Mets, Brewers Carlos Gomez trade fell apart due to financial matters

Last night, the Brewers and Mets almost made a trade. A big trade. According to about a trillion reports, Carlos Gomez was headed to New York in exchange for pitcher Zack Wheeler and infielder Wilmer Flores.

A couple of hours later, the deal was dead. What happened? At first, there were rumors that the Brewers got Wheeler's medical report -- the right hander is in the middle of a recovery from Tommy John surgery -- and saw something they didn't like. Then it became the Mets being concerned because they saw an issue with Gomez's hip. Then the problem became Gomez's abductor muscle.

The actual reason? Apparently, it was more to do with financials than anything medical-related, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel.

According to Haudricourt, the Mets originally wanted the Brewers to take Juan Lagares with Zack Wheeler, a deal the Brewers balked at because they didn't want to take on the $20+ million Lagares was owed. Instead, then, Wilmer Flores was the second piece alongside Wheeler. The Mets wanted the Brewers recently-awarded Comp B draft pick, to which Milwaukee said no.

However, the Mets wanted the Brewers to cover part of Gomez's remaining contract.

In case you've forgotten, Carlos Gomez is making another, roughly, $3 million in 2015 and $9 million in 2016, a total of about $12 million for 1.4 seasons of Gomez. Carlos Gomez is a Gold Glove center fielder who can steal 30+ bases with 20+ homers in a given year and who has hit .279/.343/.477 since the start of the 2013 season.

The Mets play in the largest market in the United States, have been willing to give Curtis Granderson $16 million a year, have been willing to give Michael Cuddyer more than Gomez is earning, and made Wilmer Flores cry.

If Sandy Alderson and the New York Mets balked on a Carlos Gomez trade because they didn't want to pay Gomez $12 million, they deserve as much ridicule as can be thrown their way. The Mets are a big-budget team being run like they're in a small market. They can absolutely afford Gomez if they actually want him. The fact that they would call it off over a few million dollars is utterly atrocious.

The Mets apparently still say it's a medical issue that they're concerned with, but that only came up because the Brewers refused to throw in money or a draft pick. If it were solely about a medical issue, I would actually be able to understand: You're getting a player to carry the offense in hopes you make the playoffs, you don't want that player to suddenly get hurt and miss a bunch of time or play poorly through injury.

But for the Mets to care about what's an extremely reasonably contract for someone of Gomez's caliber? Completely stupid. The Mets won't get Gomez and he's still a Brewers player. This whole failed trade has been bonkers since the moment it was announced that there appeared to be a deal in place.

Only 28 hours until the trade deadline.