Jeff Wilpon To Blame For Mets Radio Shakeup

There was some pretty significant backlash when it was recently reported that WOR Radio, the new radio home of your New York Mets, was looking to break up the radio broadcast team as they made the transition from WFAN to WOR this spring.  Now it would appear that team ownership may be the one to blame, with Howard Megdal of Capital New York reporting that its actually Jeff Wilpon who is making a push replay Josh Lewin with an ex-player in the booth for this upcoming season. You may recall seeing recently that either Cliff Floyd or Darryl Hamilton are possibilities for the spot.

This reeks of desperation in my opinion as Jeff Wilpon looks to levy some sort of control on the franchise.  The disappointing thing is that the team's broadcast groups, both television and radio, are amongst the most successful things about the franchise.  Breaking on of them up in what can only be an attempt to divert attention from a slumping offseason is unfortunate.  The notion of breaking up the team's radio broadcast team has  been met with unanimous opposition, yet here we sit waiting for one of the most clueless ownership groups in all of baseball to impose their will and rob the fan base of one of the few remaining positives about this organization.

Wilpon Vs. Alderson Blame Game Rages On

As the Mets have devolved over the last four years, fans have searched for answers.  Although the Bernie Madoff scandal was public, the aftereffects as they related to the team's ownership group never were.  As a result, the debate of who was to blame for the team's ever diminishing payroll is often split between the Wilpons and Sandy Alderson, who conveniently took the team's GM spot about the same time.

Despite that fact that today should have been the high point (with the exception of resigning David Wright) over the past four years, today was no different.  In the fog of war following the confirmation that the Mets had signed Curtis Granderson to a 4 year, $60 million dollar contract, WFAN's Mike Francesa stated on air that Sandy Alderson held firm with a three year offer to Curtis Granderson and that it was the Wilpons who went over his head to add the fourth guaranteed year.

Immediately those within the fan base took the airwaves that Francesa's statement proves that Alderson is at fault for organization's downfall.  Then...this:

A person involved in the process said the final decision on adding the fourth year belonged to Alderson.
— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) December 6, 2013

Look, I honestly don't know who is right anymore.  I find it hard to believe that any general manager wouldn't spend every red cent (within reason) offered to him by his owners.  With that said, I'm not blind enough to think that Alderson hasn't low-balled people in the past.  Now was that because its his financial philosophy or because he didn't have the money to offer?  We'll probably never know for sure, but one thing I do know is that today was a rare good day for the Mets, so lets not ruin it for each other.

Maybe Alderson Is The Architect Of The Mets Demise

I’m going to start with a disclaimer.  I’m not sticking up for anyone or making excuses.  This is more me playing devil’s advocate.  It’s gotten real cool the make fun of and rip apart the Wilpon’s.  I’m guilty of it.  You need a whipping boy when things aren’t going well.  Sandy gets a lot of flak too, but he doesn’t seem to draw the ire of fans like Fred and Jeff do.  I’ve been soaking it all in, and in thinking about it, I’ve come to the thought that maybe it’s not the Wilpons.

Let’s face it, the Mets did not pick Sandy Alderson, MLB did.  They picked him because he is smart and frugal and isn’t a free spender.  Sandy didn’t want the job.  Sandy took the job because his boss, Commissioner Selig, asked him too.  Don’t forget how close Selig and Fred Wilpon are.  

The Wilpon’s are businessmen.  They’re loaded and it’s because they’re good at their job.  They made a mistake investing with a conman, and are paying the price.  However, as businessmen, they understand you have to spend money in order to make money.  I would think at this point, they’d shell out the money if Sandy said it was worth it.  Sandy is not that guy though.  He’s not a risk taker.  The biggest signing he made when he was the GM of the Padres was Brian Giles.  Otherwise he did nothing in terms of bringing free agents there.  When he got to San Diego, he inherited a team with a payroll of $62.8 Million (17th in MLB).  The team overachieved and won a weak NL West division 2 years in a row.  They had just moved into a new stadium.  A new stadium + playoffs should equal revenue. Increased revenues should equal increased investments to your roster…right?  Wrong.  By 2009, the Padres payroll was $42.7 Million.  Good for 29th in the league.  

Sandy Alderson does not like to give long term commitments or to overvalue players.  Sandy thinks he is smarter than the game of baseball.  He didn’t come here with long term visions of winning.  He came here to stabilize the financial footing of an ownership desperate to hold on to their baseball team, and is backed by the commissioner.  And frankly I don’t think Sandy gives a shit if they win or lose.  You can tell in his interviews he’s fed up and doesn’t seem to care.  He’s likely going back to the MLB offices next year to take over for Selig when he retires.  Sandy probably is looking down the road and doesn’t want to have to deal with this situation again.  He can avoid it by saddling the Mets with long term contracts.  And once he leaves, it’s not his problem.  

I’m not saying the Wilpon’s are not responsible for this.  Up until this point, I think they were more of the problem.  I just think after 3 years of hearing the same song and dance from Sandy, that he may have more control over the Wilpon’s purse strings than they do.  I know I have said before to be patient until the meetings, and I still stand by that.  It just seems that all you hear out of Mets camp is who they won’t be spending money on instead of who they are trying to spend money on.

