While you were sleeping
- Thread starter NYShoreGuy
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Still has to pass his physical and there were issues raised when he was taking his physical for the Giants.
Have a salary cap...oh wait they don't so a guy who can afford luxury tax is doing his due diligence
Hey, being a lifelong Mets fan since '68, and watching George for some 20 years from mid-70s to mid-90s, so be it!
Maybe not great for MLB as whole, but I don't give two sh*ts! Its great to be a Met fan and have a Met Fan as the owner! Best owner in all of professional sports! Just wishing Steven Cohen was an SHU grad as well!
Maybe not great for MLB as whole, but I don't give two sh*ts! Its great to be a Met fan and have a Met Fan as the owner! Best owner in all of professional sports! Just wishing Steven Cohen was an SHU grad as well!
The rules let teams use money to their advantage. Cohen is doing exactly that. Great news for Mets fans.
Yet no Yankee fan was saying it was bad for baseball then.
Besides, it's all coming off the books in 2 years. This isn't Cohen's long term play, it's biding time while he replenishes the farm system.
Applaud Cohen and other owners for spending money on the players. He isn’t the best owner in professional sports, of course. But after years of the Wilpon’s not always like a big market ownership group, Cohen is doing the right thing.
Most owners want a salary cap. The players Union doesn’t. So, with baseball flush in cash, I don’t see any issue with billionaires investing in their product by doling out enormous salaries. I have far more of an issue with the Pittsburgh Pirates of the world who receive enormous amounts each year in revenue sharing and won’t spend how they should. I know teams like the As and Rays don’t draw, and don’t have the TV revenue others do, but every person who buys one of these major professional teams makes several fold their investment when they sell. It is an asset continually appreciating at an enormous ROI. Look at what the freaking Phoenix Suns just went for.
I used to laugh when the Yankees spent $100 million more than anybody else and then won as much as I do -- which is to say never. There's almost no way this team can meet expectations.
This isn't necessarily true. Correa is for 12 years, Lindor has nine more years, Nimmo is signed for eight, Diaz and Senga for five each. You have to figure Pete Alonso is licking his chops at what he is going to get eventually. But yes, the goal is to build the farm system into something sustainable to supplement the big league roster.
Yes, there will be turnover. Escobar, Canha, Scherzer, Verlander, Quintana, McCann and much of the bullpen are short timers here.
I was exaggerating in saying "all" but that's a huge chunk of the payroll on short term contracts. Obviously this could change, but Cohen's given the indication that he doesn't intend to spend like this every year.
You're correct, there is a lot of short-term spending and I agree that payroll will likely come down -- at least relative to the gap between them and everyone else.
By the same token Correa, Lindor, Nimmo, Diaz and Senga will cost $110 million in 2027. That's one-fifth of the roster. That doesn't include Alonso or any other big ticket signing (someone will have to replace Sherzer and Verlander).
Correa will play third base. He's 6-4 so he was likely going to move from SS at some point.
Remember he just turned 28 in September. As long as he stays healthy he should be productive for some time. But I agree the last few years might be ugly. The AAV is under $26 million which isn't onerous.
It will be interesting to see what Mets ownership looks like in 2035.
People think the Mets are bad for baseball as the crook owners of the pirates and A’s collect their millions and spend nothing on their teams
Lindor, Marte, Senga, Diaz, Nimmo and Correa are the only guaranteed contracts in 2025. That's not counting if Verlander's option kicks in (or maybe he retires). That's not counting a presumed big contract for 30 year old Alonso to come back. Not counting 32 year old McNeil. And more important to this, not counting the assets of Baty, Vientos, Mauricio and Alvarez (and Parada) for whatever they'll be. There's also the dream scenario of Ohtani at Citi Field.
The present and future optimism is genuinely great to be a Mets fan. Just hope it continues deep into October
The present and future optimism is genuinely great to be a Mets fan. Just hope it continues deep into October
Heard the stat on Around the Horn that the Mets spending this year is more than the Pirates have spent since 2010.
Much better the Mets than the Yankees. The guy’s a piece of garbage. Let’s see how this creep handles the NY media.
Mets payroll approaching unfathomable $500 million after Carlos Correa deal
There is clearly no fear from the Mets owner of the “Steve Cohen Tax.”
nypost.com
Mets payroll approaching unfathomable $500 million after Carlos Correa deal
There is clearly no fear from the Mets owner of the “Steve Cohen Tax.”
nypost.com
Mets payroll approaching unfathomable $500 million after Carlos Correa deal
By Greg JoyceSteve Cohen is taking the Mets’ payroll deeper into uncharted territory — for Major League Baseball and any other North American sport, for that matter.
