What the Mets Must Change to Succeed

Mets’ fans can certainly be forgiven for thinking the team’s owners and management don’t really care one way or another about success. Coming off another disappointing season in 2013, where they ended up 22 games out of first in the NL East and were out of contention by the end of April, it’s amazing that anyone even showed up to the ballpark.

The Mets inflicted pain in fans’ wallets and on their eyes. Ticket prices were high, and when wannabe attendees factored in the costs of parking and food, they cringed. It’s hard enough to scrounge up the dough for first-class entertainment, so why waste hard-earned money on a second-class team? Stay-at-home fans weren’t talking about sparkling defense and pitcher-pounding offense. They were instead talking about ownership obsessed with mindless money ball and a GM who says “prospect” so often you’d think the Mets had one.

If—and that’s a very strong if— the Mets can turn this team around and become contenders, they should start by flipping young talent like Noah Syndergaard, Wilmer Flores, Juan Lagares, and maybe even Travis d’Arnaud for proven players like Matt Kemp, Giancarlo Stanton, or Carlos Gonzalez. Then they should make a big splash in the free-agent pool by luring Jacoby Ellsbury, Robinson Cano, Chase Utley, Carlos Beltran, Shin Soo-Choo, or Brian McCann to Flushing. A veteran first baseman like James Loney will fill hole, and then the pitching leaks can be plugged up with arms attached to hurlers like Chris Capuano, Chris Carpenter, Tim Hudson, A.J. Burnett, Erving Santana, Matt Garza, Dan Haren, and Josh Johnson. Note that when I say “veteran,” I don’t mean players born before 1973!

Shoring up the team with at least six new position players, some solid veteran arms, and a non-volatile bullpen will have an immediate benefit. The moves will show disenchanted Mets’ fans that they’ll have something more to cheer about than designer tacos if they show up at the stadium.