Let's not get panicky.

"Fill in any figure you want for that boy . Whatever the figure, it's a deal."
-Branch Rickey, regarding Mickey Mantle

I'm currently on the bandwagon that the Mets should not consider signing Alex Rodriguez under any circumstances. However, I cannot seem to verbalize my intuition. I intend to do so here.

I see two reasons why no one's leaping at the chance to sign A-Rod.

1) The money.
2) The baggage.

It seems each team considering a go at Rodriguez's services find issues with the former (Angels, Cubs, Marlins, Giants) or the latter (Mets, Yankees, Boston, Dodgers). Yes, crazy reports about his asking price float all over the place -- but we probably won't know the true numbers for quite a while.

Now, for the sake of argument here, we'll presume A-Rod gets his raise from $25 mil per, and let's ballpark his final deal for 10 years, $300 mil. I'll also presume the deal is loaded in the back end, and doesn't include another opt out clause.

This shouldn't affect the Mets too much - they've got NYC as a fan base, a regional sports network, and a competitive team. Pedro & Delgado come off the books next year, and God knows there'll be more money from all the luxury boxes at Citifield. There'll be revenue from his merchandise as a marquee attraction...

Oh, just read the Boras booklet for why the money will work out for the Mets. This is where some fans stop reading and say, "I can have 50 HRs, 150 RBIs for all that? Whatever. Just gimme."

So, that means the remaining issue involves the baggage. And here's where it gets tricky:

- Yes, we're all well versed on A-Rod's prowess at the plate. We're also aware of his futility in the playoffs. Sure, his years as a Yankee in the playoffs might be an abberation. OR, it could be the superstar has thin skin and weak knees when the world's watching. Remember - in his playoff days in Seattle, he played second fiddle to Griffey until 2000. As a Yank, he was the whole f'n show. Don't give me Jeter - A-Rod came to NY to be the man for the Yanks in the playoffs. To get them over the proverbial "hump." He's currently 0-for-his Yankee tenure.

- A-Rod first go-round didn't go over well in NY. Here's a taste:
I know I could go on, and I know I can find positive ones as well. Thing is - he pissed off the NY media. They won't just embrace him - and A-Rod's demonstrated he needs to be embraced once in awhile.

- The move means shifting David Wright to 2B and/or perhaps 1B (after Delgado's departure). The Mets established Wright as a big part of the team's cornerstone for years to come, along with Reyes and Beltran. Shifting him not for defensive purposes but solely to accomodate A-Rod sends a message about who's running the show. I know Wright's saying the right things and all for taking one for the team - but if he plays with an ounce of pride, then he wants to stay at 3B.

- The Mets don't need a third baseman. They need pitching and a second baseman. This is where the shifting Wright situation gets stickier. There's always a concern that Wright doesn't work out at 2B. Remember how well Reyes worked there? Or Mike Piazza at 1B? Or Todd Hundley in the OF? It's not automatic. It might not take. So the Mets could be stuck with an albatross defensively at 2B. And I imagine dedicating all that money would take the Mets out of the running for...

- ...Johan Santana. I want to shoot down this one right now. The Mets trade David Wright to Minnesota straight up for Santana. So now - the Mets have traded their team cornerstone for Johan, just to accomodate A-Rod. Because that's the only way Wright gets traded. The Mets now reinvent themselves with A-Rod as their centerpiece. And if the Twins don't trade Santana, the Mets probably will get outbid next winter (probably by the Yankees and their A-Rod free as well as Damon/Giambi/Mussina free payroll).

Still think A-Rod does more good than harm? I'm not sure - and I'll have more on this soon.