5 reasons the Mets have underachieved under Steve Cohen’s watch

2) NY Mets are trying to rebuild a barren farm system while competing

Pick one. Don’t wrap your groceries in a paper bag then put it in plastic. Don’t insist on competing so quickly while building a farm system practically from the ground up.

When Cohen entered the picture, the Mets were a very average MLB team and had a very average farm system. They were an eighth or ninth-seed NBA team. It’s not a place where you want to be.

Ever since, the focus of the Mets has been to keep as many of their best prospects around while trying to build a winner. It hasn’t worked out so well. They hesitated to trade away anyone of significance at last year’s trade deadline for the purpose of holding onto guys they’re not using regularly now anyway, like Mark Vientos. Pick one. You’re either going to need to go for the haymaker now or wait a little longer.

The Mets are trying to bulk and cut. As every awkward teenager who was tired of being out of shape will find out, you can’t really do that. You just end up maintaining and make very little progress along the way. The number on the scale is meaningless if you still look goofy with a shirt off.

Anyway, I think that’s enough similes. You understand the problem already. Free agency hasn’t worked out so well for the Mets and their inability to execute a good trade outside of the deal for Chris Bassitt has held them back. Crawl before running.