Memories of Brodie Van Wangenen

[Edgy MD]

With his slick hair, cocky walk, athletic build, and wearing tailored jackets with no tie, he looked kind of exactly like you might expect big shot agents to look. He used that cell phone like he was born with one in his hand.



[FIMG=338]https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/06/Brodie-Van-Wagenen-3.jpg?quality=80&strip=all[/FIMG] [FIMG=362]https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcQzR43uoVmGm6A2ZdEpkNm5FZyyqG9blNl4Ag&usqp=CAU[/FIMG]



Later, when the realities of being the Mets' 13th (!!) general manager sunk in — one manager threatening a reporter, another blowing up in his face, getting caught telling the impolitic truth on a hot mic, and simply running the team through the stupidest of baseball seasons — he lost some luster on the slickness, some swing in that cockiness, and started getting that the universe is against me but what can I do? Wilpon look. The one that looks like he's trying to swallow his own face in public. He looked like a long lost son of Fred. That made me sad for him.



[fimg=301]https://static01.nyt.com/images/2019/05/20/sports/20kepnerweb-1/merlin_155161377_a0ca5733-19f2-444c-a504-bba10b28dc3b-superJumbo.jpg[/fimg] [FIMG=399]https://www.journal-news.com/resizer/azdv7RpPFSP3W1m9FuUcONF9cGk=/1066x600/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/coxohio/IWCI6SNFZ5EVY4ZSEPSKP7VBKA.jpg[/FIMG]

[MFS62]

My first memory of him still lingers - the picture of him and his wife in a country club setting, right out of a fashion magazine and thinking, "They're no Tom and Nancy".

Later

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

I respected that he didn't need this job and probably took a huge paycut to take it. Was smart enough to lock up deGrom. Didn't screw Alonso by manipulating his service time. The Stro deal looked good at first and nearly got us into the postseason. Rebounded quickly with Rojas, and should get the credit for it if he becomes a special manager, as Martino calls him.

[Frayed Knot]

The problem with BVW wasn't that he was hired or even his unconventional route to the job but rather why he was hired in the first place, that was of course because the 'Pons were comfortable with

him which just served as another example of them being unwilling to leave their comfort zone.

While two seasons is scarcely time enough to do a full evaluation of a GM, the biggest mark (either for or against) is going to be his first "splash" move, the Cano/Diaz deal. It's also why I tend to cringe when

I hear NYM fans calling for "splash" moves as if demonstrations of spending money and the stealing back pages of tabloids are goals unto themselves ... but I digress.



As unpopular as that move was and is, it's not even certain that it was a bad one despite starting off worse than anyone had a right to reasonably expect: Diaz, who had not just success for his entire 2-1/2

year ML career at that point but was better each year during that time, spent virtually the entire 1st season seemingly lost at sea; Cano looked done done for at least the first half of the first year; Kelenic

took a leap forward in his progress right out of the gate. But Cano righted himself [301/334/542 // 876 over 350 PA since mid-'19], Diaz looks to be back and still just 25 y/o and under two years of control,

and this was a lost season for Kelenic (never called up yet no real games at the minor league level) who might turn out great or might be mediocre.

Brodie will ultimately get judged on this deal more than any other single move but even here the verdict isn't written yet.

[G-Fafif]

He's a very handsome man.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I remember thinking that instead of the nerd (Chaim Bloom) they went ahead and hired Don Draper.

[A Boy Named Seo]

He was pretty savvy in the draft, trying to work the stupid slot system by saving his pennies on one dude to go over-slot on a high-ceiling guy who slipped for whatever reason. He didn't seem nearly as creative with the big league roster.



But BVW will always be known for the Cano trade. Something that seemed so outlandish when we discussed it here when it was just a rumor. And if Kelenic isn't the second coming of Christian Yelich, the Mets might even win the damn trade, who knows. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Centerfield]

And after all the violence and double talk, there's just a song in all the trouble and the strife.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

When the Mets identified 3 candidates to be the GM but hadn't yet chosen one (allegedly), Brodie offered bizarre written statement that was a cross between a business press release, and a linked in bio, first reviewed by the compliance and legal departments. Bob Melvin and Chaim Bloom hardly had anything to say, if I recall.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

https://twitter.com/Springer66/status/1149804167717904392https://twitter.com/Springer66/status/1149804167717904392

[MFS62]

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: https://twitter.com/Springer66/status/1149804167717904392https://twitter.com/Springer66/status/1149804167717904392

Now let him collaborate with a moving company to get his shit out of the GM office.

Later

[Edgy MD]

Jeez, it's a love-free zone.

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

Edgy MD wrote: Jeez, it's a love-free zone.

Seriously. Brodie wasn't that bad.

[Edgy MD]

'greed.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

I don't think my memory is good or bad, just a memory.

[Edgy MD]

'greed.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Where is the "Mets name Brodie GM" thread?



I recall him being perceived as the longest shot

[Centerfield]

All kidding aside, Brodie Van Wagenen is the worst GM in the history of the Mets. And that's not due to his track record as GM, though there is enough there to make a strong case.



Brodie is the worst, not because he failed as GM, but because he never tried. Every other Mets GM had one primary goal. Make the Mets a better team. Some were better, some were worse, but all of them worked toward the same thing. The last few have had to overcome Jeff Wilpon to make that happen.



Not Brodie. Brodie's job wasn't to make the Mets better. Brodie's job was to make Jeff look better. I mean sure, he would have preferred if the Mets won, but as long as there was no heat on Jeff, Brodie had done his job.



That's why he was hired despite not having any front office experience. He didn't need it. Jeff was going to call all the shots. Brodie was just PR and spin.



So fuck Brodie and his lies, and his double talk. I don't know what's next on the agenda for Jeff Wilpon, but I hope it has nothing to do with my life, and I hope he takes his smiling salesman along with him.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I read somewhere that Jeff Wilpon is going to marry your cousin.



Sorry for the bad news.

[Centerfield]

I've always questioned his judgment.

[Fman99]

=Centerfield post_id=50227 time=1604863288 user_id=65]
All kidding aside, Brodie Van Wagenen is the worst GM in the history of the Mets. And that's not due to his track record as GM, though there is enough there to make a strong case.



Brodie is the worst, not because he failed as GM, but because he never tried. Every other Mets GM had one primary goal. Make the Mets a better team. Some were better, some were worse, but all of them worked toward the same thing. The last few have had to overcome Jeff Wilpon to make that happen.



Not Brodie. Brodie's job wasn't to make the Mets better. Brodie's job was to make Jeff look better. I mean sure, he would have preferred if the Mets won, but as long as there was no heat on Jeff, Brodie had done his job.



That's why he was hired despite not having any front office experience. He didn't need it. Jeff was going to call all the shots. Brodie was just PR and spin.



So fuck Brodie and his lies, and his double talk. I don't know what's next on the agenda for Jeff Wilpon, but I hope it has nothing to do with my life, and I hope he takes his smiling salesman along with him.