Yahoo Sports Mets owner Steve Cohen takes shot at team's 'unproductive' hitters on Twitter
The New York Mets are struggling. After losing five straight games, the team fell below .500 for the first time since early May.
Even when things were going well, the team's offense struggled. The Mets have a 93 wRC+ — an advanced stat that measures offense — which is tied for 17th in baseball. The team's offense has been nearly as productive as the Baltimore Orioles, who sit at 38-80 on the season.
Mets owner Steve Cohen has seen those numbers, and he isn't happy about them. Cohen took his "unproductive" hitters to task on Twitter on Wednesday, calling out the team's poor offensive performance.
It’s hard to understand how professional hitters can be this unproductive.The best teams have a more disciplined approach.The slugging and OPS numbers don’t lie.
— Steven Cohen (@StevenACohen2) August 18, 2021
Cohen isn't wrong to point out those numbers. The Mets' .235 team batting average ranks 23rd in baseball, their .313 on-base percentage ranks 18th and their .380 slugging percentage ranks 26th. By nearly all measures, the team's offense has been subpar.
Problem is, it's literally Cohen's job to put a better team on the field. As the team's owner, Cohen bears responsibility in making sure the right general manager, manager, coaches and players are in place. He's taken at least one step to make that happen this season, firing hitting coach Chili Davis in May.
That didn't jumpstart the Mets' offense, and Cohen had June and July to make upgrades so the offense would perform better. The only big-ticket offensive player the team brought in at the trade deadline was Javier Baez. Prior to getting hurt, Baez hit .174 in 10 games with the team.
Meanwhile, the New York Yankees, who were in a worse place than the Mets at the deadline, made deals for Anthony Rizzo and Joey Gallo. Rizzo performed well before contracting COVID-19. Gallo hasn't hit for average, but already has four home runs with the Yankees.
Those two moves seem to have reinvigorated the Yankees. The team is currently on a five-game winning streak and finds itself tied for a wild-card sport in the American League.
Steve Cohen drawing attention for Twitter account
Cohen's presence on Twitter is controversial. Few team owners have active Twitter accounts, and the ones who are on the platform rarely tweet as openly as Cohen.
Cohen's Twitter habits haven't gotten him in trouble yet, though rival executives are sometimes in awe of the things Cohen posts to the site, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Wednesday's post should ruffle some feathers in the clubhouse, though it's unlikely any of the players will fire shots directly at Cohen. But as the team's owner, he deserves scorn for not putting the Mets in a better position to win.
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