The Amazin' Mess

The New York Mets find themselves in disarray.  That statement has proven true since the team last made the World Series way back in 2000.  Often times it was due to a lack of management’s capabilities to field a competitive product.  Other reasons included player deficiencies or a late season collapse, which always seemed inevitable.  However, with the Wilpon family being looped in with the Bernie Madoff scandal, the club may face an uncertain future.  Who would have thought that the Mets would be strapped financially?  Known for over spending on lackluster free agents, the staggering amount of bad contracts are now crippling the franchise more than ever.  During this offseason, the Mets remained quiet as the pursuit of high profile players seemed to elude them.  This was not because they have a team of superstars with no apparent holes to fill.  Instead it was due to the Wilpon family putting up 25 percent of the team up for sale, trying to create some liquidity as they face economic uncertainty.

For players, it is impossible not to feel the pinch that has trickled down from the owner’s box.  David Wright talked about the discomfort, indicating that it absolutely will affect the future of the franchise.  Failure to procure assets to address the team’s pitfalls will come to light as the 2011 Mets take the field during spring training.  As division rivals continue to better themselves, the team braces for an epic transition.  Even though pitchers and catchers have not yet reported to camp, the only question facing the franchise is whether the Washington Nationals will pass them in the standings.  Consistently playing second fiddle to the Yankees in the press, the Mets may find themselves becoming a distant memory in terms of relevance.

As the judicial system does it due diligence in determining the ultimate result in all the Madoff and Wilpon legal troubles, the Mets wait in the wings.  As those bad contracts come off the books following the conclusion of this season, players such as Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez will no longer haunt the Metropolitans.  However, the piling lawsuits may again prevent potential free agents from viewing the Mets as a viable option if they are not rectified.  Fans will once again be left in disbelief.  Years of mismanagement was to blame for the team’s recent struggles and lack of prospects.  For fans, ridding the front office of the Minaya regime was a step in the right direction and offered some solace knowing that past failures would not be acceptable anymore.  Now it is the ownership that is stunting the growth of the franchise it controls.  When the smoke clears and the lawsuits have been settled, will the Mets be licking their chops, or will they instead be licking their wounds?