Pete Alonso’s departure is a wound that will take a long time to heal for New York Mets fans. But a heavyweight voice in MLB has decided to weigh in on the criticism directed at president of operations David Stearns.
Former MLB president David Samson came out to publicly defend David Stearns, who is currently responsible for the organization’s sporting decisions.
David Samson defends David Stearns’ decisions with the Mets
During a recent episode of the Nothing Personal podcast, Samson was clear in explaining that holding Alonso to a long-term contract did not fit with a model of financial efficiency. In his words, committing five years to a player who is already over 30 was not a logical decision, especially for an owner like Steve Cohen, who is known for scrutinizing every investment.
“It’s not efficient to give Pete Alonso five years. It wasn’t when he was 30 and it’s not now when he’s 31,” Samson said.
Who decided Pete Alonso’s departure from the Mets?
One of the central points of the debate is the role of Steve Cohen. For Samson, no relevant decision is made without the direct approval of the owner. This means that Stearns does not act alone, but executes a strategy aligned with the owner’s vision. Even so, the director has been the one who has received most of the criticism after the departure of Alonso.
The discontent of the fans was to be expected, as Alonso is coming off one of the best campaigns of his career, with an .871 OPS, 38 home runs, 126 RBIs and his fifth All-Star selection. Numbers that, for many, justified an extra effort to retain him.
A roster under construction and many unknowns in New York
So far, the market has not left moves that completely transform the team. The signing of Juan Soto is still a bet for the future, but has not yet translated into tangible results. With key pieces leaving and the offseason still underway, the Mets have several cards on the table.
Among the names being mentioned are Cody Bellinger and Framber Valdez, as well as interest in Japanese Munetaka Murakami, who is in the final stages of his posting window. There are also trade talks with the Cardinals for Lars Nootbaar and Willson Contreras, as well as exploratory contacts with the White Sox for Luis Robert Jr., although no concrete progress has been made.
The offseason is far from over and for the Mets, there is still room to balance the team and, in the process, please their fans.
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