Tag: Pete Alonso

Pete Alonso returning to the Mets gives New York a huge break after ‘exhausting’ negotiations

Breathe, Mets fans. Pete Alonso is back.

The New York Mets have spent a lot of money this offseason, which made re-signing first baseman Pete Alonso a bit of an uphill climb.

Well, Mets fans can take a deep sigh of relief. Alonso is officially back.

News broke on Wednesday night that the franchise had re-signed its beloved first baseman to a two-year contract worth $54 million, per the New York Post‘s Jon Heyman. There will be an opt-out after the first year, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

After New York owner Steve Cohen gave a brutally honest assessment of where the “exhausting” negotiations were with Alonso’s camp last month, things worked out in the end between the Mets and their franchise star.

As the MLB sure looks like the Los Angeles Dodgers and everyone else right now, the Mets re-signing Alonso ensures they’ll at least be in the title conversation in 2025. The contract exhaustion was well worth it.

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Mets’ Steve Cohen gives ‘brutally honest’ Pete Alonso update on the ‘exhausting’ negotiations

Steve Cohen isn’t ruling out an Alonso reunion, but he’s not budging, either.

Pete Alonso remains one of the biggest free agents remaining this winter and Saturday gave New York Mets fans an opportunity to voice their concern that the team let him hit the market at all.

That led to a refreshingly candid moment from chairman Steve Cohen over his desire to bring the first baseman back to Queens — up to a certain price.

Mets fans got some face time with the owner during a panel session at the team’s Amazin’ Day fanfest at Citi Field. During the session, fans began chanting “we want Pete”, leading Cohen to provide an update on where things stand.

We’ve made a significant offer to Pete. And what David [Stearns] said is correct, he’s entitled to go out and explore his market, and that’s what he’s doing. Personally, this has been an exhausting conversation and negotiation. Soto was tough, this is worse. A lot of it is, we made a significant offer. I don’t like the structures that are being presented back to us. I think it is highly asymmetric against us. I feel strongly about it.

“I will never say, no. There is always a possibility. The reality is, we’re moving forward. We continue to bring in players. As we continue to bring in players, the reality is, it becomes harder to fit Pete into a very expensive group of players we already have. That’s where we are.

“I’m being brutally honest. I don’t like the negotiations. I don’t like what’s been presented to us. Listen, maybe that changes. I’ll always stay flexible. If it stays this way, we may have to go forward with the existing players we have.”

Cohen said the disconnect between the Mets and Alonso is over contract structures that are “highly asymmetric against us” and that it’s getting harder and harder to justify fitting Alonso back on the roster as the team keeps building elsewhere.

Whether you agree with Cohen’s response or not, it’s always nice to see an owner forced to respond to fans. It’s also easy to believe Cohen when he says these talks have been tougher than the Juan Soto negotiations. There’s a years-long personal relationship with Alonso, who endeared himself to fans and delivered eyeballs when the team was in the dumps.

Of course, the subtext here is that Cohen was willing to spend more than the GDP of Sweden and get hit with a huge luxury tax to sign Soto while playing hardball with Alonso.

That can’t feel great for the Alonso camp to hear — even if deep down they already knew it.

Alonso has reportedly been in talks with the Toronto Blue Jays while the Mets are looking at internal options to replace the first baseman.

Why is Mets star Pete Alonso nicknamed Polar Bear? Here’s the answer.

The origin story of Polar Pete is actually hilarious.

New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso is one of the most important players on the team and he also has a fun nickname.

Alonso, who was selected by the Mets in the 2016 MLB Draft, currently has the third-most home runs in franchise history. The man behind New York’s playoff pumpkin recently crushed one of the most unforgettable homers of the postseason for the team.

But long before he was crushing dingers for New York, he was a prospect who had not yet made a name for himself. That is when he became known around the organization as Polar Bear.