With Cohen’s latest nine-figure deal of the offseason, coming to terms with Carlos Correa on a 12-year, $315 million contract after Correa’s deal with the Giants fell apart because of his physical, the Mets’ luxury-tax payroll for 2023 has soared to roughly $382.11 million — $89.11 million beyond MLB’s fourth and highest tax threshold that has been dubbed the “Steve Cohen Tax.”
In total, combining payroll and luxury taxes, Cohen’s tab for 2023 is currently projected to be $491.709 million and could end up surpassing half a billion dollars as the Mets continue to put the finishing touches on their roster.
As of Wednesday, Cohen was in line to pay about $109.599 million in 2023 luxury taxes — a figure that is higher than the entire current projected luxury-tax payrolls of seven MLB teams in the Orioles, Marlins, Royals, Reds, Pirates, Athletics and Diamondbacks, per Cots Contracts.
The previous MLB record for payroll was the 2015 Dodgers, whose luxury-tax payroll was $297.9 million. They paid $43.567 million in competitive balance taxes that year, according to Cots Contracts, which was the most any team had paid in a single season before the Mets zoomed past it while building their 2023 roster.
The three other major sports leagues in North America each have salary caps — in the 2022-2023 seasons, the NFL’s hard cap is $208.2 million, the NBA’s soft cap is $123.655 million and the NHL’s hard cap is $82.5 million. Last season, the Warriors set an NBA record by paying roughly $346 million combined on player salaries and luxury taxes.
The 2023 Mets payroll includes 15 players making an average annual value of at least $10 million, plus the final $20.25 million of Robinson Cano’s contract after he was designated for assignment last season.
Co-aces Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander lead the way at $43.33 million apiece, the record AAV in MLB history. They are followed by the new left side of the Mets’ infield, Francisco Lindor ($33.8 million) and Correa ($26.25 million), with the newly re-signed Brandon Nimmo ($20.25 million) rounding out the top five.
Last year, the Mets’ luxury-tax payroll was $287.966 million, per Cots Contracts, which cost them about $29.9 million in luxury taxes.
Yankees no longer the only baseball goliath in New York City
In other New York baseball news, the Yankees officially announced the largest signing in franchise history and named Aaron Judge captain.
nypost.com
Yankees no longer the only baseball goliath in New York City
By Joel ShermanIn other New York baseball news, the Yankees officially announced the largest signing in franchise history and concurrently named Aaron Judge the 16th captain in team history.
The Yankees made history … officially twice.
But by then, the Mets had made us gasp.
It is hard to overshadow Judge or the Yankees or a record contract or the captaincy of the most important franchise in the sport. But we had known for two-plus weeks that Judge was returning on a nine-year, $360 million pact. And for pretty much just as long it was understood the captaincy was a perk likely to be attached.
But we had believed for a week that Carlos Correa was a Giant. Then Mets fans went to bed Tuesday thinking how nice it was to have Adam Ottavino back and woke to (let me clear my eyes again) … that Carlos Correa had been signed. The Giants had canceled their Tuesday press conference to announce Correa due to concerns in his physical. Suddenly, one of the best shortstops in the game was the Mets third baseman. So, yeah, the Judge press conference was now anticlimactic.
In about five overnight hours, Cohen had made the most shocking move by a New York baseball team since … Maybe the 2003-04 offseason. The Red Sox had Alex Rodriguez pretty much locked up a trade with the Rangers. The MLB Players Association vetoed the deal because it involved A-Rod taking a pay cut. The Yankees had just lost their third baseman, Aaron Boone, to an offseason knee injury.
The Yankees’ official announcement of Aaron Judge’s recod contract and captaincy may have been relegated to secondary New York baseball status.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
So they saw an avenue and followed the kind of overkill strategy that is now becoming Cohen’s blueprint, too. They forged a deal to put A-Rod at third next to the entrenched star shortstop, Derek Jeter, as sure as Cohen did by negotiating a 12-year, $315 million deal done with Scott Boras (also A-Rod’s agent back then) to station Correa at third next to Francisco Lindor.
