NEW YORK Strong leaders recognize the importance of making difficult or unpopular decisions for the benefit of long-term succe s. The more unpopular the decision is, the greater the chance that the person calling the shots will be disliked, or even despised, long after the dust settles. But being loved or hated hardly matters Elvin Rodriguez Jersey . Even if morale is already low, strong leaders have no problem making a tough call that could add to the emotional turmoil. David Stearns is one such executive who is undaunted by the idea of making those tough calls. He would, unemotionally, make an unpopular decision if it means the Mets, in the long run, will be better for it. Hes not interested in being a people pleaser. He has no scruples about removing a fan favorite from the roster, or even breaking up the teams core. If it makes logical sense to take the calculated risk, if it means he will be labeled the bad guy who broke hearts, Stearns is prepared to make the call. "It doesn't matter to me at all whether players existed here before I got here, or whether there were transactions that I made to get players here," Stearns said Tuesday at Citi Field. "I'm not looking to put my imprint on anything. I'm looking to help create an organization that's going to win a lot of games for a long time. I think there were players that were here before I got here who are gonna help us do that. And there are players that I brought in, and continue to bring in, that hopefully should help the cause as well." Perhaps thats not a surprising stance to learn about Stearns, the Harvard graduate and shrewd baseball operations executive known for savvy roster construction that led a small-market club to the playoffs in four consecutive years. But this isnt Milwaukee, and these arent the Brewers. Stearns, after becoming the Mets first president of baseball operations, isnt afraid of potentially becoming public enemy No. 1 in New York as early as his first year on the job. Thats the mark of a strong leader, and thats exactly who the Mets need to a se s their complicated situation right now. "We haven't played like a playoff team," Stearns said when asked if he believes the Mets can compete for the postseason. "That doesn't mean we won't, but we gotta show it. I think we have a group of players that is very committed to that goal that is determined to play better. But until we show it, it's a reasonable question." Pete Alonso is more than 50 games into his contract year, on the cusp of becoming a free agent for the first time in his career. His .768 OPS is statistically the worst start to a season acro s his six years in the major leagues. Talk about bad timing. All the while, the Mets are struggling to string wins together. Since April 21, their 10-23 (.313) record is the worst in baseball. They're the only team allowing more than five runs per game (5.16) and scoring le s than four (3.75) during this span. The underperforming club is on the verge of facing irrelevancy before the official start of summer for the second consecutive year. Except for an aberrational 2022 campaign that featured 101 wins and a postseason berth, the Mets lackluster play is dj vu for those who have a high tolerance and pay close attention. For the past four years, the teams offensive core has consisted of Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil and Alonso. Most of that core especially hasnt played to its potential this year. Lindor entered the third week of May batting below the Mendoza line. McNeils 94 OPS+ earned him a demotion to the bottom-third of the lineup. Nimmo has been serviceable, owning the best wRC+ (124) and highest fWAR (1.3) on the club. More and more, it appears Stearns has inherited an underperforming core group of hitters in need of sweeping changes. Alonsos contract situation represents Stearns first such opportunity to make an aggre sive adjustment, but it remains unclear how soon he will addre s the Polar Bears future. "Nothing's changed with Petes situation," Stearns said. "Our goal on a daily basis is to help Pete succeed as much as he po sibly can so that we can win as many games as po sible. And that's where I expect we'll continue to be." There are a number of ways this can go. Stearns can trade Alonso, marking a controversial decision that could quickly turn foam fingers into pitchforks at Citi Field. He could hold off until the offseason to give Alonso a contract proposal, and if Alonso rejects that offer and signs with another team, the Mets qualifying offer on the first baseman would net them a compensatory draft pick. Alonso could be traded, and then decide to re-sign with the Mets in the winter. Or he could explore the market, field competitive offers, and eventually end up back in Queens. Stearns was asked directly Tuesday whether a players connection to the franchise, like Alonsos years-long kinship to the fan base and status as face of the organization, will factor into his decision-making. The president of baseball ops didnt give a direct answer, but he made it clear his decision would be impersonal, and wholly focused on the organizations long-term succe s. "I think the guiding light on all this is: put together the best team po sible," Stearns said. "That's our goal as an organization, from ownership on down, and that's what were going to strive to do." It's easy to envision a world in which Alonso belongs on Stearns' version of the best team po sible. He has been the clubs most productive hitter since his 2019 debut, and he has established himself as one of the games top sluggers in that span. But he is a 29-year-old homegrown first baseman asking for a ma sive contract, all while the majority of his future could be limited to DH duties. Its not an easy decision, and thats why its so important that the Mets have a leader who is undeterred by the court of public opinion calling the shots. As of Tuesday afternoon, Stearns still believes that the Mets core is capable of making a run between now and the July 30 trade deadline. If they dont, there are a handful of players signed to one-year deals (Luis Severino and J.D. Martinez, among them) who are much likelier candidates to hit the trading block before Alonso. The obvious elixir to a complete sell-off is winning, but the Mets do not look like a sharp club capable of a sudden, two-week turnaround. They have played poorly in nearly every facet of the game. Edwin Daz's shaky role as closer is one of the most concerning developments of the season, and this week we learned ace Kodai Senga's timeline to return from injury was pushed back. Around here, the bad news never seems to end. The time is ripe for changes, and Stearns is prepared to make them. How aggre sively Stearns acts will dictate the fallout. Trading Alonso in the next couple of months would send shockwaves through the clubhouse, as well as rupture the fan base. Yet, thanks to the seemingly bottomle s hole the Mets continue digging for themselves, no matter what path he chooses, its easier now than ever to follow Stearns' lead. is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at . [Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? .] Kerry Carpenter Jersey