Why the Mets are in better shape than the Cubs are even with Craig Counsell choosing Chicago

Many New York Mets fans were hoping that current Chicago Cubs Manager Craig Counsell would follow David Stearns to New York this winter, and when that didn't happen as hoped, Mets fans put all their attention toward new manager Carlos Mendoza. While Counsell was many Mets fans' first choice, it doesn't change the fact that Carlos Mendoza is walking into a better current situation than Craig Counsell in Chicago.

• The Mets' newly rebuilt front office has a few of the top talent evaluators of any front office in baseball as well as the payroll to spend where needed.

When you start at the top, the Mets front office has undergone a complete overhaul and added some of the most talented executives in baseball (David Stearns, Kris Gross, and Andy Green). Pair that with the richest owner in baseball, Steve Cohen, it's hard to say that Chicago is more appealing than New York is at this point from the front-office standpoint.

While the Chicago Cubs did finish 2023 with a better overall record than the Mets, their late-season collapse left a sour taste in many fans' mouths. It's fair to wonder if current General Manager Jed Hoyer may be on the hot seat after many of his unsuccessful moves last season, as well as the lack of moves in not trading Cody Bellinger or Marcus Stroman, put the Cubs in a no-win position.

The Mets have positioned themselves as a more desirable situation than the Chicago Cubs this offseason.

• The Mets current core of position players is more talented than the Chicago Cubs core.

When you also look at the Mets' current core of position players, there is arguably higher upside for the Mets to be in a better position to make the postseason in 2024 than the Cubs. The Mets have arguably the best shortstop in baseball in Francisco Lindor, as well as star players such as Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeff McNeil.

While the Cubs are led by star shortstop Dansby Swanson, there aren't many position players on their current roster that carry the current pedigree of the previously mentioned players on the Mets.

Overall, the Mets are only a few pieces away this winter from being legitimate contenders this upcoming season. The moves that have already been made in the front office have left a major impression across Major League Baseball, and with the current core of players in place, the Mets aren't too far from making a run at the NL East in 2024.