Looking Forward

One of my biggest complaints over the last couple of years has been the Mets lack of any overall plan or philosophy. I have consistently said that this team's problems are so much deeper than what we have been forced to watch on a day in day out basis from the big league mess. The reality is that the Mets are not a one big signing away team and they have refused to acknowledge that, instead just plodding along year in and year out acting as everything would be OK. The awful truth is that there has been a flaw in not only the make up of this team but with the entire way the organization is run; and watching the front office refuse to acknowledge it has been just as frustrating as watching the team's dreadful play. It is for that reason that I am excited about the hiring of Sandy Alderson. While I know I will not be ecstatic about his manager and do not anticipate a premium product to grace the filed at Citi Field in 2011, it is extremely refreshing to hear things like "building from the ground up", "a focus on player development", and "the implementation of an overall organizational philosophy." I have said all along, that I have no problem if the Mets don't spend money this year, as long as I believed they were going to focus on fixing the fundamental problems and rebuild their infrastructure; something that I had no hope for up until a week and a half ago.

Unfortunately, it is hard to even share in that small sense of enthusiasm with fellow Met fans, many of whom have become so negative that they choose to rip down any sense of optimism that I wish to express. While I completely understand where these fans are coming from in their stances of "refusing to ever go to a game again" or their criticism of everything even this new, one week old regime does or says, the fact is that I am finding it to be trying on my soul. For five years my baseball life has become stapled with devastation, disappointment, and just an overall tainting of my soul. What has made this even worse is that these feelings are compounded by CONSTANTLY reliving these emotions in conversations with my Met fan brethren. Frankly, I just can't take it anymore. So, as we begin this new era, I choose to look forward and hang on to something positive. I choose to be hopeful.

Being Blue

Below is a brilliant analysis of the political equivalent of being a Met fan. It is a guest post from "Marms" who is one of only a small handful of real under 40 year old fans of the team from the Bronx fans- meaning he has a sense of his team's modern day history pre 1996, which is rare for most of his brethren, nor does he support the marketing of pink hats.

Following these last elections I began thinking that being a Democrat must be a lot like being a Mets fan. Both "teams" are constantly assaulted by corporate rival who run a tighter more efficient ship. Both teams have a history of being unable to build upon their success. Both teams are filled with lively characters who often can't get out of their own way. As I ruminated on these similarities I came up with the following comparisons:


Obama / Omar:

Both came into power riding a wave of feel good optimism at a new and brighter future. Once in office, both men did some positive things but ultimately failed after a series of miscalculations and half measures undermined the bases confidence in their leadership. In addition, both men have been unfairly accused of making decisions based upon their ethnicity and country of origin.

Bill Clinton / Bobby V.

The charismatic, seasoned veteran whom the base loves and would love to have back. Kept at arms length by a front office that resents his charm, intellect, and ability to get things done.

David Wright / Harry Reid

Skilled, polished, dull, predictable, corporate insiders who tries to maintain cordial relationships with all his opponents. Although in a position of leadership he is seemingly incapable of lighting a fire under his fellow teammates or base.

Jose Reyes / Nancy Pelosi

Do they help? Do they hurt? Are we better off with them, or does their baggage come with too high a price? There is no denying that when they are on, they are productive, but no one riles the opposition more and questions linger over how much heart they truly have.

Blue Dog Dems / Jeff Wilpon

The meddling interference with the overall plan, the total lack of understanding of what the base wants, the constant need to “play it safe”, the grandstand “pay attention to me” attitude, all present in Jeff-W and the BDD.

Joe Biden / Fred Wilpon

The elder statesmen have done great work on the fringe (fighting to end the war / Building Citifield) but both still cannot escape controversy, have been accused of having lost touch with the base, and have put their foot in their mouths on multiple occasions.

Alan Grayson / K-Rod

Competitive, hot tempered, tough on enemies and teammates, passionate. Both men have exhibited erratic and foolish behavior that has (and may have) cost them a place on the team.

Jimmy Carter / Keith Hernandez

Both of these former leaders are clearly unimpressed with the current regimes and have been known to offer straight and unfettered criticism, while at the same time reminding the base of what it was like to play real hardball back in the day.

Ted Kennedy / Carlos Beltran

Once great titans, the impact of their deaths has been felt deeply by their respective teams.

Vetting Sandy

Considering all the speculation on Sandy Alderson being the front runner for the Mets vacant GM Position, I have been doing some vetting on the man. Below is an article that was posted on "Ducksnorts", a Padres blog site, by Geoff Young.

Chatting with Sandy, Part 1

Chatting with Sandy, Part 2

Yes He Does

Graham Womak at "Baseball Past & Present" poses the question, "Does Keith Hernandez Belong in The Hall of Fame?", citing:

"Hernandez was a five-time All Star, 11-time Gold Glove winner, and ranks among the best first basemen not in the Hall of Fame. He has the most Gold Gloves of any first baseman all-time, ranks third in career Wins Above Replacement for non-enshrined players at his position, and in his prime, was perhaps the best first baseman in the National League, if not the majors. In 17 seasons, Hernandez had 2,182 hits and a .296 lifetime batting average.".

While I do believe Hernandez is worthy of the Hall, I understand that there are legitimate arguments for and against. There are, however, no legitimate arguments against having his number 17 retired. Its an absolute joke that his number does not sit along the left field wall.

You can find Womak's fill article at: http://baseballpastandpresent.com/2010/10/05/does-he-belong-in-the-hall-of-fame-keith-hernandez/

Why Bobby Makes Sense

With the Omar Era coming to an end and the Wilpons FINALLY expressing a need to change the culture of the organization I feel compelled to chime in on the future of the Mets. While I agree that priority number one is to hire a General Manager who has the autonomy to choose the manager, the fact is that the GM should have to look no further than Bobby Valentine when making that decision. There are a number of reasons I feel this way and below are the top 5:

1. He will energize the fan base. There has been a lot of talk about the need to energize the fan base. Lets face it, the Mets are not going to be anything close to a perennial contender for a few years. This is not a situation, where they are one player away and need just a little boost to get over the hump. Changing the culture of this franchise is a long-term project; and because of that there is no one player on the horizon whose acquisition is going to get people pumped up. This is not a 2007 Hot Stove situation, when fans believed Johan Santana was enough to get them past the infamous collapse and on to a championship season in 2008.

The fact is, the Mets are in a much different situation now and need to look at more long- term goals. Therefore, the fans will not buy into an overpaid superstar as a savior. They will however buy into Bobby V. Why? Read On.

2. Most importantly, he is a damn good manager. Of all the major sports coaches, baseball managers have the least to do with impacting a win or loss. While this is less so in the National League than American League, you would be hard pressed to find anyone involved in sports to believe that baseball managers have as much of an impact on the outcome of a particular game as an NFL or NBA coach. That being said, Valentine is one of a handful of managers who actually makes a significant difference in the win-loss column.

Just think about the 2000 Met team Valentine took to the World Series. While the team did feature two serious offensive threats in Mike Piazza and Edgardo Alfonzo, a formidable top of the rotation duo in Mike Hampton and Al Leiter, and a pretty decent bullpen, the rest was a below .500 team. For heaven’s sake the outfield consisted of rotating Timo Perez, Daryl Hamilton, Jay Payton, and Benny Agbayani, (and that was after the departure of Derek Bell and Rickey Henderson). The infield was not much better, showcasing an injury plagued Robin Ventura at third base, (.232; 24; 84 RBI’s), a defensively challenged Todd Zeile at first, (.268; 22; 79), and the combination of Rey Ordonez, Melvin Mora, and Mike Bordick at shortstop, (a combined .236;10;60). This cast was part of a National League Championship team?!?! How did that happen?!? Well, much of it had to do with Valentine’s crafty managing style, a style that was put on full display when he completely out-managed Tony LaRussa in the 2000 NLCS.

While players may not all love playing for him, the fact is that Valentine seems to get the most out of mediocre talent. This, coupled, with an uncanny ability to always be one step ahead of his opponent leads to more wins simply because he is the dugout.


3. He gives the Mets an identity. Over the past month of the season Mets radio broadcaster Howie Rose talked a lot about the added pressure that David Wright carries around as being the face of the franchise. Rose pointed out that Wright’s the guy who is expected to make all the PR appearances, do all the commercials, and who serves as the go to guy for reporters. And while its true that this can take its toll on a player, I would also add that Wright is pretty boring. He never says anything very interesting, never expresses much emotion, drops cliché after cliché in describing the team, and rarely, if ever, veers from the party line. In other words, he is your typical modern day baseball star.

