January 24th, 2012 by metfansince65
After the Giants won the NFC title game to gain entrance to their fifth Super Bowl in franchise history, a team member was asked the following question: “How do you explain being 7-7 then the next thing you know, you are headed to the Super Bowl? The player responded (forgive me for not knowing who said this)…”We all got healthy” Bingo!
The Giants had a string of nagging injuries all season. Then starting with the game against the Jets at MetLife Stadium, they found their health. They have not lost since and hopefully they will win one more.
I point this out because I wonder where the Mets would be had all their players stayed healthy the last three years. I’m not suggesting they would have won a World Series or two, but certainly their fate could have been a lot better than three consecutive sub .500 seasons (it only seems like ten).
That is why the key to this season, from the standpoint of a good competitive winning club, will be determined based on the overall health of the team.
The Mets won 75 games last season. Would you consider an 85 win season a good year? How about 90? Neither of those sum of wins is a guarantee for a post season berth. However, those number of wins might have made you smile heading into the off season. Now consider the following…
- What if Jason Bay did not hurt a rib t at the end of a fine spring training, delaying his regular season start. Then when he finally got back, he caught the flu. He never got on track till late in the season.
- Ronnie Paulino also had his season delayed because of a blood disorder.
- What if David Wright never hurt his back missing two months of the season?
- What if David hadn’t collide with Ike Davis in Colorado ending his season in mid May when he was putting up excellent sophomore numbers?
- What if Chris Young’s shoulder didn’t implode as he was off to a fine start in the Mets rotation.
- How about Daniel Murphy blowing out his knee when he was doing a very nice job filling in for Davis at first?
- What if Jose Reyes didn’t go on the disabled list twice with his temperamental hamstring? Well at least we don’t have to worry about him anymore.
- Jon Niese also missed a lot of time due to non pitching related injuries. Niese has got to figure out a way to stay healthy an entire season.
Then there is the ace of the staff, Johan Santana. He missed the entire season and not unexpectedly. Had Santana not had the severe injury to his shoulder that required surgery the season before, who knows what the left-hander could have done for this team.
Considering the major injuries to these key players, is it any wonder the Mets struggled last season? The Mets have good players on this team. Admittedly the pitching is a bit short but hopefully the moves made in the bullpen by GM Sandy Alderson will help to keep the Mets in games late. No, I am not predicting the Mets will win the World Series or even get to the post season. But if everyone could stay healthy, like the football Giants, maybe we could finally see what we have here in this Mets ball club.
We are all Mets fans. We want this team to do well. There is a lot of controversy surrounding the organization with the pending Irving Picard vs. Fred Wilpon/Saul Katz trial coming up when the pre-season schedule is underway. But even with all the negativity, it could be a fun summer, provided the Mets luck changes and they can stay healthy for 162 games.
January 18th, 2012 by metfansince65
In just a few short weeks, Mets pitchers and catchers will be reporting to Port St. Lucie. Shortly after the entire squad will be there to begin the organizations 51st spring training.
Fifty years ago, a bunch of players, drafted from all Major League teams in the 1962 Major League expansion draft would be the first ever to don New York Mets uniforms. They would be led by none other than Casey Stengel, a baseball legend who at the age of 71 would become part of his fourth New York baseball club.
Stengel was a life long baseball man, a National League .284 hitter who broke in with the Brooklyn Superbas (later named the Dodgers) in 1912. He would also play with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Giants, and the Boston Braves before eventually managing the Dodgers as well as the Yankees. In 1961 he agreed to join the Mets as their first manager.
Stengel would manage a total of 45 players that that first year who would forever be linked to the worst team of the modern baseball era. Stengel was known as a clown because of the antics he would go through with beat reporters prior to and after ballgames. Many years earlier he once removed his hat in front of the crowd and a bird flew off his head.
Stengel was known as the “Old Professor” as he mumbled his way through interviews seeming like he had no idea what was going on. Of course Stengel was a shrewd baseball man having managed the Yankees to nine World Series, winning seven of them. Five Series were win in a row from 1949 through 1953, still a record to this day. If anything, Stengel personified the idea that a manager is only as good as his team. His Yankee clubs were power houses led by Joe DiMaggio then later Mickey Mantle. In contrast, his new Mets club was a cast of characters that would have trouble tying their own shoes.
