The New York Mets are encouraging their major and minor league players to train in the offseason with a guy who has raised wolves (note the plurality) as pets, but the organization isn't footing the bill, according to Tim Rohan of the New York Times.
Mets charge players for optional offseason workouts
The Mets have sunk to a new low, which isn’t an easy feat.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The situation, which has caught the attention of the MLB Players’ Association, involves team consultant Mike Barwis and his private fitness center located on the grounds of the Mets’ spring training complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Mets general manager Sandy Alderson has said the optional workout program “is a pretty good deal” for the players, who will receive some degree of reimbursement for lodging costs and a portion of Barwis’ fee. Alderson also stated that the Mets had the minor leaguers pay as they wanted to see their players “invested in their careers and off-season development”, a statement that merits the eye roll you’re giving it.
But the whole deal, particularly for minor leaguers, sounds a little sketchy, according to player agent and Baseball Prospectus contributor Joshua Kusnick:
“That would make me feel uncomfortable, if a ballclub said, ‘If you pay this money, it’ll help you ... That’s just bizarre to me. I wouldn’t be comfortable with any of that.”
The strangest part of the whole ordeal isn’t necessarily that players are being charged; as Rohan notes, players will often pay personal trainers for offseason workout programs anyway. It’s that the facility is on the site of the team complex and is run by an employee of the Mets -- who happened to be owned by a guy who made money off a ponzi scheme. The Mets insist there is no foul play, but let’s not pretend Fred Wilpon is above getting involved with shady investments.
Who knows, maybe urging players to participate -- and pay for -- optional workouts at the team's spring training home will pay off. Lucas Duda, Wilmer Flores and Juan Lagares benefited from the program last year, notes Rohan. So, maybe I shouldn't rip the team for this; it clearly needs to do something to reverse its current trend of six consecutive losing seasons, bad free-agent signings, constant tinkering with its ballpark to make up for the complete absence of offense and a host of other Mets-y things.
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