Valentine is everything that Wright is not. And while it is unusual to think of a manager as being as identifiable with a team as its star player that is exactly what makes him so unique.

4. He takes pressure off the players. I never understood why it was a bad thing that Valentine was a lightning rod for controversy. His antics and remarks always caused the media to focus on him, while his players could just play. This quality would be even more beneficial to today’s even softer and more sensitive player.

5. The New York Factor. No need to go into an entire in depth analysis of the extra hardships posed by managing in New York. We hear, read, and talk about it to death. Simply put, it takes a special kind of person that can handle the media and the pressure. Valentine has proven he can do both and be successful.

Hope

Over the past month I have logged onto this site multiple times, each time staring aimlessly at the screen. Despite my efforts to focus and search the inner workings of my brain for some sort of inspiration I have found nothing. There is only so much I can write on the subject matter of ineptitude, embarrassment, irritation and disappointment.

As the weeks have gone on- and my frustration intensifying at this complete block- the fans have grown agitated; my inbox flooded with emails demanding a statement, a rant, an article, anything regarding AMF's opinion on the state of the Mets. And all the while I have felt helpless, like a powerless and blood ridden Clark Kent after a beat down in a local diner at the hands of Rocco , who is forced to watch as E.J. Marshall poses to the world: "Superman Where Are You?!?!?"

Well, over the past twenty four hours I have found that spark. I have found that voice in my head that eagerly repeats itself over and over again and won't stop until I commit it to the written word; and, ironically enough, it is not a voice of desperation, but one of hope. That's right, hope.

With the "unofficial official" news that Jerry will not be returning as Mets manager, nor Omar as GM, we can start to move beyond the last five years, which has been the worst era in Mets history. With this news, and just as importantly the news that the Mets will be looking at candidates for both positions outside the organization, I feel a sense of excitement at what the future may hold. Now, don't get me wrong: I remain cognizant of the fact that the Wilpons still own this team, and within weeks my optimism will reverse course when we hear reports that the Mets have decided to remain in house and promote John Ricco and hire Bob Melvin. But for now I choose to relish in the unknown.

I choose to dream of new possibilities; i choose to believe that Jeff Wilpon will be reigned in by his just as clueless, yet less intrusive father; I choose to believe that the baseball gods have chosen to sabotage Bobby Valentine's plans to return to the majors with the likes of Florida and Cleveland, so that he can be back at his natural home in Flushing; I choose to believe that a new respected baseball man will come in and not throw big money at mediocre talent, but invest in the draft and over see the building of a deep and talented farm system; and I choose to believe that within a few years the Mets can not only be contenders, but be made up of players who don't bitch and complain about the griddy brand of baseball played by the hated Phillies, but recognize it as the only way to play.

In spanish "Lets Go" is translated as "Vamos." And at the beginning of the Omar era, when there was so much hope on the horizon I enthusiastically showed up at Shea in a crowd of 50,000 string chanting "Vamos Mets!" Tomorrow, five years later I will show up amongst a crowd of 15,000 strong at Citi Field, with a sense of optimism as I chant "Adios" to a tragic era.

An Endless Cycle

Yesterday morning I returned from my two week Honeymoon in Peru, where my wife and I made a conscious decision to stay as disconnected from the world as possible. No cell phone use. No internet browsing. No checking of voice messages or emails. And absolutely no following of the Mets; after all, nothing can interfere with a relaxing time away that affords the opportunity to regain some perspective than thinking about the Metropolitans. So as I have spent the last day catching up with my world, an unhealthy dose of which revolves around The Amazins', it feels as if I never left.

Apparently, you can spend significant periods of time cutting the Mets out of your life and would not miss a thing because it is always the same story: the team is under achieving and inspire no hope for their fan base; the usual parties continue to suffer from recurring injuries; the manager gives brutal press conferences where he drawls on an on for twenty-minutes leaving the fans to wonder if he is talking about the same group they have been forced to watch; and of course all this is topped off by theater of the absurd moment involving key personnel, in which every fan, sportswriter, blogger, reporter, analyst, etc. AROUND THE NATION provides the obligatory, "Only the Mets" statement.

The Mets have managed to become so predictable in not only their ineptitude but in their drama that in following them you feel as you are immersed in a "Groundhog Day" world, where you are living the same day over and over again. Unfortunately, unlike Bill Murray's Phil, our role as Met fans are not characters in a movie where we can look forward to an end to the monotony of it all.

Angry Met Fan would like to thank the guest writers for their postings during my absence. Hopefully they will continue to post whenever they so desire as their insight only adds to the bright future of this blog.

The Feeling is Mutual

(Posted by Livid Met Fan)

Carlos Beltran revealed that he is 'open to a trade' in an interview with Newsday's David Lennon. I just felt like posting his comments, as they pretty much some up everything I've come to expect from this guy. The legacy you leave behind will be one of excuses and disappointment... oh, and a hanging curveball from Adam Wainwright.

"It's been a learning experience in every aspect. Coming from a small-market team, the whole situation about playing in a big city, all the responsibilities that come with it. It's been a great, great experience for me. I think right now, after playing here six years, I can play anywhere. Once you play in NY, and do well, another city will be a piece of cake for me."




Let me help you pack your graphic t-shirts.

Fever Pitch

(With Angry Met Fan out of the country, this is the second post in series of guest posts, posted by Salty Met Fan)

K-Rod. I really do not want to get into it right now. It deserves it’s own discussion. But it just adds credence to that topic I want to discuss. I have thought about this for years and it is now more clear than it has ever been. Here it is, The Mets Do Not Get It. There is something missing in the baseball DNA of the Mets that makes them dysfunctional. The worst part is, I STILL cannot narrow it down to one cause. Is it Fred, Jeff, Omar, Saul Katz?!?! I have no idea. What I do know, something is genetically wrong.

Here is the thing, like my colleague Angry Met Fan, I love the Mets. I really do. People that know me cannot understand how I can I claim to love something that makes me so salty and bitter. The reason, I care. I care about the Mets. I care about baseball. I get upset when pitchers do not throw inside. I despise when players do not run out groundballs. I get irate when an opposing player gets to 3rd base and David Wright is smiling and chatting him up. I played the game for 15 years, been going to Shea/Citi for 30 years and it is the greatest game in the world. And it’s not just what happens on the field that gets me salty, it’s what happens at the game. Which brings me to my story.

Back in 2007, I was at some non-descript Met game in the early part of the season. I was coming off attending Game 6 and Game 7 from the 2006 NLCS but I believed the Met nonsense that they ‘were not ready yet’ and NOW it was there time. 8th inning rolls around, Diamond Vision begins to flux and then to my absolutely horror the PA announcer comes on and says:

“Ok Met fans, it’s now time for the 8th inning sing-a-long to Sweet Caroline”

YOU HAVE TO BE EFFING KIDDING ME? This is not real. Booing ensues immediately. Anyone who remotely follows baseball knows this is a Red Sox tradition. Now not everyone has been to Fenway and witnessed it like I have but they just released a god awful movie with no talent Jimmy Fallon where there is an ENTIRE montage with this song. IT IS IN THE MOVIE!! Fat Drew Barrymore and all. Why cant we have our own ‘thing’? Why are we ripping off the Red Sox now? It’s bad enough there is another closer with ‘Enter Sandman’ and now we have this. The bigger question is, HOW DO THE METS NOT KNOW THIS!?!! I do not work for the Mets. I do not even work in sports. How can something that is so evidently clear to me not even cross the mind of ANYONE that WORKS for the METS!?!

It festers for a couple of months. I go to more games, song plays, people BOO, I get more salty. I hit my breaking point. I call the Mets. After several calls I finally get through to their PR department. I ask the gentleman on the phone, “What is the deal with Sweet Caroline in the 8th?”. The guy on the phone immediately goes into Met mode. Denies that it is Red Sox thing and tries to explain to me it’s more of a ‘fraternity thing”. I ask him if he’s seen awful Jimmy Fallon movie and he says no. I ask him if he’s ever been to Fenway or even watched a Red Sox game on TV and he says no. We finally just hit an impasse where we agree to disagree. It does not matter. I am right. Sweet Caroline is a terrible, terrible idea.

