Chicago Cubs: Javier Baez is playing his way toward a monster deal

Chicago Cubs: In New York, a new owner and the same old sideshow antics

Whenever I get frustrated about Tom Ricketts crying poor or the front office failing to either extend key players of the former core or, at the very least, supplementing them with a quality supporting cast, I just remember one thing. It could be worse. Just ask Mets fans.

When Steve Cohen bought the team, it was supposed to change everything. They traded for Francisco Lindor, then signed him to an extension that spans what’s almost guaranteed to be the rest of his career. This team had real postseason aspirations with the likes of Jacob deGrom, Pete Alonso, Lindor leading the charge.

But the 2021 season has shown us, if nothing else, chaos reigns in Queens. Last winter, the Mets named former Chicago Cubs front office executive Jared Porter as GM. That lasted just over a month before Porter was dismissed after sexual harassment claims came to light. His replacement, Zack Scott, faces questions over his future, too, following a DUI arrest.

Of course, former Mets skipper Mickey Callaway was caught up in an array of very troubling matters, as well – so there’s a clear trend here. Manager Luis Rojas is in the final weeks of his deal and, with a new front office regime likely, his future is uncertain, as well.

All this to say things have gone off the rails in New York, yet again. The team had a better than 75 percent chance of winning the NL East on July 29, according to Fangraphs. Today? 2.3 percent.