David Stearns is doing a good job at alienating NY Mets fans this offseason

It's time to be realistic about David Stearns' performance. New York Mets fans are unhappy, and they have every right to feel that way. Stearns came in and looked like the smartest guy in the room when he nabbed Sean Manaea (the first time) and Luis Severino and rehabilitated their careers.

However, since then, everything has been downhill. It's hard to give Stearns much credit for Juan Soto. That was a Steve Cohen move, and the deep-pocketed owner wasn't to be denied. However, instead of finding a true ace for the rotation, Stearns ran it back with Manaea and failed miserably with his latest reclamation project, Frankie Montas.

After a dramatic collapse that resulted in sitting out October, Stearns was expected to come out of the gate guns blazing. And at first, it looked like he was doing just that, making splashes like trading Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien and then inking Devin Williams. Those moves felt like precursors to something bigger, but so far Stearns has whiffed on the follow-through.

David Stearns' string of questionable moves is starting to alienate the Mets fan base

Let's start with Devin Williams. Stearns obviously has an affinity for him from their time together in Milwaukee, and he certainly wasn't alone in believing in a bounce-back from the shellshocked former Yankee. But $51 million over three years is a big commitment for a rebound candidate, and it becomes even more questionable now that Edwin Diaz has bolted for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The three-year, $69 million deal Diaz signed with the reigning World Series champions is a hefty AAV, but it's a less onerous deal than the one he was reportedly seeking. After committing so much money to Williams, reuniting with Diaz would've been a great hedge and way to build a super bullpen, but once the contract details came out, it became clear that Stearns was never all that serious about a reunion.

Next is the place where this all began, the Nimmo trade. Nimmo, of course, had become a fan favorite in Queens, and he was swapped straight up for a more expensive (for 2026) player who is inarguably worse. Semien might tighten up the infield defense, but if the cost is Nimmo's offense and a complete black hole in left field, it is clearly a net negative. There's still room for Stearns to redeem himself, but at this point, are we trusting him to do what is necessary and sign Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger to fill the vacancy?

Finally, there's the Pete Alonso of it all. Chalk him up in the fan favorite category again, and also understand that by losing Nimmo in favor of Semien, the power potential of the lineup has taken a sizable hit.

A reunion with Alonso could solve that, and with Kyle Schwarber off the board, he is clearly the best power bat left. The problem is, Stearns and the Mets don't appear to be all that interested.

There's still time for Stearns to redeem himself, but until he actually does, he will be firmly in the fans' dog house. At this point, it's hard to argue that he doesn't belong there.