Cynicism is Fair, But Act Would Be Stupid
By Mike Silva ~ December 11th, 2009. Filed under: Mike Silva.
There are rumblings by Mets fans that an offer to Jason Bay is nothing more than an attempt to sell tickets. I wish there wasn’t a benchmark of Mets success in this area so I could laugh and debunk the theory. Unfortunately, the Mets recent history has been littered with mid tier shopping complemented by weak bids on Tiffany quality products. They also have lacked awareness when it comes to media and customer relations. After the horrendous summer Jeff Wilpon and Omar Minaya had you would think they finally have learned this lesson. During their end of the season “state of the union” Mr. Wilpon talked about accountability, while David Howard went on FOX Business to reiterate the Mets strong financial position. Could this organization be so cynical and disrespectful of their fans that they would resort to playing politics with free agency? I find it hard to believe,but if they are, then irreversible harm will be done to their brand.
As unimpressed I am with the Mets top to bottom business operation I don’t think ownership is malicious. My advice to the fans is simply “caveat emptor” when it comes to season ticket plans. If you don’t feel comfortable with the roster, or the direction, don’t purchase the tickets. This will ensure that if there is an effort to dupe ticket holders it will be unsuccessful. We all love baseball and hate to play “games” with what’s supposed to be enjoyment. Any business that treats its customers as idiots will soon be taught a difficult financial lesson and the Mets are no exception. Remember, there are plenty of entertainment options in New York and you could also watch the game from the comfort of your home.
I believe the Mets would like to sign “value” players, but realize there are none on the market. Players like Marlon Byrd, Mike Cameron, and Josh Willingham will not get this team to the playoffs. The farm system isn’t in a position to acquire an Adrian Gonzalez so they need to shop at this year’s top shelf which includes Jason Bay, Matt Holliday, and John Lackey. When you put it in perspective Bay might be the best “value” on the market because he will sign early, require less years/dollars than Holliday, which in turn should allow them to shop for value at other positions. Even though $2-3 million doesn’t seem like much it adds up over the course of a potential five year deal. That is money they could use on “value players”, the draft, or towards future free agents. The goal should be to win a title in 2010 or else they should be selling off K-Rod, Santana, and Beltran.
Until I see otherwise I am going to give Jeff Wilpon the benefit of the doubt. Your cynicism is fair, this team has not earned your trust with their on and off the field performance the last three years. I also think they know their current business position and how deadly it would be to play politics with the fans. If they don’t then maybe it’s time to take Chipper Jones advice and get your “Yankees cap out of the draw”.
