Calling recent reports that extensions for David Wright and R.A. Dickey are less than likely, “”some misconception in the marketplace about what’s going on,” Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon told reporters Tuesday at a charity event that shopping either star isn’t the club’s intent. For now, anyway, as Newsday’s Marc Carig transcribes :
“(Signing both to extensions is) the first preference; that has been the first preference,” Wilpon said. “Second preference is probably keep them and have them play out the season. Third preference would be to trade them. They’re both very important to the franchise, they’re both fan favorites, so we’d like to keep it that way.”
Wilpon declined to elaborate on why he believes trades are the least desirable option.
“We’re dealing in hypothetical now,” he said. “So I don’t want to go there. In terms of right now, the process is ongoing, and we want to get something done.”
The Mets exercised options to pay Wright $16 million and Dickey $5 million. But both are free agents after 2013, and if the Mets hang on to them only to let them walk, they’d be left with only draft picks as compensation.