Let me translate what Steve Cohen and David Stearns were saying this year in regards to Pete Alonso.

They knew a Scott Boras client hardly ever signs before allowing the free market to determine his value and certainly was not going to sign for where the Mets had him valued. So why go through the futile and fruitless exercise of public posturing?

I think the plan was for Cohen and Stearns to do nothing but throw public love letters at Alonso — we adore him, a true Met, want to keep him, etc. — while knowing Alonso would get to free agency. And then see if Alonso/Boras really can get above the current first-base market viewpoint. If Alonso can get to the top of the market, Cohen can top the offer if he wants. These are not the Wilpon Mets any more.

Now that we are just a few days away from this market opening, why not a pro/con on Alonso’s free agency to set it up: