Let's go Mets

I suppose if you’re a Met, the All Star Break came right on time. Or maybe not. Finally, after a homerless drought that didn’t have any end in sight, was put to rest, patching a pretty decent stretch in which runs were produced, and finally showing some offensive punch against an even more pathetic team than their own, the Mets were forced by the schedule to take a break.

We wouldn’t want to get too excited now would we. The Mets are a whole 6.5 games out of first place. Since scoring 11 runs against the Cardinals on June 24th, the Mets have managed more than 5 runs a whopping 3 times in 17 games. In fact in that same stretch they have been beaten by 8 or more runs 3 times too.

Sure the Mets and management have a built in excuse that they have been hit by the injury plague this season. They lost their closer last year to elbow problems and had to sign one and then trade for another just to be their set up guy and they have lost him too. They have lost one starting pitcher to the DL. Their starting 1b had the same hip problem that Alex Rodriguez had and is out till late August. Their starting shortstop has had hamstring isuses and their starting CF who was starting to tear the cover off the ball had to be put on the DL as well thanks to a balky knee. Stomach bugs, out of the blue back spasms, even swine flu have been connected with this team. In fact, it got so bad that their most prized prospect, 20 year old Fernando Martinez (he of the .167 batting average), was just placed on the DL just for good measure.

This wasn’t the way it was supposed to be. Barring any injuries it looked like this season had the potential to be another 2006. They had just opened up a brand new cash cow stadium. They had fixed their bullpen issues (the main cause of their horrific 2008 season collapse) and added Gary Sheffield to be their insurance bat. Well, it all looked well and fine on paper but I suppose that’s why they play the game.

Once the season started, the Mets began falling like flies. Once again, the Mets continued to beat themselves. Delgado had hip problems yet still flew with the team inexplicably instead of being treated for the ailment and when he went on the DL for a hip flexor, everyone was left to scratch their heads. Jose Reyes, with his bad hammy went on the 15 day DL a week after it was clear to everyone but the Met medical staff that he was no good. Perhaps we all should have paid attention to the way the Met medical staff handled Ryan Church’s concussions last year. When it was clear that he had a concussion, the Met medical staff saw no problem in Ryan flying cross country on a plane.

They are the most optimistic guys on the planet which leads me to believe that either these guys are hippies, using up too much of their meds for recreational purposes or they got their medical degree from one of those shady online universities. Either way, the Mets staff have helped in this growing meltdown of a season.

Of course it wouldn’t be fair to only fault fate with this mess of a season. Let’s not forget that the Mets have had miscues upon miscues to fill up their own first half blooper reel. Then you have the starting pitching which hasn’t been solid up to this point. But nothing is as cruel as David Wright’s season.

In his first four full major league seasons, the Mets slugger has averaged 115 strike outs. This season, at the All Star break, he has had 87. He’s on pace for somewhere around 157 which would be amazing unless you count that for a good portion of the season he was the NL batting leader. Yes, the guy that was striking out at an Adam Dunn like pace, was leading the NL in batting average. He, like every Met has also found it very difficult to leave the yard at Citi Field. In what can, at this point be attributed to the stadium’s wide alleys and tall fences, David has hit a meager 5 home runs which tells you that this season will be David’s strangest. In a season in which the Mets desperately needed their face to help save the Mets collective one, he has fell flat on his.

But that’s per the Mets star’s style and I can’t completely get on him for that. Not everyone can live up to the pressure that’s put on them. You can tell in every big spot in the game, he is looking to put a big swing on the ball and ends up chasing balls way out of the strike zone as pitchers see right through his game face and see that he will chase just about anything.

Most of the Mets losses haven’t been the gut wrenching one run loss because of a bad break. No, the adage that you make your own luck kind of works in a negative way too. The Mets team defense has been extremely bad, but let’s face it, the Mets haven’t had a typical season just yet. With all their injuries the Mets don’t have what you would call an everyday outfield. The batting line up seems to change every single day. Fernando Tatis, the feel good story of 2008, has hit into a double play in such a huge percentage of his at bats, but who else can Jerry Manuel, the beleaguered manager turn to in spots?

But its those critical mistakes that Jerry has made which makes it even more frustrating. Benching one guy a day after a pretty good day at the plate, so he can play percentage points by trying to match up a righty with a lefty has made the line up card posting just as much breaking news as hearing anything from their medical staff which is always an adventure. You can’t coach conventional in an unconventional year.

My advice to the Mets: just let them play. If this is really a meritocracy like Jerry says, then let the hot players play. If this season continues to go at the rate it has been, call up Jon Niese, and let him pitch in the five spot in the rotation. Let’s see some other talent get promoted. I’m in the camp that the only way you get these young guys ready for major league hitters is by throwing them into the fire. This is not like Kansas City where you can bring up a prospect slowly and expect him to be at a certain maturity level when he gets there.

