New York Mets: Steve Cohen feared by other MLB owners

The New York Mets have not exactly done much correctly over the years. While Steve Cohen said that a new era of Mets baseball was dawning when he took over, that had yet to manifest. The first year of his ownership was roughly the same as before as the team continued to be a circus.

But Cohen is determined to change the culture and turn the franchise into the large market team he says they should be. In the span of approximately 48 hours, he showed what the Mets could be capable of in free agency, adding Eduardo Escobar, Starling Marte, Mark Canha, and Max Scherzer to bolster the roster.

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen feared by other owners

The Mets are not going to be done either. They are reportedly looking to make trades to upgrade their lineup once the lockout ends, and still plan on improving their pitching staff. The bullpen needs work and the rotation could still use another arm. Cohen’s checkbook is going to be put to good use.

This frightens the other owners. Four teams – the Reds, Angels, Tigers, and Diamondbacks – voted against raising the Competitive Balance Tax in ongoing CBA talks. It should not be a surprise that three of those owners also voted against Cohen taking over the Mets due to concerns of how much he would spend on the roster.

Cohen has essentially violated the first rule of owning a major league team – he is a fan first. Maximizing profits, squeezing every last cent out of the franchise, and trying to break the union are not his priorities. He wants to win, and if that means spending his own money, so be it.

Frankly, the game needs more owners that are fans of the game. That is starting to happen – Royals owner John Sherman was a fan of the franchise for decades before purchasing it. He may not spend at Cohen’s levels, but he also wants to win. And that frightens other owners.

Steve Cohen ‘s willingness to spend frightens other owners around the game. The New York Mets are finally doing something right.