If you REALLY build it, success and fans will come.
These aren’t the Wilpon Mets anymore.
The Cohen stamp came down with authority yesterday.
While other GMs were shopping Black Friday sales at Macy’s, the Cohen Platinum TARGET card was used adroitly by newly arrived Billy Eppler to target high caliber talent and set off an offensive depth charge in Mets’ brackish waters.
The trifecta signings of Starling Marte, Eduardo Escobar, and Mark Canha yesterday brings in 3 very solid, proven hitters and defenders. And adds speed.
You see, Billy Eppler, and of course Steve Cohen, saw what we all saw last season:
6 months of nearly continuous weak hitting by slow guys and weak fielding. By a team that, had it not had as much weak hitting and weak fielding as it did, may well have held on to the division lead heading into the playoffs. And, very possibly, kept the Bravos from becoming World Series champs. The Braves, it turned out, had the tomahawk chop, while we had the oil-stained chop shop.
Cohen, a long-time Mets fan, is probably as sick, tired, and disgusted as we are that the team he roots for, and now owns, almost never plays in post-season, with 3 visits in 20 seasons, one of which was over in one game, and just two titles in 60 years (just one of them in the last half century).
A team whose specialty above all is the Swan Dive.
Lots of pained Mets fans mock the hometown rival Yankees for their repeated failures over quite a few years to make the World Series…but they sure make the playoffs most years. Frankly, while I want more than that as a Mets fan, I want Cohen to become Lord of the Rings, I’d accept that Yankee level of success…season-long relevance year after year, and playoff appearances as the rule rather than the rare exception.
True Relevance.
I also like these 3 moves because they allow our minor league hitting stars to develop some more while not rushing them nor blocking them for too long.
And maybe a Canha in the offense means no Cano. In with Canha, out with Cano.
These moves seem to scream out that if you might be an anchor drag to this Mets ship’s high speed sailing, the anchor will be ripped off and thrown away. Sunk costs are sunk costs…but anchors get removed to keep the Mets from remaining moored in Failure Lagoon.
If Cano stays, it will be because he is deemed an asset, and not an albatross.
Marte gets Nimmo out of CF to a much more palatable corner OF spot where he can thrive. Yippee, say Mets’ fans. Yippee, says me.
These three moves just feel…successful. With the implication that more successful moves are on the near horizon.
The Wilpons, you see, didn’t REALLY mean business. They wanted it to look like they did - but they didn’t. When they said meaningful September baseball, they were probably thinking at least until Labor Day. By that standard, 2021 was a success.
Except…it wasn’t. It was a joke.
Steve Cohen, though, REALLY means business. He acts on it.
Mets fans should be happy indeed, that this new era has arrived. Our Grouse Meters may well get shoved in a locked closet.
Better to have tried…and deliriously succeeded - than to never have REALLY tried at all..
FANGRAPH projections show Pete Alonso with 43 homers in 2022 and Lindor with 30. Awesome. Build a potent, defensively competent team behind that.
One that when the going gets tough, the tough thrive, rather than collapse. A top 10 offensive and defensive team is needed to be relevant. Had the Mets had that top 10 status in 2021, rather than being bottom 5 or thereabouts in both categories, they win the division running away.
KEEP GOING, MESSRS. EPPLER AND COHEN.
A WINNING STOCK BEATS A LAUGHING STOCK ANY DAY.
7 comments:
Great post.
I too think the Mets had a day yesterday.
Where next some may ask.
Mack, I won't speculate LOL. My only speculation is that there is more, perhaps much more, to come.
The Brooklyn Nets got Durant, Harden and Irving, and it totally transformed them. Cost? Very high. Result? Major upgrade, and an attractive franchise for players to WANT to come to. That can be the Mets model.
Now ife we can improve our rotation by adding two quality arms I'll be happy.
Two role players and Marte is a good start for the reasons Tom wrote above. All seemed to be overpays, something the Mets previously would never do.
Ray, a call to arms. Reese, the Boss has $$ to spend.
Any thoughts on who comes off the 40 man roster for the three new hires? And who would be the candidates for additional signings?
Fred Smith, two good questions.
I believe there are 2 spots open on the 40 right now, and I could see a Mark Payton or Travis Blankenhorn dropping off.
Other moves? I think Steve Cohen is giving Billy Eppler an open checkbook for pitching, so why not two of Scherzer, Kershaw and Gausman? If that bumped Tylor Megill out of the rotation, he'd probably be a bullpen beast, although I like him staying in the rotation. I get the sense ownership insufficiently likes Marcus Stroman to pay him as much money as he is likely to net as a free agent.
And John From Albany might disagree, but if possible, I would upgrade back up catcher. I always look at catcher as a vulnerable spot, and if McCann got injured, are we ready for a half season of ultra-low OBP Tomas Nido?Who that might be, at this point, I have not given consideration to.
Baez is tricky. Quality, but too many long contracts will block the likes of Vientos (who is close) and Mauricio (who is not).
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