Mets owner Steve Cohen has a plan and he’s sticking to it. While patience is not a virtue shared by fans, the Mets stand pat – for now…
Mets owner Steve Cohen did not build a $14 billion empire overnight, and whether we like it or not, he sees tomorrow as important as today.
Updated: See Below
He never lied to us, telling us from his first day in the New York spotlight that he had a three-year plan to revamp and rejuvenate the Mets’ franchise – and – by the way, to bring a World Championship to Citi Field.
Many didn’t believe it, especially when the Mets jumped into first place in the NL East in May, a status they have not relinquished since then, and most assuredly, it was felt that Cohen would be all-in at this year’s trade deadline.
Saying at the time (way back in November 2020), “The goal is to build a great team. We have a great core already, but we have holes. I don’t know if we can fill all our holes in the first year — that might be a lot to ask — but I think we can make significant improvements so that we can get closer to where we want to be.” – Cohen remained true to his word today as the trade deadline passed and the Mets stayed in neutral.
Deferring to Steve Cohen is probably a wise choice given his success, and I’m not going to be the one to do it, because I see the logic in his thinking.
Mets: What’s The Rush…
What’s the point, for example, in signing two rentals (Kris Bryant and Zach Davies), who may or may not want to be part of the Mets future when they reach free agency in 2022, when the price to pay is reaching into an already bare Mets’ farm system cupboard?
Robbing Peter to pay Paul is not the way Steve Cohen got to where he is today.
Instead, says Cohen (figuratively), why not take the team we have now that sits atop the NL East with only desperate and fumbling challengers behind them – win the division – enter the playoffs crapshoot, and see what happens.
If the Mets surprise us, so be it. If they don’t, so be it – because there is a wealth of talent available in the Class of 2022 Free Agents.
Looking forward as much as today takes patience, guile, and determination.
The Dodgers clearly went for today, swooping up Trea Turner, Max Scherzer, and Danny Duffy in one swift but expensive swipe to repeat as World Champions.
It cost them mightily, as the Dodgers taxable payroll has swelled to an enormous $260 million, but that’s one way to go on this frenzied day in baseball.
And with that, can any fan of the Mets believe that with Kris Bryant and Babe Ruth, they would be in a position to challenge those teams on the West Coast to even make it into the World Series, and if the goal isn’t to get that far, then what’s the point of it all?
Disappointed? Sure, we all are.
And maybe it has something to do with Mets fans distrust of the previous regime that lied and foolishly put the Mets in poverty by “investing” in the Bernie Madoff scheme and laying to waste any hopes of a Mets team that would be believable in a major market like New York City – forever.
There is a massive amount of work yet to be done before the Mets can recover from the dysfunction of the Wilpon years, and if you need proof of that, look only to the Mets need to ignore their farm system to start twice DFA’d Jerad Eickhoff on Monday against the Braves.
Mets: Did He Or Didn’t He…
We’ll probably never know if Zack Scott and Sandy Alderson placed a call to Steve Cohen saying, “We’ve got Kris Byant and Zach Davies, what do you say?”
Or maybe it’s Player X or Y, and that Steve Cohen vetoed the deals – but we do know this.
Steve Cohen has a plan. It may not be to our liking when we see the cross-town rival Yankees, acquiring Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo in a single day and Dodgers throwing two shifts to the wind, but in my book, Met’s fans need to stay with this guy.
Steve Cohen knows what he’s doing…
I’m putting this out there an hour before the 4 pm deadline because this is the course I believe the Mets should take…we’ll see if I’m right in an hour or so.
Well, That Scrubs That Theory…
Postscript 3:35 pm ET 7/30/2021
Okay, I give, and I love the idea that Baez almost begged the Cubs to trade him to the Mets so he can play next to Francisco Lindor. And given that, it’s almost a certainty Baez will sign with the Mets, as opposed to Bryant, who would likely be looking for greener pastures elsewhere.
In these instances, I don’t mind being wrong – but like Steve Cohen – I’ll stick to my story that the Mets are about tomorrow more than they are today.
Still no word on what the Mets surrendered for Baez…
Also note, the trade for Baez is pending physicals and is not official until reported on MLB’s list of transactions.
5:55 PM ET The trade is now official and the Cubs receive Pete Crow-Armstrong from the Mets
Here’s What Readers Are Saying…
Deborah Crane I just read your whole article and as I just watched ESPN’s trade deadline show, I kept waiting for a “just in” Mets trade announcement, and along came Baez. Well looked up the stats because the buzz was not high, I think he will be a good addition. Stat-wise he is just about another Alonso but I think he is going to spark Lindor to come alive. They are buds and infielders. On Cohen, I still think this is the guy who passionately gives a sh*t about our team and bring some really good baseball to Citifield. So the deadline is done and we all want our new Mets to be good mates to the team! Oh, and hope Carrasco has a good outing! Let’s Go Mets!!!
Gary Semon Good thing is they gave up nothing for Baez.
Lyle Magedoff We did good.
Closing Published Comments And Final Thoughts
To be continued, but for the most part Mets fans will tune into tonight’s that begins soon against the Reds feeling okay, if not satiated. It could have been better, but let’s move on (now) with the season…
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.
