Ok, Sandy Alderson, the clock is running and you don’t want to disappoint Uncle Steve.
“Three to five years.” That’s the time frame the new Mets owner is expecting a championship.
So we better get started.
That said, Cohen sounded partially like George Steinbrenner, partially like a fan, which he is, and partially like someone running for an office.
And if he can deliver on that promised championship, he will be able to run for any office he wants.
First and foremost, Cohen knows who he is. He’s a hedge fund manager and he isn’t going to dip his toe into the foray of running the baseball operations. That’s why he is paying Alderson. You may be able to call Cohen a learned man because he knows what he doesn’t know.
“I’ve got a lot to learn and I can’t think of a better person to learn from,” Cohen said of Alderson during his introductory Zoom call. “I’m gonna let the professionals … let them run baseball. I’m sure they’ll make recommendations to me. It’ll be a collaborative effort, but ultimately they’re the experts.
“I’m going to be an owner that builds a team with continued success.”
Oh, it’s going to take money. Cohen didn’t want to tip his hat and said the Mets were not going to spend like “drunken sailors” when it comes to free agency. Instead the money will go to building a sustained winner – behind the scenes and in the minors – and one that will not just compete for the World Series but win them as well.
“You build champions, you don’t buy them,” Cohen said. “I want an exceptional team. I want a team that’s built to be great every year. I don’t want to just get into the playoffs, I want to win a championship.
“We want to create a blueprint for winning.”
Alderson was in agreement when he called the Mets a “storied franchise” but wants to make them an “iconic” one by giving the club the sustained success on the field. He gave the example of the Yankees being an iconic club with their 27 World Championships, which is something the Mets will have to work on.
But it seems they have the right owner in place for the club to build that sustained winner. Cohen is going to spend money and not cut corners. It doesn’t matter if the Mets don’t make him money, because he already has that.
“I’m essentially doing this for the fans,” Cohen said. “When I really thought about this, I can make millions of people happy. What an incredible opportunity that is. That’s how I’m thinking about this. I’m not trying to make money here … it’s really about building something great, building something for the fans, winning and I just find this an amazing opportunity and I’m so excited for it.”
Cohen is talking a good game right now and has built excitement, but now the hard part starts, making the fourth place Mets into a World Series Champion.
The clock is running. Three to five years isn’t a long time.
Get to it Sandy.
Photo courtesy of Mets.com
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