The New York sports scene is a totally different beast that management has to account for. Making it in New York is like an actor making it in Hollywood. It’s the pinnacle and for those in other markets that shrug off that statement, you really don’t know what you’re talking about. Ask Derek Jeter. Ask Lawrence Taylor. Ask Dwight Gooden. Ask Walt Clyde Frazier. Ask Mark Messier. These guys made it in the biggest market in the world and still live off it to this day. The people that embrace the challenge that is New York which can include the media constantly (and sometimes unfairly) taking you to task for things big and small, the constant questioning by fans both on the street and voicing their displeasure on sports radio. The incessant second guessing by couch coaches who swear they know what they are talking about.

Its not easy, but you don’t just learn by taking notes and going to a class. You learn by graduating the school of hard knocks by getting there and embracing it. By knowing that this is what this town is for better or for worse. By being aware that you’re
always being watched. Even when you think you’re alone, you’re not. Its not easy but if you want to make it on the big stage, it’s the rite of passage.

I’m not saying to give up on the season because let’s be honest, its not like the Phillies have just ran away with the division (that sentence is prior to any Roy Halladay deal should it be made). Its not like the teams in front of the Mets are these super power teams that can’t be beaten. No. The Braves and Marlins don’t have enough offense or pitching to survive the trenches of September baseball. The only team that’s proven it thus far is Philly so they should be given the benefit of the doubt. If the teams are still close in September, you have to give the edge to the Phillies thanks to recent history. But if somehow, someway, the Mets can find their bats again like they have showed two days ago, and show signs of life, they could find that help IS right around the corner.

Sure it was frustrating to see Omar Minaya do nothing over the last month as the Mets began to flutter and show signs of no life. But in all honesty I couldn’t blame him. As bad as it was, I’m in the minority that what Omar did was in the best interest of the club. While the Jeff Francouer deal might have seemed like a trade that was made kind of as a get me over kind of move to hold off the masses while the fans were waiting for the big bat to come along, the deal was smart in one way: the Ryan Church experiment had run its course. Since he came here, he’s been up and down with the bat, and while his glove has been good, it seemed ill fated from the beginning and only seemed to get worse as time went on. Getting a guy like Jeff Francouer who desperately needed to leave the Braves and is young might not be the kind of big bat that fans were hoping for but it’s a fresh face, in a new situation kind of thing that might be the stroke of luck this luck-less team has had in a while.

I usually kill Omar who I think has overall done a good job despite some real boneheaded decision making (I hate him for letting so many pieces of that 2006 team leave after the year), but I can’t really fault him. Where the media and fans were crying for some kind of move, he didn’t let the fans cries and pleas get to him. A lot of times its a waiting game and waiting for your players to come back might be foolish when you look back but compromising what little talent you have left for some immediate quick fix when one guy just won’t do it for this team is NOT the right solution. While patience may not be New York fans’ best virtue, its still the one that needs to be used in this case. Presently constructed the Mets will not win anything in some time but you certainly have pieces and the division is not out of reach like most insist. Despite all the horrific play and all the boneheaded, minor league effort, the Mets can still salvage a lost season. Perhaps July 31’st the Mets will be buyers. But think of it this way. They will get their 1b by the end of August and right now you are allowing Daniel Murphy to make strides in the infield where he looks much more comfortable. By mid-August, you could see the Mets with 3 closers going from the 7th to the 9th which would make the burden on the Met pitching staff that much less. As badly as Oliver Perez pitched in his come back start, he got out of trouble every single time which means that he showed that he still has flashes. His trademark slider was in the strike zone all night and if he can do it against the best team in the major league, the Dodgers, then yes he too can salvage his career. Sure David Wright’s season has absolutely sucked in Mets fan’s eyes, but he’s had some hot streaks where you can’t get him out. Imagine him in one of those hot streaks when Jose Reyes and the Carlos' get back and comfortable in that line up. The time most of these guys have had while the regulars have been out have allowed them to grow and mature and their bench will be ready to step up when called to. The Mets have had a full season in just 86 games and now are looking to make a push. Santana’s second halves are usually much better than his first half and he won 10 games in what was an up and down first half for him. John Maine will come back, and suddenly the bullpen might not be as taxed. I know its tough to notice but have you seen how well Pedro Feliciano and Sean Green have been pitching lately? Suddenly, the Mets don’t look half bad. I don’t mind if we sit and watch come trade deadline. I will not let my front office trade any more blue chip prospects for some kind of quick fix. No thank you. If Roy Halladay goes to the Phillies then so be it. Can’t cry over it. Can’t be sad. So I need Met fans to stop being like Red Sox (before 2004) and Cub fans (since forever) and constantly crying over how bad this season has gotten.

Like the second half of this article, things are looking up for us and damnit, THIS IS OUR YEAR!