Will Donald Trump buy the Mets and tell the Wilpons they're fired?

The Donald

I wouldn't expect to see Donald Trump wearing a Mets hat on his infamous comb-over anytime soon, but he does seem to have an interest in the Mets. On Tuesday, Mets owner Fred Wilpon called Trump to set up a face-to-face to discuss the possibility of selling Trump 20-25% of the team. The Wilpons are hoping that the cash generated from selling a portion of the Mets will help cover their liabilities stemming from the impending settlement of the Bernie Madoff lawsuit.

Trump has given mixed signals on whether he would be willing to own a non-controlling share of the team. Trump told the New York Post, "Fred Wilpon is a good friend of mine. Anything I can do to help Fred, I'd love to do." However, Trump has also been quoted as saying, "If you look at Trump's record, he is only interested in things he can control," referring to himself in the third person. Although Trump appears to be interested in the team, it's doubtful that he would want to buy a piece of the Mets without the ability to impact their day-to-day operations.

The Boss

The next question will be, if Donald Trump does acquire a controlling portion of the Mets, would he make a good owner? On the upside, Trump can be controlling, egotistical, and boorish. These characteristics have spelled success for another owner of a New York baseball team located in the Bronx. The Mets have taken a nose dive with the Wilpons in charge. With Trump's money and his compulsive need to be the best, he could pull the Mets out of the gutter.

A major problem, however, could be Bud Selig and MLB itself. It is generally assumed that the commissioner has had some role in helping the Mets try to recover from their recent struggles. In fact, many believe that Selig tacitly or expressly approved the team's decision to hire Sandy Alderson, a veteran with a proven track record, as their new GM. This makes sense, as the league wants the Mets, who play in baseball's biggest market, to succeed and put a winning team on the field. Nobody at MLB headquarters wants to see the Mets organization fall into disrepair as a cash-poor 4th place team in a 2-year-old stadium. So, in light of baseball's interest in the Mets player and front office personnel, can't you imagine Bud Selig being more than a little concerned about the notion of Donald Trump owning a share of the Mets franchise? Uhhh, yes. If he pushed for Sandy Alderson, he will almost definitely push against The Donald.

So getting past the league will be a struggle. But here's an encouraging thought. Trump, a Queens native, has the money, interest, and some experience with investing in a major league club (he owned the USFL's New Jersey Generals in the mid-1980s). He also has a win-at-all-costs approach that the Mets desperately need right now in an owner. The Wilpons, with their current financial and legal troubles, are more focussed on surviving than winning. As a Mets fan who only cares about winning, here's hoping to see The Donald in the Citi Field owner's box.