There is no backing down on 90 wins. Even after this brutal Opening Day loss by the Mets.
Sandy Alderson and the Mets can’t have it both ways.
It’s 90 or bust. It was bust Monday in a terrible 9-7, 10-inning loss to the Nationals, a game the Mets were one out away from winning.
Give the Mets’ general manager credit for trying to change the culture, as he explained over and over again Monday at Citi Field about his challenge of 90 wins.
After the 90-win goal got out of the bag, though, there is no backing down.
In trying to explain his 90-win statement and the skepticism that surrounds these Mets — a team that has put its fans through five straight losing seasons, Alderson was asked if he understand where that skepticism comes from.
“You have to understand the context in which the statement was made and the purpose behind it.” Alderson said. “So if the skepticism is, ‘How are they going to win 90 games?’ it wasn’t a guarantee, it wasn’t a prediction, it was a challenge, OK? A challenge to all of us internally, how do we get there?’’
A shut-down bullpen would help.
In his State of the Mets report, Anderson said: “The bullpen has not been good over the last several years. It needs to get better.”
It can’t get any worse. And this is a bullpen Alderson & Co. have had years to rebuild.
“We’re in the process of introducing more of our young players into that bullpen — we hope that’s successful,’’ Alderson said.
Alderson admitted: “I never said [90 wins] directly to the team but have interpreted to a number of players and staff as well to make sure there was an understanding of exactly what I was talking about when I did say it in a private setting. … It’s time to get better, what you can measure, you can improve.’’
Yes, wins are important — even to Moneyballers.
This is Alderson’s team now. Omar Minaya is far, far away in the rearview mirror.
The first step to getting there is acquiring better players and that’s the general manager’s job.
The manager makes the most of the talent available, that’s Terry Collins’ job. The players must play up to their capabilities, so it’s a team effort. But it starts with the GM.
Do these Mets have the talent to win 90?
“Let me put it this way,’’ a most skeptical scout, who has followed the Mets all spring, said before the first pitch. “Would this team be happy with 80 wins? I think they’d sign up for that right now.’’
“If we don’t achieve [90 wins],’’ Alderson said, “we at least achieved the notion that we are thinking about ourselves differently.’’
Don’t back down, Sandy, keep the number firm.
“We’re committed to the winning, but that doesn’t preclude patience,’’ Alderson said. “We still have a young team, we may get younger.’’
The Mets’ goal should be simple: Make the playoffs. There must be more focus on the present.
“The 90 wins is about a challenge, it’s about changing the conversation, it’s about framing questions for ourselves as to how we get there,’’ Alderson said. “I stand by the notion that we need to get better.
“In doing so we need to set concrete goals for ourselves so we have specific conversations on how we are going to get better.’’
Stick with 90. The number 90 came out, not 82, not 85, 90.
Make the team better, call up young pitching talent like Noah Syndergaard as soon as possible. Don’t wait to call him up because of future contract consequences. Anything can happen to young pitchers — look at Matt Harvey and his Tommy John surgery.
“What’s wrong with a hard standard?’’ Alderson asked of the 90 wins.
Nothing, raise the standards.
“We need to turn a corner, it needs to be a 90-degree angle,’’ Alderson said.
Good number, stick with it, Sandy. Ninety or bust.