Just Mets

Lucas Duda wants to remain a Met for a long time. Yesterday, it was reported by Joel Sherman of the New York Post that could very well happen, when it was revealed the Mets and the agents for Duda have had preliminary talks on a contract extension.

Duda is hopeful a new agreement can be reached this week, according to Matt Ehalt of the Bergen Record. However, if nothing is finalized by Opening Day, Duda’s agent, Dan Horwits, told Sherman discussions would resume in the off-season.

“I’d rather get it done before the season just so we can concentrate on the season and focus on winning,” Duda told Ehalt.

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.

As I wrote yesterday, I’m encouraged the Mets are engaging an internal player on retention talks. However, there really is no harm in waiting this out and seeing how well Duda performs in 2015, specifically against left-handed pitching (even though he’s shown encouraging signs towards solving those problems in camp this spring). On the other hand, it might be prudent for the Mets to lock up a power hitter at a potential discount, considering this is an era in the game starved of big home run power.

Of course, if Duda has a big year again in 2015 and contract negotiations are tabled until the winter, that would only give his agents a firmer leg to stand on in future negotiations.