Mets fans should prepare for patience, not disappointment this winter

The New York Mets have the opportunity to make a gigantic splash or two or three this offseason. It's the expectation every offseason. Steve Cohen's presence guarantees they'll always at least be in the mix.

Plenty has already changed for the Mets with lots more on the way. Some will be for the best. Others will end up being for the worst.

Even after a huge bummer of a season and some reset expectations that this offseason won't be as free-spending, the Mets are still very much in the running to come away with a better ball club. Disappointment is a real possibility with the winter moves probably coming up short compared to last year. The difference is we were ready for this. If patience is one of your virtues, you’ll be fine.

The Mets won't nor should they try to build themselves in one offseason

The Mets could always luck into getting a lot better without landing multiple superstars. Not trading for Juan Soto or letting Shohei Ohtani sign somewhere else seems the likeliest scenario. The next tier of players may also end up in another team's uniform. Before we know it, the Mets could end up having to resort to what many fans may consider the Plan C.

Exactly what would make for a successful offseason? Landing Yoshinobu Yamamoto seems to be at the top of everyone's list. The Mets do need a whole lot more, though. The rotation, the bullpen, and the lineup have dry spots.

Going from where they were at the end of the 2023 season to a champion is a challenge not even David Stearns can guarantee us. The recent hiring of Andy Green and Kris Gross have been praised by the Mets and yet they’ll do very little to improve the outlook for 2024.

It really is like Cohen bought the Mets and decided to slowly get faster and faster in each of the first three seasons. The 2021 Mets were playoff-worthy (at first) with the 2022 club looking like a much more aggressively-built team. In 2023, the team was in a full sprint. They ended up stepping in a pot hole and tearing their Achilles.

The happiest Mets fans right now are the most patient ones. Those willing to accept the plan extends beyond next year can brush off any disappointment from their shoulders like yesterday’s dandruff. Those fully invested in 2024 will undoubtedly be left scratching their heads with fists, unsatisfied with the eventual outcome.