The Knicks played Thursday night in Philly, the City of Brotherly Love, the birthplace of freedom and the birthplace of The Process, the much-discussed plan for the 76ers’ revival that began as a blueprint for a think tank and evolved. It turns into the punch line that starts (or develops) the second half of the season in Delphia.
1,100 miles south of the Wells Fargo Center in Port St. Lucie — home to Applebee’s, Calaba’s, and any other major gastronomic staple you can dream of, also known as Flushing South — Met’s has held firm to its own version and long-standing vision – period of prosperity. Let’s call it “The Plan.”
The plan, loosely defined by David Stearns and undertaken by Steve Cohen, is as follows: Instead of using the owner’s unlimited resources for get-rich-quick schemes like overpaying free agents or eliminating luxury tax limits, the Mets use them. Funding to further strengthen the franchise’s infrastructure and further strengthen its minor league feeding system.
Whether you feel that way probably speaks to your level of trust in The Plan, and in the people running The Plan. And that resolve may now be tested by two truths. One of them was revealed Thursday morning, and the other may have been plaguing you for the past few weeks.
The Mets don’t seem willing to waver in their commitment to The Plan and sign either of these pitchers, but neither will just be a benefit in 2024 (Snell will adjust to New York, Montgomery will be better off than before). Assuming they believe they will consistently rise to that challenge (assuming they believe they will consistently rise to the challenge during their Yankee years), every element of The Plan includes building a healthy championship-level rotation going forward.
As you can imagine, Mr. Cohen will probably still have moments when his pockets are on fire, hoping that some of his cash on hand will be released in the same way he has distributed it over the past two years. Stearns discusses the angel on Cohen’s left shoulder preaching patience and commitment to The Plan, and the first-time tout who has been on talk radio for years sitting on Cohen’s right shoulder (and arguably… You can imagine him being a Mets fan somewhere. and heart).
That version of Cohen could always clear his throat. But for now, he seems to have full faith in Stearns and his plan. The plan is to play all of the Mets’ cards this year close to the best, see how things pan out, and decide who among this group will be the goalie. Who could later be auctioned off and reset in 2025 — even given the backlash others received at last year’s trade deadline when they verbalized the very elements of The Plan. Even if it never says much.
In some ways, this is commendable, because in 2024, patience is rarely required in any field, but especially in professional sports. The cost of caring for teams is getting higher and higher, especially in New York, where the mood is dark after a decade without a championship. And when you factor in the Mets, who haven’t won a title in 38 years (and never again), it’s understandable that fans tend to be salty on bright summer days, and the anxiety that comes with this permeates.
This plan makes perfect sense without even thinking about it. It’s sound and reasonable, and if all goes well, it can lead to huge profits. Cohen will be able to avoid the onerous taxes that come with this year’s big contract, completely reset the roster and start jumping into the adult bracket next year. In a vacuum, this is an overview you can’t miss.
But to remind ourselves that sports don’t exist in a steam-sealed bubble, all we have to do is go back to where we started: Philadelphia. is. Philadelphia has yet to see a championship in its 10th year in the process – not yet In fact, the 76ers have even made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, let alone the NBA Finals.
There’s a lot to blame, including drafting Markelle Fultz over Jayson Tatum in 2017 and Ben Simmons over Jaylen Brown a year ago, but The Process betrayed Embiid. Sometimes. More importantly, the best-laid plans and processes often require a little luck to work.
And the Mets aren’t all about luck these days.