Fast forward a couple of months, the Mets drop Sweet Caroline in the 8th. They run some promotional thing where fans can vote on what should be played in the 8th and the fans actually write in some awful Rick Ashley song which is actually hilarious but the Mets decide to go with something else. A part of me feels I had a part in getting this thing killed. But I cannot understand how the idea got the greenlight in the first place. Something is missing. They are flawed but I cannot stop rooting for them.

Broken, Beat & Scarred: Fall of 2008

(With Angry Met Fan out of the country, this is the first in a series of guest posts, posted by Livid Met Fan)

September 12, 2008 – Metallica is scheduled to release Death Magnetic, the band’s first studio effort since 2003’s vastly disappointing “St. Anger,” and two marginally-received preceding albums, “Load” and “Re-Load.” Rumors are abound that under super producer Rick Rubin’s influence, Metallica has recorded their best music since 1991’s “Black Album,” and that it is even more reminiscent of the bands late-80’s hey day. As it turns out, all speculation about Death Magnetic’s success is true. But what nobody could have predicted is that Metallica had crafted a pitch-perfect soundtrack for the dark weeks that lie ahead.

September 12, 2008 – The Mets are 82-63, with a thin lead over division rival Phillies (80-67), and in a dead heat with the Brewers (83-64) for the NL Wild Card. The team is in the midst of dropping a 3 game series to the Phils, while clinging to the mantra that “this will not be another 2007.” Never Stop the Bleeding Now.

Meanwhile… with a career in finance, the creeping financial crisis was growing darker every day with increasing uncertainty. Bear Stearns and the GSEs had already fallen, and Lehman Brothers was only weeks away from shutting its doors for good. The Dow dropped 800 points in the three days following Death Magnetic’s release, and nearly 3000 points in the 4 weeks that followed. Rumors swirled about the collapse of the entire banking system, and each day in September brought nothing but fear and darkness… I blind my eyes and try to force it all into place.

In the depths of my struggles, I clung to Metallica and the Mets. On the subway to work, wondering if there would still be job for me when I got there, James Hetfield growled in my headphones as my mind wandered to the Mets. Chase the ghost from latest high to all-time low. The mainstream sports media was already riding the “Collapse Part 2” story, fans were in complete panic. And still I convinced myself that it could NOT happen. Not even the Mets could pull that off. Two consecutive collapses following one of the most devastating playoff losses in memory? Could not be done, not even by this team. But no matter how much I tried to talk myself out of the inevitable, deep down I knew what was coming. Crawl from the wreckage one more time, horrific memories twist the mind. My father secured tickets to the final “Shea Goodbye” game months in advance. By September, the thought of what that day might bring loomed over me like a dark cloud. Amidst the carnage, I jokingly emailed this missive to my friends:

“Which track off the new Metallica album most appropriately reflects your feelings on the Mets and the impending collapse?
1. "That Was Just Your Life"
2. "The End of the Line"
3. "Broken, Beat & Scarred"
4. "The Day That Never Comes"
5. "All Nightmare Long"
6. "Cyanide"
7. "The Unforgiven III"
8. "The Judas Kiss"
9. "Suicide & Redemption"
10. "My Apocalypse"

Any one of them felt appropriate. But I decided to adopt “Broken, Beat & Scarred” as my own personal theme song, convinced that the Mets’ outcome would differ from 2007. You Rise, You Fall, You’re Down, Then You Rise Again… Made sense. 2006 was the rise, the NLCS was the fall. The ’07 season was the rise, the Collapse was the fall. It was time to rise once and for all. Or so I thought…

After Death Magnetic’s debut, the Mets would drop 4 of their next 5 and eventually 7 of their next 11, and crawl to an 89-73 record when the final out was recorded at Shea. The Phillies meanwhile would take 12 of their next 15 and a consecutive division championship with a 92-70 record. The Brewers lost 7 of their next 8, only to rebound with 6 out of 7 wins to steal the NL wild card at 90-72. In retrospect, “Unforgiven III” was probably the most apropos. Was he the one causing pain with his careless dreaming?

September 28th, 2008: Luck. Runs. Out. Parked under the train platform adjacent to the subway lines at old Shea Stadium. It is a rain-soaked and gloomy afternoon. Death Magnetic blares from the speakers in my trunk, setting the tone for the darkness all around us. The daaaaayy that never comes. The fans that have come out early for the final game at Shea are apprehensive. The weather and the high stakes have taken all the joy out of what should be a celebratory occasion. We stand around drinking nervously. My brother remarks: “This feels like a funeral.” It is. You’re just the funeral I’ve been waiting for. You all know how it ends. The Mets put up a listless performance in a 4-2 loss to the Marlins and the Brewers take the NL Wild Card. The afternoon takes a turn for the bizarre when the PA informs the crowd it will be “another 20 minutes before the ceremony begins” and furious boos cascade down at the staff setting up for the “Shea Goodbye” ceremony. The crowd musters up an emotional response for the old players that showed up, cheers for Piazza and Seaver, and then walks out for the last time ever…

Broken, Beat & Scarred.

Why?

This is an official jersey. That means this clown purchased this jersey, which costs about $200. That means he spent actual money to purchase this jersey. I find his presence at Citi offensive on many levels.

Enough

As The RA Dickey magic was coming to a crashing halt during the bottom of the 3rd inning of Sunday's game against the Phils, the boys in the booth were talking about the Phillies ability to stay around despite being decimated by injuries. According to Kevin Burkhardt, Charlie Manuel attributed 3 things to his injury plagued team's success this season: starting pitching, luck, and character. Despite the Phillies having played without Rollins, Utley, Victorina and Howard for a good portion of the year, they continue to battle for a division crown. Meanwhile, just a few hundred miles north of Philadelphia the Red Sox, who have also been decimated with injuries all season long are playing their hearts out at 15 games over .500. Like the Phils and Red Sox, the 2009 Mets were decimated with injuries. Yet there was no gritty baseball being played in Queens that year. Instead it was a year that just could not end soon enough, which finally did at 72-90. And unlike the case with the Phillies and Red Sox-who could easily have chosen to rest on their recent laurels- all we heard from the Met organization was excuses. The same kind we have heard for the past five seasons. In 2006 they weren't ready. In 2007 they just got to cocky. In 2008 it was a run down bullpen. In 2009 it was injuries. And while we have not yet heard an official explanation from the dolts in charge regading this season, it is all but guaranteed that we will. It is a harsh reality to face but the Mets just do not possess what Manuel attributed as the 3rd ingredient to his teams sucess. They simply have no character. As we sit and watch teams like the Red Sox and Phillies battle through adversity it makes the failures of these Mets that much more pronounced. We have been forced to watch an under achieving group of failures long enough. It is time to put this era behind us.

Retire 17: The Mandt Letter

This is the fourth in a series of articles demanding that the Mets retire Keith Hernandez's number 17.


I guess you can say the unofficial origin of this blog was just a few days after the Mets disgraceful ceremony honoring one of the most important players in their history. My anger over the situation did in no way dissipate after leaving Shea on that Sunday sfternoon. In fact, as the days passed I became more infuriated. In an effort to temper my feelings I needed an outlet, a way to express my displeasure. What better way to do this than write to the vile culprtits responsible for the shameful act- or, more appropriately, non act?

Approximatley five days after the day officially branded as. "Modells Back To School Day", I sat down, took pen to paper and wrote as articulate of a letter as I have ever written, detailing not only a comprehensive list of grievances over the days events, but constructing a logical argument as to why Mex's #17 should have been retired. As anticipated, the writing of the letter served as a healthy outlet to express my anger and succesfully tempered by emotional state. Thinking that was the end of it, I was ready to move on, so you can imagine my surprise when just a week later I received a phone call from Bob Mandt, then Shea Stadium's Director of Stadium Operations

To this day I remain grateful to Mr. Mandt for not only the phone call, but his willingness to stay on the line for nearly a half hour and debate the issue. This was clearly more than a "thanks for the letter, we'll take it under advisement" fan public relations move. It was clear that Mandt respected my passion for the subject and appreciated the opportunity engage in an intellectual discussion. With that said, Mandt's- and presumably the Met Brass's- position was ridiculous. According to Mandt, a retired number is reserved only for those who are icons of the game. Absurd, I say. First, They have something in Cooperstown for that, (which Hernandez belongs in, but that is an article for another day); the more appropriate standard for a retired number is whether a player is an icon of your team. And second if the Mets want to use that as their standard, then, with all due respect, there is no way Gil Hodges should have his number on the left field wall. And if Casey Stengal's is for that reason, then why isn't Willie Mays's?