“It doesn’t bother me,” Hal Steinbrenner said of having his organization’s big day crashed from the other side of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge. “Steve has put together a great team. We have a great team, too. So it doesn’t matter. The timing is what it is. I’m focused on today. All I know is our fans are very excited.”
This is not about which team owns New York. The town is big enough for both. I suspect six million fans combined will visit Citi Field and Yankee Stadium this coming season. I expect my email in-box will be filled with rah-rah 2023 ratings statements from SNY and YES. The sound from the Judge’s Chamber will not drown out the trumpets for Edwin Diaz or vice versa.
But it is clear that the Yankees are not running unopposed any longer, as has been the case much of the last three decades. Brian Cashman tried to make the case that Hal was like his father in the multiple one-on-one charm offensives he put on Judge to make sure his biggest star would not leave. Normally Hal is as exciting as oatmeal. But getting Judge done while he was on vacation in Italy provided a nice international man of mystery to this retention.
Still, in theatrics and unleashed star-chasing fervor, Cohen is George Steinbrenner way more than Hal Steinbrenner is. Landing a player such as Carlos Correa while on a Hawaiian vacation in the hours just before a huge press conference by the crosstown rival would have appealed to George even more than a blue blazer.
“We’re really proud about what we’re doing and how we’re going about it and the people we are able to retain or import, and we’re certainly hoping when the dust settles like the [Mets] are … that we have a chance to compete for [a championship],” Cashman said. “I know they feel they obviously have a chance to compete for that.”
What it means is both teams are operating under the George Steinrbenner doctrine. The Yankees have it every year — win or bust. The Yankees have not won it all since 2009, which is treated by Yankee fans as if it occurred during the Lincoln administration. Cashman insisted that his offseason budget from the outset also had enough to secure Carlos Rodon and that Hal was not chasing the king of Queens by increasing the payroll. Still, the Yankees’ pressure only grows with projections for the largest payroll in franchise history.
Except you can argue that no team in major league history has had the pressure to win that the 2023 Mets will face. The Mets’ payroll is $100 million-plus more than the Yankees in second place. They are facing a tax bill of $110 million or so. Their total player outlay now is about $500 million. That is a half a billion for those doing the math at home.
But this is life in baseball central now. Press conferences for Kodai Senga and Justin Verlander on Monday and Tuesday in Queens. Press conferences for Judge and Rodon on Wednesday and Thursday in the Bronx. In between, came the shocking revelation that Correa is a Met — and, heck, his press conference might just be Friday.
Oh yeah, Judge also was named Yankee captain.
Another thing to consider is that until the Correa signing, Cohen had mostly just been retaining his own players or replacing what he lost to free agency. Heck, it's not even clear that the replacements are upgrades. Correa really is the only significant addition to the roster (as I'm not considering Verlander a significant upgrade over deGrom).
Which is kind of sad when you think about it. But that's the cost of a veteran win-now team. The Yankees by contrast had, I think, six players under contract plus their arbitration and pre-arb players. There's generally more cost certainty with younger players -- even the arbitration players.
Their starting rotation, as of now, is Scherzer, Verlander, Quintana, Carrasco and Senga. That's roughly $130 million right there. Had the Mets run it back with their main five from last year, it would have cost them about $133 based on what the losses will make next year.
The only reason I would grade Verlander slightly over deGrom is the recency bias of availability. deGrom, if he's in peak shape for 30 starts, is probably better at this stage of their careers although not by a lot. Both Bassitt and Walker are better, in my view, than Quintana and we don't really know what Senga will be until he actually pitches in an MLB game.
Bottom line, if the Mets had simply maintained the starting five, the bullpen and Nimmo, they would have easily been over $325 anyway.
Steve Cohen’s splurge will have ‘consequences’ down the road, some in MLB say
Steve Cohen’s spending spree has been a delight for Mets fans, but some have only grown angry with the near billion dollars the Mets owner has handed out.
nypost.com
Steve Cohen’s splurge will have ‘consequences’ down the road, some in MLB say
By David ScottSteve Cohen’s spending spree has been a delight for Mets fans, but some have only grown angry with the near billion dollars the Mets owner has handed out.
The Mets owner has blown past the highest threshold tax the MLB implements for payroll, nicknamed the “Steve Cohen tax” this winter, with some MLB officials up in arms over whether or not the Mets payroll is “fair” or “good for baseball.”
