A Brand New Day
There is something that feels right about Steven Cohen owning the Mets. You can hear it in his voice that he loves this team as much as we do. Even if it takes a year or two to turn things around, it sounds like he will put in a structure that will not only make the Mets a contender for one or two seasons, but the type of franchise that is set up for a long term success, The issues with the Mets over the years was less their tight budgets but a half-assed approach, that was the recipe for failure.
Things that stand out from the Steve Cohen press conference was the statement, "We Don't Want to be Mediocre." He also stated demand for accountability, saying that it will be a failure if the Mets don't win a championship in the next three or five years. HELL YEAH.
The Mets may or may not get the players to win a World Series in 2021, but the fact that the Mets will again spend like a major market team will be good enough for now. The most important thing that Stevie Cohen will bring is better scouting, especially international scouting and better analytics that will help develop players better. The Mets often shorted these departments, which ultimately led to the Mets failures.
The goal here is not one championship. It is sustained success. The Mets should be up there with the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Yankees. These teams have a structure from the lowest level of the minors that develop prospects the right way. This is why these teams win year after year and always have a cache of prospects that come up every season. Cohen mentioned not making impulsive moves but refused to criticize the Wilpons. However, it was the impulsive moves that were the symbol of the Wilpon ownership. It is comforting to hear him say he wants a group of people who will provide differing views and not be afraid to develop different ideas. This is what could separate Steve Cohen from Daniel Snyder, Jerry Jones, and James Dolan, who surround themselves with yes-men.
It appears Luis Rojas will return in 2021, though that decision, in my opinion, should be made by the new General Manager. Rojas does appear to be on a short rope as Sandy Alderson, stating he will get a time machine and hire Rojas in 2011, left an opening for a change. Cohen was quick to clean house after officially taking control on Friday, firing the entire front office while bringing back Alderson. The blame for Rojas could be laid at the feet of Brodie Van Wagenen, as many teams have turned their field manager into a puppet of the GM. The Mets over the last two seasons appear to be among those teams with that structure.
Steven Cohen's ownership feels like a family. His wife, who also grew up a fan of the team, is taking on the role of a first lady who will work to move the team close to their fans and the community. This could mean that the Mets may finally eliminate those awful chop shops across from Citi Field. This is a prime location for a ballpark village. A real Mets Hall of Fame, a park and a meeting spot for fans with restaurants and shops will take Citi Field to the next level.
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Sandy Alderson, in his zoom call, sounds like a man who had the chains removed. He did as good of a job as he could when he was under the Wilpon budget constraints. This truly is a new day for the New York Mets. The days of half-assed management are over. The Mets will now be a team that spends with the big boys and has a structure to make the right moves at the right time. They will be smart, they will create an atmosphere for long-term success, and the Mets will finally be a first-class organization. The Mets are finally ready to be a component organization.