CLEVELAND — At one point during his introductory press conference with the New York Mets on Monday, Francisco Lindor found himself needing to make a correction.
"It's really hard," Lindor answered when asked what he'll miss most about Cleveland. "Cleveland is home -- or was home."
Considering it had been just four days since the Cleveland Indians traded their franchise shortstop to the Mets, it was an understandable mistake. And in what marked his first public comments since the blockbuster deal, Lindor shared no shortage of gratitude for the city and franchise that he called home for the past six years.
"I will miss the people," Lindor said. "How they treated me, how they respected me. And I will miss my teammates. That's the downside of it.
"Cleveland is a great place, a great city. I love the fans and I love everybody in the organization."
Unsurprisingly, a large portion of Lindor's press conference on Monday was spent discussing the status of his contract. Entering the final year of his current deal, it is expected that the Mets will soon attempt to sign the 4-time All-Star to a long-term extension rather than risk losing him to free agency this time next year.
Such questions, of course, are nothing new for Lindor, whose future in Cleveland was speculated about for the better part of the past two years. In discussing his departure from the Indians, Lindor said that the two sides both made a strong effort to make an extension happen, but that his former team was ultimately unable to meet his asking price.
"For a long time, I thought the Indians could hold onto me," Lindor said. "They didn't come up with the number. I don't know. The resources, maybe they didn't have them. I'm excited. I'm in a good place, a place that's ready to go win."