The Mets fans had a chance last night to speak to David Stearns and Steven Cohen. They spoke loudly, clearly, and at length. I don't know what they would have said had the shot heard round NYC knocked the team out of a playoff spot (I think I do), but last night they spoke with one voice for many of us, the many of us standing in the middle of our living rooms saying the same thing.
Sorry man, I disagree. Especially when sports teams aggressively lobby the city for funding of new stadiums and/or renovations, with the threat of moving. They siphon taxpayer money away from more essential investments and in turn spare no cost, and keep all the profits.
Oh, I follow politics quite a bit. I follow sports partly as a welcome break from politics. For instance, I don't want to know if Daniel Murphy's politics are at the opposite end of the spectrum from Lindor's. Another instance was when there was a flyover at a Mets game a few years ago and the pundit Martino criticized it for being "militaristic". Martino, keep your politics to yourself when you're writing about sports and leave me alone!
Agree with most of what you say. But I think they need more than you suggest if they're going to contend. Are you counting on Lavender, Duarte, and Thornton performing as well as they have recently? Will Scott go 6 innings at least some of the time? Will Young be as good or return to the AAAA player he was widely thought to be? Btw, I think you meant to say that Bichette was the only acquisition that turned out well. I can't blame Stearns for what happened with Peralta but letting Alonso go was unpardonable and the main reason this season was a fiasco. Hope Cohen has the guts to fire him but I'm afraid the stability argument will win out. Uncle Steve: allow me to remind you that you paid Polanco one million dollars per base hit this year.
I'm definitely banking on Thornton and Lavender to continue blossoming, but maybe that's my lefty bias (handwriting smudges be damned). With Scott and Young, I think they deserve real runway to prove who they are — remember Young had just 69 PAs in MLB before hitting .330 in the KBO, then only 47 PA with the big-league Mets in 2025. Sustained playing time is obviously key to development, so they should try to ensure these guys get the time that they're earning.
And yes, correct I got my phrasing jumbled re: Bichette, that's been fixed for clarity.
In all this, it's important to remember that Pete chose to leave, the Mets didn't trade him. If he really really really wanted to stay, he'd still be here. I was as sad to see him go as everybody else was, but to heap all the blame on David Stearns is just wrong. These things happen in sports and it's best not to wallow in them. Let Pete go already and let's all just move on.
Except that it's a whole season down the drain. The Mets wouldn't ante up for a home grown slugger. Take a look at what Sandy Alderson had to say about it.
Cruel irony that Pete’s 300th came off of Senga. Considering it was Pete’s below average defense and toss that caused Senga’s first severe injury and the beginning of his long downfall. He was never the same. Saw it all over the years.
Senga’s face after Pete hit the ball - and the massive crowd ovation - was telling. He was smoldering. Or as visibly smoldering as an honorable Japanese sportsman/athlete gets…
The end was just an early epilogue for the whole season. Forgettable.
Senga's severe first injury caused him to miss the beginning of 2024. His second severe injury caused him to miss all but a couple of unremarkable innings in the post season of 2024. Alonso's throw was happenstance that happens all the time, all around the league, pitchers are terrible at covering first base and it happens almost on the daily that it creates an awkward throw to first base even from the best most sure handed first baseman.
No malice intended towards Pete viv-a-vis the Senga play at First. Kind of what makes it Ironic to me.
Full disclosure: I’ve been pretty harsh on Stearns since the Winter. I think his hubris got in the way of his talent on a macro level, and he made (too many) changes any experienced leader could have told him we’re self sabotaging.
That disclosed, I thought moving Pete when he did for what Pete could demand from the Market probably made sense. It was just the wrong deal for the Mets at the time, and the right move for Pete. Anybody with a grip on his career, and willing to objectively game it out for five years would see that he would excel this season, then the odds diminish.
His defense was never top tier, and the bang-bang first base stuff was never a competency. That reality, and Senga not being there quickly in coverage because of how he lands caused what it did. Just Sports.
Takes nothing away from the irony of it all. That will live in baseball history forever.
Do you think the Yankees were going to let Aaron Judge go to San Francisco.. you don’t lose a homegrown slugger.., Pete Alonso set the Mets home, run record, and they let him sign with another team.. that is so typical Mets. I don’t care what people think of David Stearns but if I was Steve Cohen after seeing how the fans acted after the Pete Alonso hit his 300 home run at city Field and the support that the crowd showed him.. I would’ve said to him right then in there..
You need to pack up your office and you need to leave.. you just don’t understand New York or the fans.. and I would’ve gotten rid of him right then and there.. that was an abomination last night that should’ve never happened.. The Mets have played well in the second half but the plan going into the first half was horrible… Mark Vientos playing first base.. I’ll let other fans comment on that., they lucked out finding a first baseman.
After a slow start, Pete had an excellent season at age 31 or 32. The concern with signing him to a five-year deal is not irrational. He was overpaid at 31 million a year for five years by Baltimore. I did not know if the Mets offered him a two or three year deal and if they did not to me that’s unconscionable.
But I don’t think he would’ve accepted a two or three or deal from the Mets when his goal was long-term financial security with a five-year deal which he was offered. He plays every game and he’s an excellent power hitter. His average was up a little bit this year after a slow start. He’s a mediocre defensive player and his role in the clubhouse is unknown to those of us who are outside the clubhouse. But the team dynamic was not winning despite LFGM, which I never liked.
The Mets fans had a chance last night to speak to David Stearns and Steven Cohen. They spoke loudly, clearly, and at length. I don't know what they would have said had the shot heard round NYC knocked the team out of a playoff spot (I think I do), but last night they spoke with one voice for many of us, the many of us standing in the middle of our living rooms saying the same thing.