But Stengel understood his role. He would be an ambassador representing the new franchise and a link to New York’s National Leagues baseball past. The designers of the Mets, perhaps unfortunately so, built the first Mets club with New York/Brooklyn recognition in mind more than a ball club that could compete. This was in stark contrast to the other expansion team, the Houston Colt 45s, who made an attempt to assemble a reasonable baseball team.
However, the hierarchy of the Mets knew they would not be competitive immediately and set out to build a very strong farm system. It would be years before the farm would bear fruit so it was decided to build the major league team with popular players from New York’s past.
Perhaps the player most known when you think of the 1962 Mets was Marvelous Marv Throneberry who was acquired early in the season from Baltimore. Throneberry, who played on the Yankees in 1958 and 1959, epitomized the first season Mets. He was as bad a ballplayer could be and lacked the baseball instincts to prove it. On one occasion, Marv tripled only to be thrown out for not touching second base. When Stengel argued, the umpire told the Mets skipper not to bother, he missed first base too. (I know that’s an old story but I just had to retell it.)
Actually there were some pretty good ballplayers on the club, or at least they use to be good. Richie Ashburn was the loan Hall of Fame player on that ’62 club (Stengel is also in the hall). But the former Phillie had done all he needed to do to get to the Hall years earlier. 1962 would be Ashburn’s last season.
Also on the club was Charlie Neal, Gil Hodges, Joe Pignatano, Don Zimmer, Roger Craig, and Clem Labine who all shared something in common. They were all former Brooklyn Dodgers. Ironically, of the 45 players to have been part of the ’62 Mets, not one was a former New York Giant. However, as mentioned Throneberry had played part time on the Yankees for two seasons. So did outfielder Gene Woodling who was awarded five World Series rings while with the Yanks and had a combined Series average of .318.
Utility infielder Rick Herrcher, right handed pitcher Bob Moorehead, right handed pitcher Ray Daviault, and first baseman Ed Kranepool were the only true Mets. They were all rookies on the 1962 team.
Kranepool was the most famous of the rookies, compiling a 17 year career all with the Mets even though he only played in 3 games as a 17 year old in ’62. Kranepool has the distinction of being from New York and the only original Met player to be on the World Series winner in 1969 (Hodges was manger, not a player in ’69) and the 1973 pennant winning club.
Of course when you think of the 1962 Mets, one of the first things comes to mind–their record. In the first ever National League season of 162 games, the Mets won just 40 of them. That is a winning percentage of .250, the lowest of the modern era. Thankfully two games were washed off the schedule and never made up so it could have even been worse.
The Mets lost nine in a row to start their existence. Makes you wonder doesn’t it? In those first nine games, the Mets may have been announcing to the world their poster boy candidacy for futility. When you consider the Mets have made the post season just seven times in 50 years, those first nine could be thought of as a warning shot off the bow.
Their first game ever got rained out. Finally they lost on April 11th in St. Louis by the score of 11-4. Roger Craig became the first pitcher in Mets history to record a decision, a loss of course. Richie Ashburn scored the first run in Mets history, driven in from second on a single by Charlie Neal. And who hit the first home run in Mets history? Why it was Gil Hodges in the fourth inning of the first Mets game ever. Somehow that seems appropriate. In just seven years, Gil would show the world just what a winner he was.
The Mets finally won their first game ever on Monday evening, April 23rd at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. They scored 2 in the first and 4 in the second to take a 6-0 lead. Jay Hook recorded the first win in Mets history with a complete game effort giving up a single run in the sixth inning. Finally the Mets were victorious. Five days later, the Mets would win their first game at home. Roger Craig got the win as the Mets defeated Philadelphia.
The 1962 Mets best stretch of the season occurred May 6th through 20th when they won 9 of 12 games. But following that the Mets dropped 17 in a row. When that streak finally ended, the Mets were in last place with a record of 12-36, 24 games out of first. But the Cubs were just one game ahead of the Mets. Chicago was having a miserable season but because of the Mets no one noticed.
In July the Mets lost 11 in a row then followed that with a 13 game losing streak in August. Can you imagine in one season suffering a 9, 11, 13 and 17 game losing streak? Yet the Mets still developed something of the utmost positive form that season, their fans.
The fans came out in droves to the Polo Grounds to see their new team. It was at the Polo Grounds that year when banners were born. Fans came up with all kinds of funny and supportive slogans and paraded them through the crowd. It’s almost as if the fans enjoyed the losing. Of course they did not but they certainly enjoyed having a National League team back in New York no matter what the circumstances.
