Why the Mets waiting a year to hire Brewers’ president David Stearns might actually be worth it

Even if the New York Mets hire Adam Cromie, they may just be setting the table for Stearns.

Even if the New York Mets hire Adam Cromie for their front-office vacancy, could they just be setting the table to eventually bring in Milwaukee Brewers exec David Stearns?

When you review the list of names that rejected the Mets, Stearns’ name stands out for one particular reason. While others lacked interest, the situation with Stearns reportedly didn’t work out because Milwaukee denied permission for him to speak with New York.

This was the second offseason in a row that the Mets targeted Stearns as they were also denied by Brewers owner Mark Attanasio in Nov. 2020 and again in Oct. 2021, noting that Stearns is “under contract” with Milwaukee.

According to this report from The Athletic, however, the Mets believe that Stearns’ contract expires after this upcoming season and that he has “serious” interest in the position.

It’s well-documented that Stearns grew up in New York City as a fan of the Mets. He wrote about his love for the team in his college newspaper back in 2007 and also interned for the organization in 2008.

So it makes at least some sense that, according to the report, the Mets are willing to wait under his contract elapses (via The Athletic):

“In the Mets’ ideal scenario, a GM hire this winter would serve as a one-year placeholder, waiting to be supplanted by Stearns above him in the front-office hierarchy. Earlier this week, New York team president Sandy Alderson did not deny that the Mets would contemplate hiring above the GM level again next winter.”

Of course, in the meanwhile, the organization will need someone to lead baseball operations.

However, because the intention is apparently only to have this person lead the team until they can hire Stearns, they’re likely seeking more of a stopgap solution.

That provides some context for why the Mets are now pursuing candidates like Cromie — who hasn’t worked in baseball since 2017 — and why Sandy Alderson may remain as the de facto head honcho.

Cromie reportedly specializes in “rules and contracts” as well as “arbitration and roster placement” and that would be his main focus. Meanwhile, in the interim, Alderson would continue his role as the lead decision-maker for the Mets until they can pry Stearns away from Milwaukee.

According to Ken Davidoff of the New York Post, “many, many industry folks” expect such a plan to come into fruition.

Of course, it’s a bold strategy to target someone already employed elsewhere and could easily backfire.

What if, for example, the Brewers win the World Series in 2022? Stearns could easily decide that even if he had an allegiance to the Mets growing up, moving forward, Milwaukee is in a better place to win.

Conversely, however, it’s also not the worst idea that they could possibly have. If none of the other remaining candidates are ideal, ownership should not settle and offer a long-term deal to someone they’re not infatuated with.

Stearns has helped the Brewers turn from a small-market afterthought to a perennial contender. They have made the postseason four years in a row and New York is in the midst of a five-year drought.

With all the turnover that the Mets have had in management and in the front office over the past few seasons, they can’t afford to botch another hire or to have another short-term fling. They need someone who is in it for the long haul and if Stearns is someone who knows what he is doing and can be loyal to the organization, he’d be worth the risk and the wait.

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