Steve Cohen in First Real Crisis as Owner after Mets Front Office Flounders

 When Steven Cohen bought the New York Mets last fall, he did so with full adulation from a Mets fans base beaten down by the buffoonery and penny-pinching ways of Cohen's predecessors, Fred and Jeff Wilpon. 

When it came to free agent follies, missteps in player health, mistakes at the deadline, and otherwise one baffling decision after another the Wilpon's were always -- seemingly -- at the center of it. 

Now for the really the first time, Steve Cohen is facing his first REAL crisis as owner of the New York Mets. And it didn't take long. 

While he quickly put out his first fire when he diligently fired disgraced former General Manager-for-a minute Jared Porter after allegations of sexual abuse against female journalists was revealed last winter, Cohen now faces another problem: working around an incompetent front office. 

The New York Mets didn't sign their first round pick, former Vanderbilt phenom Kumar Rocker after the team expressed concerns over the health of Rocker's arm. As a result the $6 million deal they had in place with Rocker, whom many considered a "generational talent" fell through. 

While the Mets still got some good compensation for it, the 11th pick in next year's draft after Rocker didn't participate in the league's pre-draft MRI program, they also have egg on their face. How is that a player of Rocker's caliber slips past nine teams, and the Mets are the one holding the bag of you-know-what when it comes to a player's health? 

Did the Mets even do their due diligence before selecting Rocker with their first round pick? 

Couldn't they have asked for medical records before hand?

 Certainly they could have. 

What makes matters even worse is that Kumar is represented by super-agent Scott Boras, who exclaimed in a press release that his client is "healthy according to independent medical review by multiple prominent baseball orthopedic surgeons." 

Boras continues, "Immediately upon the conclusion of his collegiate season, he had an MRI on both his shoulder and elbow. When compared with his 2018 MRIs, the medical experts found no significant change." 

If that is true, the Mets look ridiculous. Of course the Mets and Sandy Alderson mouth-piece, Acting GM Zack Scott issued the political mea culpa of "we wish Kumar nothing but success moving forward." Nice job Zack, nice job. 

Rocker by the way is likely on his way to Indy ball to prove himself before next year's draft.

Speaking of misdiagnosing injuries, let's talk about Jacob deGrom. deGrom is out until September with inflammation in his elbow. deGrom's injuries this year have been the most mysterious and mythical we have seen in some time.  It's been that bizarre.  

deGrom has suffered five injuries this year. First it was right side tightness. Then it was right lat tightness. Followed by flexor tendonitis, a shore shoulder and now this. deGrom hasn't pitched since before the All Star Break last month. 

Who is to say that deGrom will even pitch again this year? The Mets keep pushing things back. They even let deGrom self-diagnosis himself early in his process; who knows what kind of damage has already been done?

If deGrom, who has already gone under the knife for Tommy John Surgery, is indeed lost for the season, then the Mets season is effectively over. Especially after the same front office (Zack Scott? Sandy Alderson?) opted not to pursue a top flight starter during the trade deadline. Instead they told their fans and the media that they just couldn't find a good deal. 

Jose Berrios? Traded to Toronto. German Marquez? Stays in Colorado. Kyle Davies? The Mets didn't want him. This from a team that is somehow hanging onto first place in the NL East. And even though they act and play like they don't want to be in first, the bad news for the Mets is neither does Atlanta nor Philadelphia. 

Washington even gave up, and traded away Max Scherzer and Trea Turner. 

There probably is a lot of truth to that statement from the Mets. New York doesn't have a lot of depth in the minors. And outside of the likes of Brett Baty and Matthew Allen, there isn't a lot of depth -- unlike the Yankees who had plenty of trade chips from which to use when they nabbed Anthony Rizzo and Joey Gallo. 

That being said, if you expect this team to remain competitive in the National League with the likes of 41-year old Rich Hill, and fringe Major League starter Trevor Williams (whom they got in the Javier Baez deal), you really must be delusional. 

The Mets didn't do enough at the deadline. 

And this leads to Javier Baez. Yes, Baez is a solid addition. He is one of the best hitters in baseball, and is a decent fielder too. He wanted to come to New York, and loves playing with his World Baseball Classic buddy, Francisco Lindor, who is still on the injury list until the later stages of this month.  

Baez has already shown a flare for the dramatic with a two-run bomb in his third at bat as a Met on Saturday against Wade Miley of the Cincinnati Reds. He also struck out a handful of times, and is 1-for-8 in his two games in a Mets uniform. He'll be fine. The question is will he help this team get to the playoffs? Can he be a difference maker? 

And if he is, is he willing to take less money to play second base this off-season? We'll find out how much he loves playing with Lindor when the off-season comes rolling along. 

No matter how one slices it, things are not pretty in Metville right now. Yes, the Mets are in first. But with a brutal August schedule ahead that includes 13 straight games against the Dodgers and Giants, and no help in sight, it's clear now, more than ever, that Steve Cohen is facing his first real crisis as Mets owner.