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In 1992 Steve Cohen opened his first hedge fund, Sandy Alderson was still general manager of the A’s and for the last time the Mets had a bigger payroll than the Yankees.
It was then …
In the present, Cohen, in his role as owner, sent a congratulatory tweet to Marcus Stroman after the right-hander announced he was accepting the $ 18.9 million qualifying offer and returning to the Mets.
What would have made the Wilpons swallow, and possibly end their off-season spending before it really started, is just the appetizer for Cohen. He empowered Alderson, in the words of the new team chairman, to “focus on acquisition rather than cost” when it comes to building the Mets roster.
So we can see a point of convergence this offseason where the Mets’ payroll actually exceeds that of the Yankees for the first time in nearly three decades. With Stroman’s return, the Mets are projecting around $ 155 million in luxury tax payroll next season. The Yanks are currently at $ 175 million.
But in his only public comments since the Yankees’ playoffs ended, Hal Steinbrenner said no franchise has lost more revenue during the pandemic season than his. So there are questions about the low the Yankees owner will order his baseball operations department to go for 2021. Will the Yanks pay what they owe to retain DJ LeMahieu, who rejected the offer? qualifying? Will they improve their rotation? Short stop?
The best bet is that the Yankees will fall below the luxury tax threshold of $ 210 million for 2021. Cohen has promised not to spend “like drunk sailors in the market.” But he also said the Mets will have a payroll “commensurate with” a major market. A Springer or a Realmuto here, some spinning madness there and a few relievers for good measure will push the Mets toward the tax threshold, toward the Yankees, and into a reasonable spectrum where they could lead this offseason.
Remember that while the Mets made the qualifying offer to Stroman under the Wilpon / Van Wagenen regime, it was a potential investment large enough that Cohen had to give his blessing even while the sale was finalized. The new administration was fine with Stroman staying at those dollars even with a split in the game over the right-hander.
Those who love him see the right-hander as high as a No.2 starter. Those who don’t see him as more of a No.4. For the purposes of the 2021 Mets, it works either way, especially if the 18 , $ 9 million does not force tough decisions elsewhere.
Jacob deGrom was the only sure thing in next year’s rotation. David Peterson did enough as a rookie to earn a spot as well. The Mets will have to decide whether Seth Lugo is more useful as a starter or reliever. They will have to determine if they want to bid Steven Matz a contract and try him again as a starter. They will be waiting for Noah Syndergaard and hope he will be back from Tommy John’s surgery by June.
Stroman, if he’s right, will offer better-than-average innings. The fact that he did not go to the market suggests that he and his representatives saw the difficulty in closing a major multi-year deal after missing 2020, first due to a calf injury, then withdrawing. Thus, he will be motivated, knowing now that he will be a free agent again in the next offseason, but by rule not to have to worry about having the qualifying offer and the compensation plan tied to him again. Stroman will need to rebuild his credentials during his 30-year season to position himself well for this multi-year contract, which works not only for him, but for Cohen and the Mets as well.
That he’ll earn the third highest salary in the 2021 Mets – at least for now – and that doesn’t turn off a tap to upgrade the squad howls over the difference between the Mets of yesterday and today hui. Alderson has once praised the best starter in the free agent market, Trevor Bauer. The Mets could play for Yu Darvish in a trade if the Cubs, as expected, have to make a significant payroll cut. By the way, Bauer, Darvish and deGrom were the finalists for the NL Cy Young, so imagine what the rotation could look like if either were added and Syndergaard came back well and Stroman was the # 4 starter even s ‘he rolls like a No 2. This is what is possible now with the Mets.
“Marcus, this is great news,” Cohen tweeted to Stroman after the pitcher announced he was accepting the qualifying offer.
For the Mets, their fans, and what’s possible in a future where their payrolls may soon eclipse that of the Yankees, this was certainly great news.
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