The New York Mets did something this week that not many imagined they would, which was to spend money on free agents. The organization doled out nearly $40 million to acquire Jay Bruce and Adrian Gonzalez for the 2018 season and in Bruce’s case, beyond.
The financial figures point to these signings as bargains, especially when you consider Gonzalez will make the league minimum salary in 2018 and Bruce was landed for a three-year contract at annual totals far below his projected market value.
Yet there is a downside to all this noise the Mets made, and it relates to their front office’s philosophy when it comes to team construction.