The Steve Cohen Press Conference or C.R.E.A.M – Cash Rules Everything Around Mets

There’s been a topic I’ve been afraid to write about on Bloggin Hood. No, it’s not religion or politics. Those are easy topics. I’ve probably cost myself a million clicks by avoiding them. In fact, if I titled this blog “Was Jesus a Republican or Democrat?” sponsorships would pour in. I’d break up each post to shill for male grooming products and bad mobile games. Fortunately, I have more dignity than that* ¹. The topic I’ve been avoiding for months was Steve Cohen.

If you’re a regular Bloggin Hood reader, you know how ridiculous this sounds. I talk about the Mets as much as I talk about Darkwing Duck and Peppa Pig. Why would I avoid talking about the new owner? The man who saved the franchise from the Wilpon’s cold, cheap grip? The former Mets owners were bigger nemesis’s than Derek Jeter, Chipper Jones and Bryce Harper combined** ². The reason should be obvious.

You can’t talk about something so vital to the Mets’ future without jinxing things. This goes doubly for me. I’m one of the most unlucky people in history. In fact, here’s my photo for proof.

I bet you didn’t know I was such an accomplished actor. I’m also not the target demographic of duck cartoons, but here we are.

Had I uttered one word about the potential sale, it would have fallen through, and the Mets would have been stuck with the Wilpon stink for decades. I scrapped at least six Bloggin hood minis and four articles about the sale. I had half a parody script on the sales negotiations written, but deleted it out of fear. When the sale nearly collapsed, I blamed myself for having hope.

Fortunately, Cohen officially purchased the team earlier this month. A week later, Steve Cohen gave arguably the greatest press conference of all time. It was the most positive Mets moment in 5 years, and potentially since the 86 World Series. Needless to say, my silence is over. Get ready for egregious over reactions. God help us if the Mets sign someone before this is posted.

Firstly, let’s play one final song to honor the Wilpons for their years of service.

Did I say honor? I meant to say let’s dump another bucket of water on the former owners and make sure there’s no trace left. The Wilpons led of era of disappointment and dread. Not once did the Mets ever reach their potential under the ownership and nobody will miss them. The fanbase has fonder memories of Armando Benitez than these two.

Over the past decade, no team has penny pinched quite like the Mets. Now, the Mets were never the Marlins or Rays. At a glance, their payroll was fairly high. But that didn’t mean the Wilpons spent what they should have. The Mets are a New York based franchise with a loyal fanbases and their own TV network. They print out money. I didn’t expect the team to have a $500,000,000 payroll, but some years were embarrassing. Hell, in 205 John Mayberry Jr hit clean up for a few games before acquiring Cespedes. That team went to the World Series! Imagine if we paid talent that year. What a concept.

Part of the reason the Mets have been run like a small market organization was the Bernie Madoff scandal. Although their ties were only “alleged”, the evidence against the Wilpons is pretty damning. Madoff’s sham investments profited the Wilpons, allowing the owners to pay salaries and business expenses. When Madoff was arrested, the Wilpons got off with a slap on the wrist. Bud Selig allowed them to own the team and found no wrongdoing in the investigation. I assume the investigation team were blindfolds during their review.

Instead of punishing the owners, the MLB punished Mets fans. The Wilpons no longer spent money on players after the scandal. Once the Modoff Money evaporated, the Wilpons decided to shift to “internal developments”.

Bringing players up through the farm system is the ideal way to succeed in sports. But anyone with half a brain knew this was a bull shit excuse to save money. The Wilpons didn’t want to dip into the profit, so they sacrificed for the good of the team. Every rare splash move the pair made backfired. One of the few bright spots – Yoenis Cespedes – ended up being a PR disaster. I wouldn’t trade the 2015 and 2016 seasons, but we paid Cespedes $100 million in 2017 to get injured on his ranch.

