Leave the Mets Alone
Enough is enough.
On September 9th, the Mets announced Sandy Alderson will be stepping down from baseball operations, and resuming his role as team president.
On October 4th, a little over 2 weeks ago, the Mets announced they were parting ways with manager Luis Rojas.
On October 6th, the Mets mutually agreed with Theo Epstein to not move forward with the process of hiring him to fill the vacancy of baseball operations.
On October 18th, Athletics GM withdrew his name from consideration for the position, and the Milwaukee Brewers denied permission to allow their President, David Stearns, to speak with the Mets.
Minutes later, Buster Olney, tweeted this, “The Mets have known for months that they would need someone at the head of baseball ops and for at least six weeks or so that they would need a manager. Now it's the third week of October and they still aren't close to filling those spots.”
Now, I know it’s in vogue to bully the Mets. It always has been. With the cross-town Yankees building a dynasty, growing prospects and even having won a ring in nearly every Yankee fan’s lifetime, the Mets have always been the forgotten step-child in New York. And it has allowed the media to run with it and bully the Mets. When the problematic news of former manager MickeyCallaway hit, ESPN reported it as “Report: Ex-New York Mets manager Mickey Callaway accused of sexual misconduct”, despite him not holding that position in over 2 years, and despite Callaway being a pitching coach for the Los Angeles Angels at the time. These examples run rampant.
In Cohen We Trust. Cohen creates a passionate ownership style that is so elusive in sports, and fans love to interact with him on Twitter and at Citi Field. Credit: Anthony Behar
As soon as Steve Cohen took ownership of the Mets, the writers suddenly forgot how inept the Wilpons were when running the Mets, and suddenly, it all became Cohen’s problem to solve. The Mets needed to do something, they needed to trade for Lindor, then they needed to sign Lindor, then, they overpaid for Lindor.
And now, there is Olney’s tweet. Let’s digest it. First, per MLB rules, interviews may only begin once the prospective employee’s season is over. So, with the Milwaukee Brewers only being eliminated last Tuesday, the earliest they could ask David Stearns for an interview was October 13th. Theo Epstein was readily available, having worked in the MLB commissioner’s office, but reports are that Epstein has nothing against the Mets, rather, he wants to begin a franchise from the ground up.
And then, there’s the Billy Beane love story. This was a marriage many hoped would work, as Beane notoriously was a first-round draft pick by the Mets in 1980, and never came to prominence despite athletic prowess. But then, he, along with Epstein and others, rebuilt the concept of baseball, most famously seen in the book turned movie, Moneyball. Unfortunately for the Mets, Beane withdrew his name from consideration and was under contract with the Athletics until the end of the 2022 season anyway.
Apparently, these three understandable situations equate to the Mets being an undesirable employer.
Humor me here.
Maybe, Steve Cohen, having been a fan of the Mets for decades before becoming owner, has observed the sitcom ways of their history? Maybe, he is doing his due diligence in finding a new President of Baseball Operations, before becoming a laughing stock of New York and the baseball world? I doubt it is lost on Cohen the double standard the Mets are held to. Playing across from the Yankees he understands the importance of creating a winning product, something the Mets have never been consistent with. So maybe he seeks to build a new culture and does not want to hire a President of Baseball Operations before the MLB season even ends. Reports are that the Mets are interested in the Dodgers’ Front Office members, senior VP Josh Byrnes or assistant GM Brandon Gomes to fill the vacancy. They cannot interview them until the Dodgers’ season is over.
Could the Dodgers’ Senior Vice President make the Mets into the powerhouse of the NL East? Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel/USA TODAY Sports
So, while Olney may be quick to criticize the Mets’ “failures” to fill the vacancy, they have been proactive in their search, and are performing their due diligence in occupying one of the most desired positions in all of sports. And, what is the rush, after all? With a lockout imminent, baseball will be at a standstill by December 1st, and teams will be unable to meet and negotiate contracts with key free agents. Mets like Marcus Stroman, Javier Baez and Noah Syndergaard are all pending free agents, but Cohen likely knows who he wants to retain, so a new President of Baseball Operations is not hindering the chances of keeping them. It just comes down to whether the players Cohen wants to retain match well with what the future President of Baseball Operations wants. But one key thing to consider, and not take lightly, is to be mindful of the critiques.
While everyone salivates over the prospect of Beane, Epstein, and Stearns, neither Beane nor Stearns has ever even led their team to the World Series, let alone won it. So, really, it is only a loss of Epstein that affects the Mets, and even that, was not because of a slight against the Mets, but rather, that Epstein will likely be heading one of the two new teams MLB decides to add.
And before the argument of “championships don’t matter” comes up, let me state this: I agree. Except, I don’t. When Cohen first took the helm, his first press conference he said “If we don't win a World Series in three years, that would be disappointing.” This had all Mets fans amped up. To have ownership finally care and to realize the city the Mets are in, the fanbase, it finally seemed like fans were heard, and cared for. While some may see the team as further away than five years from winning a championship, changing the culture is a big first step, and Cohen has begun that process by considering key prospects, and not just hiring the first candidate.
So, what is the issue? The Mets deserve to be a competitive franchise, yearly. And I believe they will be. Me, and many New Yorkers, don’t want a manager or President of Baseball Operations that will make the Mets “relevant”. That may be enough for Seattle, but this is New York. Winning is all that matters. Just ask the Yankees fans that are angry about their 12 year World Series drought, despite having 27 World Championships.
Winning is synonymous with New York.
So take your time Mr. Cohen, don’t be hasty. We trust you, and we have your back.