And what of the National League teams that left New York five years earlier?
On May 30, the Los Angeles Dodgers visited the Polo Grounds for the first time ever. The last time the Dodgers were there they had Brooklyn across their shirts. Neither Retrosheet.org or Ultimate Mets Database has the attendance for that day in the box score but you would have to imagine the frenzy that took place. Ballparks by Musey and Suppes list the Polo Grounds capacity at that time as 55,000. It’s hard to imagine the place not being full.
The San Francisco Giants followed the Dodgers into the Polo Grounds a few days later. Think about the weirdness of that. The equivalent scenario would be the Mets leaving New York and five years later coming back to play the new team in Shea Stadium. And how did the Mets do against these former New York teams? Huh, they lost all seven games on that first home stand against the west coast teams. In fact the Mets only won 3 games at the Polo Grounds against the Dodgers and Giants. Once against the Dodgers and twice against the former Polo Grounds tenants.
It was quite a first season for the Mets who planned to move into Shea Stadium the following season. Oops, construction delays and the new structure sinking into flushing meadow would delay the Mets taking the keys to their new home for one more season.
The Detroit Tigers came dubiously close to breaking the Mets record of 1962 in 2003 when they went 43 and 119. Well at least the Mets don’t own the worst record of the 21st Century…yet.
Ray Daviault
Ray Daviault
January 16th, 2012 by metfansince65
…what the Jets are to the Mets.
I am not a huge football fan. I watch football but I have no problem spending a Sunday out missing all the big games. I was just never into the sport the way I am into baseball.
Because of my casual relationship with football I can look at the game much more objectivity than I can with baseball where my attitude is so Mets centric. Specifically I can look at both the Jets and Giants and actually root for both. I do not have a New York football comparison to the love the Mets, hate the Yankees scenario so many Mets fans subscribe–including myself. So when the Jets made it to the AFC championship game the last two seasons, I rooted for them to win. Now I am enjoying the Giants streaking, hopefully, to the Super Bowl–one more step to go.
Some might say I am a front runner. Well if I went out this afternoon and purchased a Giants jersey and other blue Gianty things, I would have to agree. But to the contrary, I own no clothing or memorabilia related to the Giants or Jets. To be honest, I like it this way. The last thing I need to do is to root for another team that rips my heart out every season. And over the years, both the Giants and Jets have demonstrated the ability to do so to their fans.
Another thing I notice as an objective observer, are the fans of both football clubs. I see much similarity between Giants and Yankees fans as I do between Jets and Mets fans. Surely there are roots to this phenomenon. Both the Giants and Jets grew up playing in the Yankees’ and Mets’ ballparks respectively. In fact my first NFL game ever was at Yankee Stadium in 1968 on a cold Sunday when the 49′ers pasted the Giants all over the field that was marked out from the first base line to left field. Hopefully that outcome doesn’t play out next Sunday.
Also, there are many similarities between the football and baseball clubs themselves. There is always this great promise with the Jets as well as with the Mets. But both teams inevitably disappoint. Certainly the Jets reaching the AFC championship game two consecutive seasons is a nice achievement regardless of what Mike Francesa has to say about it. But the club this year has taken a step backward finishing .500 not making the playoffs. This was suppose to be glory days for the Jets, at least according to their coach.
Similarly, the Mets looked poised for much greatness after 2006 only to come crashing down at the bitter end for two consecutive seasons before falling off into oblivion.
The Giants on the other hand were not suppose to be that good. But once again, here they are a step away from going to their 5th Super Bowl (they are 3-1 overall) while the Jets have not been to the greatest of all football games in 44 years. Quite not as bad is the Mets who were last in a World Series eleven years ago but the futility is certainly similar. Just when Jets fans thought their team would rule the city while the Giants have faded in recent years, an about face has occurred.
Again, after ’06, you heard many say the Mets are the coming team ready to take back New York while the Yanks core grew old. Well maybe the Yankees are getting older but they still get to the playoffs every year while the Mets do not.
It’s hard to compare any franchise to the Yankees. No team in this country has produced the dynasties (yes, plural) the Yankees have. So if you had to pick which baseball team between the Mets and the Yanks the Giants were more like, well you figure it out. Four times to a Super Bowl in 25 years (hopefully five soon) is still pretty darn good compared to zero times.
