Category: mets

My friends the Mets would like you to know the below.  But before that let me just say any time you can and do sign the best player available, that’s a good thing.

Also of note, in almost all if not ALL press releases the Mets owners are Steve AND ALEX, so please remember that if she gets credit for this, be sure to give her grief sometime in the future when the team loses 103 games.

This is a fun phrase I will be sure to make fun of into my 70s: consistent championship competitiveness,

And a note to you guys – should Soto be batting .224 with 1 HR on April 23rd, don’t boo him.  You guys have a tendency to do that.  You booed the last guy and turned him into a monster.

Oh, and finally, this is year five of Steve (and I guess Alex’s) five year hope/plan/promise to win a championship in three to five years.

“If I don’t win a World Series in the next three to five years – I’d like to make it sooner – I would consider that slightly disappointing,” (said in November 2020)

Wow did he actually say “I don’t win” and not we?  Fascinating.

And Juan…it’s Let’s Go Mets. Please for the love of Gil just give us a LGM with no extra letters.

METS SIGN FOUR-TIME ALL-STAR JUAN SOTO

FLUSHING, N.Y., December 11, 2024 – The New York Mets today announced that the club has signed outfielder Juan Soto to a 15-year major league contract with a club option and contingent player opt-out after the 2029 season.

“This is a seminal moment in franchise history,” Mets Owners Steve and Alex Cohen said. “Juan Soto is a generational talent. He is not only bringing staggering historical statistics with him but also a championship pedigree. Our Amazin’ fan base is very excited to welcome Juan to Queens.   Congratulations, Juan.”

“Today’s signing further solidifies our organizational commitment to consistent championship competitiveness,” said Mets President of Baseball Operations, David Stearns. “Not only does Juan provide historic levels of on field production, but his joy, intensity, and passion for the game mirror our budding culture. We are thrilled to add him to our team and look forward to watching his excellence for years to come.”

Over a seven-year major league career with the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals, Soto has posted a .285/.421/.532 slashline with 655 runs, 179 doubles, 15 triples, 201 home runs, 592 RBI, 57 steals and a 36.4 career bWAR in 936 games. He has won the Silver Slugger Award five times (2020-24), finished in the top 10 in MVP voting five times (2019-21, 2023-24) and won the National League batting title after batting .351 (54-154) in 2020. In addition, the four-time All-Star (2021-24) was the winner of the 2022 Home Run Derby.

Since he made his major league debut on May 15, 2018, Soto leads the major leagues in walks (769), times on base (1,719) and on-base percentage (.421), and ranks fourth in OPS (.953), sixth in RBI (592) and seventh in both SLG (.532) and home runs (201).

The native of the Dominican Republic has led MLB in free passes three times in his career 2023 – (132), 2022 (135) and 2021 (145). He became the first player to lead the major leagues in three straight seasons since Barry Bonds did so in four straight seasons from 2001-04. Soto has recorded at least 100 walks in five of his six 162-game seasons (2019, 2021-24). He joins Babe Ruth (10), Barry Bonds (10), Ted Williams (eight), Eddie Yost (seven) and Eddie Stanky (four) as one of six players in major league history to record at least 125 walks in four different seasons.

In 157 games with the Yankees last season, the outfielder batted .288/.419/.569 with 128 runs, 31 doubles, four triples, 41 home runs, 109 RBI and 129 walks. He ranked second in the majors in OBP (.419), walks (129) and runs (128), third in OPS (.989), fourth in SLG (.569) and home runs (41), sixth in bWAR (7.9), tied for sixth in RBI (109) and ninth in total bases (328). He set career highs in runs, hits (166), home runs, total bases and extra-base hits (76), all while finishing third in AL MVP voting.

The left-handed hitter has played 35 games at Citi Field and hit .333 (39-117) with 29 runs, six doubles, one triple, 12 homers, 26 RBI, 28 walks with a .466 OBP, a .709 SLG and a 1.175 OPS. On August 12, 2020, as a member of the Nationals, Soto belted the longest home run of his career at Citi Field, traveling 466 feet. That ranks as the fourth-longest home run at Citi Field in the Statcast era (since 2015).

The 26-year-old has appeared in 43 Postseason games and owns a .281/.389/.538 slashline with 31 runs, eight doubles, 11 home runs, 30 RBI, two steals with a .927 OPS. He was a member of the 2019 World Series Champion Washington Nationals, batting .333 (9-27) with six runs, two doubles, three home runs and seven RBI in the Fall Classic. In 2024, Soto played in 14 Postseason games, batting .327 (16-49) with 12 runs, three doubles, four home runs, nine RBI, 14 walks with a 1.101 OPS.

Originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Nationals on July 2, 2015, Soto made his major league debut with Washington at the age of 19 in 2018. He went on to hit .292/.406/.517 with 25 doubles, one triple, 22 home runs, 70 RBI and a .923 OPS to finish second in the National League Rookie of the Year ballot.

