" These fans are not so rational !"
One thing is for sure , whoever utter the quote ” These are the times that try mens souls” must have had the common Mets fan in mind. Yes the past few days have been gut wrenching for us Mets fans. We are used to having at the very least one big name player in tow when our G.M comes back from the Winter Meetings. But unfortunately or fortunately ( there is a ying to that yang) we know that the only players that will be coming back to Flushing are pitchers coming off of injuries with the need to prove they can still pitch, Rule five draftee’s that might get a shot to play in the big leagues for the first time and fringe players that have one foot in the minor leagues – with the hopes of impressing during Spring Training while their other foot is firmly planted out the door.
Yes these are strange days to be a Mets fan. We are crying that the team has little money to spend this off season yet we are ranked in the top half of all teams in payroll. We are looking for hidden gems while the Nationals and the Pirates are spending money like drunken sailors. If this was an episode of Seinfeld we would be in Bizzaro World !
But as I have said before we have to support this team no matter how hard it hurts to see players we covet go to other teams. But just know Sandy Alderson is leaving no stone unturned trying to find the best talent at affordable prices. There is a plan in place and we have to trust it. I know it kill us to listen to Francessa pontificate how the Mets are doing nothing and that they have to make a splash to put asses in seats. Look – management has made splashed for the sake of placating us fans and where did it get us ? Two years where the team almost made the post season AND TWO YEARS WHERE THIS TEAM COULDN’T GET OUT OF IT’S OWN WAY !!!
The key is to root hard for the players on the field and hope that if they all play either healthy – or up to the stats that grace the back of their baseball cards we might just have a productive season. Granted we more than likely won’t make the post season, but we might at the very least not be considered a laughing stock by the other organizations.
Oh and by the way , instead of listening to Mike Francessa – I have been listening to Monster Magnet – They are as heavy as Mike – but the rock harder !!!!
And with that said…. HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!!
Mets Alumni Celebrating birthdays today are :
Today would have been pitcher, Don Cardwell’s 75th birthday (1935) . He was the unheralded – yet integral part of the Mets rotation in ’69.
New York Mets sold catcher, Chris Cannizzaro to the New York Yankees on December 7, 1966.
New York Mets purchased shortstop,Tim Foli from the San Francisco Giants on December 7, 1977. This would be Foli’s second go round with the Mets – he was origionally traded for Rusty Staub in ’72.
New York Mets traded Walt Terrell to the Detroit Tigers for Howard Johnson on December 7, 1984.This was quite possible the best move made by the Mets on this day.
New York Mets traded reliever, Doug Sisk to the Baltimore Orioles for pitchers , Blaine Beatty and Greg Talamantez on December 7, 1987. Mets fans everywhere rejoiced .
Minnesota Twins signed relief pitcher, Don Schulze of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 7, 1987.
New York Mets traded second baseman,Wally Backman and pitching prospect, Mike Santiago to the Minnesota Twins for pitching prospects,Toby Nivens, Steve Gasser and Jeff Bumgarner on December 7, 1988. This move was made so that golden boy , Gregg Jefferies could have a place in the Mets infield . As we all know it was a deal that would blow up in the Mets faces.
Sadly 23 years ago marked the end of an era when the Cleveland Indians signed first baseman, Keith Hernandez of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 7, 1989. Yes his best days were behind him – but it still hurt to see our captain go .
Mets drafted reliever, Mike Draper from the New York Yankees on December 7, 1992.
New York Mets signed free agent outfielder, Chris Jones of the Colorado Rockies on December 7, 1994.
And the INFAMY kept on rolling when the Mets allowed the Seattle Mariners signed first baseman,John Olerud of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 7, 1999. The Mets did try to retain him but the pull of playing closer to home sealed his fate.
Yet another INFAMOUS transaction occoured on todays date when the New York Mets traded Robin Ventura to the New York Yankees for David Justice on December 7, 2001. Justice would never put on a Mets uniform since he was traded a few days later to the Cleveland Indians for Roberto Alomar !
And while you sit home in front of your computer cursing at the lack of Mets news – just remember there are just 115 days until the Mets open the 2011 season against the Florida Marlins in Miami and 122 days until the Mets 2011 home opener against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field.
Mo Vaughn is auditioning for the open Strength and Conditioning coaching job !!
