Part 7/12:
He compares this to past frustrations, such as Jacob deGrom’s departure. But Diaz’s case feels worse, according to Roberts, because it was nearly preventable. The Mets’s handling of negotiations, their pricing, and their strategy seem out of touch.
He laments how the team, under Cohen and Stearns, values stability over ambition, which, in Roberts's eyes, is the wrong approach. He criticizes the "rule of three"—the reluctance to sign long-term deals for aging stars like Pete Alonso or starting pitchers—arguing that sometimes, you need to be aggressive and do the uncomfortable thing to keep your core.