Rebuilding the Mets in 5 moves this offseason

Mets offseason move #3: The Rod Tidwell

Does the name Rod Tidwell ring a bell? If, like me, you're a fan of sports and movies, it should. Cuba Gooding, Jr.'s character from Jerry Maguire lives on in large part due to four simple words:

Show me the money.

The Mets have locked up the core of their team for the foreseeable future. Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo, Edwin Diaz, and Jeff McNeil are all inked to multi-year deals. Francisco Alvarez doesn't hit arbitration until 2027. That leaves one indispensable player whose future in Flushing isn't guaranteed, and there's an argument to be made that he's the best of the bunch.

Pete Alonso needs to be extended yesterday. Though he's under contract for one more year, it would be a bad look to have him play out a lame duck season and then hit the open market, especially for an owner as deep-pocketed as Steve Cohen.

Alonso is arguably the best power hitter in the game, and he's been a Met his entire career. The Polar Bear and his lovable meathead persona are the heartbeat of the organization, no matter how many unnamed sources supposedly speak to WFAN to slander him in the shadows.

Even in a down year, Alonso is going to end the season with 40+ homers and 100+ RBIs. Do we have to get Tom Cruise involved? He should be able to help, but Steve Cohen needs to take care of this one on his own.

Tidwell has a word in the movie that sums up Alonso's situation perfectly: quan. "What's the quan?" Jerry Maguire asks him. "It means love, respect, and community, and the dollars too. The entire package," Tidwell replies. Alonso has done everything this organization could possibly ask of him. Give him his quan, and show him the money.