“I think it’s going to have consequences for him down the road,” a club official told The Athletic. “There’s no collusion. But … there was a reason nobody for years ever went past $300 million. You still have partners, and there’s a system.”
In 2022, the Mets were taxed 80 percent on the $10 million over the $290 million threshold they went. This coming season, they’ll face a 90 percent fee on every dollar over $293 million — and they’ve blown past it by nearly $80 million so far.
“Our sport feels broken now,” another rival executive told The Athletic. “We’ve got somebody with three times the median payroll and has no care whatsoever for the long-term of any of these contracts, in terms of the risk associated with any of them. How exactly does this work? I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around it.”
Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner is among those who don’t seem to have an issue with Cohen’s offseason splurge, though other MLB execs hinted that, while they won’t be “colluding” against the Mets owner, they won’t exactly be looking to help him, either.
“This game is based on partnership and relationships, and these small markets are going to be really pissed at him,” the first club official said. “They’re going to try and gin up sh-t and cause Rob (Manfred) to f–king get pissed at him. It’s not that they can do anything to him, but everybody needs help in this game. I don’t think he’s going to get any help.”
Most MLB teams could match Cohen’s input into their teams — 24 of the 30 MLB owners are billionaires and 13 of them are worth $3.5 billion or more. On top of that, every MLB team will be making at least $100 million in TV money at the start of the 2023 MLB season, a value that around half the league doesn’t invest in its teams each year.
Now the small markets are pissed? Lol. Because up to now they shown a great appetite to compete financially.Steve Cohen’s splurge will have ‘consequences’ down the road, some in MLB say
Steve Cohen’s spending spree has been a delight for Mets fans, but some have only grown angry with the near billion dollars the Mets owner has handed out.nypost.com
Steve Cohen’s splurge will have ‘consequences’ down the road, some in MLB say
By David Scott
Steve Cohen’s spending spree has been a delight for Mets fans, but some have only grown angry with the near billion dollars the Mets owner has handed out.
The Mets owner has blown past the highest threshold tax the MLB implements for payroll, nicknamed the “Steve Cohen tax” this winter, with some MLB officials up in arms over whether or not the Mets payroll is “fair” or “good for baseball.”
“I think it’s going to have consequences for him down the road,” a club official told The Athletic. “There’s no collusion. But … there was a reason nobody for years ever went past $300 million. You still have partners, and there’s a system.”
In 2022, the Mets were taxed 80 percent on the $10 million over the $290 million threshold they went. This coming season, they’ll face a 90 percent fee on every dollar over $293 million — and they’ve blown past it by nearly $80 million so far.
“Our sport feels broken now,” another rival executive told The Athletic. “We’ve got somebody with three times the median payroll and has no care whatsoever for the long-term of any of these contracts, in terms of the risk associated with any of them. How exactly does this work? I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around it.”
Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner is among those who don’t seem to have an issue with Cohen’s offseason splurge, though other MLB execs hinted that, while they won’t be “colluding” against the Mets owner, they won’t exactly be looking to help him, either.
“This game is based on partnership and relationships, and these small markets are going to be really pissed at him,” the first club official said. “They’re going to try and gin up sh-t and cause Rob (Manfred) to f–king get pissed at him. It’s not that they can do anything to him, but everybody needs help in this game. I don’t think he’s going to get any help.”
Most MLB teams could match Cohen’s input into their teams — 24 of the 30 MLB owners are billionaires and 13 of them are worth $3.5 billion or more. On top of that, every MLB team will be making at least $100 million in TV money at the start of the 2023 MLB season, a value that around half the league doesn’t invest in its teams each year.
Steve Cohen’s splurge will have ‘consequences’ down the road, some in MLB say
Steve Cohen’s spending spree has been a delight for Mets fans, but some have only grown angry with the near billion dollars the Mets owner has handed out.nypost.com
Steve Cohen’s splurge will have ‘consequences’ down the road, some in MLB say
By David Scott
Steve Cohen’s spending spree has been a delight for Mets fans, but some have only grown angry with the near billion dollars the Mets owner has handed out.
The Mets owner has blown past the highest threshold tax the MLB implements for payroll, nicknamed the “Steve Cohen tax” this winter, with some MLB officials up in arms over whether or not the Mets payroll is “fair” or “good for baseball.”
“I think it’s going to have consequences for him down the road,” a club official told The Athletic. “There’s no collusion. But … there was a reason nobody for years ever went past $300 million. You still have partners, and there’s a system.”