While seemingly reluctant to acknowledge it, The New York Metropolitan Baseball Club has a rich history- one that is concentrated within specific time periods. The lovable expansion Mets of the early 60's; The Miracle Mets of 1969, whose seemingly impossible achievement captured the zeitgeist of American culture; Ya Gotta Believe of '73; The Bobby V/Piazza madness of the late 90's. But there has been no time period comprable to the truly Amazin' Mets of the 1980's. And the heart and soul of that era deserves to be honored appropriately. Stop the nonsense. Retire 17.

Unhealthy Reflections

I often reflect. It is not uncommon for me to zone off while on the subway, waiting on a line, reading, or sitting in traffic. While some may consider this a form of ADD, I consider it a type of healthy meditation. It can be quite relaxing to mentally find yourself at some other place and time. Lately, however, I find myself reflecting on the events that transpired in September of 2007. And this is not relaxing. 7 with 17 to play. . . 7 with 17 to play. . . 7 with 17 to play. It is a time and place that I have involuntary- and inexplicably- found myself going back to over and over again. What makes the situation even more disturbing is that I have been exhibiting emotional responses through physical reaction that can be dangerous. Have you ever sat on a subway and have some rambling nut next to you? What is your reaction? You might stand next to him ignoring him, awkwardly acting as if everything is normal. You might move to another part of the car, where others who have already seen this individual are concentrated. Or you may get off at the next stop and get on another car. So, as I sit on the A train, listening to music, and inadvertently think of a meltdown of unimaginable proportions by a team that has made the playoffs only ONCE in consecutive years, I exhibit unacceptable behavior. Involuntarily, I shake my head and randomly shout out “dammit”, “you gotta be kidding”, or drop an F- bomb. In other words, the Mets and all their ineptitude have entered such a deep part of my subconscious that it has turned me into “that guy”- the one who people become weary of and who mother’s shield their children from.

Just Like Old Times

This year was turning out to be fun. Mind you, I had no illusions or expectations of a deep playoff run, but I actually enjoyed watching this group. I enjoyed watching their resilliency. I enjoyed watching there grit. I enjoyed watching their cohesive play. Simply put, I felt something that I haven't felt watching this team since the 2006 NLDS: enjoyment. (I enjoyed nothing about the 2006 NLCS, which is the first of 3 straight collapses).

Weren't we just having a blast? The Mets were playing an overachieving brand of baseball that was the exact opposite of everything the Omar Mets had been. While I, admittedly, did not think it possible at the season's outset, I was feeling as if this group was allowing me to finally put the past- and all the despair that came with it- behind me. They were allowing me to finally move on. And then he came back.

When healthy Carlos Beltran may the best centerfielder in baseball. He is as graceful in the outfield as he is on the bases. He is what so many prospects are touted as but never prove to be: the ultimate five tool player. And over the offseason the Mets must do whatever it takes to trade him.

I'm not putting the Mets poor play all on Beltran's shoulders; in fact, I believe he still makes their line up much better. The reality, however, is that with his return comes not only a reminder of what has transpired over the past 5 years, but an aura that has taken hold of the team. It is dark and brooding aura that has seemingly sucked the life out of all of Beltran's teammates, who before his return was announced were playing with a spirit not seen in Flushing for a very long time. And now that spirit is broken.

With Delgado gone, Beltran is now the poster child of the most under achieving group of players the Mets have ever fielded. While he may not be the clubhouse cancer that Delgado was, his make up- one forever stigmatized by softness and failure- is just as poisonous to the rest of the team. For all of us, its just time to move on.

Deconstructing Omar

The following is an in depth analysis of Omar Minaya's Trade History. It was researched and written by huge Met fan and Angry Met Fan reader Dan Brodsky and is a MUST Read for Met fans everywhere

So, I was just sitting around thinking about Oswalt, or Lilly, or someone who could help us out. What have I found? Well, short answer is- We’re fucked. Omar has shown a complete inability to pull off a BIG in-season trade. Now, you’ll look and see that he can make deals in the off-season. But let’s discount those for right now. A deal for Andre Ethier in January of 2011 can’t help us save our season.

So let’s look:
- 2005 – Nothing of note. Minor deals-minor players. The team wasn’t ready yet, so I’ll give Omar a pass this year;

- 2006 – A LOT of movement. Perhaps the one year we did NOT need to make a lot of moves(Remember? We were fucking AWESOME that year. Ran away with the division) Omar was a man of action that year. Traded for Duque early, was insanely quick to react to the Duaner Sanchez injury, and brought in Shawn Green when he had to give away Nady. Again, a lot of motion, but nothing big.(in Omar’s defense, maybe nothing was necessary. After all, we won the World Series that year, right? I shut the TV off after Endy’s catch).

-2007- Collapse, Part 1. Two deals worth noting. The man who gave us co-starters Jose Valentin and Damion Easley (combined age- 74!)decided that the best way to solve that problem was to go out and get Luis Castillo. If this was 2001, this would have been a great move, invalidating my point. But Castillo drops pop-ups, so fuck him. The other deal worth noting is the decision to bring in Jeff Conine at the waiver deadline. This was Omar’s “leadership” guy, to help the youngsters know how to handle a pennant race/success. That worked out well. Phillies.

- 2008- Collapse, Part 2 (or, according to the Mets the not collapse). We traded for Trot Nixon, and Luis Ayala. We gave 1396 plate appearances to: Brian Schneider, Fernando Tatis, Ryan Church, and Damion Easley. Omar show’s his inability to build, and maintain a bullpen. Phillies.

- 2009- Again, motion, without actually doing anything. Church for Francoer, Castro for Broadway, Wagner for the animal. Yes, everyone was hurt. Yes, Church is garbage, and Castro is a rapist. But the Red Sox got the 20th AND the 39th pick in this years draft for offering Wagner arbitration. We have a journeyman OF named Animal.

I ask you. Who thinks we are trading for Oswalt? Who thinks that there is some secret deal in the pipeline?


Omar Minaya's TRADE HISTORY with the New York Mets .

2010:
01/22/10 Trade d Brian Stokes to the Angels for Gary Matthews Jr and $20M

2009:
08/25/09 Traded Billy Wagner to the Red Sox for Chris Carter and Eddie Lora
08/08/09 Traded cash or PTBN to the Cubs for Jason Dubois
08/06/09 Traded Greg Veloz to the Nationals for Anderson Hernandez
07/10/09 Traded Ryan Church to the Braves for Jeff Francoeur
05/30/09 Traded Ramon Castro to the White Sox for Lance Broadw

2008:
12/10/08 Traded Aaron Heilman , Endy Chavez , Jason Vargas, Mike Carp , Ezequiel Carrera and Maikel Cleto to the Mariners for J.J. Putz , Sean Green , and Jeremy Reed .
12/12/08 Traded Scoot Schoeneweis and cash to the Diamondbacks for Conner Roberton
08/17/08 Traded Anderson Hernandez to the Nationals for Luis Ayala
06/13/08 Traded cash to the Diamondbacks for Trot Nixon
02/02/08 Traded Carlos Gomez , Deolis Guerra , Philip Humber and Kevin Mulvey to the Twins for Johan Santana
01/05/08 Traded Corey Coles and Ryan Meyers to the Cubs for Angel Pagan

2007:
11/30/07 Traded Lastings Milledge to the Nationals for Ryan Church and Brian Schneider
11/28/07 Traded cash to the Rays for Brian Stokes
11/20/07 Traded Guillermo Mota to the Brewers for Johnny Estrada
08/20/07 Traded Jose Castro and Sean Henry to the Reds for Jeff Conine
08/17/07 Traded cash or PTBN to the Pirates for Luis Matos
08/06/07 Traded cash or PTBN to the Marlins for Chad Hermanson
07/30/07 Traded Dustin Martin and Drew Butera to the Twins for Luis Castillo

