Former New York Mets pitcher Bob Ojeda has voiced strong criticism of David Stearns, the team's president of baseball operations, attributing the current season's difficulties to Stearns' offseason moves.
During a recent interview with SNY, Ojeda stated that he believes the responsibility for the team's "half-billion failure" lies with Stearns. He suggested that Stearns overlooks the importance of intangibles, which Ojeda considers crucial for a winning team. The former pitcher also expressed concern that Stearns has not taken sufficient accountability for the team's performance.
"I try not to even think about it because it’s so frustrating," Ojeda said. "I really think it’s on Stearns. He built this thing and I don’t think he believes in intangibles, which I believe are so important to a winning ballclub. I don’t feel like he’s taken enough accountability either."
Ojeda's comments came as the team honored members of its 1986 championship team at Citi Field. He acknowledged the nostalgia of such events but emphasized that fans are focused on the present. "It’s great to be celebrated after all these years, but fans don’t live in the past," Ojeda remarked. "It’s about today’s team. And I don’t blame fans if they don’t want to spend their money on this team."
He further highlighted the prolonged championship drought for the franchise, noting that 40 years have passed since their last title. Ojeda believes that celebrations of past successes serve as a reminder of the current team's struggles.
"But it’s also hard to believe it’s been forty years and we’re still the last team to win," he said. "I think for the fans, and even us as players, a celebration like this reminds you about how long it’s been for this franchise, and how bad it is this year."