The New York Mets not only missed the postseason in 2021, but they looked lost in the second half and even started a feud with fans.
Several executives were involved in legal issues and lost their jobs, and the baseball decisions weren’t always sound.
The organization needs to find some stability, and here are some ideas.
3. Hire A Qualified Person To Make Baseball Decisions
The Mets, before the 2021 season, hired Jared Porter and Zack Scott to be the general manager and assistant GM, respectively.
During the year, Porter was dismissed after it became public that he had been harassing women and sending unsolicited, inappropriate pictures.
Scott was arrested on DUI charges on August 31, and was fired this week by the Mets.
Mets general manager Zack Scott will not return to the organization regardless of how his DUI trial turns out, as others have reported today. He had been on administrative leave since his arrest.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) November 1, 2021
Yes, the organization had some bad luck with those two (or failed at checking their background), but they need to hire someone who can make appropriate baseball decisions.
Team president Sandy Alderson has said the idea is to hire a president of baseball operations and a general manager, but there is a chance they bring just one because most candidates are no longer options or never were.
The Mets swung and missed with talented executives such as Billy Beane, Theo Epstein, and David Stearns.
They reportedly interviewed former Los Angeles Angels GM Billy Eppler and received permission to talk with Boston Red Sox’s executive Raquel Ferreira.
To find stability, the Mets need to hire a person qualified for the job, up to date with analytics, and with the ability to deal with pressure.
2. Don’t Mess With Fans
New York fans are tough, and that’s no secret.
They booed the team relentlessly whenever they struggled, including new face of the franchise Francisco Lindor.
At one point, Lindor, Javier Baez, and Kevin Pillar turned against fans and expressed their unhappiness about being constantly booed.
They apologized, but these things shouldn’t happen again if the Mets want to be successful.
Javier Baez apologizes for symbolically booing Mets fans with a thumbs down gesture. Francisco Lindor also apologized. #MLB #NYMets pic.twitter.com/l9E5D6AYzk
— For Future Considerations (@PodcastFFC) August 31, 2021
A sustainable franchise needs a lot of things, and keeping the fans happy is one of them.
Whether booing is justified or not is another subject, but Mets players shouldn’t try to reason with fans.
An organization would be healthier if these scenarios were avoided.
Fighting with fans is a time and energy consuming issue that won’t lead players anywhere.
1. Build For The Future And The Present
This is easier said than done, but for a team like the Mets, desperate for winning, it’s easy to lose perspective at the time of making baseball decisions.
Take what happened to former GM Brodie Van Wagenen, for example: in an attempt to win, he brought an albatross contract in Robinson Cano and traded two blue chip prospects, Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn, to be able to lure Edwin Diaz from the Seattle Mariners a couple of seasons ago.
Van Wagenen is no longer with the team, but that situation is the perfect example of what the Mets shouldn’t do at this point.
Yes, their fan base demands immediate results, especially with the wealthiest owner in MLB in Steve Cohen.
But they shouldn’t give away the future in the process.
The current regime did something similar, trading a first-round pick in Pete Crow-Armstrong for Baez.
Baez performed admirably, but he was a rental.
The Mets need to invest resources in player development and proper scouting so they can draft and produce the gems of tomorrow, but they also need to make savvy trades and not overpay for free agents.
They need to think about today, yes, but they need to prioritize tomorrow, as well.
NEXT: Mets Decide To Move On From Manager Luis Rojas