According to Alonso, the nickname came from former Mets teammate Todd Frazier back in 2019 (via New York Post):

“In Spring Training, he said ‘You look like a big, damn polar bear.’ And then it just kind of stuck … So if any of you guys know Todd Frazier, he’s a loud mouth from Jersey. He tells it how it is. But I love that guy. He’s a great teammate. But he’s quite the character. He’s a clown. But definitely got it from him.”

Another former teammate, pitcher Noah Syndergaard, called him “Pete The Polar Bear” and other teammates once even brought a giant polar bear stuffed animal to the field.

The Mets have done a bobblehead for Alonso as a polar bear and some fans have dressed up as a polar bear to show their support.

So that is the story behind Polar Pete, who has ice in his veins.

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How to buy New York Mets 2024 NLCS tickets

The New York Mets are headed to the NLCS after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies and tickets are selling fast.

OMG, the New York Mets are headed to the National League Championship Series.

The Mets advanced from the Division Series on Wednesday, eliminating their, the Philadelphia Phillies, in four games.

While the Mets do not yet know their opponent, the team will open the series on the road no matter which California team moves onto the NLCS.

Tickets are already available for the Mets NLCS home games, which would be Game 3, Game 4 and potentially Game 5 if the series reaches that far.

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2024 NLCS schedule

Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 13 at LA Dodgers/SD Padres, time TBD

Game 2: Monday, Oct. 14 at LA Dodgers/SD Padres, time TBD

Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 16 at New York Mets, time TBD – BUY TICKETS

Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 17 at New York Mets, time TBD – BUY TICKETS

Game 5 (if necessary): Friday, Oct. 18 at New York Mets, time TBD – BUY TICKETS

Game 6 (if necessary): Sunday, Oct. 20 at LA Dodgers/SD Padres, time TBD

Game 7 (if necessary): Monday, Oct. 21 at LA Dodgers/SD Padres, time TBD

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NY Mets NLCS ticket prices

Home Game 1: From $297

Home Game 2: From $286

Home Game 3 (if necessary): From $273

Hypothetical Mets World Series tickets are also available. The tickets are conditional, so if the Mets’ playoff run continues, you’re in. If they do not win the pennant, you will receive a refund.

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Pete Alonso wills Mets into NLDS with go-ahead homer

Pete Alonso hit one of the most dramatic home runs in MLB Postseason history Thursday to extend the New York Mets’ season.

Game on the line. Down two runs. Staring down the barrel of elimination.

It’s the moment you simulate in your backyard as a little kid. The one you might get in a high school game or at a travel ball tournament, but it’s never happened before the big leagues.

On Thursday, New York Mets slugger [autotag]Pete Alonso[/autotag] crushed the first go-ahead home run while trailing in the ninth inning or later of a winner-take-all postseason game.

The former Gator looked shocked rounding the bases after giving the Mets a 4-3 lead. So was everyone else in the stadium, including Mets radio broadcaster Howie Rose — whose call might go down as legendary as the actual home run.

Alonso began the postseason in a 1-for-11 slump. With free agency looming, it looked like his Mets career was coming to an end in the most disappointing fashion.

Then, Milwaukee Brewers closer Devin Williams hung a 3-1 changeup.

Alonso didn’t miss it. He sent a line drive screeching toward right field, with an exit velocity of 105 mph and a launch angle of 22 degrees. For those who are not well-versed in the world of batted-ball metrics, those two numbers mean he squared it up as much as possible.

Line drives don’t always clear the fence, though. Brewers right fielder Sal Frelick got to the wall at the same time as the ball, but it was just out of reach. Pandemonium ensued.

It’s one of the greatest moments in MLB postseason history, and it gave New York fans at least three more games with the man nicknamed “The Polar Bear.”

Alonso and the Mets face the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday at 4:08 p.m.

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The Pete Alonso home run edited like it was in Moneyball will give you chills

How can you not be romantic about this Pete Alonso home run?

Pete Alonso crushed a home run in the ninth inning and it felt like a movie.

As the ball came off the bat of the New York Mets slugger, the intersection between sports and cinema blended into one. No matter whether or not you were emotionally invested in this game, it felt like time slowed down.