2006:
12/06/06 Traded Brian Bannister to the Royals for Ambiorix Burgos
11/20/06 Traded Henry Owners and Matt Lidnstrom to the Marlins for Adam Bostick and Jason Vargas
11/15/06 Traded Health Bell and Royce Ring to the Padres for Jon Adkins and Ben Johnson
08/30/06 Traded Victor Diaz to the Rangers for Mike Nickeas
08/22/06 Traded Evan Maclane to the Diamondbacks for Shawn Green and cash
08/20/06 Traded cash or PTBN to the Indians for Guillermo Mota
07/31/06 Traded Xavier Nady to the Pirates for Roberto Hernandez and Oliver Perez
07/19/06 Traded Jeff Keppinger to the Royals for Ruben Gotay
06/09/06 Traded Kazuo Matsui and cash to the Rockies for Eli Marrero
05/26/06 Traded Geremi Gonzalez to the Brewers for Mike Adams
05/25/06 Traded Robert Manuel to the Reds for David Williams and cash
05/24/06 Traded Jorge Julio to the Diamondbacks for Orlando Hernandez
01/25/06 Traded Angel Pagan to the Cubs for Cash
01/22/06 Traded Kris Benson to the Orioles for Jorgo Julio and John Maine
01/04/06 Traded Jae Wong Seo and Tim Hamulack to the Dodgers for Duaner Sanchez and Steve Schmoll

2005:
12/05/05 Traded Gaby Hernandez and Dante Brinkley to the Marlins for Paul Lo Duca
11/28/05 Traded Cash to the Pirates for Tike Redman
11/24/05 Traded Mike Jacobs , Yusmeiro Petit and Grant Posmas to the Marlins for Carlos Delgado and Cash
11/18/05 Traded Mike Cameron to the Padres for Xzvier Nady
05/20/05 Traded Jed Hansen to the Giants for Cash
04/02/05 Traded Matt Ginter to the Tigers for Steve Colyer
04/01/05 Traded Andy Dominique to the Blue Jays for Cash
03/31/05 Traded Pat Mahomes to the Dodgers for Cash pr PTBN
03/28/05 Traded Cash to the Mariners for Benji Gil
03/24/05 Traded Cash to the Indians for Fernando Lunar
03/20/05 Traded Jason Phillips to the Dodgers for Kazuhisa Ishii
01/27/05 Traded Ian Bladergroen to the Red Sox for Doug Mientkiewicz and Cash
01/05/05 Traded Vance Wilson to the Tigers for Anderson Hernandez

Also, this is what happens when Omar gets nervous:


7/28/02: Acquired RHP Bartolo Colon and minor league RHP Tim Drew from Cleveland in exchange for 1B Lee Stevens, minor league SS Brandon Phillips, minor league LHP Cliff Lee and minor league OF Grady Sizemore.

Enjoy your lunch

Reflections of A True Legend

As the Mets have lost 7 of 9 I can’t help but wonder if this is it. Is this the start of a second half collapse, or more aptly labeled, fade away? Is this the harsh reality that we have quietly been expecting all year? Or, will these Mets, like they have all year long- and very much unlike the past few years- show a resiliency and bounce back. I am not too sure one way or another. The fact is that the final series before the break against the Braves felt all too familiar. I, admittedly, had no confidence at all that they would close the gap against the NL East leaders before entering the break. C’mon, the Mets take advantage of an opportunity?

But I am ashamed of myself for even being concerned with something as trivial as Mets wins and losses right now. For this post, is not about the Mets team, but about their public address announcer, Alex Anthony. Mr. Anthony provides a sense of comfort to my life and to all my fellow Met fans that can only be described as heaven like. If not for him, and all that he has brought to not only the Mets, but to all of Major League Baseball, then what would the state of the game be today. That ineffable, almost mystifying, experience he graces each and every one of us with when he announces the afternoon’s line up, a player coming up to bat, a pinch hitter or a pitching change has become something of legend. Why else come to the ballpark? With his voice he brings a sense of professionalism and respect that can only be admired by other PA announcers around the league. In fact, I pity all fans of other teams who are not witness to the one true voice of not only baseball, but life in general on an everyday basis. I am not a religious person by any means, but I do believe in some force in the universe that is greater than us. And it is to this force that I pray every night, giving thanks to having been placed in a world where I can experience day in and day out the one true voice of greatness.

This Has Been Painful

I can appreciate MLB's attempts to expand the game. I understand the appeal to bringing the game around the world. But honestly, I find this whole San Juan Series to be an awful idea. Maybe its the fact that the Mets have played some of their worst baseball of the year, headed by Jerry Manuel managing some his worst games of the year. Or maybe its the crowd's UNBELIEVABLY ANNOYING constant use of the f----ing airhorns, coupled with the PA's over use of the excruciatingly painful "Banana Boat Song", (more popularly known as "Day-O"). Or maybe its being forced to watch games played in a minor league park on Veteran Stadium style Astroturf. Or maybe its having to hear over and over how much it has to be killing Carlos Beltran not to be playing in this series. Whatever the reason, and there are a whole list of them, I have never wished a series to be over so quickly.

The Legend Builds . . .

I have nothing to say about Johan Santana anymore that has not been said. The bottom line is this: he is a good pitcher, but not the reliable ace he once was. He is not even in the National League's top three.

Anyway, considering I am very busy at work right now, rather than write anything I give you the following video for your Angry Enjoyment:

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR VIEWING ENJOYMENT

?!?

I am stunned. Stunned that the Mets are tied in the loss column with the Braves for first place in the NL East. Stunned, regardless of the competition, that they have won six in a row on the road. Stunned that they enter the most obnoxious sports complex in the world ten games over five hundred. Stunned that David Wright is the NL leader in RBI's. Stunned over Niese, Pelfrey, RA, and the fact that the Mets actually have a productive Japanese player. Even a little stunned at how awful John Franco is on SNY. Its a list that can seemingly go on in perpetuity.

I find myself struggling to find a voice these days, as I do not want to be the jack ass who has to complain about everything, (i.e. the two dolts on the 10am FAN slot), yet I have been here so many times before. Walking around in a state of euphoria, life seemingly for the taking, Peter Gabriel's Solsbury Hill repeatedly playing from speakers that are the blue skies above, and strangers approaching me on the street: "Looking Good, Chief", "How 'bout those Mets", "Things are happening", "See that game last night?" After all, what else is there to talk about but those Amazin' Mets. And that's usually when the bottom falls out. Its about that time that I am reminded of the path I have chosen. And its usually when I descend into a dark and unhealthy state of bitterness.

So, while I am not going to complain just for the sake of complaining, I am committed to not allowing myself to get too high, as it has routinely proven unhealthy. What is making the implementation of this strategy so difficult, however, is not only are the Mets winning but they are playing with sense of purpose we have not seen in forever. And they seem to be having fun doing it! The last time I can even recall that being the case was when Paul LoDuca was picking Nassau Community College Coeds up at Sprats on the Water.

Shock an Awe in Section 130

I have had my moments of offensive and obnoxious behavior. I have more often than I'd like to admit been "That Guy" who, along with his friends, has had too much to drink and made the experience for others an uncomfortable one. Whether it has been at movies, concerts or sporting events, I have been guilty of ruining it for others. And while these performances were put on many, many years ago and were part of the make up of a much younger version of myself, I believe that the universe often has its revenge. It seems as if I often sit in front of the talkers at movies, next to the large person on an airplane, among crying children on a bus ride and next to the loud and obnoxious who can't hold their drink at bars. And I accept that I deserve this. Payback is, after all, a bitch.

But I cannot accept what I was subjected to while sitting in Section 130 at Citi Field on Thursday night as an equitable form of punishment for my past indiscretions. I refuse to believe that any person, especially any Met Fan, is deserving of the torment that I endured at the hands of a fellow fan while taking in the second game of a day-night double header against the Firars.

While Thursday night's game will be remembered for Jon Niese throwing the 26th one hitter in Mets history, I will always remember it for not only what was happening on the field, but what was also happening DIRECTLY behind me. What made the experience even more traumatic was the failure of those who generously gave me the tickets earlier in the day to adequately prepare me for this insane woman, as she is apparently on the same ticket plan schedule as they are. As one of the responsible parties would go on to say after the fact, "I conveniently left that out."

