Brodie Van Wagenen was gone from Citi Field the moment Steve Cohen took control of the Mets Friday afternoon. Sandy Alderson, “The Master” as I call him, is once again the new general in town and that solidified the beginning of a new era for the Mets.
The brief tenure of Brodie Van Wagenen, though, is not one of success but up in the Citi Field press box he was always a favorite with a Dunkin Donut box or two and there for the media at the beginning of a homestand.
The message near the donuts always said, “Have a good homestand…BVW.” A box of donuts will score some points with the media. But in New York that won’t score with fans unless you win.
So Brodie Van Wagenen for two years was that failure in New York. From the first significant move and trade for Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz. cutting the cord on Travis d’Arnaud so quickly after tendering him, trading for Marcus Stroman, and signing Jed Lowrie, a former client, to that two-year contract.
In the process, Lowrie was a fluke. Stroman, traded for prospects and opted to not play during this COVID shortened season, and that seven player trade for Cano and Diaz gave away top prospects Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn to the Mariners.
And as much as Dunn has not made an impact with the Mariners, as of yet, pitching prospects have always been a commodity of the Mets. But under Brodie, that was quickly gone and now Sandy Alderson and a new GM will need to rebuild that area.
Because pitching wins ball games that will be a priority. All of baseball knows that. We all know that and all you have to do is look at the Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Rays, Washington Nationals and their championship of 2019.
And of course there were the 2015 NL champion Mets. Sandy Alderson had the horses. He had the young and upcoming prospects in Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard. They were untouchable until Harvey went bad.
Look across town, the Yankees, as much as they failed again in 2020, their priority is always pitching and Brian Cashman has solidified a future by retaining a young core in Deivi Garcia, Michael King, and Clarke Schmidt.
So, Brodie was a Mets general manager that gave it a shot as a former player-agent and put in command of running a Major League Baseball franchise. Overall, the good guy was a failure and that reflected on depleting a core of Mets prospects that were traded away and some making an impact elsewhere.
And there is no legacy left with the departure of Brodie Van Wagenen. The search is on for a new GM, hopefully with experience and from this end a name that is easier to spell.
All kidding aside, this is serious business. The Mets need to rebuild with Steve Cohen and Sandy Alderson. They are in need of a GM that will begin the process.
It’s a process that needs some time to restructure the baseball operations. The new GM will need chemistry with Sandy Alderson and more importantly conduct player transactions as a GM and not the former agent of players.
You see when Brodie arrived he said the Mets would “win now and win in the future” He said. “Come get us.” He made a challenge to the National League.
Except, of course, the challenge was the Mets on the other end. Two years under Brodie and the Mets were always trying to get them. That my friends became a challenge and the former GM will always regret those words.
But in all due respect, Brodie was able to secure a long-term contract for a former client, Jacob deGrom and for that, Mets fans will always be grateful. He had confidence in Pete Alonso and acquired J.D. Davis that were two of the better moves.
Those other moves leave a lot to be desired in attempts to get those other teams to come and get him and the Mets.
Wilson Ramos, Jeurys Familia, Rick Porcello, Michael Wacha and Dellin Betances? You can give the grade as a failure with free agent signings and more prospects traded for light-hitting center fielders in Jake Marisnick, Keon Broxton, and Billy Hamilton.
Yes, this GM was a failure and two years of failing to make the postseason is enough evidence.
But now, the Mets will move on with a new regime. They have acquired “The Master” Sandy Alderson who will never say “Come and get us.” That experience as an established front office executive and respect around the league will attempt to put the Mets back on top.
Steve Cohen has put the team in Alderson’s hands. There will be the ability to spend and rebuild. The Wilpons put the trust and Mets in the hands of Brodie Van Wagenen and it was a failure.
The Mets went backwards in two years. In the end it’s all about winning, making the right moves, spending wisely. Brodie Van Wagenen got it all wrong in a town and for a fan base that looks for a winning team.
