We've seen in movies and such the times when a country might make use of a military pre-emptive strike as a tool to maintain an advantage or avoid a disadvantage.
Happens in Baseball, too.
The Yankees and Red Sox have engaged in signing big name, expensive stars over the years, not just to improve their own team, but to keep them away from their adversaries. The adversary team (here the Red Sox) would then have to decide how to counter-respond or become less competitive.
Both in their quest to get deep into the playoffs. (And, of course, it helps put more fannies in seats, too).
More recently, Gerrit Cole was signed by the pinstripers with the same sort of thing in mind.
As a result, the Yankees have incurred hundreds of millions of dollars in luxury taxes.
In Queens, under the Wilpons, it was usually the Mets who got pre-empted. Due to a tight checkbook - and bad judgment.
The Mets went all the way to the World Series in 2015, but then the Nats made a pre-emptive strike in signing Daniel Murphy away from the Mets. It cost the Mets the playoffs and division over the next few years, as Murphy hit brilliantly for the Nats, especially against the Mets.
The Phillies did it recently, signing former Met and now star pitcher Zack Wheeler. Too many dysfunctional parts on the Phillies' team have kept them out of the playoffs in the last two years, but with several quite talented players, that could always become less of a barrier for them in 2022.
Hence the Mets, under Steve Cohen, entering the game with the Max Scherzer major signing, a true pre-emptive strike, and the large Starling Marte contractual big bucks, neither of which most likely would have ever happened under the Wilpons, since it pushes the Mets to a stratospheric level never reached before by them.
The Luxtaxosphere.
My guess? The Mets have at least one or two more pre-emptive strikes to make this off-season. Why?
Two reasons:
1) Steve Cohen's incredibly rich, and most likely in 2021, became incredibly richer. He can spend a lot.
2) The Braves won the World Series, for Pete's sake, and did so without their huge star, Ronald Acuna Jr, who was hurt much of the campaign. He'll be back, so the Mets need to get a LOT better to be competitive with them or, even better, come into spring training with a competitive advantage over the Braves. And other NL East teams.
Why? Because Steve Cohen wants to win a World Series soon. To do so, the Mets need more pre-emptive strikes. Because the one area he has a huge competitive advantage over other NL East teams is:
THE ABILITY TO SPEND!
SO....FIRE AWAY!
All in this year. It's World Series or bust.
ReplyDeleteRay, we've "busted" enough - time for the Mets to bust thru. Keep the checkbook handy.
ReplyDeleteHi Tom,
ReplyDeleteA great pre-emptive strike would be signing Freddie Freeman away from the Braves. He's actually the only big name hitter I would have faith in. He's getting better as he ages.
Joe P, I'd "Do the Freddie", the old song by Freddie and the Dreamers, if they snatch Freeman away from the Bravos.
ReplyDeleteI'd be standing right next to you.
ReplyDeleteI am a bit concerned with the trend I’m seeing from Mets fans, in that throwing money and more money at a problem will fix it. I disagree. More teams have failed by throwing money at problems than teams that succeeded by succeeding in finding the solution to their problem. I know we all want Freddie Freeman, but the Angels wanted Pujols too… The Cardinals made him a eight year offer at $200MM, or $25 per year, but the Angels rode in on their white horse and gave him $240 for ten years. How did that work out? The Mets don’t need hitting, they need pitching.
ReplyDeleteSIGN FREEMAN period!!!!
ReplyDeleteSigning Freeman would be a crazy reckless move. i am not doubting that the guy is a great player and on a Hall of Fame track, but he is 32 years old and has already turned down a 6 year $140M offer from Atlanta. First base is not the place to spend that kind of money when they already have Alonso and Smith. Take that money and spend it on pitching.
ReplyDeletePitching wins - especially younger, healthy, pitching - 2006 happened because Pedro and El Duque broke down late in the season. If they had been healthy it would have at least been a World Series trip.
ReplyDeleteMy love for Freeman goes beyond what he can do for us as it would also be a huge blow to our top rivals and signal once and for all were in it to win it and the Wilpons are gone and long live Stevie. The addition of Max just emphasize's the need to win now and who better to add to that than Freddie.
ReplyDelete