Brodie Van Wagenen Has Solid Clap Back to Zack Wheeler After He Ripped Mets
By Michael Luciano
Zack Wheeler left the New York Mets and immediately bolted for their most hated rival when he signed a five-year, $118 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Wheeler ripped the Wilpon-led Mets ownership and GM Brodie Van Wagenen on Friday, claiming the organization didn't seem interested in signing him to a new contract last December.
Van Wagenen hit back hard, claiming that Wheeler parlayed what was only two-and-a-half good seasons as a Met into his massive contract with Philadelphia.
Brodie Van Wagenen said he was “surprised” and “disappointed” with Zack Wheeler’s comments yesterday, after the Mets “helped him parlay two good half-seasons over the last five into $118 million.”
— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) February 14, 2020
Van Wagenen certainly went for the jugular with those comments.
Wheeler posted a 3.31 ERA in 2018 and a 3.96 ERA in 2019 before signing his deal with the Phillies. The hurler pitched admirably in Queens, and while BVW didn't deny his strong body of work over the past two-plus seasons, he was handing the former Met a back-handed compliment.
Zack Wheeler getting $118 million is because of Zack Wheeler. https://t.co/jiBR30kN4m
— Corey Seidman (@CSeidmanNBCS) February 14, 2020
Not a single soul out there is defending the Wilpon family at this point, so it's hard to find fault in what Wheeler said. However, Van Wagenen took Wheeler's jab as a personal attack, and felt the need to respond.