According to Kevin Kernan of the New York Post, Edgardo Alfonzo wants one more shot to end his career with the Mets. "My dream is to retire with the Mets colors," Alfonzo said. "That's my dream. That's what I'm praying for, maybe it will happen, maybe not, but dreams sometimes come true, you know.
Alfonzo is a beloved Met, having spent eight seasons with the club, including their World Series run in 2000. Now 36 years old, he hasn't played in the majors since 2006 as a member of the Blue Jays. Since then, he's had quite the road map, making stops with the Long Island Ducks, the Mexican League, the Venezuelan winter league and most recently this season, as a member of the Yomiuri Giants in Japan. Alfonzo has a .284/.357/.425 line and 1532 career hits in the majors, but hasn't had more than 87 at-bats in a season since 2005.
"I'm prepared for anything," Alfonzo said earlier this week. "Baseball is the one thing in my life that I know how to do. I don't expect to play every day, but I feel I can help anytime. I can say many things with my mouth, but I have to prove it."
That Alfonzo wants another shot is fine. Heck, I'll root for the guy. Bring him to Port St. Lucie and see what he can do. The Mets owe him that much. However, Kernan doesn't just give credence to the idea of a comeback, he outright endorses it, writing that Alfonzo could "offer some guidance and wisdom to a team that lacked baseball common sense" and that "he could toss some helpful advice David Wright's way."
What? That he shouldn't sign with the Giants? Listen, I'm often guilty of using my heart instead of my head, that's what fans do, but the notion that he can flip some sort of switch on this team is patently ridiculous.
While I agree that "the notion that he can flip some sort of switch on this team is patently ridiculous", he probably can't hurt this trainwreck of a team and may be able to show them a few things about things like work ethic and keeping one's mouth closed when there's nothing constructive to be said.
However, the team doesn't owe him anything. He left on his own terms and can't expect a free ride. IMO he was one of those guys who was severely overrated even in his prime due to where he played, and he's long since in his prime.
"My dream is to retire with the Mets colors"
Wow. Aim high, I guess...
"Owe" is probably the wrong word, but as a beloved player in team history, they should invite him in, let him wear the uniform, let him announce his retirement formally and keep him on as some sort of instructor in the organization. With the hires of Tuefel and Backman, it seems like the Mets are finally starting to "get it" when it comes to their history.
Which, I suppose, means he's exactly what the Gints are usually signing: has-beens.
Alfonzo spent all but six weeks last season in the Yomiuri Giants' minor league system.
http://japanesebaseball.com/players/player.jsp?PlayerID=2497
He was pretty in limited playing time with the Giants.
http://bis.npb.or.jp/eng/players/23325118.html
He has almost no chance of being a useful player on a major league team next season. However, the cost of an NRI is minimal, so why not give him one?
*Pretty lousy. Or pretty bad. Or pretty awful.