INT. SUBWAY CAR – DAY

[Kramer and Newman are riding the subway, Newman reading about the Soto signing on his phone]

Newman: (excited) Can you believe it? Soto’s actually coming to the Mets!

Kramer: Yeah, but even Steve doesn’t have that kind of cash lying around. He’s gonna need to sell some assets.

Newman: (interested) Assets?

Kramer: (animated) The Cyclones, Newman! Minor league baseball – that’s where the real action is!

Newman: (getting excited) Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

INT. JERRY’S APARTMENT – LATER

[Kramer and Newman burst in]

Jerry: What are you two hopped up about?

Kramer: Jerry, we’re gonna be baseball owners!

Jerry: (skeptical) Baseball owners?

Newman: We’re buying the Cyclones!

Jerry: The Cyclones?

Kramer: It’s the future of baseball, Jerry! We’ll have theme nights, promotional giveaways…

Jerry: And how exactly are you planning to pay for this?

Newman: I’ve got my postal pension!

Kramer: And I’ve got all those “Almost A Met” t-shirts we can sell as collector’s items!

[Jerry stares at them in disbelief as they rush out]

[Downstairs buzzer rings]

Jerry: Come up!

[Steve enters, looking unusually calm]

Jerry: I heard you sold the Cyclones.

Steve: (nonchalant) Yeah, baseball’s for losers anyway. There’s no money in it.

Jerry: No money in it?  Then why do you own a baseball team?

Steve: (leaning in) The casino, Jerry. The casino.

Jerry: The casino?

Steve: (excited) Yes! Everyone’s focused on Soto, but the real money’s in the casino.

Jerry: So you’re telling me you signed Soto to distract everyone from your casino plans?

Steve: (proudly) Jerry, nobody cares about a casino when you’ve got a 15-year, multi-million dollar signing to talk about!

Jerry: (realizing) So that’s why you sold the Cyclones to Kramer and Newman…

Steve: (laughing) Kramer and Newman? No, no, Jerry. They just think they’re buying the Cyclones.

Jerry: (confused) What do you mean?

Steve: (sitting down, smug) See, while everyone’s focused on Soto and these two idiots running around thinking they’re buying a minor league team, I’m orchestrating the biggest deal in New York history.

Jerry: (intrigued) Go on…

Steve: (leaning in) First, you get Soto. Big splash, everyone’s excited. Then, you let it leak that you’re selling the Cyclones – creates uncertainty, people start wondering if you’re in financial trouble.

Jerry: And then?

Steve: While everyone’s distracted by that, you quietly acquire the land.  Before anyone realizes what’s happening….casino, hotels, restaurants…

Jerry: (impressed) So Soto is just…

Steve: A very expensive distraction. And a pretty good baseball player.

[Kramer bursts in]

Kramer: Steve! I’ve got the check for the Cyclones right here!

Steve: (winking at Jerry) Oh, about that Kramer… we might need to restructure the deal. Maybe add some… additional parties.  Why don’t you go get Newman and we’ll discuss the details?

[Kramer runs out excited]

Jerry: (to Steve) You’re really not selling them the Cyclones, are you? 

Steve: Remember Jerry, while everyone else is playing checkers…

Jerry: You’re building a casino.

Steve: (smiling) Exactly.

[Steve exits as Jerry sits there, finally realizing that Steve might be smarter than they all thought]

Are the Cohens broke?  Will the Syracuse change their name?  If the Wilpons did this you guys would be out of your minds right now!

If I had known he was selling the Cyclones I would have bought them and moved them to Los Angeles, which is my lifelong dream,

Syracuse Mets and Brooklyn Cyclones Enter Next Chapter Under New Ownership, Diamond Baseball Holdings

New York Mets’ Triple-A and High-A Affiliates Join Double-A Binghamton on DBH Roster

Both Clubs will Continue Under Existing Local Leadership of Front Office Staff

NEW YORK, NY (December 10, 2024) – Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), an organization that owns and operates select minor league clubs affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB), today announced it has entered into an agreement with affiliates of Cohen Private Ventures to purchase the Syracuse Mets and Brooklyn Cyclones. The teams will remain the Triple-A and High-A affiliates of the New York Mets, respectively, and join the franchise’s Double-A affiliate, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, on the DBH roster. Both clubs will retain their front office staff and continue to be guided by their current leadership.

“The New York Mets are deeply grateful to the staff and players of the Syracuse Mets and Brooklyn Cyclones. These franchises have created two of the best fan-bases in Minor League Baseball and we are excited to continue our affiliation with these cities,” said M. Scott Havens, President of Business Operations, New York Mets. “With their acquisition by DBH, both clubs will have greater dedicated resources and player development tools to set them up for successful seasons for years to come.”

