Time will tell if Brodie outs players first
PORT ST. LUCIE — Brodie Van Wagenen differentiated himself as a GM candidate by convincing Mets ownership that being an agent provided insight into how players think and, in particular, what they think of the Mets.
In the job, Van Wagenen has walked that talk. As one of his top lieutenants Allard Baird said, “In every decision that is made here, he has reiterated that over and over and over again. Whether it is a medical decision, whether it is a developmental decision. No question: Player first.”
The new GM wanted to avoid the natural personal agendas and egos that develop around every organizational position, so his mission statement has been to focus every Met employee — executive, coach, trainer, etc. — that Job 1 is to improve player performance. If that occurred, players would be happy by maximizing their skills and earning power. The agent past whispering to the GM present about how players think.
So far, so good. New administrations and new seasons provide an outlet to dispense with the negativity of the past. Yet, even with that understanding, Van Wagenen’s energy, enthusiasm and collaborative DNA have helped push persistent dark clouds off the franchise. He has been a bold showman, calling the Mets the team to beat in the NL East. He has convinced ownership to invest where it hasn’t before — think scouts in the Far East, a bulked-up analytics department and catch-up-to-the-technology leaders by spending on items such as Edgertronic machines to assist pitchers and K-Vests to help hitters hone their swings.
And he has defied current conventions. He didn’t tank when faced with the fork in the road whether to try or not in 2019. He didn’t treat players over 30 as dead men walking, taking on multi-year deals with Robinson Cano, Jed Lowrie and Justin Wilson. And rather than treating the players like easily replaceable Matrix-esque entities manipulated from a distance by a head of baseball operations, Van Wagenen has worked to forge connectivity. He has been transparent, honest and head-on with good and bad news for players.
We will see if the positive vibes persist when the games count. And between now and Washington’s Max Scherzer delivering his first pitch to Brandon Nimmo there are two more convention-defying, Player First moves left for Van Wagenen to further galvanize his philosophy:
1. Put Pete Alonso on the roster.
2. Get Jacob deGrom signed to a multi-year contract.
Van Wagenen has assumed risk here. He has promised no service-manipulation ploys with Alonso and that the 25 best players would go north. And he has stated his desire is to keep deGrom long term.
All indications are Alonso will make the team, honoring that he has outplayed Dom Smith. But that is the smaller risk. If Alonso plays great, then the Mets will deal with starting his clock early as arbitration and free agency near. If Alonso is hitting, say, .190 three weeks into April, then the Mets could send him to the minors, get the service time exchange benefits that way but still have credibility in the clubhouse for doing the right thing to begin the year.
No such safety valve exists if the Mets were to go long term with deGrom and he were to get injured or underperform. He is not due to be a free agent for two more years, so the safe bet is to just play it out. But the gamble there is disenchanting arguably the most important player on the team, upsetting the fan base, possibly losing him elsewhere and sending the message that Van Wagenen’s honeymoon with ownership is not a permission slip for every Player First priority.
Van Wagenen was ready to do a long-term deal with the Mets when he was deGrom’s agent, increasing the pressure at the All-Star break last year. So he is a poker player who thinks he knows the other player’s hand, since he should have quite the insight into deGrom’s settle point. But as opposed to when he worked for deGrom, Van Wagenen now answers to the Wilpons and the absence of a deal screams that he has yet to convince ownership (or deGrom) to go to where there is an accord.
Van Wagenen now has the face-ofthe-franchise extensions the Rockies did with Nolan Arenado (one year to free agency) and the Angels with Mike Trout (two years) to show the Mets would not be acting independently to extend deGrom. They are position players though. Less risk, and the Wilpons — Fred, particularly — is risk averse.
But, at heart, an agent is a salesman, making a pitch — like the one Van Wagenen adeptly made to the Wilpons about Players First. That helped him land the GM job, where he has now applied the philosophy. The job, though, never stops. Deadlines and decisions approach over the next week with Alonso and deGrom. Will Players First last?