Tom Brennan: MONUMENTAL METS MISTAKES: VOL 5

A Rod and J Lo

MONUMENTAL METS MISTAKES: VOL 5

In this MONUMENTAL METS MISTAKES series, my brother Steve and I have covered 4 doozies of strategic blunders over the decades that damaged the Mets franchise and steered it onto a lower level of success. 

As of now, there is just one more Monumental Mets Mistake to address in this series of articles: failing to sign Alex Rodriguez.

He was an amazing superstar for Seattle - heck, at age 20, he hit .358 with a slugging % well over .600.

But some years later, he deservedly wanted big bucks, and Seattle wouldn't pony up.  

It could have, and should have, been to the Mets.  After all, Alex has let the world know he was a big Mets fan growing up and wanted to be a Met.   

See the appended USA Today link for a recent article to that effect:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2018/04/08/alex-rodriguez-sign-mets-sunday-night-baseball/497971002/

Of course, he would not have come to the Mets cheap - but he stated that he grew up a BIG Mets fan and wanted to play with the Mets.

The Mets got alarmed (or feigned alarm, to avoid making a very expensive decision to bring in A Rod), and the early sense that the Mets would land the slugger faded quickly. 

So who got him instead? 

The Texas Rangers did, pardner.

The 10-year, $252 million contract he signed with the Rangers was the by far the highest in baseball history.

What did he do before going from Seattle to the Rangers?  Plenty.

With Seattle, from age 18 to 24, Alex hit .309/.374/.561 with 189 HRs!  Who in baseball history at that age has done better?  

The soon-to-be 25 year old was who the mega-superstar the  Mets passed up.

With the Rangers for 3 seasons, 2001-03, he was stunning - he averaged a mind-blowing 52 HRs and 132 RBIs while hitting .305, and won the 2003 AL MVP award, to boot.  

After those 3 years, Alex wanted out, though, and got traded.

Why not, when you are compiling Ruthian numbers?

After all, he now had 345 home runs by age 27!

So who traded for him instead of the Mets?  

The Yankees.  

Who else?  

Of course, the asset-rich Yanks had a fine player to send to Texas in Alfonso Soriano, who ended up with 412 HRs in a shorter career than A Rod.  But A Rod was better.

In his first 7 Yankees seasons, he had 100 or more RBIs.  

In those 7 seasons, ages 28 to 34, he averaged 38 HRs, including 54 one season.  Even with normal age decline, injuries, and other issues, he still managed to hit 83 more career homers in his remaining 1,740 career at bats.

With him teaming up with Jeter, Mariano and others, in those first 7 seasons in pin stripes, the Yanks finished first 4 times, 2nd twice, and 3rd once.  And won a World Series.  Impressive.

During those 7 seasons, the Mets finished first once and 2nd twice.  Add in an A Rod to those teams and you get what?  Greater success.

Anyway, enough on the fifth MONUMENTAL METS MISTAKES.  

As Steve said, "There are dozens of others. BUT THESE 5 ... are organizational changers!!!!!!!!!"

I hope you enjoyed our series.  We did!