 12, 2012

Again, I have no way to vet what I was told and no way of knowing if what I was told was true and this had NOTHING to do with the WSJ.

— Michael Salfino (@MichaelSalfino) November 12, 2012

So, this could all be a bunch of crap. But since when does that stop any of us from talking about it?

It’s no secret the Mets are short on cash and the organization is a financial mess. Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme saw to that.

If Wright is made available, the Phils would certainly be interested. However, there would still be at least a few major obstacles to a deal getting done.

First, it’s doubtful the Mets would trade Wright within the division. Second, there are likely other teams that have better trade chips than the Phils. Third, it would probably make this little girl extremely angry.

Wright had his best season since 2008, hitting .306/.391/.492 with 21 HRs and 93 RBIs with 15 SBs and 41 2Bs in cavernous Citi Field, posting a 6.7 WAR last year. He enters his 2013 season at 30 years old, and is set to make $16 million next year, the final year of his contract.

Signing Wright to a long-term deal would likely cost the Phillies at least seven years and $140-150 million. It’s not ridiculous to think the deal could be even higher, given the scarcity of talent at third base.

However, it would give the Phillies stability and premium production at the hot corner for at least the next 3-5 years, maybe more if Wright can stay healthy.

Trading for San Diego’s Chase Headley would be a more palatable option, if only because he’s a couple years younger than Wright, and would probably be less expensive in terms of a contract extension and prospects. But getting Wright would be a coup for Amaro, should the Mets decide to make him available.

Sadly, it’s probably not going to happen.

Still, New York’s financial situation bears watching, if for no other reason than to bask in the sheer ridiculousness of the Mets’ utter futility.

And who knows, maybe Wright becomes a casualty of it all.

See? Sometimes it pays to read the Wall Street Journal.

“I mean, I’d consider leaving if they signed fucking A-ROD or something, but, pffftt….” Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

The Mets are “focused on keeping David Wright,” according to the East Idaho News.  This could be a reiteration of their intentions from the past few months, or it could be that the news of the Mets wanting to keep David Wright has only recently reached East Idaho in the hands of a Pony Express rider weighed down by his satchel of potato peelers.

There’s not much more they can do to pledge their love to their third baseman, outside of flowers or leaving the heads of squirrels on his front doorstep.  But it’s the Mets; so it’s not as if any of this comes easy, even if it seems logical.

Of course, now that everybody’s got A-Rod on the brain, the Mets will be more than happy to consider the gutless assclown they’ve spent years despising as their high-paid All-Star/post season ghost.  It’s A-Rod!  I’m pretty sure he’s the deputy mayor of New York anyway.  Deputy Mayor of ladies.  Right?  Right?  Yeah.

He’s a bit sexier than the other free agent returns the Mets are considering.

Miami Marlins

The season well closed for the Marlins, it’s startling how well they’ve all assimilated to not playing baseball.

“@bobbyduncan: @lacymarie15 @frasier66 Argo” good movie?

— Justin Ruggiano (@justinruggiano) October 18, 2012

Get this, though–there’s a disgruntled, headline-making, high-priced, blockbuster All-Star free agent whose spinning the rumor mill, and a Miami sports franchise is interested!  Of course, according to the internet, everyone is, so making sure which o these stories is news and which is just fancifully spouted conjecture is everyone’s top priority.  Isn’t that right, Yankees GM Brian Cashman?

“I have had no discussions whatsoever with the (Miami) Marlins.  Certainly would never have any trade discussions under the circumstances. I certainly have not had any discussions with any GMs other than the pregame meetings with Dan Duquette with the Orioles, with the umpires and then with Dave Dombrowski (of the Tigers).”

–Brian Cashman

I see.  Well, I think if we… analyze these statements a bit, maybe switch some words around or purposefully misunderstand something, maybe that would leave the door open for–

“But I’ve had no trade discussions, so false. One hundred percent false.”

–Brian Cashman

…

Okay?  Okay.  Sorry.  I didn’t realize… you had more to… okay.

Well, if that explanation from Cashman was still enough for Jeffrey Loria to call A-Rod “Mr. Miami,” then I’m pretty sure the rest of us can look forward to penciling in another hour long ESPN special to see where a guy most people hate for being so rich and talented and also kind of an asshole will be playing.

Atlanta Braves

Saw a Tweet from guy who said if #Braves don’t get A-Rod, offseason a bust. Twitter officials now meeting to discuss shutting down Twitter.

— David O’Brien (@ajcbraves) October 18, 2012

Moving along!

Washington Nationals

“Dang it, ma!” Brad Mills-US PRESSWIRE

In a way, the Nationals are the most attractive team to talk about right now, because they’re the only ones in this division not picturing their lineup with A-Rod in it.

Don’t get me wrong, they’re still the most self-congratulatory fanbase out there, finding any way to twist the heartbreaking end of their season into an optimistic mission statement for the future, and thusly patting themselves on the back for being so classy and nice.  It doesn’t help that Adam LaRoche’s parents sent a letter to the Washington Post applauding Nats fans for not “going Atlanta” on the team after the final loss of the playoffs and hurling garbage onto the field.

But even that perfect Nats fanbase that came to games all season long, selling out Nationals Park in eternal support of their team, filling the seats, clogging the trains, and transforming what was once a vacant house at the end of the block into a thunderous vessel to the post season–where is the sarcasm font button–can’t decide how they want to play this one.

Do they stay here, and talk about how no World Series in 2012 was good enough for them?  Or do they start muttering about how anything less than a World Series in 2013 is unacceptable?  Because the most important thing, remember, is to not do anything that indicates you have negative emotions, ever.  Now that’s class.