Yesterday, I came across a post I wrote almost a year ago that struck me as being somewhat foreboding and maybe even a little bit prophetic. It was intended to be some advice and a word of warning to Omar Minaya, and in it I described a type of philosophy that sounds very familiar today. The title kind of gives it away “Do Star Studded Acquisitions Lead To Winning Seasons?“, but I wanted to share some of what I wrote on this slow Mets news day.
In the past, Omar Minaya always manages to come away from each off season with a marquis name that he could dangle before our eyes. While high priced stars rallied the fan base and gave the team a quick PR boost in the media, in the end only a sustainable winning season is really what matters most. Additionally, we not only should strive to win in 2010, but also ensure that the moves we make have a positive lasting effect that carry a solid Mets team far into the next decade.
The Mets must embrace a shift in philosophy and recognize the importance of surrounding those big stars with role players and quality depth at each position both in the Majors and the minor leagues. We must start to build a more complete roster than in years past, because in the end it really boils down to the success of the entire team and not the gaudy stats of the 4-5 stars you brought in. The bottom line is wins, and it’s important for the Mets to remember that as they try to fulfill the promise they publicly made of putting a championship caliber team on the field in 2010.
All I’m saying is that we should update that last line to read “2010 and beyond”.
Anyway, I do believe we could have spent a little more and maybe have gotten a starting pitcher that wasn’t as much of a risk as Young or Capuano, but the truth is I’m glad we didn’t blow tons of money on one player like we have in the past.
Before I start complaining about this offseason, I’m gonna chill out a little and see the results of this philosophy once the season starts. I’ve already seen what the checkbook style of team-building has gotten us, now it’s time to see if this is an improvement, and I do believe it is.