For baseball fans who also like to nerd out at the movie theater, some fans were able to provide the perfect edit for you. It is a highlight of the play but edited to feel like it was included in Moneyball (2011) from Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, including the lovely song “The Mighty Rio Grande” by This Will Destroy You.

First, we can take a look at a version that uses the radio call from Mets announcer Howie Rose:

Another fantastic edit does not use Rose’s voice but instead the national broadcast from ESPN.

While this one doesn’t have the local passion, it does include some of the other highlights from the ninth inning like Jesse Winker slamming his helmet after scoring another run and the double-play ball from Francisco Lindor.

This is beautiful no matter who you are, but it is especially beautiful if you’re a Mets fan who happened to love Moneyball.

Because how can you not be romantic about baseball?

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Mets played the Pete Alonso home run radio call from Howie Rose on the plane and everyone cheered

Rose gave a handshake to Alonso after this incredible moment.

The New York Mets had an improbable and remarkable comeback victory thanks to an amazin’ home run from slugger Pete Alonso.

Alonso, who immediately he crushed that thing over the fence, will help lead New York to the NLDS after securing a surprising but crucial postseason win over the Brewers.

The home run was outstanding but so was the radio call from longtime Mets radio broadcaster Howie Rose (perhaps the best of his entire career). It was so awesome, in fact, that the franchise decided to play it on the speakers of the team plane.

METS: The radio call of Pete Alonso’s go-ahead ninth inning HR is so awesome

Rose, understandably, seemed a bit uncomfortable to hear the sound of his own voice at first.

But emotions cooled as the entire team cheered for him, some even getting to their feet to give him a standing ovation.

The announcer saluted the players in the back for their hard work on the field, high-fiving staffers and giving a handshake to Alonso himself for the accomplishment.

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Was Devin Williams tipping his pitches before Pete Alonso home run? Jomboy breaks it down.

Maybe this explains why Pete Alonso hit that improbable home run.

Uh-oh.

Pete Alonso’s unreal ninth-inning home run off mostly unhittable Milwaukee Brewers closer Devin Williams was the most improbable thing. A home run from a slumping first baseman in a win-or-go-home game in the ninth, one to the opposite field off a pitcher who almost never gives them up? WHAT?

But maybe there was a reason for that. And for that, we have Jomboy to thank with a breakdown that shows that Williams might have been tipping his pitches on Thursday night.

You can see some subtle but noteworthy changes he makes as he comes set. And that means maybe Alonso knew what was coming.

Watch:

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The Mets’ radio call of Pete Alonso’s go-ahead ninth inning HR is so awesome

OMG!

OMG Pete Alonso!

On Thursday, the New York Mets stunned the Milwaukee Brewers in their winner-take-all Game 3 of the NL Wild Card. With the Mets down 2-0, Alonso smashed a go-ahead ninth inning home run to completely flip the script on the Brewers with their backs against the wall.

Alonso’s home run now means the Mets are headed to the NLDS to face the Philadelphia Phillies in a best-of-five series starting Saturday. The moment was already incredible if you were a Mets fan, but the voice of Howie Rose on New York’s own radio station captured the pure excitement of Alonso’s stunning blast.

Pete Alonso knew instantly that he hit the series-winning ninth inning home run for the Mets

ALONSO!!!

The New York Mets faced down elimination in Milwaukee on Thursday night, and first baseman Pete Alonso knew what his team needed at the top of the ninth inning.

Scoreless and down two runs to the Brewers, Alonso blasted a home run out of American Family Field with two runners on base to give the Mets a 3-2 lead late in the playoff contest. He knew it immediately after the hit.

As far as 2024 MLB playoff dramatics go, Alonso’s late-game heroics will go down in Mets legend. If you’re a Brewers fan, you might not want to watch this clip again after dropping the game, 4-2, right at the end.

Alonso’s three-run homer was a brutal swing for Milwaukee and a saving grace for New York.

Feature image courtesy of ESPN. 

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