I will not go through a full description of this particular fan's behavior, as there are very few writers in the world talented enough to fully express its impact. The experience could not be fully understood by simply explaining in detail the constant need to engage in my conversations, the top of the lung yelling of "YOU SUCK!!" to the umpire after every called ball, the awkward and thunderous expressions of love for Jeff Francouer and "The Animal" Chris Carter, her desire to know every thought in Howie Rose's head from the guy wearing headphones sitting next to her and the loud conversations with herself over expected moves by Jerry Manuel- Top of the Ninth Inning: "I KNOW HE'S GONNA TAKE NIESE OUT!!!! WHY?? HE'S GONNA BRING IN K-ROD!! WHY DOES HE HAVE TO TRY AND GET HIM HIS SAVE?? JERRY SUCKS!! WHY IS HE GONNA TAKE HIM OUT?? LET THE KID FINISH THE GAME!!! DAMMIT I HATE MANUEL!!! HE SUCKS!!!!- (needless to say, Niese finished the game, although she did express concern throughout the bottom of the ninth- in similar fashion to the top half- that he would be pulled). No, my words just could not do it justice.

I, therefore, am hoping to use Thursday night's happening as motivation for this blog. After all, great moments in history are often triggered by terrible events. Like Kennedy's assassination spawned civil right's legislation, it is my hope that the pain I endured on Thursday will somehow help contribute to great things for the future of Angry Met Fan. The universe, I believe, has had its payback. Now it owes me one.

Ike Davis: Surviving Through The Madness

As I jubilantly jumped from my couch while watching Ike Davis's game winning home run soar into the Pepsi Porch I could not help but feel that ineffable sense of excitement that only comes when watching a home grown player make an impact. As up and down this season has been, (inexplicably based on where they play), the one constant has been Ike. It has been a pleasure watching him come up from within the system and make such an immediate impact on the club. And more impressive than his fast start has been his ability to fight his way out of slumps and make his own at bat adjustments to counter the adjustments opposing pitchers have inevitably made in pitching to him. It really has been amazing to watch a rookie show such maturity in the way he plays every aspect of the game. And in reflecting on this I could not help but think of an article on the Met first baseman that appeared in the Daily News on April 25, 2010, just a few days into Ike's major league career. While the article's objective was to profile Davis, what made it most memorable to me was the unintentional glimpse it gave us into the incompetent Met infrastructure.

In the article, written by Wayne Coffey, we learn that the Mets drafted Davis 18th in the June 2008 draft based on the reports of Met scout, Mike Brown. After signing, Davis reported to the Brooklyn Cyclones where he played through an oblique injury and performed poorly in 58 games. While there were a few in the organization preaching patience and attributed his performance partly to his nagging injury, many had determined that Davis was a bust. According to Coffey, a source says that Brown "was ripped for the possible squandering of the pick" and that "[Brown] got ridiculed unbelievably for what happened in Brooklyn [and] caught all kinds of flack." Noteworthy, is that Brown left the organization the following year.

So, what does this little story tell us. Well, if not for the incompetence we have seen from the Met hierarchy over the years and the reports we have heard as to how business is conducted throughout the organization, maybe this would not be such a big deal. But in the context of the circus that is the Wilponian-Omar Mets its says so much. To me it says that the inmates who run the asylum had judged Davis a bust after 58 games in Single A and pushed out the scout responsible for selecting him. Meanwhile, I confidently presume, these same dolts are still gainfully employed with the Mets -and have probably been given raises- despite not one of them having been responsible for the selection of any meaningful player. In fact, I further presume, that many of them are tight with Tony Bernazard, who, from what insiders have described as terrible as an evaluator as he was a human being, would still be be employed with the Mets if not for last year's embarrassing headlines.

Then again, my presumptions could be wrong. But based on what we have lived through over the past five years would you bet against me?

Pleasant Surprises Portend Past Mistakes

Due to personal commitments over the next week, I will not be posting. Instead there will be a series of articles by guest contributors. The following contribution is from he goes by the alias "Livid Met Fan"


LHisanori Takahashi logged a very convincing performance in his second start last night, tossing 6 shutout innings with 6 strikeouts and only 5 hits allowed (see side-note below). The Phillies (looking remarkably flat) had no answer for his change-up, and were as equally frustrated as was “the team that plays in the Bronx” was in his last start. Takahashi is one of several “pleasant surprises” for the Mets in the early months of this 2010 season. Add to that list a tremendous start from “Hot Rod” Barajas. So why are these performances cause for alarm? Because we’ve seen how these “pleasant surprises” lead to poor decision making before.

Omar Minaya and the rest of the front office have a proven track record of extrapolating aberrational performances. Mistaking a stop-gap solution for a long-term strategy is a dangerous proposition, and the Mets have wandered down this road many times before. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Think Jose Valentin. Think Fernando Tatis. Or if you want to go back further, think Timo Perez.

Let me just say that I am by no means a disciple of Sabermetrics, “Moneyball” or the Theo Epstein revolution. But I do believe in statistical analysis as a means of building your program, and am fully convinced that Omar makes no effort in this regard. If he did, he wouldn’t consistently make the costly mistake of carrying forward anomalous fortune. As in, “Valentin hit .270 last year with 24 HRs, pencil those stats in for next season.” Takahashi might be a genuine #4 or 5 starter, but there is nothing to support that his performance can maintain at this level for long. In reality, I think once the scouting on Takahashi steps up, we won’t be seeing these shutout performances come July. Ditto for “Hot Rod,” who we should all prepare to come crashing down to earth over the next couple of weeks. Barajas is a career .240 hitter, has demonstrated ~20 HR potential, but the idea that he stays on pace for 30 is ludicrous.

The point is, in recent weeks, the Mets have adopted the mantra that they are “one arm away from being contenders.” I respectfully disagree. Factor out the anomalies, outliers and stop-loss performances and this is a team with much deeper deficiencies. Obviously the new youth movement is full of promise (Ike, Meijia, Pagan, Niese), but this team needs to make some serious upgrades before we can even begin to discuss the playoffs. (“Playoffs?!)

Side-note: I attended last night’s shutout of the Phillies at a very steamy Citi Field. Maybe it was the unseasonable humidity or an extra chatty performance from this unbearable woman who sits behind our season ticket seats, but in spite of a tremendous overall performance, watching Takahasi was absolutely brutal. Call him the Japanese Steve Trachsel. This guy really takes his time out there. I don’t know if it translated to TV, but the crowd got very restless as the game progressed and the delay between pitches got longer and longer. Consider yourself warned: watching Takahashi live is BRUTAL.

Absolute Bitches

According to ESPN's Brandon Tierney, Darryl Strawberry walked into the Mets clubhouse and gave the team a "tough love" pep talk. Tierney cites a "Mets Insider" as saying Straw told the team and that they are better than a last place club, letting them know that it is "rough' watching them play, but [they're] better than what [they have] shown."

According to Tierney, some players were offended by Strawberry's comments and reportedly went to Jay Horowitz and told him to keep Strawberry out of the clubhouse.

Normally, I put no credence into what anyone on ESPN has to say. The organization has become to sports news what the WWF, (I refuse to call it "WWE"), is to sports. But I do believe this story and not because I find Tierney to be uniquely credible. I believe it based on the absolute softness that has defined this team over the past five years. Time and time again we have heard reports of players crying to Mets management about one thing or another. And who can forget the story of poor little Jose Reyes who was so offended that Keith Hernandez criticized his play that he actually initiated what was very close to becoming a physical altercation. Again, while that story was also reported by anonymous sources I believed it was true, based on everything Jose and his Mets have shown us. Not to mention the fact that Hernandez's reported response that "I'm doing my job, why don't you start doing yours!" is vintage Mex and could in no way have been made up.

The fact is that Straw was one of the greatest Mets of all time, and an integral part of the best Met era of all. He was as exciting and dynamic of an athlete that we will ever see. While there will always be a "what could have been" aspect to any conversation regarding him and the Mets, the reality is what he did give us was more that any of these clowns have shown they are capable of. Not a single player on this group can hold a candle to his legacy. So it may do them a bit of good to shut the hell up and listen to what he has to say.

Read Article

Those Are Some Mainely Balls

Wow, was I wrong. I saw John Maine as another gutless disappointment of this Met Era. Every start we see him sulk and mope and brood on the mound as he tries to force pitch after pitch. And as we watch the frustration build on his face as each pitch drops low and outside or sails high and away I pegged him as a another one of those Mets who begin to fall apart the second they face adversity. So, I thought he was just another Met without any balls.

