Steve Cohen’s captaincy comments make him Steinbrenner Lite

We’re already well aware that New York Mets owner Steve Cohen was similar to former Yankees principal owner, the late George Steinbrenner, in many ways. Namely in how he isn’t shy about writing the biggest checks to the biggest name free agents, case in point Juan Soto’s 15-year, $765 million deal.

Unfortunately for Cohen, he’s also like The Boss in that he tends to run his mouth to the media when he should really just keep signing those biggest checks. Speaking to media during his spring training press conference, in an offseason laden with stories about clubhouse issues at Citi Field, Cohen surely surprised some when he said the Mets would never have a captain while he owned the team.

“As long as I’m owning the team, there will never be a team captain,” Cohen said, per Will Sammon at The Athletic. “That was my decision. My view is the locker room is unique, and let the locker room sort it out year in, year out.”

Interesting comments considering Mike Puma’s piece in the Post not even three months ago. The Mets’ clubhouse fell apart last season largely because Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil, since traded to the Athletics, feuded once again. Soto also seemed more interested in just showing up to play than he did in leading by example alongside Lindor, a natural choice for Mets team captain.

But no, Cohen says “let the locker room sort it out” and hope for the best. Sure, because that whole “You do you and we’ll all figure it out together” approach has worked out…when? Soto went through this exact dance when he played for the Padres. The team had a three-headed dragon of Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Manny Machado, and no one stepped up to take charge. Soto held back because he knew it wasn’t his team for the long-term, while Tatis and Machado simply didn’t want to step on toes.

Truly. What’s Steve Cohen thinking? Why keep the official captain’s title from Francisco Lindor when he’s both a fan favorite and obvious choice? Marcus Semien has been a leader wherever he’s played, sure, but it’s his first year with the team. He hasn’t “earned” the right to be called captain. This is a no-brainer, at least it should be.

This is where Cohen and Steinbrenner differ. Ol’ George named a grand total of six captains in his ownership, starting with Thurman Munson in 1976. That made sense, Munson was a beloved homegrown player and also one of the game’s best catchers, and won an MVP in his first year with the title.

Graig Nettles was next in 1982 and a strange choice. Great clubhouse presence, yes, but being named captain seemed more out of seniority. Same as when Ron Guidry and Willie Randolph were co-captains later in the ’80s. Steinbrenner’s next two captains, meanwhile, made perfect sense: Don Mattingly and Derek Jeter.

In fact, let’s look to Jeter’s captaincy as an example of what a clubhouse shouldn’t be. The title was bestowed upon him in 2003, long after he and the Core Four won four World Series in five years. By then, after a crushing loss in the 2001 Fall Classic, Steinbrenner had devolved into signing every big-name free agent the Yankees could get. All in the name of getting back to the World Series.

And if you read The Yankee Years by former Yankees manager Joe Torre and the legendary Tom Verducci, that’s when it all went downhill. There was an immediate divide: Jeter’s group that won the World Series rings together, and high-priced free agents who just kind of did their own thing. Adding Alex Rodriguez to the mix didn’t help matters either.

Granted, some of that falls on Jeter for not making the extra effort to bring the team together. And in Cohen’s defense, not every baseball team desperately needs a captain. It’s a largely symbolic title anyway, unlike in hockey.

But these New York Mets are different. Last season’s clubhouse issues are out in public. Slugger Pete Alonso is out. The streakier Bo Bichette is in, another Steinbrenner-esque signing from Cohen.

This team is desperate for consistent leadership. Francisco Lindor seems more than willing to be that guy. But no, Steve Cohen says no captains on his New York Mets. Not even a popular switch-hitting shortstop.

The good news is this won’t linger in the news. The Mets’ first spring training game is on Saturday. The World Baseball Classic is also around the corner. Fans won’t be ruminating on the latest asinine comments from a billionaire sports owner.

But if the Mets stumble out of the starting gate again and things seem in disarray? Cohen’s comments could inconveniently resurface. He had the opportunity to establish some leadership in the clubhouse, and just shrugged his shoulders like “Nah.”

This decision won’t sink the Mets. Not by a long shot. But it certainly won’t help them at all either.