The 2023 New York Mets have the highest payroll in the history of Major League Baseball at almost $354 million. They have gotten off to an underwhelming start, sitting at 31-35 after 66 games. Their veteran-laden team is not producing consistently on offense or in the pitching department, and few players (with Pete Alonso and David Robertson as exceptions) are performing up to their expected levels. Where have we seen this before?
Of course, no two seasons are exactly the same. However, the current team feels a bit like the 1992 squad. You may remember them. Jeff Torborg was in his first year as manager, brought in with a solid reputation as a “baseball man” after leading the Chicago White Sox. The 1992 Mets also had the highest payroll in baseball at $45 million. And ironically, they were 31-35 after 66 games.
Going into the 1992 season, the Mets had brought in some older players, such as Eddie Murray and Willie Randolph. Their marquee offensive acquisition was former Pirate Bobby Bonilla. They added Bret Saberhagen, a two-time Cy Young award winner, through a trade (with Gregg Jefferies and Kevin McReynolds going to the Royals).
The Mets were supposed to have dominant starting pitching, with veterans David Cone, Dwight Gooden, and Saberhagen leading the way. They let Frank Viola (13-15 in 1991, losing ten of his last twelve decisions) walk after the 1991 season, figuring the rotation would be just fine with Sid Fernandez and Pete Schourek rounding out the starting five. Does any of this sound vaguely familiar?
When the 1992 season started, nothing seemed to go right for the Mets (despite an extra innings win on opening night in St. Louis). The Mets ended the season with a 72-90 record, due in large part to performances like Murray’s 16 home runs in 551 official at-bats, Bonilla’s .249 average and 19 home runs, both well below the numbers he was producing in Pittsburgh. Howard Johnson tailed off, posting a .223 average with seven home runs in just 100 games. The starting pitching also struggled. Cone was traded in August. Gooden posted a 10-13 record, and Saberhagen missed significant time, finishing with a 3-5 mark over 15 starts. Closer John Franco missed time due to injuries.
The 2023 Mets have plenty of time to avoid the fate of their 1992 predecessors. Alonso is set to return before the all star break. Jose Quintana is expected around the time of the mid-summer classic. Francisco Lindor is not a .216 hitter and should rebound over the remaining 96 games. Jeff McNeil should find the ability to once again produce some extra-base hits, and Starling Marte may return to the catalyst and run-producing form he demonstrated in 2022. Projected co-aces Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander have the opportunity to resemble something closer to the pitchers that they’re expected to be.
The 1992 team was the subject of the book “The Worst Team Money Could Buy” by Bob Klapisch and John Harper. No team wants a book like that written about them, and time is the 2023 Mets’ best ally to avoid such a dishonor. However, time can pass quickly, and Buck Showalter‘s group needs to find their stride in the near future.
Something tells me that having a book like the one referenced above written about his team will not sit well with owner Steve Cohen. The 2023 results are not coming close to matching expectations. The time is now to start to turn it around. Dig in, gentlemen. Find a way to right the ship before the book publishers get busy as they were after the 1992 campaign.