Again because I have no die hard interest, I can see the misery coming for Jets fans. It’s like I am on the outside looking in. What is often so painfully hard to recognize when I look at the Mets is so obvious when I look at the Jets. I saw the moves that Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum and Coach Rex Ryan made after the lockout. And even as I have admitted, that I am not a big football fan, I could see this team was not going to be as good as the one from a year before. But a whole lot, not all, of their fans could not. They are as blinded by the green and white as I am by the orange and blue.
Even, today with all the Mets financial and roster woes, in the back of my head I keep thinking they could somehow succeed this coming season when intellectually I know they can’t. That’s blind faith my friend, nothing more.
I can afford to be this ridiculously loyal to one team only. For those of you who can do it for more that one team, surely there is a place in Heaven for you. But thank you New York Giants. You are giving me something to really enjoy before I can look forward to the baseball season–which I really know I can’t look forward to at all.
As a sidebar note, why do some people in the media still refer to the Giants as the New York football Giants. The New York baseball Giants left New York 55 years ago. Are there people still really confused by who is being referred to if the Giants are simply referred to as the New York Giants?
January 12th, 2012 by metfansince65
You know it is amazing to me that right now that a lot of baseball is being played. It’s cold in the northeast and most Americans are focused on the NFL playoffs. But in warmer climates the game with the ball, bat, and glove is being played.
The Caribbean leagues are in their playoff seasons as they determine the four entrants to the Caribbean World Series (CWS) to be played in early February.
Some of the playoff formats in the Caribbean are a bit strange to say the least.
The Mexican League is by far the most bizarre. Eight teams play a split season from early October to the end of December, a total of 68 games. The first half is made up of 35 games while the second half is 33. Instead of the winners of both halves and a couple of wild cards playing each other, a rather contrived point system is used to determine the six of eight teams to make the post season. Yes, six of eight. So 68 games are played for the purpose of eliminating two teams. And you thought the NHL was bad.
Each team earns points depending on where they finish in the standings for each half. For example, the team that finishes first gets 8 points. The team that finishes last gets 3 points. Well, at least they get something for losing. The points are combined from both halves to rank all eight teams. The top six move on to play in three best of seven series in the first round. Now here is where it gets even more weird…
How do you move on with three winners from three series? One gets a bye perhaps? Not exactly.
The best loser gets to move on too. How wacky is that? A team loses a series and still gets to move to the second round. Nothing like helping a below .500 team get to the semi-final round. This season, ALGODONEROS de GUASAVE, finshed in 3rd place overall with a total of 11 points. They finished dead last in the first half (3 points) but rebounded to win the second half title (8 points). Then they lost in six games to YAQUIS de OBREGÓN. But since the other two losing teams in the other two first round series both lost four games to one, OBREGÓN got to move on.
The rest of the Mexican League playoffs is fairly straight forward. The winners of the second round of two seven game series moves on to a championship round, also best of seven. The winner get to play in the Caribbean World Series.
Not as crazy as the Mexican League but still fairly amusing is the Dominican and the Venezuelan winter leagues. These countries play a 50 and 63 game season respectively. And like the Mexican League, only a minority of teams go home after the regular season is over.
In the Dominican, after a 50 game season, the four top teams in the league of six move on to a round robin first round playoff. The four teams play each other 6 times for a total of 18 games each. The top two clubs in the round robin play in the championship best of 9 series with the winner representing the DR in the CWS.
Venezuela is very similar to the Dominican Republic in that they eliminate three of eight teams in the regular season. The remaining five also compete in a round robin format. Each team plays the other four times for a total of 16 games each. The top two clubs then play in the championship round, a best of seven series.
The Puerto Rican Winter League has had their troubles the past few seasons. Two years ago they completely shut down operation but came back last season with a much shortened season. This season also posed problems as Santurce dropped out the last second for financial reasons. That left the PR League with four teams that played a 42 game season. And just to maintain the silly playoff inclusion the other Caribbean teams engage in, only the fourth place team is eliminated after the 42 game season is complete.
The second and third place teams play in a best of five series while the first place team gets a bye. The winner of the first round plays the first place team in a best of nine series with the winner advancing to the CWS.