In 2022, the Mets were taxed 80 percent on the $10 million over the $290 million threshold they went. This coming season, they’ll face a 90 percent fee on every dollar over $293 million — and they’ve blown past it by nearly $80 million so far.
“Our sport feels broken now,” another rival executive told The Athletic. “We’ve got somebody with three times the median payroll and has no care whatsoever for the long-term of any of these contracts, in terms of the risk associated with any of them. How exactly does this work? I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around it.”
Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner is among those who don’t seem to have an issue with Cohen’s offseason splurge, though other MLB execs hinted that, while they won’t be “colluding” against the Mets owner, they won’t exactly be looking to help him, either.
“This game is based on partnership and relationships, and these small markets are going to be really pissed at him,” the first club official said. “They’re going to try and gin up sh-t and cause Rob (Manfred) to f–king get pissed at him. It’s not that they can do anything to him, but everybody needs help in this game. I don’t think he’s going to get any help.”
Most MLB teams could match Cohen’s input into their teams — 24 of the 30 MLB owners are billionaires and 13 of them are worth $3.5 billion or more. On top of that, every MLB team will be making at least $100 million in TV money at the start of the 2023 MLB season, a value that around half the league doesn’t invest in its teams each year.
It was okay when the yankees did it and it was okay when the dodgers did it but now its a problem all of a sudden. These small market teams are why the younger generations dont watch the sport. The mets and the other big market teams keep fans engaged all 12 months a year
I read somewhere that the bottom 10 teams (by payroll) in MLB are projected to spend about $500 million on payroll this coming season.
I understand the idea that not everyone can afford to spend hundreds of millions (if they're trying to run the team as a business) and that some teams are in different stages of player development which might keep a payroll low (many teams are perpetually in that space). I am also loath to tell other people how to spend their money.
With that said, there is money out there to be spent by everyone from the Mets, Yankees and Dodgers to the Pirates, Rays and A's. And I say that realizing that market size has a tremendous effect on revenue.
This sentence jumped out at me in the NY Post story that Halldan posted (No. 24 in the thread). "On top of that, every MLB team will be making at least $100 million in TV money at the start of the 2023 MLB season, a value that around half the league doesn’t invest in its teams each year."
So, every team is bringing in $100 million before they sell a ticket, account for local broadcast rights, sponsorships, concessions, et al. Or before they've spent a penny on player and staff payroll and all the other expenses of running a business.
And we wonder why franchise valuations are in the billions and rising rapidly.
I understand the idea that not everyone can afford to spend hundreds of millions (if they're trying to run the team as a business) and that some teams are in different stages of player development which might keep a payroll low (many teams are perpetually in that space). I am also loath to tell other people how to spend their money.
With that said, there is money out there to be spent by everyone from the Mets, Yankees and Dodgers to the Pirates, Rays and A's. And I say that realizing that market size has a tremendous effect on revenue.
This sentence jumped out at me in the NY Post story that Halldan posted (No. 24 in the thread). "On top of that, every MLB team will be making at least $100 million in TV money at the start of the 2023 MLB season, a value that around half the league doesn’t invest in its teams each year."
So, every team is bringing in $100 million before they sell a ticket, account for local broadcast rights, sponsorships, concessions, et al. Or before they've spent a penny on player and staff payroll and all the other expenses of running a business.
And we wonder why franchise valuations are in the billions and rising rapidly.
I have to say I’ve lost interest in baseball. Not because I don’t enjoy the sport, because they’ve bastardized it.
I can’t stand watching home run or strike out baseball. The Yankees team average was near the Mendoza line.
Players where when you shift the defense to one side of the field can’t go the other way. Now they are talking about making a rule where you can’t put on a shift. Just learn to hit to all fields.
I know what it sounds like but I miss the Yankee teams of the 90’s. 1-9 could hit for average and all had 20-25 hr power. They all could move a runner when needed.
You don’t need 60 from 1 guy when you have a balanced lineup.
I can’t stand watching home run or strike out baseball. The Yankees team average was near the Mendoza line.
Players where when you shift the defense to one side of the field can’t go the other way. Now they are talking about making a rule where you can’t put on a shift. Just learn to hit to all fields.
I know what it sounds like but I miss the Yankee teams of the 90’s. 1-9 could hit for average and all had 20-25 hr power. They all could move a runner when needed.
You don’t need 60 from 1 guy when you have a balanced lineup.