No team has had more franchise defying injuries than the Mets. How many careers have been altered or ruined by the franchises’ medical staff? Think of how many seasons David Wright lost. His potential Hall of Fame career was not just cut short, but slashed in half. Johan Santana threw 134 pitches for a no hitter. His shoulder was so ravaged, he only managed 10 more starts for his career. Matt Harvey went from an electric, must see phenomenon to a AAA level starter in a matter of 2 years. The list goes on and on.

Does anyone remember Ike Davis? Davis was having a breakout season when he was diagnosis with an ankle injury. It turned out to be Valley Fever, a very serious medical condition. This completely altered his career. Did the cast of Scrubs perform Davis’ physical?

No, not the real cast. I mean the subs they got for that last Scrubs season when the main cast had moved on. There’s no way the Wilpons were ponying up for Dr Cox.

Wouldn’t competent owners see all the injuries over the years and do something about it? Instead, the Mets seems to lose important players every season and replace them with unlucky fans in the first three rows. I think Robert Gsellman got his start with the Mets because one the Wilpons confused him with Jacob deGrom.

There’s been a lot of rumors that the Wilpons strongly encouraged players to play through injuries whenever possible. This inducing high profile names like Pedro Martinez, Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran. The encouragement to play seems to collate to how high the player’s salary was. A good organization rests injured players. A bad one tells them to rub dirt on the open wound and play through the pain. I hope this is only hearsay, but a lot of players collaborate the story.

The Wilpons often said the Mets were snakebitten. perhaps this is true. If so, the owners were the snakes. The Wilpon “legacy” will be profiting off of Madoff’s scam while thousands faced financial ruin from it. Never forget this. I can never read enough negative Wilpon literature. Hopefully there will be many, many books written on them. I’ll be happy to write a blurb from the fan perspective. As of today, my quote would be “Suck ass sucks”.

We’ve had enough negativity in this blog. This is supposed to be a celebration. Some hobbies die hard I suppose.

What’s that. Why, I think it’s Steve Cohen’s music!

Is it a bit hypocritical to be excited about Steve Cohen when I just bashed the Wilpons? Well, maybe. Cohen’s hedge fund had to pay near $2 Billion in fines for an insider trading scandal. Cohen himself was not found guilty of any wrong doing or knowledge of the arrangement. Personally, there’s definitely grey area here. I can’t say I love this side of it.

But then I saw the press conference and was ready to run through a frigging brick wall.

Cohen brings something that the Wilpons never had – a love of the team and the fans. I don’t think the Wilpons particularly enjoyed running a baseball team. Any team throwing out Jerrys Familia in high leverage situations can’t be fun to own. Steve Cohen wanted the Mets. I mean, the guy really wanted them.

Earlier in 2020, Cohen offered an extremely generous bid to buy the Mets, including an additional huge offer for SNY. It seemed like this was going to go through. But it eventually cratered. The Wilpons didn’t want to sell to Cohen, mostly out of spite. I imagine it was partly because the fans would have been happy. They requested a ridiculous clause that they would step down fully in 5 years and still be involved. Cohen balked at the notion and removed his offer. Rumors swirled he would return, but it seemed far fetched. Instead, the favorites to buy the team were a group led by A-Rod and J-Lo.

I’ll admit it; at the time, I was ok with the A Rod- and J-lo coalition. Anything was better than the Wilpon. But as time went on, it seemed sketchy. The Wilpons were friends with A-Rod, and would be involved in some capacity. It would be like a zombie movie were you think you’ve eradicated the walking dead, but somehow, one survives. That survivor begins to infect a second person and disaster repeats itself. Even a distant Wilpon was too much. Things seemed hopeless.

Plus if J-Lo was a owner, there would be a lot of J-Lo performing at the games. She’d be dancing around half naked. Some fans would be offended; some would be WAY too into it. I’m here for the baseball, not a sideshow. You want sexy? Watch Conforto’s swing on a loop.

