Steven Cohen is being a hands-off owner, and that’s killing the franchise. Not forever, but for the next few years.  Whenever he decided to pay a lot more attention to his other projects and a lot less to the Mets, the team lost the oversight necessary for a one-person boss in the front office with complete autonomy. 

Even if the Mets killed it today with prospects, they killed this season and the next one, whenever that is. I’ll mention that a bit later in the article. The Mets went from a playoff contender (Their words) to a bottom-feeding franchise. A team with a top pick in next year’s draft.  

Mets fans are tired of looking to the future and hearing about how good the analytics department is or was. I think they need big changes there because they are stuck with Luis Robert after the deadline and Jorge Polanco, who can’t hit anymore. Or at least nobody on the Mets staff can help him.  He will make 23 million next year, making Jed Lowrie seem like a bargain.  

Marcus Semien is making 46 million over the next two seasons. That’s going to hurt more and more each year. These are bad miscalculations, and when you start looking at who can be elevated next season and who they have and who can be signed? It’s not a good-looking picture, and taking risks on declining players isn’t the way.  

Back to the deadline. Even if it shows good results in 2-3 years, what’s the plan until then? Why should Mets fans have any faith in this organization based on the last few trade deadlines and offseasons? Attendance will be brutal for their next season.  

Will There Be a 2027 Season? 

Owners are only speaking to insiders. None are commenting. I would think if there was dissention with Rob Manfred, some would speak out. There’s solidarity for now. MLBPA has an interim executive director named Bruce Meyer.  

In 2024, the players wanted Meyer out. That’s interesting.  

So, now he has an interim tag. I guess he has to prove himself in these negotiations.  

I think there will be a lockout, but not a long one like the owners are feeding the media. 

How Would I Solve It? 

The owners should give the players a true 50-50 split, but that won’t happen, so they should settle for a real 49%. They’ve ended up with 47% the past few seasons.  

It seems like the magic floor number, from a salary cap or whatever they want to call it, should be $176 million. That seems to be the average, with teams going over and under, and nobody should own a team that goes under. No more; put a stop to that. That’s the price of poker. Make the commissioner force that.  

If teams like the Dodgers choose to defer huge sums, then there should be a penalty. Come up with a number they shouldn’t cross; if they do in the future, they lose a draft pick for each instance. Maybe from the second round on. 

I think there will be baseball next season. 

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