The Mets need to learn how to spend money wisely. Actually, they need to learn about to spend money, period!
Wasn't it just a year ago that Mets' owner Fred Wilpon stated the team's financial owes were over?
"Everything that was in the past - and you guys saw the pain that we went through - is gone," Wilpon told media members at Mets' spring training in 2013 , "I don't know what the market will be at that point, but the payroll will be commensurate with anything we've ever done because we can do it. The people have to come to the ballpark, obviously. But if you have a competitive ball team they will.....It's all in the rear-view mirror."
Obviously, Wilpon's faith in fans coming to see a mediocre team was not fulfilled. The Mets ranked No. 21 in attendance during the 2013 season, drawing an average of 26,695 fans per game. They drew 2,135,657 fans to Citi Field in 2013, which was considerably less than the 2012 season. The Mets drew 107,146 less fans in 2013 due to an abysmal amount of talent and lack of effort on the part of the team's front office.
Based on the last few seasons, fans can assume that the Wilpons do not care about producing a quality baseball teams. New York is a big-market city. Teams in big market cities like New York, Los Angeles, Boston, etc need to spend money. That is part of the draw. Owners who do not wish to spend money on their teams, like the Wilpons at this point, should not own a team.
Since the Wilpons became owners of the Mets on Aug 23, 2002, the team has a 885-913 record (.487 winning percentage). The team's only playoff appearance under the Wilpons came in 2006, a heartbreaking defeat at the hands (or rather beaks) of the Cardinals in the NLCS.
The Mets' current payroll is around 84.7 million. According to Baseball Prospectus, the 2013 Mets' opening day payroll stood at 93.7 million. Despite fooling fans with the "important" signings of Curtis Granderson, the 200-strikeout man and Bartolo Colon, the 40-year old kid, the Wilpons have add no significant pieces to solidify a playoff run. Though, I did forget the team signed Chris Young (.200, 12 home runs) to a one-year, $7 million contract this off-season. He might be the team's hope to a playoff run! (For the record, that was meant sarcastically.)
Where is the money that was supposed to be spent? A New York team like the Mets should be spending at least $120 million a year. Mets' fans have already paid the team back with all the suffering they've had to endure. Like it or not, the Mets are not a competitive team. The Wilpons have lied to fans about spending more money. If they were true to their word, then fans would've heard reports about the Mets contacting Ervin Santana, Brian McCann, or Jacoby Elisbury.
In fact, wasn't 2014 supposed to be the off-season where the Mets made noise?
There have been no noises from the Mets, unless you count the whimpers from fans, begging their owners to keep their word and make some moves. Granderson, who signed a four-year contract this off-season, was not a productive move. Before joining the Yankees, Granderson averaged 17 home runs a season for the Tigers His power only increased due to Yankee Stadium. Citi Field plays a lot like Comerica Park in Detroit. At best, Granderson will hit 20 home runs, which means nothing if his OBP hovers at .335 and his strikeouts climb, as they've done in years' past.
Colon will be 41 this season. Despite winning 18 games for the Athletics in 2013, many believe his success came due to Performance Enhancing Drug use, something he was suspended for in 2012. Young, who turned 30 in September, has never hit above .257 in his career. His last 20 home run season came in 2011 with the Diamondbacks.
This is the Wilpon's attempt to build a winning club? I can't even call it an attempt. It's more like a disgrace; a slap in the face to Mets' fans for their hard work, passion, enthusiasm and most importantly their money.
In the end, it comes down to the "almighty dollar sign." The Wilpons' actions show they don't care about the fans, the players or the game of baseball.
They care about the money.
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