Report: David Wright Will Likely Be Named Mets' Captain Before Opening Day
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- David Wright has long been the heartbeat and leader of the New York Mets, although that distinction has never been made official.
That could change in the coming days.
The superstar third baseman will likely be named the fourth captain in franchise history before the season begins on April 1, according to the New York Daily News.
One source told the Daily News' Andy Martino that the six-time All-Star would want to discuss the matter with his teammates before accepting the designation.
Another friend and teammate of Wright's told the newspaper that the process might be delayed due to his current injury, a moderate strain on the left side of his rib cage. The 30-year-old is in danger of missing Opening Day at Citi Field.
"There is a chance he might not want to make it official until he's healthy," the teammate told Martino.
The two-time Gold Glove Award winner was the star of Team USA in the World Baseball Classic before having to pull out of the tournament this past Friday. Wright batted .438 with 10 RBIs in four games, earning the nickname "Captain America" in the process.
During the Omar Minaya era in Flushing, Wright was one of many superstars on the Mets. But New York has been rebuilding since Sandy Alderson took over as the general manager after the 2010 season, and Wright has become a mentor to the younger players in the clubhouse.
"He may not hold team meetings, but he does a lot of one-on-one stuff," manager Terry Collins said of Wright in February.
Wright, who debuted with the club in 2004, signed an eight-year, $138 million contract extension in the offseason, essentially assuring his Met-for-life status.
Last month, Collins said that he would bring up the idea of naming Wright the club's captain to both chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon and Alderson.
"I've never had that before, so I'm not really sure what the process is," Collins said at the time. "I have an idea in my head of how to approach it as we move forward, and I'll start that process. But it's something I need to discuss with Jeff and Sandy first."
Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter and John Franco were the only other captains in the franchise's 51-year history.
Does it go without saying that Wright deserves this honor? Sound off with your thoughts and comments below...
