New owner Steve Cohen is looking to transform the New York Mets into something they never were under the Wilpon regime. Joe Pantorno’s of AM New York reported that Cohen’s most significant focus is on “beefing up the team’s analytics department” after spending years with the second smallest in baseball.
As #Mets fans dream about what big-name player Steve Cohen will go out and buy first, a source I spoke with yesterday said a top priority is not immediately making a big signing/trade. It's beefing up the analytics department.#LGM
— Joe Pantorno (@JoePantorno) October 1, 2020
This does not mean the idea of signing Trevor Bauer or J.T. Realmuto is out the window. Cohen wants to make the Mets a well-rounded team that can spend money and finds undervalued players. Think about the Tampa Bay Rays or Oakland Athletics having the funds to supplement the cheap talent they find.
Spend Smart, Not Crazy
The Mets now find themselves in a unique situation with an owner who cares about putting a winning product on the field. They have spent money in prior offseasons, bringing in Wilson Ramos, Jed Lowrie, Rick Porcello, etc. but they were not championship level pieces. Instead of bringing in C or D level free agents, they can go after the A or B level players who make a big impact.
The foundation for a strong analytics department is in place. Sandy Alderson is back in the organization as team president after a couple of years away from the organization. Alderson was responsible for crafting the 2015 National League Championship team with a low budget. Even many of the players he drafted or signed were major contributors during the 2020 season.
What many fans do not understand is Alderson has experience building a team with and without money to spend. He was part of building the strong Oakland A’s team from the late 80s to the early 90s. Following that, he mentored Billy Beane on analytics to help create the Moneyball phenomenon. Alderson’s experience as CEO of the San Diego Padres also shows his ability to work in varied money situations.
Analytic Department
Adam Guttridge is less known among Mets fans as he is the leader of the three-person analytic department. He was a big reason why Jeff McNeil remained a Met and J.D. Davis became a Met last season. Guttridge co-created NEIFI (normalized empirical individual forecasting index) as part of the Milwaukee Brewers organization.
Much like anything in sports, a good foundation is needed for sustained success. With Cohen, Alderson, and Guttridge, there is finally leadership and competence within the Mets organization.