Mike Freire - Changes Are Coming!

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The news that billionaire Mets' fan Steve Cohen is in negotiations to become the majority owner of our favorite team certainly came out of nowhere, didn't it?  Usually, when a large transaction is in the works there are rumors and other leaks of information that give the media a "heads up", but that was not the case here.

My first reaction was similar to the scene from the Wizard of Oz that shows everyone celebrating the death of the Wicked Witch.  That passed pretty quickly because it seemed to good to be true and as a Mets' fan, I am used to Lucy yanking the football away at the last second .  Closer inspection revealed that the incoming savior might have a few skeletons in his closet, but they are nothing worse then most of the other owner's in professional sports, I suspect. My excitement was also tempered by the reported five year window for the proposed transfer of power, or sometime in 2024 or 2025.

Ugh.........five more years of the Wilpons!  Seriously?  It's almost worse knowing that such positive change is coming, yet it is still just out of reach like a desert mirage.

Maybe not.

Additional rumblings have surfaced that if the deal is consummated, Mr. Cohen likely will not wait the full five years to exert his influence on the ball club.  Some have speculated that we may see a significant change in as little as a year, which would allow the Wilpon's to gracefully exit stage left, but still occur in time for the 2021 free agent class.

***On a side note, Steve Cohen is reported to be worth somewhere in the neighborhood of 14 billion dollars!  That would make him the richest owner in Major League Baseball, which is mind boggling.  For those of you counting at home, that is a number that includes NINE zeros.  In other words, he could spend 1 million dollars per day and he wouldn't run out of cash for roughly 38 YEARS!  At least he won't sweat paying Bobby Bonilla's deferred salary every year, right?

So, I am sure he is the type of guy who is used to getting what he wants, when he wants it.  Plus, he can likely afford to get the top of the line item whenever he is about to make a purchase, evidenced by his affinity for high priced art pieces, etc. Imagine that type of attitude, combined with his checkbook and a desire to help his favorite team win consistently?

I doubt the current offseason will be much different, nor will the 2020 regular season change that much.  But, if rumors are true, the 2020 offseason and subsequent 2021 regular season could be much different.  This also coincides with a lot of cash dropping off the team payroll as a few bad contracts reach their end.  Early estimates have the Mets' payroll in 2021 at a mere 70 million dollars, so there will be a lot of room for additions and extensions for our core players.

Barring any last minute changes, players like Mookie Betts, George Springer and JT Realmuto will be available and they could fill voids on our roster in the outfield and behind the plate.  Heck, we could easily afford all three of them, which is hard to comprehend.

What is missing from the 2021 free agent class is a quality third baseman.  Why not get a jump on our Christmas shopping this year and add Anthony Rendon to the mix?  Backload his contract so that his 2020 compensation does not push the team payroll into the dreaded Luxury Tax Threshold.  Once he gets more expensive, the team will be in much better financial shape to handle the increase.  Plus, it would serve as a sign of things to come for our long suffering fan base.

Imagine a 2021 lineup as follows;

Realmuto (C), Alonso (1B), McNeil (2B), Rosario (SS), Rendon (3B), Nimmo (LF), Betts (CF) and Conforto (RF)

No, I have not been hitting the sauce, but this is the type of lineup that a wealthy and motivated owner could produce in the near future (we just have to wait a little while longer).

Changes are definitely coming!