Billionaire fanboy Steve Cohen is on track to spend almost $500 million on payroll and penalties for his 2023 New York Mets.
That number could soar much higher if the Mets develop additional needs, which they almost certainly will. Injuries occur, slumps happen, rival teams look to dump salary. It’s easy to imagine Cohen throwing even more money at this team.
The current collective bargaining agreement discourages profligate spending, but it doesn’t prevent it. The CBA anticipates owners operating franchises as a business, as Bill DeWitt Jr. has done with the Cardinals.
The Mets are just an expensive hobby to Cohen.