If I Were a Mets Fan

Being a younger sibling comes with its difficulties. While I cannot speak from experience, the challenges that come with living in the shadow of another are self explanatory. Being a Mets fan is accompanied by the constant struggle of, understandably, being the “other team” in New York. However, the position the Mets find themselves in this year is much more intriguing than their Bronx counterpart. For today I will be a Mets fan to experience the promising signs and questionable directions taken by the team that is forced to live in the biggest shadow of all.

Not so long ago, the Mets were just as competitive as the Yankees. David Wright and Jose Reyes were the future, and in their first four complete seasons together (2005-08) the Mets enjoyed an average of 89 wins. It seems like just yesterday when Endy Chavez robbed Scott Rolen and the Mets were one swing away from a World Series appearance that Carlos Beltran failed to even attempt. I don’t mean to bring up any painful memories, but the point is that we are not so far removed from the idea of glory for the New York Mets. So what happened in a only a couple of years that led to their more recent loveable loser persona? To put it shortly, the Phillies happened. A number of aggressive transactions and consecutive monumental collapses in Septembers led to the Phillies hurdling both the Mets and Braves to the top of the National League East division. The Mets haven’t been able to fully recover from their late season struggles. While they were tough, it’s about time the Mets were back in the playoff discussion, and this season may be the one to move their organization back in that direction.

The Mets have quietly been very competitive this year, maintaining a .500 record at 48-48. Clearing the realm of pushovers is the first necessary step towards redemption. They remain 9 games out of the wild card race and the playoffs do seem like a long shot, but it is far from impossible and a closer look at some of their individual elements lead me to believe that collective success is on its way. Offensively, their only issue is durability. Despite practically routine injuries and trips to the DL for Wright and Reyes, the Mets are surprisingly 2^nd in the National League in batting average and 5^th in runs scored. If they are capable of such numbers now, there is no reason to believe they cannot be the highest scoring and most efficient offense in the National League if those guys can stay reasonably healthy, and if Jason Bay does anything but remain a corpse. In terms of their pitching, another pleasant surprise makes the Mets a formidable opponent. I watched R.A. Dickey shut down Yankee bats multiple times by throwing wiffle balls. His collective ERA when combined with Dillon Gee and Jonathan Niese is 3.70, which is serviceable if they could only find an anchor to complete the starting rotation. Ideally, that ace will make a return later this summer as Johan Santana returns from yet another shortened season. A few things would have to go their way on the health front, but all the pieces are in place to assemble a championship (yes, championship) season within the next couple of years.

The last obstacle standing is unfortunately a sizeable one. My lingering suspicion is that the entire front office is either completely incapable of winning or is just fundamentally against it. I wont even blame them entirely for investing in Bernie Madoff and being left essentially broke. I understand they are working with limited funds but in a season in which the Pirates are in first place, I have no pity. The Mets have gotten rid of the closing relief pitcher who holds the record for saves in a single season for the foreseeable future and has plenty left in the tank to remain one of the league’s best at finishing games. They are also most likely planning to get rid of their best power hitter who boasts a .293 average, Carlos Beltran. As a Yankee fan, I am now accustomed to my power hitters accumulating terrible batting averages and just swinging for a short right field fence over and over again. I would not let go of a guy who can do that and still play the field. The reason the Mets are clearing financial space like they’re the Knicks is all to keep a table-setter. While he is a great one, Jose Reyes simply isn’t worth getting rid of multiple great players just to maybe keep one. He may even decide after this year to leave because the Mets are a financial mess and they got rid of people just to keep him so the team is collectively less talented than it previously was. He has already refused to renew or even discuss his contract so far during the current season, and I’m sure the stability and promise provided by being Derek Jeter’s successor or a key piece on another contender is pretty tempting. The Mets might lose everyone if they maintain this desperate style of ownership and management. As a temporary Mets fan, I can’t even tell if we’re trying to be a seller that’s building for a distant future or a buyer that’s trying to win now. The mixed signals leave me confused and, most forebodingly, unsure as to whether or not Fred Wilpon and company even know what they’re doing.

When I look at the Mets I see potential that ends in a ring, but the smaller and less evil empire in New York is a fragile one. Too many wrong turns and tough breaks as an organization could leave fans devastated, from rentals like me to the absolute die hards. Potential has its way of never coming to fruition. If I hear the Houston Texans are the NFL’s team of tomorrow one more time, I’ll be forced to point out that they forgot to at some point make themselves the team of today, and I fear the same for the Detroit Lions. On the baseball note, the Mets have to avoid that tomorrow mindset and realize that they have the pieces to win right now. They just need the strong leadership, a consistent pitching ace, and their strength and conditioning guys in charge need to be either improved, fired, or shot.