If it’s not a fire sale and it’s not a liquidation, then what, exactly is it?
Billy Eppler has a habit of using corporate jargon when he speaks to the media. He’s not the first professional sports executive to do so and he’s not the last. But the one thing Eppler didn’t clearly communicate was a timeline.
In the short term, we know the Mets don’t plan to contend for pennants in 2024. That much was made clear when Max Scherzer waived his no-trade clause to go to the Texas Rangers on Saturday night. The veteran ace made it clear only one night prior that he wanted to play for a contender and he saw a path to contention with the Mets.
The plans changed and the Mets decided to shift their priority to the farm system, which is necessary. But communicating a timeline is important. Fans want to know when the team believes a window of contention will open. They have a right to know this as well as people who spend money on season tickets, parking fees and concessions.
Just 24 hours before the trade deadline, that answer is unclear.
“We want to have a product that we feel good about and people can feel good about,” Eppler said Sunday at Citi Field. “We don’t want to endure long stretches of being bad. We want to invest in the major league team. And when the circumstances are what the circumstances are, we want to be opportunistic. That’s ultimately what we’re after. And in some cases, we want to invest where the greatest returns are. That’s kind of been a mission for how we try to think about allocating resources.”
Mets fans are used to enduring long stretches of bad baseball. Each year, the fanbase has renewed hope for a competitive team only to see the season unravel by the summer. There haven’t many sustained periods of good play in franchise history, which is why this season stings more than others.
The payroll, the star power — this was supposed to be the year.
But if the fans can’t say “maybe next year” right now, then when will they be able to?
Eppler may soon communicate that. He said they aren’t “punting” 2024, but if the club moves right-hander Justin Verlander, that would indicate that the club doesn’t see itself as a playoff contender next year.
Of course, that could change during the offseason. The Mets could land someone like left-hander Julio Urias to replace Verlander and Scherzer. Eppler confirmed that the club will be using free agency to bridge the gap between now and the time period when the pipeline is flowing.
“Free agency is not the market that we want to rely on to build a championship team, it’s the market that we want to use to enhance the team that we have,” Eppler said. “But we would rather go to that market for opportunities beyond necessity, and so we’re not there yet. That’s going to take a little time. We’re still going to have to invest through free agency.”
The priority is getting younger and getting deeper throughout all minor league levels. Urias certainly would help the big league team get younger. The two trades the Mets have already made deepened the farm system. Eppler could continue this path using Verlander, outfielders Tommy Pham and Mark Canha and even two relievers who are signed through next season in left-hander Brooks Raley and right-hander Adam Ottavino. Eppler said his asking prices are high right now and with Raley and Ottavino signed through 2024, they would net high returns if the Mets made them available.
So here’s another word the Mets could use right now: Retool. Or even reset.
If the Mets stock up on young talent right now and make moves in free agency this winter, they could have a lean 2024 to build up to a successful 2025 and beyond. If it’s not a rebuild or a teardown, which typically tend to be long-term projects, then call it a retool or a reset, something that indicates a 2-3 year process instead of a five-year one.
But call it something. Communicate it to the fans in whatever language necessary because the supporters of the team deserve to know what direction it’s going and when the road will end.
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