The New York Mets are asking for a lot in return if they were to trade R.A. Dickey.  For that reason, it may be more likely that the team extends his contract.  No matter what they do, they cannot let him pitch in 2013 without a new contract or a new team.  That just wouldn't make sense.  With that in mind, the Mets have increased their offer to Dickey.

According to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News, the Mets are now offering Dickey a two-year, $20 million contract extension.  Considering they would be signing a reigning Cy Young winner for $10 million a season, the deal seems like a bargain.  Dickey understands that and is asking for $26 million over two years.


The problem the Mets are facing is that they are asking for a lot on the trade market for Dickey, but they are not willing to back those demands up with a contract extension.  Buster Olney of ESPN had some insight via Twitter:

NYM asked for difference-making prospects in Dickey trade talks.So shouldn't they be open to paying him like a difference-maker?
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 11, 2012

Kuroda making $15m a year now. Pettitte $12m. Joe Blanton $7.5m. Haren $13m. Greinke $24.5m. So Dickey asking for $13m seems totally fair.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 11, 2012

Buster's point does not seem (at least to me) to be that Dickey is necessarily worth difference-making money.  His point is that based on the current market, Dickey has every right to ask for - and probably receive - $13 million per season.  The Mets, on the flip side, cannot ask for difference-making prospects in return for a deal on Dickey if they are not willing to pay Dickey the money that would prove he is a difference-making player.

Dickey went 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA in 2012.  He led the National League in strikeouts with 230.  He was dominant, and his dominance came while entertaining fans with his knuckleball.  It's not likely that Dickey duplicates his 2012 season, but the Mets either need to roll the dice on an extension and the chance that Dickey does shine again, trade him, or let him pitch in 2013 and walk via free agency.
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