Despite being touted in the pre-season as a 2023 World Series contender, the New York Mets have not been able to muster any sustained success this season.Although 2022 represented their first season with 100 or more wins since 1988, they are all but certain not to hit that mark in 2023. On account of their 45-51 record, the team now stands 18 games out of the top spot in the NL East.Evidently, this is not the result that anyone expected from a team with a payroll of $348 million, the highest in the MLB. Recently, MLB analyst Jon Heyman wrote a column in the New York Post that claimed that the team could still make the playoffs.Jon Heyman@JonHeymanCall me crazy but I’m not giving up hope on the Mets. Here are 3 things that need to happennypost.com/2023/07/22/the…1088Call me crazy but I’m not giving up hope on the Mets. Here are 3 things that need to happennypost.com/2023/07/22/the…"Call me crazy but I’m not giving up hope on the Mets. Here are 3 things that need to happen" - Jon HeymanWhile Heyman was sure to back up his claims with three key points, Mets fans were having none of it. Attacks directed at Heyman's optimism immediately began to emerge from Mets fan accounts.Bravescon@bravescon@JonHeyman Your commitment to mediocrity is an inspiration, Jon 🫡8@JonHeyman Your commitment to mediocrity is an inspiration, Jon 🫡Brad@bwilderness@JonHeyman Is it because you write for the new york media@JonHeyman Is it because you write for the new york mediaJenny M@JennyM29308864@JonHeyman Hysterical you “haven’t given up hope on the Mets”, but declare a Cardinals “sell-off” and that “Arenado bracing himself for a trade”. Absolute joke. Do you drink a bottle of tequila before posting your views?@JonHeyman Hysterical you “haven’t given up hope on the Mets”, but declare a Cardinals “sell-off” and that “Arenado bracing himself for a trade”. Absolute joke. Do you drink a bottle of tequila before posting your views?Some fans, however, were more interested in picking apart the logic of Heyman's arguments. Some pointed to the Mets bullpen's ERA of 4.23 as a prime issue. Apart from reliever David Robertson, who was installed as his team's closer early in the season, the Mets relief corps has had a very difficult time this season.K@Kwall1122@JonHeyman The met bullpen "getting back on track" implies there was a track in the first place. The bullpen is just straight up terrible. And if let's say pete gets hot, usually another leak will spring up somewhere else. Rotation injury or something. Thats what happens with bad teams2@JonHeyman The met bullpen "getting back on track" implies there was a track in the first place. The bullpen is just straight up terrible. And if let's say pete gets hot, usually another leak will spring up somewhere else. Rotation injury or something. Thats what happens with bad teamsKevin Mahoney@sawdustcaesar48@JonHeyman I know it’s a drag to cover a lousy team playing out the string, but try not to engage in Stalinist propaganda. (Bob Murphy—if the Mets get the first 5 hitters on, Dave Kingman will come to the plate as the tying run.)@JonHeyman I know it’s a drag to cover a lousy team playing out the string, but try not to engage in Stalinist propaganda. (Bob Murphy—if the Mets get the first 5 hitters on, Dave Kingman will come to the plate as the tying run.)arne andreson@AndresonArne@JonHeyman Too many teams ahead of them in WC race. On any given night a couple will win. Like last night ( SD and CHC )@JonHeyman Too many teams ahead of them in WC race. On any given night a couple will win. Like last night ( SD and CHC )Another, and rather obvious issue is the team's mediocre offensive output this season. The Mets are 20th in runs and 21st in team batting average. Pete Alonso, a former NL home run and RBI leader, is probably still nursing a wrist injury he sustained earlier this season against the Atlanta Braves.Anthony L@AntlanL@JonHeyman This team needs an impact bat and more relief help@JonHeyman This team needs an impact bat and more relief helpPatrick H@PatrickH144@JonHeyman They need to win pretty much every series@JonHeyman They need to win pretty much every seriesAz@dienamek@JonHeyman Jeff McNeil isn’t a star. He’s a slap hitter whose success is luck dependent. Alonso is a star but he’s probably hurt. Mets need to work on lineup construction and get the kids in higher spots if they want sustained success3@JonHeyman Jeff McNeil isn’t a star. He’s a slap hitter whose success is luck dependent. Alonso is a star but he’s probably hurt. Mets need to work on lineup construction and get the kids in higher spots if they want sustained successNew York Mets are proof that money cannot buy winsBetween Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, the New York Mets are on the hook to pay $86 million for a 12-8 record and an ERA of 3.73. While these numbers are not terrible, they perfectly summarize the mediocrity that Mets fans have had to learn to deal with.If the team wants to win, then big changes are due. Steve Cohen and the rest of the ownership will need to stop trying to copy the Steinbrenner-era New York Yankees and focus on developing their own talent. It may take several years, but as Cohen and general manager Billy Eppler are starting to learn, there are no quick fixes in baseball.