Message To Mets Fans: Be Patient

The last few weeks have been a bit frustrating for Mets fans and of course there are reasons to vent. George Springer is up in Toronto and Brad Hand is with the rival Nationals. So go ahead and say this is not what you expected from the billionaire pockets of Steve Cohen.

You as a Mets fan have every right to be frustrated. “Oh, no, is this another case of the Wilpons?!”

Yet this is a completely different situation. So be frustrated, but don’t panic. 

Give Steve Cohen a break.

Regardless of the recent free agent misses, the Mets are a better team as of now than they were at season’s end. All you have to do is analyze the significance of signing James McCann and trading for Francisco Lindor to see that.

The Mets are a better defensive team and there is plenty of time to do more with spring training still a month away.

Carlos Carrasco is a viable starter and good addition to the rotation. Trevor May was signed and will be an important cog for the bullpen. Left-hander Joey Lucchesi was acquired from the Padres in a three-team trade to fill an uncertainty in the back-end of their rotation.   

But you want more, and believe me when I say, there is more to come.

Throwing out the unfortunate and unexpected Jared Porter GM situation, this offseason has been a success. The Mets are a team that will contend for the postseason, even if they need a little more to make that certain. 

With the Braves, Nationals, Phillies, as well as the young and competitive Marlins, the NL East is stronger. Tuesday, the Phillies re-signed J.T. Realmuto and they are far from completing their mission for 2021.

Trevor Bauer has been in the news over the past few days, with many wondering how much he will command in free agency and where will he ultimately land?

The Mets could take a chance with Bauer and expect the same Cy Young Award season. But, this is still a budget conscious situation and the goal is for the Mets to sign Michael Conforto and possibly Noah Syndergaard to long- term contracts.

They also need to retain Francisco Lindor on a long-term contract as well, which could cost them in excess of $300 million.

So with extensions potentially taking precedent, the Mets could pivot to signing Jackie Bradley, the 30-year outfielder Gold Glove winner with the Red Sox, and maybe even swing a trade with the Cubs for third baseman Kris Bryant.

I can report, as others have, that Bryant talk to the Mets has intensified over the past few days, though particulars involved in a trade are not known. Although, JD Davis is a player teams often bring into these discussions.

“I pay no attention to rumors and trade talk,” Davis said to me a few weeks ago when asked about his name always coming up in the discussion. “That is, the business of baseball. I can’t control that.” 

Then again, days before his departure, Porter gave praise to Davis when the trade for Lindor was announced. And Sandy Alderson has made it known the Mets have needs to fill. 

So the Mets came up short with Springer and Hand. But don’t fault Cohen or Alderson. They tried,  It just wasn’t a fit for Hand who expressed his desire to be a closer. Meanwhile the Blue Jays won the sweepstakes for Springer, with a better offer of 6-years, $150 million as they continue to upgrade in their attempts to overtake the Yankees and Rays in the AL East.

Since the Steve Cohen’s purchase of the Mets, I have stated here more than once that you can’t expect the pot of gold all at once. But as a Mets fan, you have been accustomed to disappointment too often.

So, you have a reason to be frustrated. But look at the progress and realize the Mets are so much better than they were when the last pitch was thrown in late September.

  As I say, to be continued.

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