Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Pete Alonso’s free-agent storm has been imperfect.
He has been in the wrong place at the wrong time to maximize his value.
He went into the marketplace off of his worst season. As he was just about to turn 30. With a qualifying offer — and thus draft pick compensation — attached to him. With many teams using the uncertainty around local TV dollars as a reason to be frugal, which narrowed potential suitor candidates. With David Stearns and his philosophies stressing (among other items) defense and youth firmly in control of the Mets baseball operations. With Steve Cohen already having endorsed a few mega-payrolls and now wanting to be more restrained. With the Mets having signed Juan Soto to juice the offense while having the chess piece of Mark Vientos — coming off a breakout year — capable of moving across the diamond to first base.
All of that was going to harm Alonso’s marketability, but perhaps the biggest piece is that there is no time in the half century of free agency worse to be a single-dimensional corner player, particularly a first baseman, seeking a significant payday than now.