14 comments
kingman 26
12/7/2010-8:40pm at 8:40 pm (UTC -4)
We’re a lot higher than just the top half—the top quarter at a minimum….it is time for patience; time to let Sandy clean up Omar’s mess, which seriously looks worse the more that time goes by.
Gotta like the Paulino and Carrasco signings; a fine start.
It is a long, uphill road ahead, but it was when Cashen too over too; we still enjoy those increasingly ancient memories.
Patience is indeed a virtue.
stickguy
12/7/2010-8:44pm at 8:44 pm (UTC -4)
Pretty simple really. Met fans are getting filler parts because they already have the main course (the players that are taking up much of that 135mill payroll).
There are what, 6 guys on the team that are or have been one of the top players at their positions, finishing high in the mvp voting, being all stars, and getting paid like it. And that is more than most teams have (and hence the high payroll).
so it is not true the mets “aren’t giving the fans anything”. They are giving them a very expensive team of stars (or former stars) built by Omar. Sure, some of them are not earning their money recently (although only 1 is absolutely not going to in 2011). and a couple of guys just taking up space (although Castillo is not really getting paid like a star).
so, when you go all in and blow the wad on a 2 year deal, you don’t get a lot of shiny new additions for the 2nd year.
Just think of it like signing up for a cell phone plan. the early termination fee is a killer, but once you get to the end of the term, you get a fancy new phone!
metsfan4decades
12/7/2010-8:55pm at 8:55 pm (UTC -4)
Well said….
My expectations going into this off season were ones of taking out the trash and getting some filler pieces, plus some SP and BP arms on the cheap to compete for spots in ST. So far, that’s what Sandy seems to be doing so I have no problem with it.
I read earlier that Sandy was quoted as saying he’s got no problem cutting any high paid players, if necessary. Translation to me is, if Perez doesn’t show improvement (and I feel it’s highly unlikely he will) and Sandy can’t trade him to get any little thing back – it’s bye-bye Ollie.
rustyjr
12/7/2010-8:56pm at 8:56 pm (UTC -4)
from your lips
stickguy
12/7/2010-9:10pm at 9:10 pm (UTC -4)
also much more likely to happen (for any team) when you are into the last year of the deal. Must be a mental thing.
kistics
12/7/2010-9:31pm at 9:31 pm (UTC -4)
I doubt Ollie decision is made before the ST and hopefully it’s a good decision.
Mr North Jersey
12/7/2010-9:04pm at 9:04 pm (UTC -4)
I can definitely relate to the quote you used Rusty in your post that said
”These are the times that try mens souls” on so many levels it’s scary.
I think I may have to try and come up with “Support your local Mets team” bumper stickers.
rustyjr
12/7/2010-9:07pm at 9:07 pm (UTC -4)
lol thanks for stopping by – I left u a mesasage on our google link
nighty night
Ceetar
12/7/2010-10:05pm at 10:05 pm (UTC -4)
What’s a google link?
kistics
12/7/2010-9:29pm at 9:29 pm (UTC -4)
You know Francessa actually brought up a solid point today. He said that if this was Omar not making any moves and asking to be patient, a lot of us would’ve flipped out and killed Omar for saying that. But it seems a lot more fans are patient with Sandy and his troops.
I thought what MF said would be partially true, but I think you also have to look at what Omar’s history with the Mets and what he would have done if he was still the GM. With Sandy, it’s little different that he set the expectations relatively low on this offseason (sometimes annoyingly so). And because of our low expectations this offseason, we’re not as impatient as we would have been with Omar. Perhaps it’s how Omar has handled things or how he has communicated to the fans, but so far Sandy has communicated well to the rational fans and he will have our support this offseason. Come next offseason, it’s a different story…
Ceetar
12/7/2010-9:46pm at 9:46 pm (UTC -4)
The point is moot now, since Alderson _did_ do something.
But going into the Winter Meetings last year Omar was criticized for not making moves.
stickguy
12/7/2010-9:57pm at 9:57 pm (UTC -4)
he did quite a lot before this though. Just mostly involved removing players from the roster, not adding them.
stickguy
12/7/2010-9:58pm at 9:58 pm (UTC -4)
and just like a season, what matters is the results at the end, not when you did things!
Ceetar
12/7/2010-10:05pm at 10:05 pm (UTC -4)
actually, what matters is the game on the field. You could sign the best pitcher in baseball and it doesn’t matter if you choke down the stretch again.