It took a near miracle, but a bidding session took place which let Cohen back into the fold. Steve Cohen outbid the other suitors and the Wilpons caved Ironically, this was less money than his initial bid and removed the Wilpons entirely. It seemed too good to be true. And after a long week, including Bill de Blasio having to approve the sale for some reason, Cohen was approved. Met fans everywhere breathed a sigh of relief, except for the pervs who wanted the half naked J-Lo shows*** ³.

All Steve Cohen had to do was not be the Wilpons to be a fan favorite. But in his introductory press conference, he did so much more than that. Cohen said everything that the fans have dreamed of. I had 5 takeaways. If you want to watch it and have 2 hours to kill, here it is in it’s entirely. I’d like to give a shout out to the Mets technical team who left in 15 minutes of dead air at the start. I’m sure Steve Cohen gave them a nice severance package.

Cohen Has a History With the mMets

Maybe this is my own naivety, but I like the higher ups of my teams who actual give a shit. The Wilpons wanted to profit off of the Mets. Steve Cohen doesn’t want that. In fact he says he has a day job for making money. He doesn’t care about the financials if it leads to winning. I’m sure he’d like to make some cash, but to tell the fan base winning is above everything is enormous. It doesn’t hurt that he’s got more money in his private vault than Scrooge McDuck but I’m not going to nitpick.

Cohen grew up as a fan of the team. He went to games as a kid when they played in the Polo Grounds. He has a connection to the older fans, but he’s also been through the ups and downs with the younger ones too. There was a lot to take from that introduction, but he’s a fan, just like us.

Except he wipes his ass with $100s. Otherwise, we’re the same.

Cohen Wants to Win.

If the quote about not caring about profiting from the franchise wasn’t enough, read the above. Steve Cohen expects to win sooner than later. That’s an aggressive timeline for any team, but to say that on the way in instills confidence. It could create a winning culture. Let’s face it; for many, the Mets are a laughing stock. Making this bold declaration could change that. It potentially could blow up in Cohen’s face as well but he doesn’t strike me as the time to take losing all that well.

The team isn’t too far away. They have foundational pieces, but need help. Fortunately, Cohen gave an idea of his team building strategy.

Cohen Will Build the Team the Right Way.

This was key. I’ve talk a lot about money in this blog. Personally, I don’t care how much players make, especially in baseball where there’s no salary cap. If a team is willing to pay a player $500 Million, good for that player. It’s up to the team to be smart with their money. I don’t think Steve Cohen made billions because he got lucky. Likewise, I don’t think he’s going to be shy to spend up to get players the team wants. If the Mets have holds a good free agent can fill, Cohen will sign the check.

Now, notice I said players the team wants. That’s key. Cohen shrewdly said he’s not a talent evaluator and will leave the baseball decisions to the guys who know baseball. What a frigging concept! Sandy Alderson could barely contain his excitement for having an actual budget. Alderson emphasized that signings will focus on the acquisition rather than the cost. That was the most important quote in the press conference. Alderson’s hands aren’t tied to a budget. He, and whoever he picks as his GM, can sign who they want without being told the offer can’t top three breath mints and a Keith’s Signature Steak Sandwich.

I never had the sandwiches, but they look really good.

However, it was equally important that they wouldn’t throw caution, and cash, to the wind. Cohen emphasized that the team would acquire free agents, but also develop players. As fun as it would be to buy up the league, it rarely works. The Dodgers finally broke through, but it took years and a very lucky Mookie Betts trade. The Yankees spent a decade adding expensive players and getting one title out of it. You need a combination of free agents and home grown talent to win consistently. It sounds obvious, but I’m glad Cohen addressed it. If he wants to overpay to acquire a need, I’m all for it. I think he’ll spend a lot, but not stupidly, making the Mets a dangerous team in free agency.

