Mets owner Steve Cohen tweets he is disappointed with the team’s offense this year. Fine, do something about it – but not now…
When the Mets faced off against the Dodgers last Friday to begin a stretch of thirteen games against Los Angeles and San Francisco, most fans gritted their teeth, hoping the team would only bend, not break.
When the Mets take the field tonight against the Giants, they are a team that has dropped five straight while falling to under .500 for the first time since May 5.
Postscript: 8/18 7:40 pm ET
The Mets pulled one out against the Giants in extra-innings when Kevin Pillar hit a three-run home run in the top of the 12th inning.
Postscript Two: The Mets managed six hits and were 4-13 with runners in scoring position, leaving ten men on base.
Done deal – for the Mets – any way you can get it done I guess…
Unable to impact by crashing the Mets’ clubhouse, Steve Cohen took to his Twitter account to deliver a tongue-lashing to his players.
“It’s hard to understand how professional hitters can be this unproductive. The best teams have a more disciplined approach,” Cohen fumed on Twitter. “The slugging and OPS numbers don’t lie.”
Mets: “The Numbers Don’t Lie.”
Steve Cohen may or may not have done his homework before making that statement, but he is dead-on correct – the numbers do not lie.
- The Mets’ .380 slugging percentage ranks 26th in the league
- Their .693 OPS is 24th in all of baseball.
- The Mets On-Base Percentage (.313) ranks 19th, and we can’t imagine where they’d be if you remove Brandon Nimmo from the math.
- Home runs? The same story with the team ranking 25th (125), and once again, if you take Pete Alonso out, the rest of the team has a mere 100 home runs.
- Batting averages in the league are dramatically down this year, but the Mets at .235 are 24th in the league and only two points removed from 27th place.
- And then, of course, there’s the coup de gras – runs scored – no surprise, only two teams have scored fewer runs than the Mets.
Mets: Is Cohen Doing More Harm Than Good?
I can only imagine how I would have felt when I was teaching if the principal pointed to me in a faculty meeting, saying, “I can’t imagine how someone like yourself with a professional license can be performing so poorly.”
Now, as the Mets’ owner, Cohen can say anything he wishes; he does more harm than good when he uses Twitter to say these things – because reduce to two words – all the Mets hear is, “You suck.” Not exactly a motivational speech…
Two More Points On The Cohen Fallout
First, Cohen is late for the funeral. He had his chance to improve the team a few weeks ago, but he did nothing.
Again, that’s his prerogative – but the numbers cited above haven’t changed at all since the trade deadline.
Secondly, Cohen will have an opportunity to reward and punish his “unproductive” players during the offseason.
He can show Mets’ right-fielder Michael Conforto the door to free agency, he can trade Dominic Smith and Jeff McNeil for two proven major league starters, and he can say thanks but no thanks to Javier Baez and all those strikeouts.
Cohen also has the option of lowering the hammer on players like McNeil, Smith, J.D. Davis, and yes, even Pete Alonso, all of whom are arbitration-eligible at season’s end.
In contrast, Cohen can also use Brandon Nimmo as an example of what he will do for a player who puts it all out there for the Mets by offering him a substantial raise.
Mets: Cohen Will Have Yet Another Opportunity
But the best tool in Cohen’s kit is the $100 million the Mets have to spend before reaching next year’s luxury tax limit.
That can buy some pretty good players when the free-agent market opens following this year’s World Series.
This is the second time, following Zack Scott’s outburst last week, Mets position players have been spanked publicly.
In both cases, the timing is off because the only way you “reach” professional ballplayers, the Mets included, is to hit them where it hurts most – in the pocketbook.
A .250 BA, 69 RBI, and 63 runs scored from Pete Alonso fall short of what the Mets needed this year. And once and for all, Pete, no one cares about how hard you are trying.
Ditto Dominic Smith (.255, 52 RBI, 38 Runs) and Jeff McNeil (.255, 29 RBI, 31 Runs)
Steve Cohen: Act Like An Owner – Not A Fan
We’re all disappointed in the course the Mets season is taking. As fans, we retain the right to call ’em as we see them regarding the play of individual Mets players.
But that’s where our “power” ends. We can’t release, trade, or demote players we see as “non-productive.”
Only Steve Cohen has the power. He can fire the entire Mets front office today if he wants to – so why then does he choose to whine on Twitter or any other public forum?
And mind you, this is the same man who voluntarily deleted his Twitter account once, citing threats to his family – so like what? – you feel safe now?
You are not a fan, Stevie boy. You are the freakin owner of the New York Mets.
What do you say you start acting like it?
Here’s What Readers Are Saying…
Gary Goehringer How has he made it worse? If anything it shows the front office and managerial staff they aren’t safe and to the fan base that’s a welcomed sight.
Christopher Galagotis No. Ask Zack and Sandy how they feel about their jobs. However. If he feels his disappointments are that important, I’m not saying to pull Steinbrenner/Cashman Esque signings and buy championships, I’m saying he needs to take action like George used to and get in that locker room and challenge his players anytime it gets bad
Tricia Christy He didn’t make it worse! He spoke the truth and there’s nothing wrong with that!
Luke Monaghan Hey, you have the cash, why did you not buy bats. Pay for a hitting coach
Chris Prorock I don’t see it that way. I think he’s trying to light a fire under this team’s ass. He isn’t saying anything that isn’t completely obvious either.
Robert Goldzman I have no problem with him lighting up his underperforming team. I wish he had done it sooner. I’d rather have George Steinbrenner than Arte Moreno.
Pee Jay If you owned a business and the employees aren’t putting forth an effort that’s acceptable, wouldn’t those employees be fired? These players are paid to perform, and they’re not performing. Questioning the owner who is vocal about his product and his childhood team isn’t a problem This comment and others scratches the itch I have at the moment about Cohen. Fire them…what’s the point of berating them with words? That’s what I do as a fan, and what does that accomplish?
Jeff Martin I don’t think he’s made it worse, I think he’s staying the course and is finding out his team isn’t as good as their press releases. Hopefully, he makes some big changes that get the Mets in the right direction. Maybe they can steal some scouts away from the Rays and Braves…
Dom A Cappella I think the owner opened Pandora’s box by sending a message to the team and management as well as letting fans know that the boss is a realist, not a denier of the facts or delusional about what is happening. I am pleased that he wrote the three sentences that he did. If one studies the words he selected and the phraseology he chose, one will conclude that Cohen took the smart step of starting the internal conversations and the dialogue with the press and fans about the future direction of the team and its personnel on and off the field.
Closing Published Comments…
The dialog between readers is so good, but the page length says published comments must be closed. I’ll stay with you for as long as you keep them coming…
Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal.