While his little tantrum over being pulled on Thursday night was predictable, his comments afterward were shockingly ballsy. As Maine continued to sulk in the clubhouse after the game, he then cried to reporters that "Manuel doesn't have any confidence in me" and that he should "cut me a little bit of slack." Cut you a little bit of slack?!?!?! John, for three years this organization has "cut you a little bit of slack." You have done absolutely nothing since September 2007. The Mets have coddled you as if you were a little league player- doing everything they could to protect your fragile psyche. Going into this season you were inexplicably guaranteed a spot in the rotation despite the fact that there are pitchers in the bullpen and in the minors that have out performed you. And the organization never waived from this position, despite your horrendous spring.

Rarely do you give your team a chance to win, constantly piling up absurd pitch counts in very few innings- of course sulking after everyone of them. And your last start will go down in Met history: walking the first three batters of the game on 12 straight pitches- not one pitch coming close to the strike zone. In essence, it was typical Maine, only even more extreme.

And as the Mets continue to free fall, coming off a terrible road trip, in which you were front and center, you have the nerve to say, hey "cut me some slack" after topping off at 83 and walking the first batter. Man, those are some Monstrous Balls!

Angry Met Fan: Origins and Inspirations

There has been much written about this current group of Mets and why it has been so tough. The feelings are indeed sincere and are in no way overstated for the good of the blog. Below is an email chain, which predates Angry Met Fan's inception. While there has been a few minor edits to the original mailing and the names of the corresponders have been changed in order to honor privacy concerns, the crux of the conversation has not been corrupted in anyway.

For purposes of full disclosure all changes in content are marked in italics and any deleted content by the insertion of ". . ." in its place. Aside from being angry met fans all parties are also fans of the television series "Lost."


From: Met Fan, Dejected
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 6:51 AM
To: Met Fan, Livid; Met Fan, Angry
Subject: the darkness

Things are worse than ever!!!

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From: Met Fan, Livid
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:41:15 -0500
To: Met Fan, Livid; Met Fan, Angry
Subject: RE: the darkness

It’s dark. It’s really dark. They should have blown it up after the second collapse. Not doing it then has set us back at least 5 years. This team is not going to be good for a very long time.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Met Fan, Angry
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 10:56 AM
To: Met Fan, Livid; Met Fan, Dejected
Subject: Re: the darkness

2006 was supposed to be the year. That's what the rules are. It was not supposed to go down the way it did. 20 year 1986 anniversary; magical comebacks; the [other New York Team] looking old and slow; Chavez' catch: it was all going according to the way the scriptures says it does. But then something happened. Something terrible. Now, like the mid 70s to early 80s and the early to mid 90's after that, we are destined for irrelevance and embarrasment for years to come; only we don't have a WS Championship to reflect back on as the cost of doing business.
Call it "The Worst Team Money Could Buy, Part Deux" or simply same ol' Mets. Whatever, the phrase, it conjures up the all too familiar feelings of what it means to have attached ourselves to this. . . franchise.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Met Fan, Livid
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 11:18 AM
To: Met Fan, Angry
Cc: Met Fan, Dejected
Subject: RE: the darkness

Is it possible that Daniel Farraday set off a nuke that caused the 2006 team to lose? Beltran doesn’t sit on that curveball, the Mets go on to sweep the Tigers, and the [team from the Bronx] fall deeper into obscurity like they did in the 80’s. And right now there’s an alternate 2010 playing out simultaneously. One where the Mets win in 2006, go on to win the NL east in 4 consecutive years and another title in 2008? Is this possible? I’m half expecting to start having flashbacks of me attending the ticker tape parade, harassing the [other New York team's] fans, praising the genius of Omar... and inexplicably in that alternate universe I’m a detective in LA.

Harsh Realities and Angry Musings of A Trying Era

Wainwright to Beltran. It is as devastating a moment as any Met fan will have ever lived through. Yet at the time we had no reason to believe it would be the moment that would define this current group of Mets. We had no reason to believe that this awful moment was actually a symbol of everything that these Mets are.

2006 looked as if it was the beginning of something special. As the Mets, with their mix of young home grown talent and proficient veterans still in their prime, rolled through the National League it looked as if Omar Minaya would be presiding over an era of premium grade baseball played in Flushing, Queens. We had no reason to believe otherwise, as the Mets dominated with a certain swagger we had not seen since . . . well, you know when. That is why for the Met fans of my generation, this has been such a trying time; in fact, it has been the harshest time since we chose to embark on this path at an age where we were too young to comprehend the consequences.

Sure we lived through Vince Coleman, firecrackers and "The Worst Team Money Could Buy." And we watched David Cone be shipped away for a career minor leaguer and second baseman whose fans hated him as much as he hated them. And we were given a harsh lesson in reality about prospects when "Generation K" continued to fail time and time again. But we came to expect nothing from those Mets; we understood that they were awful and learned to accept that reaching .500 became a major goal in itself. Don't get me wrong, we cared as much as ever, but we learned to "manage our expectations" amid all the incompetence.

As we moved deeper into the 1990's we watched as Bernanrd Gilkey and Lance Johnson proved to be a one year tease; and we attended Opening Days where Alberto Castillo was the starting catcher and Tsuyoshi Shinjo was hitting clean up- all the while a great darkness was rising in the Bronx. But at that point we were far enough removed from our childhood and began to understand that any expectations of success were not grounded in any sense of reality as we were relegated to the unenviable "little brother" status of New York City Baseball.

We agonized over the inability for the Bobby V- Piazza Mets to beat the Braves and suffered through a worst case scenario World Series loss. But with those teams came some Amazin' Moments. After years of a Wilponion Imposed "No Star Player Policy" we finally had one; and what a star he was. And maybe he didn't have the greatest supporting cast around him, but they were still pretty damn good. More importantly, they played a competitive and griddy brand of baseball- qualities we had not seen in almost a decade. And while they never did get "over the hump", nobody really expected them to. Their grit and determination, exhibited even in losses- most notably in Game 6 of the 1999 NLCS- was enough for us to take a certain amount of pride in.

Then came the Howe years and with it one of the worst trades in Met history. In other words, expectations were once again at their minimum.

But with these Mets it was different. With them we truly had expectations. BIG expectations. We believed '05 to be a sort of '85 and '06 a new '86. It was a fitting scene at Shea Stadium on August 19, 2006- the night the Mets honored the 20th Anniversary of the greatest Met team of them all- when over 50,000 jubilant fans celebrated the past, as well as the present. With Mex, Straw, The Kid, Wally, Mookie, and Nails in the house we cheered as the current group- seemingly worthy successors to our greatest era- beat the Colorado Rockies and maintained an insurmountable NL East lead. We threw confetti and danced on the 7 train in celebration of the Mets clinching the NL East on September 17, 2006- 20 years to the day the '86 version achieved the same thing. I remember walking out of Shea that night, led by a drunken vagrant who, with fist raised from one arm and beer held in another, eloquently chanted "THIS IS OUR FUCKING YEAR!!" And we all followed him, for we knew he was right.

And while 2006 was devastating WE BELIEVED we would be back. We actually bought into Willie Randolph's "We just weren't ready yet" dogma. As the off season went on and time dulled some of the pain, we were ready for a new season. So maybe 2006 wasn't our 1986. We'll look back on it as 1985, because there was no stopping us in 2007, the young home grown foundation would be a year older and the veteran's would be that much hungrier.

2007, however, was not meant to be. Little did we know that these Mets would not yearn for greater success after coming so close, but would instead remain content with what they had accomplished- which we as fans felt was absolutely nothing. The Mets of 2007 walked around with a sense of entitlement reserved only for champions, as evidenced by Carlos Delgado's 2007 statement that "We're just so good that sometimes we get bored."

We still believed though. Or at least wanted to. We wanted to believe the 2008 Mets would learn from the previous years disastrous ending. But it was more of the same, even though we were rearmed with, at the time, the best pitcher in the world. And when Jeff Wilpon attempted to categorize the last season at Shea as not one ending in a collapse, but one in which his team proudly fought to the end, the reality of our own expectations were revealed. Through his comments Wilpon admitted a certain level of expectations he had for this team; and they were much lower than what our own had been since Beltran's knees buckled. And who knows, maybe Wilpon saw that moment for the symbol it really was. Shame on us for not seeing it sooner.

