Mets need to sign Dickey to gain most value.

(Nashville, Tennessee)- The Winter Meetings don’t officially start until Monday, but with teams and media arriving on Sunday, The Gaylord at Opryland Hotel is already beginning to stir with rumors. RA Dickey, a Nashville resident, showed up at the hotel to follow up with Mets’ team trainer regarding his abdominal injury. Dickey’s presence allowed for some buzz with only a few writers on hand.

When asked by reporters, Dickey offered that there wasn’t any new progress regarding an extension with the Mets, but that “he is optimistic about how things are going.” With that brief update, along with the news that his injury is healing well, the Mets are in Nashville with options.

By now the story is well known. Dickey is coming off of a Cy Young Award season that saw him win 20 games, lead the league in innings pitched, complete games, shutouts, and strikeouts. At age 37, Dickey has mastered the knuckleball and compiled the greatest knuckleball season in Major League history.

All of that actually poses a problem for the Mets.

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