We are only a couple of months into the offseason and what started out as pretty quiet quickly grew louder come Thanksgiving. There’s been much excitement surrounding the acquisition of free agents Eduardo Escobar, Mark Canha and outfielder Starling Marte. And let’s not forget the electricity felt throughout Mets fans upon hearing about Max Scherzer deciding to sign with the orange and blue.
Of course there has been some loses to familiar names too, such as Noah Syndergaard and Marcus Stroman. But all in all, how are we feeling about the Mets offseason so far?
Matt Musico
To use one word: happy.
To elaborate on that a little more: pleasantly surprised that the talk of spending a bunch of money was followed by actually spending a bunch of money. Is the job done? Is the roster complete? Not yet, but these are the kind of metaphorical home runs we were expecting the Mets to hit last year with their pockets flush with cash.
In free agency last winter, the greatest total investment they made to one player was James McCann and his $40.6 million guarantee. They’ve already blown past that twice, and depending what else they want to try and accomplish, could do it again before spring training gets underway.
It’s legitimately impossible to not love pairing Max Scherzer with Jacob deGrom. However, it looked like the Mets were putting a premium on positional flexibility with the signings of Eduardo Escobar, Mark Canha, and Starling Marte. It was nice to see confirmation on that by hearing each of them during Wednesday’s introductory presser express comfort in playing wherever the team needs them.
So, while they’re not finished, they’re off to a terrific start by addressing some of their biggest needs in a significant way.
Marshall Field
The Mets offseason so far has been nothing short of spectacular. The piece de resistance of course was the signing of eight-time All-Star, Max Scherzer to a three-year, $130 million dollar deal some are calling the most significant in MLB free agency history. Scherzer owns three Cy Youngs and is coming off a season many thought would result in his fourth. He posted a career-low 2.46 ERA over 30 starts, and led all of baseball with a terrific 0.864 WHIP. He is one of the best pitchers of all time, as he has a 190-97 record, 3.16 ERA, and 3,020 in his 14-year career. How can anyone not be thrilled by acquiring a Cooperstown shoe-in? The Mets now have the best 1, 2 punch in their rotation and it will be interesting to see how they feed off of each other’s successes during the next few years.
On Black Friday 2021, it was clear the Cohens do more than shop at Kohls. Oh they shopped alright, but for good quality ML players. First was Eduardo Escobar who was a first time All-Star in 2021. Then came Mark Canha who has a career OBP of over .350. And finally, Starling Marte, one of the finest outfielders in baseball, came to a New York in a late night deal which was well-worth the lack of sleep. He posted a .310/.383/.841 slash last year, which shows his ability to both hit for a high average and for some power. He also led the league in stolen bases in 2021 with 47.
The most intriguing aspect of all of this is how the other owners now regard Steven Cohen. He is clearly not one to be trifled with as the Mets can (and most likely will) be a part of any major free agent available. Some snickered when Steven Matz and Noah Syndergaard got away from the Mets this offseason. I doubt the laughter now is as robust.
As a fan, I am delighted we are finally playing in the big leagues, both during the season and now, finally, in the off season. I root for a team that has an owner with a sincere desire to win and obviously will stop at nothing to attain that goal. In one fell swoop, he showed the baseball owners his version of negotiation and tactics and made it clear that money will not be a major sticking point in his business dealings. I’m just happy to go along for the ride and happily report that the ‘same old Mets’ may finally be gone for good.
Joe D.
VENI VIDI VICI – That ancient adage coined by Roman Emperor Julius Caesar, came to mind when I think of how Steve Cohen navigated his first official offseason. He came. He saw. He conquered.
MLB team owners and general managers are quickly learning that there is nothing Steve Cohen wants that he can’t have. The world is his oyster. Benefits of being the wealthiest owner in sports
It was almost hysterical to see how Cohen reacted when he was spurned at the last moment by free agent southpaw Steven Matz. He was pissed and he made sure everyone knew it.
So after taking Matz and his agent to task, Cohen rolled up his sleeves and went about the business of signing multiple Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer to a landmark three-year, $140 million deal. No player has ever earned a higher average annual salary and it might be a while until another player does.
This past week has given us a glimpse into what we can expect from Steve Cohen moving forward. He is not one to be crossed and he means what he says.
After a lifetime of having Jeff Wilpon as owner of the team, and all the mayhem and dysfunction that came with him, Mets fans can take a deep breath and know that the days of running the Mets like a small market team are clearly behind us.
So when Cohen says he’s fixed on winning a third championship, he’s not blowing wind up your ass, and that truly excites me. I’ve said it before, but this guy is one of us. And if he believes then I believe too.
Mike Mayer
The Mets have done a good of adding adding value in all aspects of the game with Eduardo Escobar, Starling Marte, and Mark Canha on position player side. It’s also been noted that all three guys are have been important veteran players when it comes to to the clubhouse and leadership.
Marte adds speed to a Mets team that was lacking it, Canha adds on base skills to a team lacking it, and Escobar gives them a versatile switch-hitter that’s been a consistently solid big league offensive player.
With all that said, Max Scherzer is obviously the big signing for the Mets on multiple levels. The obvious is that the Mets are getting one of the best pitchers on the planet for at least two years. Beyond that, owner Steve Cohen showed that he’s not afraid to spend (record AAV) for a player that the team really wants. And lastly, you have to imagine that once the lockout is over, that a team with Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer at the top of the rotation at least piques the interest of free agents.
Michelle Ioannou
I am a happy Mets fan. I wanted Steve Cohen to come in last year and clean house so I am excited to see it this year. We need totally new beginnings! Unfortunately, that does mean that some of our beloved players (I’m looking at you, Syndergaard) will not be returning, but I mean… Max Scherzer. That’s a huuuuuge deal (in more ways than one) and the type of moves we should be making, especially in the New York market. Plus, we as Mets fans have suffered for so long, let us finally have the team we’ve always deserved. This offseason has also been reminder that Cohen is a Mets fan — wanting those big names and getting pissed off when deals don’t go through. And who wants a team to win more than a true fan? Of course, there’s still holes that need to be filled. But we’re off to a strong start and I hope it continues that way.