Winter baseball is not just unique to the Caribbean countries. There are leagues in South America but not as popular. A newcomer to winter baseball is the Australian League now in it’s second season. The ABL runs a 45 game regular season with six teams scattered about the country. This league has the potential of growing in the future. It is already very popular with the locals as the teams play in parks equivalent to AA ballparks in America.
This past December, the ABL held the first annual Australian All Star game which was telecast on MLB Network. The game featured an entirely Australian team vs. the non-Australian players currently playing in the league. The non Aussie players include those from the US, Japan, and Taiwan.
The ABL playoffs also awards the not so good teams. Four of the six teams get into the playoffs. The number one and number two seed play each other in a major semi final. The winner of this best of five gets a bye in the next round. The number 3 and number 4 seed play each other in a minor semi final. The loser of the minor semi final is eliminated from the post season. The loser of the major semi final plays the winner of the minor semi final in a preliminary final (you getting this camera guy?). The winner of the preliminary final plays the winner of the major semi final for the ABL championship. Wow!
The winter leagues need to create fan interest. Typically these games are not really well attended so if a team gets in the post season, more fans are apt to turn out. The point is, a lot of baseball is being played around this planet and professionally at that. When you consider European leagues that play during the summer, and the Japan leagues as well as those in Taiwan, it’s hard to find a date on the calendar when a baseball game is not being played.
I’m glad baseball has become so popular. But honestly I can’s wait for our game to get back on the field. Only 40 some odd days till pitchers and catchers report.
January 10th, 2012 by metfansince65
Yesterday, Nymag.com ran an article allegedly penned by a Met (player or employee, former or current unknown). The writer complained of the front office running the team like a small market club and how the Mets should be an elite franchise, at least as enviable as the Yankees.
It’s hard to know who this writer is. In fact, it could be a complete hoax, at least the part about being associated with the Mets. But there is nothing in the article I don’t agree with. I’m sure the vast majority of die hard Mets fans would also be nodding in approval of the remarks penned by the author.
The anger does not appear to be directed at Sandy Alderson or the baseball operations staff. Clearly the author is angry with the ownership and states its time for Fred Wilpon to sell the team.
I could not agree more. Just this morning it was announced that three top assistants left the St. Lucie organization in another apparent belt tightening move. We already have seen the Gulf Coast Mets abandoned as well as many low level employees. As the mystery writer states, “It hurts me to say this, because I’ve always liked Fred Wilpon. I know in his heart how much he wants the Mets to succeed. He’s always lived and died with the team. But there comes a time when it’s no longer possible to be in charge. Fred doesn’t have enough money to make it work.”
Clearly, the Wilpons are in deep financial difficulty. Where are the minority investors? We’ve heard their close to buying 20 million dollar shares in the club but when? The loans, and there are plenty of them, are coming due. Unless the Mets settle out of court prior, the case against them by trusty Irving Picard is scheduled to start in March. Should be a fun spring training. Anyway you shake it, the author of the article, whether former or current player, employee, hot dog vendor or what have you, is correct when he states Mets fans deserve better.
However, make no mistake that the Wilpons will fight tooth and nail to keep this team. They will not be convinced easily to sell. They will brainstorm schemes to reorganize their finances, perhaps seek even more loans or to renegotiate the pay back on the ones they have. That’s what people with money do.
I’m sure when Sandy took over baseball operations of the club, he had no idea what he was getting into. The thing I fear is that he and his staff begin to look elsewhere for work. Jose Reyes is gone, David Wright could be soon out the door. What is left of this team? What reason do I have to spend my hard earned money on a team that will most likely finish in last place in 2012?
It’s a matter of pride for Fred Wilpon. We the fans, simply want to win. With this current ownership, that’s highly unlikely for some time to come.
January 6th, 2012 by metfansince65
There is no doubt the Mets will head into the 2012 season as the underdog in the National League East. All the baseball magazines due out in February will predict the Mets last in the division. No writer will go out on a limb and assume that everything falls into place for the Mets. And even if it did, their pitching at its best is not the caliber needed to win a wild card let alone a division title.
There are many major improvements in the NL East. Unfortunately none of them involve the Mets. We know the Mets are not rebuilding (wink, wink), but we are still going to wait for the bright farm players to make their mark, probably later in 2013, 2014 for sure.