Wright and Reyes: The Spirit of The Mets

Once again we watched David Wright and Jose Reyes come up to bat in the ninth inning with a chance to do something special. Once again we saw the cornerstones of this current group of Mets come up with a runner in scoring position. Once again we saw what we once touted as the best left side of the infield in the game come up in a pressure situation. And once again we saw them fail.

To say Wright and Reyes do not perform well in the clutch is an understatement. The fact is that these two- Wright especially- become completely different hitters when there is any kind of pressure to perform. And with every late and close Wright strike out and Reyes pop up comes more than just a disappointing at bat. For they are microcosms of something much larger; with their constant struggles under pressure comes the reminder of what a failure the Mets-THEIR Mets- have been.

There are some players that possess an innate ability to rise to an occasion. They either have IT or they don't. IT is a quality that is not reflected in box scores or in fantasy statistics. IT does not necessarily correlate with natural ability. And as fans we can't really explain IT, but only know if a player has IT by watching them day in and day out.

While there may have been better all around hitters than Keith Hernandez, there was nobody you would rather have up in a pressure situation because he definitely had IT. And IT rubbed off on his team. Hernandez's Mets were known for their ability to thrive under pressure.

Mike Piazza went through stretches where he willed his team to victory in the most dramatic fashion. He had an uncanny ability to deliver in the most surreal settings. And he was able to do this not solely because of his freakish talent, but because he had IT. And IT also rubbed off on his team. The Piazza led Mets were loved for being gritty and entertaining.

And what are the Wright and Reyes Mets known for? Well, during their era we have seen a disappointing post season and the biggest collapse in the history of baseball. In fact the collapse was so bad that the Mets attempted to categorize the next year's collapse as not really a collapse because it was not as massive as the previous collapse. In other words, these Mets, like the Mets of prior eras are a reflection of their stars. And what a disaster IT has been.

There are No Words . . .

Nothing witty or angry to write about today; sometimes a picture (or video) just says it all. And if you have watched this group over the past five years, how can you blame him?

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/ModernTube-Keith-Hernandez-falls-asleep-during-?urn=mlb,239932

Am I Missing Something?

There was way too much talk from Bobby Ojeda on the post game, as well as the Met players and coaches, about how good Santana looked yesterday; about how refreshing it was to see such a strong rebound after the meltdown in Philadelphia. And while Santana did pitch seven and two thirds- an achievement that has become an accomplishment in itself- four runs and eight hits over those innings is not something I can get so excited about. Certainly not from Santana.

What is even more troubling to me is that, once again, Santana was given multiple run leads that he could not hold. And this is against the Giants at Citi- not exactly the same thing as facing the Phils in their whiffle ball field of a stadium. And what made the situation most disturbing is how happy Santana seemed to be with his performance, crediting his new delivery as a way to avoid tipping his pitches.

Is this what our expectations have become of Johan? And, more importantly, is this what Johan's expectations have become of himself? There was a time where a 1-0 lead seemed insurmountable against Santana. And it would not make any difference if opposing batters knew what was coming every time up; in fact, he had that "you know what's coming, try and hit it" aura about him. But that was the past. Today, we hear accolades over performances that would be considered "solid outings" for a number two starter against a high caliber offense. That, coupled with excuses over why he is getting roughed up so much, is more reason for concern than excitement over another Santana "gutsy performance."

So Very Low

I walk the streets of Brooklyn during game time, trying to find a bar -any bar- that actually has the Met game on one of their many high definition television sets. I hit my limit and find myself literally negotiating with the bartender of a local dive, which, like all the other bars, is only showing the other New York team's game. The back and forth is familiar, as I have been down this road many times before. After I ask him if he could put the Met game on, he shrugs his shoulders and says, "I don't know, I'll have to ask." He heads to the back and I push my position, "there are five people in here and you have four T.V.'s!" "Yeah," he states as he looks back at me, "but I don't even know if we get the Met channel."

As the bartender is engaged in a conversation at the opposite end of the bar with someone I presume is his boss, I wait and the local patrons look me over until their eyes fix on my Met hat. They whisper to each other. I feel awkward; like Obi Wan and Luke walking into the Cantina. Despite these menacing vibrations I hold my ground; for I know that if they want to start all I have to ask is for them to name a player on "their team" pre 1996- other than Mattingly. This usually shuts them up.

The bartender returns and, as if he is doing me some huge favor, tells me he'll put it on "that one", pointing to the 1987 13 inch Zenith hanging in the back corner. I sheepishly say, "thanks, I appreciate it", order a beer, walk to to the back of the bar and sit down. As I sit there I grow angry; instead of thanking him the more appropriate reaction would have been to tell him to fuck off and storm out. But, this is what it has come to. This is how far down the depths of irrelevance a team that at one time ruled New York has fallen.

What makes me particularly angry about this is that in 2006 it looked like things would start to change direction. I'll never forget the feeling I had when a friend and I walked into a Met friendly bar to watch the Mets finish off their three game NLDS sweep of the Dodgers. As the game was about to come on the Detroit Tigers were finishing off what looked like a very old and washed up New York American League baseball team. As the other New York team's fans were dejectedly walking out amidst a swarm of Met fans walking in, there was a feeling that this was the beginning of something special. Like Hunter S. Thompson once wrote, it felt like "we had all the momentum; we were riding the the crest of a high and beautiful wave." But, as Thompson would go on to conclude in his famous passage, "now less than five years later . . .with the right kind of eyes you can almost see the high-water mark — that place where the wave finally broke and rolled back." And where was that place? Well, it came just a few weeks later on October 19, 2006.

Jerry Manuel Doesn't Have A Clue

What is the purpose of pitching Fernando Nieve EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. Aside from the fact that he is going to be completely burnt out by July, it is absurd to have Mejia up here, (which he shouldn't be), if he is only going to throw an inning every now and then. This is becoming a joke. And I am really disappointed in the usually brutally honest booth for not calling Manuel out on this. Cohen and Darling have been hamming it up about how comical it is that Nieve is pitching so much. This isn't funny. The Mets will not have a chance at a play off birth if this keeps up.

Nieve has pitched in seventeen games this season, and in six of those he has pitched multiple innings. Press conference after press conference Manuel sits there, talking about how impressive and resilient Nieve has been. And while that may be true you cannot expect him to keep this up. Why is nobody acknowledging this madness?

As Met fans we have become all too familiar with late season bullpen meltdowns. Apparently Manuel has learned nothing from this.

Retire 17: The Only Logical Choice In An Illogical Time

This is the second in a series of articles demanding that the Mets retire Keith Hernandez's number 17. The series will continue until the Mets do the right thing.

As manager of another New York team Casey Stengal won seven World Series Championships. As Mets manager from 1962-1965 Stengal's teams finished in last place every season. But he was a vital piece to the launching of the New York Met Franchise. Because of Casey it didn't matter that the Mets were laughably bad; he gave the team a charming identity and a reason for fans and media to come to the ballpark. The Mets retired his number 37 in 1965.

Gil Hodges was the beloved first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1947-1957. In 1968 he took over the managerial duties of the New York Mets. Hodges was known for his hard nosed, no nonsense approach and is credited as being the heart and soul of the 1969 World Champion Mets. His was the rare personality that rubbed off on players around him. His number 14 was retired by the Mets in 1972.

Like Stengal, Keith Hernandez gave the Mets an identity. Prior to his arrival in 1983 the Mets were irrelevant and wallowing away in obscurity. And like Hodges, Hernadez brought with him an attitude that would come to define not only a championship team, but the most successful era in New York Mets history. And unlike Hodges and Stengel he actually played for the team. And boy did he play. He was the rare baseball player whose style made players around him even better. He made losers into winners. He was also the greatest defensive first baseman to ever play the game. His number 17 is currently worn by Fernando Tatis.

Isn't this ridiculous? Why do the Mets not only refuse to acknowledge Hernandez's place in Mets History, but insult him by haphazardly giving out his number to, at best, marginal players? For this reason alone, I cannot share in the love that so many Met fans feel for Charlie Samuels, the longtime Mets equipment manager who has been responsible for assigning uniform numbers. But its not just Charlie to blame, because as Fed Wilpon once said, "The buck stops with me." Well Fred, I call upon you then to put an end to the madness and Retire 17.