Fred Wilpon and Sandy Alderson gazing into the future and watching their plan unfold?
On Wednesday I posted this comment R.A. Dickey made regarding his thoughts on signing an extension with the Mets after this season:
“If I don’t see them pursuing David hard,” Dickey said, “I think it would be a message to everybody that they’re content to spend the next five or six years rebuilding this organization. Rather than trying to be competitive, and trying to rebuild it at the same time.”
Dickey also said that he considers himself and David Wright as a package deal. Basically he torpedoed the prevailing theory that many Mets fan had about Wright or Dickey not caring about how much they get paid. Of course they care, why wouldn’t they?
Anyway, there was a comment left by Metsie that really took the debate to another level and I thought it was worth pursuing:
“I think this is just more proof about what Burkhardt said about the kick in the teeth. Sandy really hurt himself and lost the faith of his players this offseason with his lack of effort. And now instead of him judging players on if they are worth keeping and paying, the system is now reversed and it’s the players who will be judging Sandy and his approach before they sign a contract.”
That’s an interesting concept to consider, and he’s not at all far off from the truth.
Your words and actions are what create your reputation. So far, the last two years have done more harm than good as far as the front office’s reputation stands with the fans and now apparently the players are taking notes as well. Just as we the fans have heard all the broken promises and unsubstantiated claims, so too have the players. Now it’s not just me, Mike Francesa, and a minority of fans who openly question what the plan is. It seems that now even the team’s key players are wondering what the plan is themselves – they don’t see any plan either. As I’ve said before, I’m betting that at least one or both of Wright and Dickey will be gone before next season. I’m more confident about that than I am on placing a bet on NFL football this weekend. And based on what Dickey said, if Wright goes than you can bet Dickey goes too. As he said, they are a package deal.
Look, at this point anything can happen, but seriously the Mets brand name, along with its reputation, has taken a huge hit over the years. If you think that has changed, think again. The Mets have not become any more attractive to play for under Sandy Alderson than they were in 2010 under Omar Minaya. It’s gotten worse.
If you think the Mets had to overpay for marquee free agents before, it’s going to take a lot more dough to attract them now than ever before.
Players are competitive creatures by nature. They have an even greater commitment to winning as we the fans do. And now they are openly questioning and scratching their heads about what exactly is going on and what direction this team is going in. Like the rest of us, they are finding it difficult to connect the dots because it seems like we’re just flying by the seats of our pants with no direction in sight.
