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It's very early in the process, but the New York Mets appear to at least be exploring the possibility of signing free agent outfielder Shin-Soo Choo. Mike Puma of the New York Post reports that the Mets have contacted Scott Boras, Choo's agent, and expressed interest in the outfielder but haven't discussed numbers yet.
Choo is one of the most productive offensive free agents available and is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. The 31-year-old hit .285/.423/.462, putting 21 balls over the fence and swiping 20 bases. For our sabermetrically inclined, he also walked a drool-worthy 112 times and led the league in hit-by-pitches with 26.
Choo would fill a void in the Amazin' outfield and is capable of delivering sturdy offense from the leadoff spot, where the Mets had a combined .293 on-base percentage in 2013. Choo spent the vast majority of his time with Cincinnati in center field, and defensive metrics rate him well below average there. With Juan Lagares proving himself as a spectacular defensive center fielder, it's likely that the Mets would consider moving Choo to an outfield corner if they were to sign him.
While it's fun to speculate on how Choo would fit into a Mets lineup, there is reality to consider: Boras is looking for a long-term deal and thinks $100 million is too low for Choo. The Mets haven't shown signs that they'd be willing to shell out that kind of money for a free agent this offseason, so it remains to be seen just how serious these talks with Boras truly are.