What this all means is the Mets are headed for a last place finish in 2012. Philadelphia is still the team to beat in the East. They have added Jonathan Papelbon to close games. That will help them. However the Phillies are getting older. Ryan Howard made the last play of the Phillies season by falling down running to first with an Achilles injury. Chase Utley has been hampered by hip injury the last couple of seasons and the recently re-signed Jimmy Rollins has shown his skills diminishing too. But you still have to like this team with their big three in their starting pitching staff. Winning the division for five consecutive seasons must account for something.
The Marlins have improved themselves greatly. They signed Heath Bell to close, Mark Buehrle for the starting rotation, and of course taken our own Jose Reyes for short. Hanley Ramirez has agreed to move to third so all looks happy right now in Miami. The Marlins are moving into a state of the art retractable roof facility. They are poised for a great season especially if Josh Johnson comes back healthy.
The former doormats of the east, the Washington Nationals are on the fast track. They traded for Oakland pitcher Geo Gonzales. With Stephen Strasburg fully healed and ready for a full season plus John Lannan, Jordan Zimmerman, and Chien-Ming Wang, also fully healed, in the rotation–look out. Add to that Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard in the bullpen and you get the idea that the Nationals are ready for a winning season. If the Nats manage to sign Prince Fielder and Bryce Harper makes the jump to the majors, the Nationals could easily contend for a playoff spot. With veteran winner Davey Johnson as manager, the right person is at the helm to lead a young team to victory. Mets fans know that all too well.
The Braves collapsed last September, culminating in a brutal loss on the last day of the season when they saw their playoff chances destroyed. When it happened I wondered how those hatchet chopping Brave fans felt, now having walked a mile in my shoes, all Mets fans shoes.
It will be interesting to see how the Braves respond. They really have not made major changes the way the Red Sox did after their collapse of last September. Still the Braves have a lot of talent, very good pitching, and always have a farm full of bright prospects. Simply put because of their pitching, they are better than the Mets.
Anyway you stack it up, whether the Phillies, Nats, or Marlins win the division, the Mets likely will be looking up from the depths of the basement. The problem is the Mets pitching. Johan Santana cannot be expected to be the pitcher he was before his shoulder surgery. It was an operation on the interior capsule that generally takes a pitcher two years to fully recover. Santana will likely suffer a set back or two.
We know what we have in Mike Pelfrey. He’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Who feels confident that Mike somehow is getting his head together over the winter and will develop a killer instinct to go with the great talent he possesses? Jonathan Niese will be a fine left handed starter one day, maybe even an anchor on the staff. But so far, he has not had a season where he did not get injured. Hard to hang your hat on him having a career season. Hopefully R.A. Dickey does not fall off of that mountain he’s climbing for charity. Bottom line is Dickey is the most consistent Mets pitcher. But the knuckle-baller doesn’t really scare the National League, does he?
Sandy Alderson brought in some nice pieces for the bullpen in Frank Francisco, Armando Rodriguez, and Jon Rauch. Certainly the Mets failed to have a winning record last year because of the many games lost after the 7th inning.
Is it impossible for the Mets to make the playoffs this coming season?
Actually no, especially if Bud Selig gets his way and an extra wild card team is added. However, for it to happen a lot of things must go right.
They include David Wright bouncing back and putting up the kind of power numbers he did before he ever set foot in Citi Field. He also needs to figure out how to make better throws from third base.
Ike Davis needs to pick it up from where he left off. Hopefully his ankle is all healed and can continue to put up the power numbers before he was injured. His glove at first improves the infield defense dramatically. The Mets need Davis the entire season.
Jason Bay, like Wright, needs to get over his Citi Field-itis now that the fences are coming in. The change in dimensions should help his head as much as his swing.
Lucas Duda must continue to grow. He showed great promise last season. He’s patient at the plate, has a ton of power but is not seduced by swinging for the fences. He could be a big surprise for the Mets–hopefully in a positive way. If these four hitters have the kind of season they are capable of, the Mets will score a ton of runs.
As mentioned with Davis back at first, the Mets defense in the infield will improve immensely. Ruben Tejada will do the job at short. Who knows and this is probably a fool hardy remark but maybe the Mets are better without Reyes with Tejada at short for one reason. The Mets can no longer count on Reyes to spark them. You have heard it many times. The Mets go as Jose goes. Well Jose is gone but the Mets are still here. Everyone needs to contribute. It must be a team effort.
