Mike Freire - Fleeting Thoughts

Good Morning, Mets’ fans.

I hope that everyone is continuing to do well and that you are finally getting a break from the excessively long Summer we just experienced.  My wife and I decided to flee our home State of Florida and head for the hills, so to speak (Hendersonville, NC).  I tell you, the mountains are just what the soul needs sometimes, even if it is just for a week.

With that said, the NLCS and the ALCS have been completed since my last effort in this series and we finally have our World Series combatants identified (I will touch on this match up a bit later in this piece).

In the meantime, let’s get on with this article.

1.  This will be a bit off topic, but I felt the need to spread the word a bit.  For those of you who enjoy drinking a beer or two from time to time, you have probably enjoyed one of the many varieties that Sierra Nevada Brewery has produced over the years.  If you get the chance, they opened a second brewery in Mills River, NC (just south of Asheville) a few years ago and that place is really hitting it's stride!  From the quality of their products, to their overall generosity and their awareness of their environmental impact, they simply "get it".  

Their basic tour is free (with a reservation) and it will tell the story far better then anything I can share with you.  In short, if you are in the area you owe it to yourself to visit the site and enjoy what they have to offer.  

2.  Getting back to baseball, I found it interesting how easily the Red Sox dispatched the defending champion Astros.  Granted, it wasn't a total cake walk, but the Red Sox dispatched them in five games and looked to be in control for most of the time.  Remember, the Astros won 103 games this past season, so they were not a pushover.  I think this bodes well for their chances in the World Series, provided they continue to get the quality of relief pitching that they enjoyed in the previous series.

The NLCS was much more competitive, until the seventh game where it looked like the Brewers ran out of gas and produced a "flat" effort.  I mentioned it in one of my previous "pennant race" articles, but the Dodgers just looked like the most talented team in the National League, despite their inconsistent play from time to time.  When they are focused, they are as good as anyone in baseball which also bodes well for their chance in the World Series.  I would not be surprised if the "Fall Classic" goes the distance and the Red Sox take care of business on their home field when all is said and done (I guess that counts as a prediction).

3.  Changing the focus from other teams to our favorite team, I continue to shake my head at how LONG the new GM search is taking!  Folks, the Mets are a big market club with quite a bit of talent on the roster, so you would think that "up and coming" executives would be lining up for a chance to take the wheel, right?

Of course, I did not mention the "Wilpon factor" which is hard to quantify because none of us are actually in the club house or in the executive suite.  If we go on rumor, innuendo and reputation, it seems like working for the Wilpon's is less than desirable (to put it nicely).  This HAS to be the reason why the search is taking so long and why some of the rumored candidates have pulled their name out of consideration.  Right?

Despite this delay, we still have a couple of weeks before the season is officially over and personnel moves will begin in earnest.  Can we get Sandy's replacement in house by that point, please?  I am secretly pulling for the gentleman from the Rays organization, since he is used to shoestring budgets and playing in a tough division, but that's just me. 

4.  Other then the GM discussion(s), there have been a few lively "comments section" debates on this site over the past few days.  If you haven't read them, then you should look up the previous articles and do so.  I enjoy a good baseball argument (without name calling and other drama that is so common today) and that is exactly what you will find there.  

Sometimes I think we have forgotten that it is OK to disagree (when you do so respectfully).  The topic doesn't matter so much, but it forces you to be open minded and to consider what the other person is saying.  You might actually learn something once in a while, or even change your mind!

A good example is the ongoing Manny Machado debate (take that with a large grain of salt, since no one is actually sure that he would come to the Mets in the first place).  Maybe you want him signed at all costs or maybe you don't think his "value" will match his contract.  Perhaps you think of him as a Short Stop, or you prefer him at Third Base.  I was firmly in the "no thank you" camp, since I hate investing so much money in one player.  But, after reading over the listed comments a bit, I have relaxed my approach and I am now open to the possibility of adding his name to our roster (depends on the actual contract, of course).

That is what blogs like this are all about and it will only get more interesting as the off season approaches.

Well, that is all for today......stay safe out there, folks.