Cohen Might Not Let Things Go

One of the first statements Cohen made was to thank Fred Wilpon and mention their history together. He conveniently left out Jeff Wilpon. Throughout the sale process, Jeff’s hatred of Cohen was no secret. Jeff would have sold to Chase Frigging Utley before Cohen, but ultimately money talks. This rivalry ended up costing the Wilpons more money from the sale. Good for them. Again, can we get some more water? I want to see a second melting.

I’m not sure spite is an admirable trat for an owner, but it could work out in our favor. I can’t see Cohen losing free agent bidding wars on a player he really wants. Will this lead to overpays? Absolutely. But if he truly doesn’t care about profiting off of the Mets, then it’s not an issue. But it could potentially lead to long, expensive contracts that hurt the team’s flexibility. Cohen says he doesn’t have an ego, but you don’t run a billion dollar hedge fund by being meek and humble.

Another concern is White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who campaigned against Steve Cohen becoming an owner. He actually blocked a bid Cohen made on the Dodgers in the past and has a clear vendetta against him. Would Cohen try to go out of his way to screw over Reinsdorf and hurt the Mets in the process? Sounds a bit ridiculous sure, but egos are tough to control, especially when you’re a new owner looking to make a splash.

Fun Fact, Reinsdorf’s cheapness ended the Bulls dynasty at least a year early. He ruined Michael Jordan’s Bulls and tried to ruin Steve Cohen buying the Mets. He’s attacking nearly everything I love. Did he get Darkwing Duck cancelled in 1992**** ⁴. Reinsdorf is a slight tier below the Wilpons on my sports enemy list.

You don’t want a team’s owner to be the face of the franchise. If you think of an owner when you think of a team, that team is in shambles. James Dolan is the face of the Knicks. Jerry Jones in the face of the Cowboys. Every time Arthur Blank appears on the Falcons sideline, they blow an insurmountable lead. Usually, this means the owners overstep their bounds.

For years, the Mets teetered on the line, having as true superstar as the face of the franchise (Wright, Harvey, deGrom) but the Wilpons’ shadow over everything. I have faith in Cohen though. He’s already got the players on his side. Hopefully, we only recognize Steve Cohen for good press conferences, smart signings, and hosting up trophies.

People Listened

If I didn’t paint a good picture of Cohen, let the players do it. After the press conference, Noah Syndergaard tweeted a picture of a guy running through a wall. He threw off a mound for the first time a few days later. Dominic Smith said he can’t wait to play for Cohen. Nobody has been shy to voice their excitement. Pretty damming evidence of the Wilpons there.

But it’s not just players on the Mets’ roster. Marcus Stroman signed the option for a 1 year deal. He may just be betting on himself, but he would have gotten a lucrative multi year deal in free agency. This is a win for the Mets, who need starting pitchers, and with a little wise wheeling and dealing, could have Stroman as their #4 in June. That’s a good start, but there’s lot of work to do.

Potentially the Met’s biggest off season move could be signing Trevor Bauer. Alderson actually mentioned Bauer as a good fit for both need and personality. Bauer took notice, and actually made a video stating how well Steve Cohen did in his press conference. Things like this don’t happen, especially about an owner. Bauer is obviously using this for leverage, but there’s clear interest. If the Mets were to sign Bauer, it would give them the last 3 NY CY Young winners. There’s one way to turn a weakness into a strength.

The Mets have also been linked to Francisco Lindor, which would not have happened before Cohen. Lindor would cost significant assets, and a mega deal extension, but he’s worth it***** ⁵. The Indians have admitting they want to deal Lindor, so he’s price should be lower than market value. As long as the Mets make sure the extension occurs, this is a deal that needs to be done.

As an aside, the Cleveland owner is a foil to Steve Cohen. Last year, he was asked about Lindor’s contract, and the possibility of re-signing him. His response was, and I’m paraphrasing, “Fans should enjoy Lindor while they can.” Wow. This deflates the fan base AND lowers Lindor’s trade value. in one quote, the owner pissed in each and every fan’s cereal. Would Keith’s Steak Sandwich get the deal done?

