The New York Mets are one of the strangest franchises in all of baseball. They act sometimes like they are stricken with the fear that if anything can go wrong with anything they do to fill their needs, it will. They have a litany of questions to answer before the season begins, but have yet to address any of them. What’s up with that?
Unlike the Washington Nationals, their counterpart and main competitor in the National League East, together with the Marlins and the Braves, who aren’t sitting idly by either, if the 2017 season started tomorrow, the Mets would have the same roster as they did on the final day of last season, when they lost the one game Wild Card shootout against the San Francisco Giants .
And while it remains to be seen if the Nationals have indeed strengthened themselves, it will not be for the lack of trying to get better if they fall short in the Playoffs again. We also know that while change for the sake of change is not the answer, becoming stale and stagnant is a far worse choice, especially for a team that operates in baseball’s largest market. And beyond that, being perceived as stingy in that market is even worse than that.
The Mets Have No “Juice”
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But that’s what the Mets are these days. They have no “juice”. And above all, they appear to have no solutions, or even a plan to get better. You might say that the only sure thing about the Mets is that they will not exceed a payroll of about $135 million, which Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson was given by ownership. Because after issuing that fiat, the Wilpon brothers don’t want to be bothered again with anything having to do with baseball. Or, at least that’s the vibe they emit.
Add to that the fact that the window is closing fast on the group currently comprising their team, and the pressure to win now, and to act now becomes even more imperative. The Mets do not have a third baseman, or at least one they can count on to remain healthy for a full season. They also don’t have a true center fielder, even though they have a glut of five outfielders that must be dealt with. They also need more insurance at first base, where they continue to assume that Lucas Duda can stay healthy, when they should be asking the question that even if he can stay healthy, is he really the answer there.
Meanwhile, rumors circulate on almost a daily basis within New York media that the Mets are “looking into” doing this or that, but nothing happens. The latest one surfaced yesterday linking the Mets to Andrew McCutchen as a solution to their center field problem. But will the Mets pull the trigger on a deal that makes perfect sense for them, where even the money is not a factor?
And how many times have we seen Evan Longoria mentioned as a target by someone connected to the Mets to solve the issue at third base. That one would require some payroll flexibility, but is not a perfect fit?
And the one that gets the most play, surfacing yet again just yesterday with FoxNews reporting that the Mets are engaged in talks with the Blue Jays about Jay Bruce and Curtis Granderson . Not one, both of them. That’s a lotta talking going on there.
The Wilpons Are Holding The Mets And Their Fans Hostage
I often wonder though what would happen if Sandy Alderson did what’s best for the Mets and their fans by making a couple of moves, trades or free agent signings it doesn’t matter, and he didn’t consult with the Wilpon brothers first. And he just announced the deals to the New York media, which jumped at the chance to tell the season ticket holders that Andrew McCutchen is your new center fielder, and Edwin Encarncion is your new first baseman. What could the Wilpons do, say no we won’t sign those checks. Sorry Mets fans, your GM is crazy and he’s fired? I don’t think so. The Wilpons would be run out of town in a New York minute and Alderson would be the featured guest on Jimmy Fallon and given the keys to the city by the mayor.
I suppose like many Mets fans, I don’t see a way out here. Everyone, including Terry Collins and Sandy Alderson (although they would never admit to it), has to be totally frustrated with the way the franchise goes about their business these days. The franchise, not the team, because there is a difference. Alderson is no neophyte and he is certainly not a dummy. He knows what needs to be done, and more importantly what could be done with just a few more dollars. We’re not talking about making the Mets the Dodgers of the East Coast. We’re talking about just a little more flexibility, that’s all. The Wilpons can’t even spring for that…….really?