Money IS free speech, according to SCOTUS, and the fans spoke loudly and in protest to, the New York Mets front office.
Agree, but I think it's better to scrupulously avoid politics in a sports blog--they're a way to get away from politics for a lot of us.
Sorry man, I disagree. Especially when sports teams aggressively lobby the city for funding of new stadiums and/or renovations, with the threat of moving. They siphon taxpayer money away from more essential investments and in turn spare no cost, and keep all the profits.
Politics IS life Joel. Don't run away from it.
Oh, I follow politics quite a bit. I follow sports partly as a welcome break from politics. For instance, I don't want to know if Daniel Murphy's politics are at the opposite end of the spectrum from Lindor's. Another instance was when there was a flyover at a Mets game a few years ago and the pundit Martino criticized it for being "militaristic". Martino, keep your politics to yourself when you're writing about sports and leave me alone!
Agree with most of what you say. But I think they need more than you suggest if they're going to contend. Are you counting on Lavender, Duarte, and Thornton performing as well as they have recently? Will Scott go 6 innings at least some of the time? Will Young be as good or return to the AAAA player he was widely thought to be? Btw, I think you meant to say that Bichette was the only acquisition that turned out well. I can't blame Stearns for what happened with Peralta but letting Alonso go was unpardonable and the main reason this season was a fiasco. Hope Cohen has the guts to fire him but I'm afraid the stability argument will win out. Uncle Steve: allow me to remind you that you paid Polanco one million dollars per base hit this year.
I'm definitely banking on Thornton and Lavender to continue blossoming, but maybe that's my lefty bias (handwriting smudges be damned). With Scott and Young, I think they deserve real runway to prove who they are — remember Young had just 69 PAs in MLB before hitting .330 in the KBO, then only 47 PA with the big-league Mets in 2025. Sustained playing time is obviously key to development, so they should try to ensure these guys get the time that they're earning.
And yes, correct I got my phrasing jumbled re: Bichette, that's been fixed for clarity.
In all this, it's important to remember that Pete chose to leave, the Mets didn't trade him. If he really really really wanted to stay, he'd still be here. I was as sad to see him go as everybody else was, but to heap all the blame on David Stearns is just wrong. These things happen in sports and it's best not to wallow in them. Let Pete go already and let's all just move on.
Except that it's a whole season down the drain. The Mets wouldn't ante up for a home grown slugger. Take a look at what Sandy Alderson had to say about it.
Cruel irony that Pete’s 300th came off of Senga. Considering it was Pete’s below average defense and toss that caused Senga’s first severe injury and the beginning of his long downfall. He was never the same. Saw it all over the years.
Senga’s face after Pete hit the ball - and the massive crowd ovation - was telling. He was smoldering. Or as visibly smoldering as an honorable Japanese sportsman/athlete gets…
The end was just an early epilogue for the whole season. Forgettable.
Senga's severe first injury caused him to miss the beginning of 2024. His second severe injury caused him to miss all but a couple of unremarkable innings in the post season of 2024. Alonso's throw was happenstance that happens all the time, all around the league, pitchers are terrible at covering first base and it happens almost on the daily that it creates an awkward throw to first base even from the best most sure handed first baseman.
Mr. Boegel:
Agree.
No malice intended towards Pete viv-a-vis the Senga play at First. Kind of what makes it Ironic to me.
Full disclosure: I’ve been pretty harsh on Stearns since the Winter. I think his hubris got in the way of his talent on a macro level, and he made (too many) changes any experienced leader could have told him we’re self sabotaging.
That disclosed, I thought moving Pete when he did for what Pete could demand from the Market probably made sense. It was just the wrong deal for the Mets at the time, and the right move for Pete. Anybody with a grip on his career, and willing to objectively game it out for five years would see that he would excel this season, then the odds diminish.
His defense was never top tier, and the bang-bang first base stuff was never a competency. That reality, and Senga not being there quickly in coverage because of how he lands caused what it did. Just Sports.
Takes nothing away from the irony of it all. That will live in baseball history forever.
Steve
Fair.
Maybe Senga should try not giving up a home run to blow a save.
Do you think the Yankees were going to let Aaron Judge go to San Francisco.. you don’t lose a homegrown slugger.., Pete Alonso set the Mets home, run record, and they let him sign with another team.. that is so typical Mets. I don’t care what people think of David Stearns but if I was Steve Cohen after seeing how the fans acted after the Pete Alonso hit his 300 home run at city Field and the support that the crowd showed him.. I would’ve said to him right then in there..
You need to pack up your office and you need to leave.. you just don’t understand New York or the fans.. and I would’ve gotten rid of him right then and there.. that was an abomination last night that should’ve never happened.. The Mets have played well in the second half but the plan going into the first half was horrible… Mark Vientos playing first base.. I’ll let other fans comment on that., they lucked out finding a first baseman.
After a slow start, Pete had an excellent season at age 31 or 32. The concern with signing him to a five-year deal is not irrational. He was overpaid at 31 million a year for five years by Baltimore. I did not know if the Mets offered him a two or three year deal and if they did not to me that’s unconscionable.
But I don’t think he would’ve accepted a two or three or deal from the Mets when his goal was long-term financial security with a five-year deal which he was offered. He plays every game and he’s an excellent power hitter. His average was up a little bit this year after a slow start. He’s a mediocre defensive player and his role in the clubhouse is unknown to those of us who are outside the clubhouse. But the team dynamic was not winning despite LFGM, which I never liked.
LGM.