One press conference has put the Mets in a position of strength. They could acquire Bauer, Lindor, another starter (They’ve been linked to Charlie Morton and a washed Corey Kluber). I don’t think Bauer + Morton is possible, but a flier on Kluber and Bauer gives a mid year rotation of deGrom, Bauer, Thor, Stroman and Kluber. Acquiring Lindor would help solve the Mets defensive woes without sacrificing offense. Acquiring a mid tier catcher, a defensive center fielder and a couple of bullpen arms are givens. There are other big names out there – JT Realmuto and George Springer – that aren’t linked to the Mets but could be pursued if other avenues fail.

That’s really what Steve Cohen’s press conference gave Mets fans – possibilities. Two years ago, we announced a post prime Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz. It cost our best prospect and the returns have been less than stellar. This year, fans are dreaming of announcing Lindor, a switch hitting, slick fielding short stop in the prime of his career. We have interest from a current CY young, a recent finalist and other top talent. For once, there’s multiple positive road maps. Adding significant players isn’t a pipe dream; it’s a likely scenario.

There’s also comfort in knowing home grown talent won’t necessarily walk. Syndergaard and Conforto’s contracts expire at the end of the year. Thor will have to earn his big time contract, but I think now Conforto stays in Queens. Fans are already asking Cohen about this and he’s responding.

No really, he is. Steve Cohen set up a twitter account as the sale wrapped up. Most assumed it was fake, but Cohen confirmed it was legit. He’s discussed lowering prices at the stadium and addressed individual fan’s concerns. He’s even liked some anti Wilpon posts which is petty as hell, but endearing to the fan base. If I was a billionaire owner, I wouldn’t dream of having social media accounts. I’m sure Steve Cohen isn’t typing out the answers himself.

Still, this gesture, however simple it seems shows he’s trying to connect to the fan base. When’s the last time we’ve had that? The closest I have personally was meeting Bobby Valentine at his restaurant in Stamford CT about 7 years ago. I choked and did not ask about the funny nose and glasses. That’s a top 5 regret in my life. As always, my life is incredibly bland.

Cohen even used twitter to publicly thank Stroman for re-signing. I’ve never seen that move before. He’s mentioned he’s excited to talk to players and it removes some of the mystery. Steve Cohen isn’t saying anything we don’t know. But for some reason, it feels like we have insider access. He’s keeping us goobers in the loop. It’s refreshing.

I don’t know if the Steve Cohen will lead to championships and reverse the Mets narrative. Perhaps the team will own New York in the 2020s. To be honest, the bar isn’t that high for New York teams. This is the perfect opportunity to snatch the mantle. Perhaps it will end like all the Mets’ fresh starts: insane optimism that quickly fades away into disappointment, disaster and DL stints. I hope not. My heart cannot take more sports misery. I mean, have you seen the Jets?

I hope not.

All I know is I haven’t been this excited about an off season ever. It reminds me of a quote from one of the great 90s philosophers Clifford Smith Jr. -“Cash rules everything around me, C.R.E.A.M. get the money, dolla dolla bills y’all”. Mr. Cohen, please show these free agents all about this powerful life lesson.

1. *Unless this blog tanks. Then all bets are off.
2. **They did not surpass Chase Utley. Chase Utley went out his way to break Ruben Tejeda’s leg in 2015. I will boo him any chance I get until long after my death. That’s right, I’d boo him as a ghost if I have to. Chase Utley sucks.
3. ***Stay away from the Mets. You have the internet for Christ Sake.
4. ****Oh, the next Bloggin Hood post will be about some huge Darkwing news…
5. *****I really hope Dominic Smith isn’t part of this package. You have to give assets to get assets, but Smith had made so many strides and seems like a great guy. I’d hate to see him go.