A Stearn Hire

By : Mark Halpern and Mike Rifkin

Coming into the 2023 season, the New York Mets and their fans had high expectations regarding this team. Future Hall Of Famers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer were supposed to lead this club to their first World Series Championship since 1986. To say the 2023 season has been a massive disappointment is an understatement. But things are looking bright. At the trade deadline, Steve Cohen and Billy Eppler replenished their farm system by trading the two future hall of famers along with Tommy Pham, Mark Canha, and David Robertson, among others. 

One of the things Steve Cohen has wanted since the day he took over the franchise was a President of Baseball Operations. On Tuesday, that dream was realized. It is reported that Cohen will hire former Brewers President David Stearns for the same role. The deal should be announced shortly after the regular season ends. Stearns grew up in New York and was a Met fan himself. Stearns led the Brewers to four consecutive playoff appearances that ended last season.

Stearns is very respected in the Baseball community. Stearns will lead a hierarchy in the front office that will retain GM Billy Eppler. Stearns did great work for a team that needs to have the finances Steve Cohen does, so the pressure will be on Stearns and Eppler very quickly. But there are questions that Cohen, Eppler, and Stearns all have to answer. Let’s start at the top with Will the Mets bring back Manager Buck Showalter next season? We think he is. This year is not all on him; the Mets have had injuries and unforeseen circumstances ( Max Scherzer suspension). Steve Cohen’s respect for his manager might be enough for him to stay (at least for one more year). But if the Mets move on from Buck, Brewers Manager Craig Counsell’s contract expires after the season. Another question facing the front office will be what they do with First Baseman Pete Alonso. There were conversations at the trade deadline regarding Alonso, a free agent after next season. Alonso is having another 40 home runs and 100-plus RBI season. If you ask Mets fans like us, the bulk will tell the front office to extend the first baseman and make him the face of the franchise, and if they extend him, Alonso will own all the power records in franchise history. The last question is, where does Stearns see this team? Are they closer to the 100-win team they were last season or closer to what they look like now? The reason is how they go into the winter and look to upgrade for 2024. Stearns has never been a part of a team with such financial backing, so it will be interesting to see what the Mets do once the announcement is made.

The organization is in good hands with Cohen and Stearns. Not because they’re smart (they are) but because they are like us. They are fans of the team and want to see it succeed. So this no longer might be the fans looking at the sexiest names available, but the player(s) that make the most sense to be a Met.