We've heard the stories, the rumors, and everything in between, and while they were sitting in for Evan & Tiki Wednesday, Shaun Morash and Tommy Lugauer tried to get to the bottom of why there are all of these trade rumors about Pete Alonso if he is NOT a toxic person in the clubhouse.
But first, Shaun had to defend his WFAN colleagues against those saying that the rumors (first reported on air by Sal Licata) emanated from the station alone.
"There is not a soul on this radio station that said, flat out, we know that Pete Alonso is a toxic person in the clubhouse," Morash said. "What has been speculated is that the Mets clubhouse itself has been toxic, and Alonso is part of that core of big names – but he's the only one with a year left on his deal, that COULD be moved change the feel inside that locker room."
Problem or not, Alonso is indeed the easiest piece to move if a shakeup is needed, as the rest of that core group – Nimmo, Lindor, and McNeil – is under longer-term contract.
"Of course, if I was a Mets fan, I wouldn't want to move Pete Alonso," Shaun said. "But, if there is a problem in the locker room, Pete Alonso could be right in any squabble that exists in that locker room – it doesn't make him the problem, it makes him the movable piece if there is a problem in the locker room. So, flat out asking Pete Alonso if he's toxic is not actually listening to what has been discussed as we try to follow the breadcrumbs here on WFAN on a daily basis."
That all said, if the Alonso trade rumors are about money, well…
"If Steve Cohen doesn't want to write him a blank check, I get it, but then you also can't be trading him," Morash said. "You need to play the Aaron Judge game that the Yankees did with their idiot GM – which turned out to be right – and they paid the most money."
"They're definitely playing games and it's now being played out publicly," Loogy replied. "This has now gotten ugly, and it's only going to get uglier, because I don't think that they're going to extend him or give him a big contract in the offseason. So, they're going to trade him, or this is going to be hanging over the team's head."
As a Mets fan, Tommy understands the whole situation there…but don't just dismiss the idea that the clubhouse has issues either way.
"This idea that there could be no shot that there are issues in a clubhouse is ridiculous," Loogy said. "I understand having an emotional reaction to it. I'm a Mets fan, it would bother me and I understand where it would bother you. But, this idea that you would just shush it off and say, yeah, no shot? You're just looking for a reason. Open your eyes a little bit – stuff like this happens all the time across all platforms of entertainment."
Take a listen above as Shaun and Tommy try to get to the bottom of it all!
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