The Mets have a better center fielder than last year. Andres Torres is better defensively than Angel Pagan. His hitting of course remains a question. But his attitude is good, in fact, the Mets might lead the league in attitude. But that is highly overrated. Attitude doesn’t win games, talent does.
So if things go right, the Mets could have a good team. But other things would have to go their way too. Like what you say?
Like the Phillies suddenly getting old. The moves the Marlins made blowing up in their face as Ramirez splits the clubhouse over Reyes, and the Nats are just not quite ready. Maybe the Braves will suffer the same fate the 2008 Mets did. It was so hard to shake the collapse from the year before.
Well, that is a lot to hope for. However, that’s what makes the baseball season interesting and one I will look forward to. When all is said and done, Mets baseball is still fun to follow. Hopefully the outcome this year surprises us. That’s really all we can hope for.
I remember the winter of 1968-69 when the leagues were going from 10 teams to two six team divisions. The running joke was at least the Mets could finish no worse than 6th. Well they did better than that winning their first World Series. So anything can happen. Now if the Mets could only find a Seaver, a Koosman, and a Gentry.
January 3rd, 2012 by metfansince65
Once in a while, I might wander from the Mets and baseball this year. Not sure yet but with a presidential election coming, I may need to chime in once in a while. And I am warning you, I am pretty far to the left.
My first comment away from the Mets and baseball has to do with college football. When I was a boy growing up in the last century, New Year’s Day was something to look forward to. It was the final day of the collegiate football schedule, culminating in four bowl games. Yes, you read correctly, four bowl games, that’s it and that was plenty.
You had the Cotton Bowl at 1:00PM on the CBS network. And often the game was called by Lindsey Nelson, the same Nelson with the wild jackets who broadcasted Mets games from their inception through 1978 (so I guess in a way, this does relate to the Mets). At 4:00PM was the Rose Bowl on NBC and the Sugar Bowl on ABC. At night, NBC brought us the Orange Bowl from the Orange Bowl in Miami that is now demolished and where Jose Reyes’s new home is nearing completion (looky there, another Mets reference). We all looked forward to the Orange Bowl because it was the best half time show of the season.
Now I admit, I am not a huge college football fan. Never the less, it was a tradition on New Years Day to crash on the couch and absorb several hours of football being played in front of packed stadiums. May I remind you this was also at a time when these bowl games were referred to simply as the “whatever” Bowl. Today, they have become the sponsor of your choice “whatever Bowl.
Suffice it to say, money has played a huge part in the metamorphosis from four college bowl games played on one day to the 40 some odd played today over a two week period ending with the BCS game on January 9th. . Perhaps they are making money but many of these games are not playing to sold out venues.
The Pin Stripe Bowl, played in Yankee Stadium last week, played to a half empty house. You can’t fool me, I can tell an empty upper deck when I see one. The seating at Yankee Stadium was even reduced to 47,000 so they knew the game would not sell out. I tuned in to watch a few minutes, partly because Rutgers, a local team, was playing but mostly to see how they configured Yankee Stadium for football. In old Yankee Stadium, before the ’74-’75 renovation, the field ran from the first base line to left field. In the new Stadium, the end zones extend from home to center. Ok, enough with the nerdy stuff.
Peaking behind the curtain, I just can’t stop thinking all these bowl games are nothing more than a recruiting tool for colleges. What sports minded high school student looking to gain access to one of America’s fine learning institutions would not want to go to a school that participates in a bowl game. When our hard working students are wondering why they are in debt for 100,000 dollars or more with little jobs available after they graduate, at least they will have known they went to a school where their football team played in the “Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl”.
Yes I am cynical of a college system that simply is out to generate as much cash as it can while tuition goes through the roof. I thought college was about learning, making our country a better place. I thought wrong. But something tells me the goose that laid the golden egg is about to be killed. Most of these bowl games are not drawing and likely the television ratings are suffering greatly. In fact, with all the bowl games on over the weekend, I found myself watching the Twilight Zone and Honeymooners marathons. Much more entertaining and far more relevant.
I am not against college sports, in fact the NCAA Tournament is one of the best things going today in sports. I wish more attention was paid to college baseball. The College World Series is a wonderful tournament and college baseball actually serves as a minor league to professional baseball.
It is high time that college football puts together some type of playoff system that requires teams to actually be seeded and play one another until the two best are left…you know, like every other sport in the world does.