New York Mets: Jeff Wilpon simply doesn’t get it

New York Mets COO Jeff Wilpon has a problem. He doesn’t get it.

The leadership of the New York Mets gets the criticism from the fan base all the time. The criticism often comes down to one signature issue, the payroll. Why don’t the Mets spend like a big market team, residing in the biggest market in the world and all? It became more confounding when owner Fred Wilpon couldn’t understand how the Yankees business model is able to sustain.

It’s called winning, Fred. That’s for another day.

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We don’t often hear from the Mets first family, the Wilpons. We hear from them less often with regards to team payroll. That’s probably a good thing due to the resounding opinion the fans have about the ownership.

That changed this week, when COO Jeff Wilpon talked to the beat reporters about that very subject for the first time since 2014. He seemed to think that would help.

My Mom always told me that you can only assume that people don’t have a clue until they open their mouths and prove it. Wilpon proved that in spades. Here is one of his quotes on the matter, (per Laura Albanese of Newsday):

"“I understand the fan base’s frustration, and we have the same frustration,” he said Tuesday at a lunch with beat reporters at Citi Field. “There’s nobody going out there trying to not win, and not putting the best person in the absolute best position to win. The (payroll) that we start with as a target at the beginning of the offseason, it usually goes up from there. I suspect we’ll be in that same situation this year as well. It might come before the season, it might come during the season.”"

First of all, when someone has to announce that they understand, they often don’t. That’s just on a personal note.

With the history this group has, it’s difficult to take anything they say at face value. If they really did understand, they would be transparent with the moves, or lack thereof, that have occurred. They wouldn’t make statements about moves that might happen. Albanese came to the conclusion in the article that Wilpon”…does not appear to have designs on spending like a typical big-market team.

That proves, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that Jeff Wilpon doesn’t come close to getting it. He says they understand? How so? Not spending like a big-market team is EXACTLY WHAT THE FRUSTRATION IS! If you are going to continue to play into the frustration, how in your right mind can you say that you understand it? Moreover, how can you say that you have the same frustration? It would mean you are frustrated with yourself, and that would just be very strange. It would make for some creepy office meetings as well.

The team has needs and they aren’t being filled. Be honest with the fan base. Tell us why. Fans in New York don’t like having the wool pulled over their eyes. In the article, they say the payroll may go up, but does anyone really believe that? I doubt it. Mets fans likely believe that this is the roster that they will see in April at Citi Field.

Next: David Wright beginning to see reality

Mets fans have always been made up of blue-collar workers. That has been the main difference between Yankee fans and Met fans. Yankee fans are white-collar and Met fans are blue. Blue collar workers look out for one another. If Wilpon would just admit what the problems are, the fans would eventually have sympathy and get on board. Until they do, they will continue to prove that they just don’t get it.