Mets fans tuned into Steve Cohen’s introductory news conference to learn of their new owner’s plans for the future. What they got was an hour-plus mic drop, a glorious rebuke of the entire Wilpon era.
In the years that they owned the team, the Wilpons were as tight-lipped as they were tight-fisted. Both Fred and Jeff Wilpon largely abstained from talking to the media, almost never addressing the wants and needs of the fans.
Cohen’s purchase has been official for just under two weeks, yet he’s already spent more time listening to fan concerns than the previous owners ever did. In his inaugural press conference, Cohen did everything possible to demonstrate that it will no longer be business as usual at Citi Field.
Speaking like the lifelong Mets fan that he is, Cohen stated that mediocrity would no longer be acceptable.
Remember when Fred Wilpon said that his annual goal was for the Mets to play “meaningful games in September”? Cohen has far loftier ambitions. During his presser, Cohen laid out his primary objective: to win a World Series within the next 3-5 years, if not sooner. Anything less, he said, would be a disappointment.
Cohen also distanced himself from the Wilpon regime when he discussed his plans for running baseball operations. Jeff Wilpon was notorious for meddling in baseball affairs and sabotaging the team by exerting too much influence. There should be no such problem with Cohen, who made it clear that he would defer to baseball men like club president Sandy Alderson to handle day-to-day decision making. While Cohen called this part of the job a collaborative process, he stressed that he would put his trust in the hands of the experts. When asked why he brought Alderson back into the fold, Cohen said that there was much he could learn from the venerable baseball executive.
Speaking of Alderson, the former GM also took part in the press conference and was far more chipper than usual. Mets radio voice Howie Rose commented on Alderson’s demeanor in a tweet, describing him as “less circumspect and encumbered and so much more freewheeling and downright happier than ever.” Jared Diamond of the New York Times offered a similar sentiment, tweeting that “Alderson sounded downright giddy.”
The change in Alderson’s disposition was yet another example of how things will be different under Cohen. In his initial go-round with the Mets, Alderson had his hands tied more often than not. Alderson was often sardonic in his press conferences as Mets GM, perhaps because he had little control over roster construction and was constrained by a limited payroll. He even mocked the team’s financial situation in a series of tweets from 2012, joking that he needed gas money and that the “Mets only reimburse for gas at a downhill rate.”
Alderson’s new boss is the wealthiest owner in all of baseball, so it’s no surprise that Alderson’s mood has perked up considerably. Money alone cannot build a contender, but it doesn’t hurt to have an owner who can splurge on free agents when needed. Cohen seems to understand that concept, and while public statements are sometimes just hollow assurances, Cohen’s sentiments came across as genuine.
The hedge fund maven thanked Fred Wilpon for his assistance in his opening remarks, but that brief mention was the only thing that brought the Wilpons to mind. Fans are excited because Cohen is the antithesis of their previous owners: forthright, conscientious, and willing to go all-out in the pursuit of a championship. He’s already archived fan suggestions for improving their ballpark experiences and has plans to invest in the area around Citi Field. On Tuesday afternoon, Cohen accomplished something that the Wilpons struggled to do for decades: generate positive publicity for the organization.