After the acquisition closes, fans in both communities will continue cheering for their teams at the esteemed ballparks they know and love, with the Cyclones playing at Maimonides Park along the Coney Island boardwalk and the Syracuse Mets at NBT Bank Stadium.

The Syracuse Mets have one of the most storied histories in all of Minor League Baseball (MiLB). The franchise has played in the International League in all but five years since its inaugural season in 1934 and became an affiliate of the big-league Mets in 2019. The Cyclones, meanwhile, have been affiliated with the New York Mets since they debuted in 2001. The club plays in front of one of the most unique backdrops in MiLB: the world-famous Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk and The Cyclone, a wooden rollercoaster that is the inspiration for the club’s name.

“We are excited to grow our relationship with DBH as they work to finalize this sale,” said Andy Green, Mets Senior Vice President, Player Development. “Our affiliates provide valuable steppingstones for our players in these communities, but also family-friendly experiences for our fans in those cities. As we’ve seen in Binghamton, DBH will strengthen our affiliates from a baseball and fan perspective.”

Through its roster of affiliated clubs across the country, DBH works to support local passions and priorities with national reach and scale, integrating cutting-edge digital technologies into club operations as well as providing new value-generating opportunities in partnership with MiLB.

“These two franchises each uniquely embody what MiLB is all about,” said Pat Battle and Peter Freund, Executive Chairman and CEO of DBH, respectively. “The Cyclones carry on the rich legacy of professional baseball in Brooklyn, where their connection to the community keeps the game’s vibrant tradition thriving in New York City’s most populous borough. The Syracuse Mets are a cornerstone of Central New York, where the franchise has deeply connected with the community while drawing fans from across the region for generations. We’re thrilled to add both to our roster and continue growing our relationship with the Mets. We look forward to enhancing the distinct fan experience at Maimonides Park and NBT Bank Stadium while ensuring both ballparks remain year-round destinations for affordable, family-friendly entertainment for years to come.”

Subject to obtaining the consent of the league and satisfying other standard closing conditions, the transaction is expected to be completed promptly.

INT. JERRY’S APARTMENT – DAY

[Jerry and Elaine are sitting on his couch when Steve bursts in, looking more triumphant than we’ve ever seen him]

Steve: (beaming) WE GOT HIM! WE ACTUALLY GOT HIM!

Jerry: (skeptical) Got who? Another player that’s “in discussions”?

Steve: No, Jerry! We signed Juan Soto! Fifteen years!

Elaine: (shocked) Wait, you actually signed someone? Like, for real? Not just “in” on them?

Steve: (dancing) Yes! No more “almost signed”! No more “we were in on him”! We got him!

[Kramer bursts in]

Kramer: (panicked) Jerry! We’ve got a crisis! All my “Almost A Met” shirts are worthless now! What am I supposed to do with 10,000 “Soto: The One That Got Away” shirts?  My T-Shirt business is ruined, Jerry!  Ruined!

Jerry: Just save them for the next free agent.

Steve: (still gloating) Not anymore! We’re a destination now! Players actually want to come here!

[Chad the social media intern, the one who tweeted on Sunday that everything at the Mets store was 20% off but that exclusions apply, walks in.)

Chad: Mr. Steve! I just tweeted “We Actually Signed Someone!” with fifteen fire emojis!

Jerry: Chad, maybe tone it down a little…

Steve: (interrupting) No, no! Let him go wild! We deserve this!

[Newman enters wearing one of Kramer’s old “Almost A Met” shirts]

Newman: Hey, can I get a refund on this shirt? It’s no longer accurate.

Kramer: (brightening) Wait a minute… I’ve got it! We’ll just cross out “Almost” and write “Actually”!

Jerry: You know you still need other players too, right?

Steve: (waving dismissively) Oh, we’re in on everybody now! And this time I mean it!

Elaine: (checking her phone) Twitter’s going crazy. Nobody can believe you actually signed someone.

Steve: (still dancing) Nothing can bring me down! We’re going to win the World Series!

Jerry: You know you still have to actually play the games, right?

[Chad’s phone buzzes]

Chad: Mr. Steve! The Yankees just tweeted congratulations… but they spelled Soto’s name wrong on purpose!

Steve: (outraged) How dare they! Quick, tweet back something clever!

Jerry: Like what? “Thanks, we finally signed someone”?

Elaine: Or “First time for everything”?

Kramer: (excited) I’ve got a new shirt idea: “The Mets: We Actually Did Something”!

Steve: (defensive) You’re all just jealous because we’re going to be unstoppable now!

Jerry: Steve, you still finished third last year.

Steve: (undeterred) That was the old Mets! This is the new Mets!

[Pete Alonso sticks his head in]

Pete: Hey guys, just wanted to say goodbye before I sign with…

Steve: (covering his ears) LA LA LA I CAN’T HEAR YOU! WE SIGNED SOTO!