The Mets’ 2013-14 offseason, once a beacon of hope for fans as a major turning point for the team, is quickly developing a more pessimistic outlook. Whether it’s the reports of Mets officials experiencing “sticker shock” at the prices being demanded by free agents (FAs) or the ever-changing budget, Mets fans have been given little reason to believe the 2014 Mets will be any better than the mediocre 2013 version. The team needs outfielders, a shortstop, bullpen arms, a solution at first base, and rotation depth. It’s a long list and the team is seemingly trying to address it while spending as little money as possible. It’s a situation that has fans aggravated, but it’s a situation that the team has faced before.
One need only look back 10 years to find a Mets team in a very similar situation in terms of questions about the roster and budget concerns. The 2003 Mets finished the season in last place in the National League East with a record of 66-95. Going into the offseason it was clear that the team needed a middle infielder, outfielders, bullpen help, rotation depth, and to address the situation at first base. The list of needs 10 years ago, and the state of the team itself, was strikingly similar to today’s version of the Mets.
The team made what were classified as three major signings that offseason in an attempt to improve on that awful 2003 roster. They signed Japanese shortstop Kazuo Matsui and infamously shifted a young Jose Reyes to second base. Mets fans need no painful reminders of how that signing ultimately turned out. They also signed Mike Cameron to play center field and Braden Looper to help shore up the bullpen.
None of these moves could be classified as a resounding success, but the most interesting part was the strategy in which the team used to snag these players. A story in The New York Times discussing the Mets’ (low-ball) offer to top FA outfielder Vladimir Guerrero in January 2004, Rafael Hermoso captured that strategy as such:
After spending much of this off-season preaching austerity and waiting cautiously for the price of talent to drop, the Mets are hoping their patience will result in one final great pickup in the free-agent market. The Mets signed the Japanese free-agent shortstop Kazuo Matsui, center fielder Mike Cameron and closer Braden Looper by waiting out the market, and they are using a similar tactic on Guerrero…”
Sounds all too familiar, doesn’t it? Concepts like “austerity” and “waiting out the market” are ones Mets fans have heard much about over the last several years. Once again the team finds itself in need of adding high-quality talent to the roster but unwilling to spend the money the market demands.
So what was the outcome of the strategy and additions that Mets team made ten years ago? The team finished the 2004 season in fourth place in the NL East with a 71-91 record. The 2004 season also saw the Mets trade top pitching prospect Scott Kazmir for bust Victor Zambrano. All in all, it was not a very good year.
One popular definition for insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting different results. Is it insane for the Mets to use the same strategy they used a decade ago and expect a better outcome? It might be. You could argue that the front office at the helm in 2013 is superior to the one that was in place back then, of course, but it appears that Sandy Alderson is facing even tighter purse strings than Jim Duquette faced in 2003.
The offseason is still young, but FAs are already being quickly snatched up by aggressive teams. If the Mets hang back too long they may find themselves out in the cold with the glaring holes still remaining in their roster. Obviously reckless spending has proven to be ineffective and damaging, but keep this in mind: with all of the talk about austerity back in 2003, the 2004 Mets payroll still managed to be at $100 million. According to reports, the 2014 Mets will be lucky to break $90 million.
Will the 2014 Mets face the same fate as the 2004 Mets? Unless the team is prepared to make some aggressive (yet smart) moves, you shouldn’t bet against history repeating itself.
Although the variables differ each year and so trying the same route is not necessarily bad by repitition, I would argue the route is bad, period.
On the other hand, remember, SA was hired not to build a competitive team in Flushing, but to save the Mets for the Wilpon’s. There was absolutely no way under Seligs watch would they be forced to sell the team. The hit man was brought in, and voila, the Wilpon’s are still in charge.
The faster we come to accept that winning is not the primary objective each year, the less the disappointment will be. He fan base couldn’t give a hoot about the Wilpon fortune, or apparently lack thereof, and only wants to see Ws. That vision just does not comport with Metsian reality.
Oh how I would wish for a player as talented as Mike Cameron or a reliever like Braden Looper at this point.
I only hope that once Saul and Fred move on to their next Ponzi scheme in the sky, that their families and their wills both make provisions that don’t allow Boy Wonder to become the figurehead….
so yo think signing high priced free agents is the way to go?
What is the Mets track recording signing high priced free agents… BAD
And you want them to repeat this trend?
That is insane.
Too bad we didn’t sign Hamilton or bj upton last year. The fan base would have been thrilled.
At citi field, Cruz or grander son = Jason bay
The 2006-08 seasons stands as one of the best 3-years stretches in Mets history, a whisper away from the World Series. There were mistakes, it wasn’t perfect, but 4 million pushed through the gates in 2008. It wasn’t a bad time.
Signing Mike Piazza turned the team’s fortune’s around.
As will most things in life, it’s a question of degree. Currently the Mets are operating as a small-market team at a great disadvantage against the more robust organizations. Doesn’t mean it can’t be done, just that it will be very hard. Unfortunately, there’s not a single impact bat in the minor league system. The Red Sox spent $61 million last season on filler pieces. Etc, etc, and so on and so.
I can accept reality. I’m not screaming for them to sign Choo or whomever. I get it. The Wilpons are screwing over Mets fans and the city of NY and baseball in general, while they hold on to a $2 billion property . . . and make plans to build a mall.
Interesting comparison between 2004 and 2014. It definitely reminds be me of David Byrne smacking his forehead repeatedly in concert and repeatedly singing “same a it ever was” ….”after the money’s gone”, in the song Once In A Lifetime. Insanity it is.
The 2004 silver lining was that the team improved five games. 🙂 Hopefully Sandy can duplicate that feat. 🙂
Seriously, no fan wants to pay above value for any player but player salaries are driven by the marketplace. I think the Mets weakness is being unable to identify the marketplace. Sandy never identified Reyes to be a 7 figure player, and he paid above market for relief pitchers Rauch and Fransisco in a year relief pitchers were cheaper. Minaya would bid against himself. “Same as it ever was” as I smack my forehead.
PS: Chris F spot on.
You are exactly right Metsense. After looking the situation over, we simply are pretty lousy at talent identification. Remember we made a deal to look at Brian Wilson last year…we passed on what was clearly a huge miss. Sure we got Byrd, but as a whole the list of failures is pretty sad. Unable to identify the market place or set market trends means the Mets will continue to wallow in abject mediocrity.