I can't afford to buy the Mets. More importantly, I can't afford to OWN the Mets. Since Madoff/Picard it has appeared that the Wilpons can't afford to own the Mets either. At least not in a manner that will make and keep the team competitive. Just looking at what occurred from the end of the 2011 season until now gives the impression that the Wilpons are content to own the Mets, and not as concerned about being consistently competitive.

Using a simple measuring stick, how each positions OPS production ranks against the other 29 MLB teams, can show strengths and weaknesses of the offense. As an simple demonstration of the lack of production from the Mets outfield, using OPS, they rank 25th in MLB for LF OPS, 24th for CF OPS and 23rd for RF OPS. In 2011 they ranked 19th, 15th and 4th, respectable. Trading Beltran and Pagan has turned the outfield to an offensive wasteland. While Duda, Baxter and/or Nieuwenhuis may develop into good outfielders, it will take time, and I am sure that having no productive experienced outfielders adds to the burden a young player feels to produce. The Catching OPS ranks 27th, in 2011 it ranked 22nd.
No move was made to replace Beltran's offense. The fact that the outfield offense was down graded by trading Pagan for Torres, and nothing was done as far as upgrading Catching or corner outfield offense, can only lead one to believe winning was not a priority. But when the team began the year overachieving and nothing was done to reinforce the weak spots, it became obvious that this was going to be a lost year. This is the first season in the last 15 that the Mets opening day payroll was not in the top quarter of all MLB team, and in the top two or three in the NL, often first. there is no indication that the Mets were ever in it to win it this year. They were just in it.