Just Mets

After a breakout season in which Lucas Duda hit 30 home runs for the Mets in 2014, his agents and the Mets have explored the possibility of a long-term agreement between the two parties.

Duda told Joel Sherman of the New York Post talks are preliminary and, “still in the works,” but if nothing is finalized by Opening Day, Duda’s agent, Dan Horwits, said discussions would resume in the off-season.

It’s certainly encouraging to see the Mets interested in committing long-term to a player. They could conceivably buy Duda’s remaining arbitration years and first few years of free agency at a discount assuming Duda continues to produce the way he did last year. In an era where power is rare, the value in extending Duda could be even greater. Besides, they do need a solution at the position for the next three years at least while they wait to see what Dominic Smith becomes.

But, as Sherman points out in his column, it’s difficult to form any sort of outlook on Duda, given he’s 29 and only found himself last year. The risk is not so much in the dollars they’d be committing to Duda as much as it’s the years, considering the uncertainty.

It’s not that I don’t think the Mets should consider a commitment to Duda. Again, this is an encouraging development. However, if the Mets and Duda’s camp don’t agree within a week, it might not be such a bad thing. That way, both sides can see if Duda’s 2014 season was an aberration or a major growth year. And, if Duda improves upon his 2014 season, he would have that much more leverage in future negotiations despite entering his age-30 season 2016.

Duda, 29, will earn $4.2 million in 2015, his second year of arbitration eligibility. He is under team control through 2017, after which he can become a free agent. He hit .253 with a .349 OBP and .481 SLG with 30 home runs and 92 RBI in 596 plate appearances in 2014.