The above post is purely speculation not based on any facts at all.  Hit me up on twitter and tell me what you think @GetsThruBuckner

Nelson Cruz Seeks 4yrs/$75 Million, Mets Pretend They're Still Interested

Welp..this winter has spiraled out of control rather quickly.  The Mets remain in "sticker shock" over free agent prices that Jeff Wilpon described as "scary".  They declined to overpay on Jhonny Peralta who managed an absurd 4yrs/$53 million.  Hell, the Mets wouldn't even give LaTroy Hawkins a paltry sum of $2.5 million next season.  Meanwhile, according to Jon Heyman the Mets remain interested Nelson Cruz despite the fact that he's seeking a contract of 4yrs/$75 million.

You'll have to excuse me if you expect me to believe that Sandy Alderson is going to drop nearly all of his remaining budget on an outfielder who will turn 34 next season.  An outfielder who not only lost 50 games to the Biogenisis scandal last season, but one who will also cost him a second round pick in next seasons amateur draft.

Ultimately, Cruz is shooting high as he should.  I suspect it will take something in the neighborhood of 4yrs/$64 million to retain the slugger's services.  Jhonny Peralta's deal proves there is little hesitation in the market to bring on a potential PEDs issue, but the outfield market is much deeper than that of shortstop.  As a result Cruz's offense will bring him a few more millions, but he'll fall short of the amount he's publicly seeking.

The Mets too will fall short.  They'll fall short of their fans' expectations.  They'll also fall short on their own plans to improve the roster, because I highly doubt their interest in Cruz is genuine.  Its not in line with everything they've said this winter, and this will be the most recent market they're priced out of.

ICYMI: Mets Can't Afford Anyone

I don't mean to start your Monday morning off with bad news, but its becoming more and more likely that the Mets can't afford free agents this winter.  Over the weekend, Mike Puma of the New York Post reported that the Mets fear they will be priced out of mid-market free agents such as Curtis Granderson and Nelson Cruz.

Have no fear though, its because Marlon Byrd's shiny new contract with the Phillies worth as much as 3yr/$24MM, has sent the market soaring, not because the Wilpon's have no money.  For a third consecutive offseason, the Mets front office doesn't want to pay market price for anything resembling a competent major leaguer.  Remember..the free agent prices are "scarey", said Jeff Wilpon last week.

Despite Sandy Alderson reassuring fans that the organization plans to spend more on the free agent market than it did last winter (a whopping $5MM), I remain increasingly skeptical.  Look, I can sympathize with the Mets not wanting to blow half the budget on one player, but something has to give here.  Fans want to see players they can get excited about, not another cheap crop of low risk/high reward has beens.

The Mets like to say they don't want to commit too much to a player with obvious flaws.  That's a swell way of thinking until you realized that the players who aren't flawed are the ones who will make in excess of $100MM this winter.  There are no perfect players when your trolling the same shallow end of the free agent pool where Sandy has set anchor in previous offseasons.  The Mets aren't entrenched there because they want to be, they are being priced out of the market because they can't afford them.  Its that easy...

The Mets Have A Wilpon Problem

Photo Courtesy of The7Line

Seventy-five.  That's how many wins the New York Mets have averaged over the past five years.  If you're not keeping score at home, that's fourteen games below .500.. on average.  Locked into an ever present battle for fourth place in the division, the Mets are one of only seven teams to not reach the playoffs since 2006.  In the meantime, a new stadium, a sports network and a massive financial scandal have all combined to retard the franchise's progress forward.

So what comes next?  A methodical reduction in payroll.  First Beltran, then Luis Castillo and good ol' Ollie Perez.  Next up was Jose Reyes, Jason Bay and finally, Johan Santana.  A big market team which once boasted a payroll in excess of $135MM, has been reduced to a mid-market excuse for a baseball franchise struggling to find the pennies necessary to field a $90MM roster.

The one constant over this half decade long struggle?  The Wilpons.  Principle owner Fred Wilpon and his silver spooned idiot son, Jeff, have presided over and ridden a once proud franchise directly into the ground.  Gone are the big contracts, the playoff runs and for the most part..the ticket sales.  The rowdy stands of Shea Stadium have morphed into the sparsely populated bleachers of Citi Field, and I'm not even sure the organization has noticed.

From claims that the franchise is snake bitten to unfathomable statements that money is no obstacle, the Wilpons remain out of touch with the reality of their situation.  Yesterday provided the most recent example of the Wilpons' complete disregard for the fan base they depend on.  In the early weeks of an offseason of renaissance, with fans clamoring for the first of what they hope will be many acquisitions this winter, ownership dunce Jeff Wilpon took to the mic to scream from the rafters than the Mets were poised to do something big.  With several things in the works..an announcement was on the horizon.  What could go wrong?

Fast forward two hours and Sandy Alderson is left the pick up the pieces.  Not only was no acquisition imminent,  but the big news of the day would be next season's summer concert series.  Fans were left in disbelief.  How could one of the men at the forefront of this organization have no clue that his words would incite the masses?  Five lost years..with a shred of hope mixed in with the mirage at the end of the tunnel, and ownership just toys with its line of income.

I can't begin to predict what will happen between now and spring training, but it remains safe to say that the organization's ultimate leadership, its owners, are the root of the problem.  I once feared the biggest dilemma we might face would be their bankroll, or lack thereof.  However, now it seems their inability to grasp the reality of their situation could be our downfall.  Jeff Wilpon's words have once again kicked Mets fans in their proverbial teeth.  Now its time to put whatever money he might have left where his mouth is..assuming there is any room left once he removes his foot.

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