David Rubin - If You Always Do What You’ve Always Done…

Think about some of these names – Ron Hodges, Joel Youngblood, Steve Henderson, Doug Flynn, Wayne Garrett, Timo Perez, Ed Kranepool, Mike Phillips and Desi Relaford- what do they all have in common? 

If you said “Players who started for the Mets but who most likely never would have started for another organization for $500. Alex” you would be CORRECT!! And let’s face it – as Mets fans we have gotten used to accepting players who weren’t exactly star quality, or even replacement level quality, and fallen in love with many of them over the years. 

Their ineptitude became a rallying point, as we (mostly) grew used to being an organization of so-called loveable losers. Admittedly, I’ve long been a huge fan of Kranepool and Flynn, and have never been afraid to embrace a fringe player, like Super Joe McEwing. However, the reality is that, for an organization that is 57 years old this season, we haven’t had a ton of superstar players that have started and finished their careers in the blue and orange. 

I won’t even GO THERE about the “Franchise” – you’ve already read my thoughts on him. David Wright’s career-ending circumstances didn’t follow the anticipated narrative of finishing his Mets-only career with first-ballot entry into the baseball Hall of Fame, but at least he finished it in Flushing only playing in our pinstripes his whole career. 

Names like Seaver, Jon Matlack, Jerry Koosman, Jose Reyes, Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, all should have retired having worn only one uniform for their entire careers. It hasn’t happened in baseball as often, understandably with free agency, but it has happened far less with the Mets than it should have, and it’s about time to change that narrative.

The (long-expected) news that the Angels had finally signed Mike Trout to a lifetime contract, keeping him in their periwinkle red for an entire career, made the need to do likewise with one Jacob deGrom that much more necessary. It may be true that Jake never becomes a HOFer, having started his major league career at a bit of an advanced age, but then again with the entrance of Roy Halladay this coming July it may indeed pave the way for pitchers with lower career numbers but that all-important 10-year stretch of greatness to get in, moving forward.  

Let’s face it - Jacob has won rookie-of-the-year and Cy Young awards, been a multi-time all-star, is a great hitter, and won the opening and game-winning play-off games versus the Dodgers in 2015; he’s already had one helluva 5-year run in the bigs, and if he puts up similar numbers for the next 5 years, those hallowed doors just might open for one of the best homegrown arms we’ve ever raised. 

Here’s hoping that taking into account the changing role of starting pitchers (stats-wise, anyway) continues to be accepted and validated, and that HOF voters don’t go back to valuing stats that are outdated and no longer as pertinent (wins, for instance). Then we’d get what we’ve always gotten.

Notes on Spring Training

I’m very excited to see Pete Alonso in the middle of the order in a few days, when the games are real. This kid has done everything and more that’s been expected of him, and damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead! Who CARES if he becomes a free agent one-year sooner- we need wins immediately and the line-up is that much stronger with his bat in the middle. 

Nelson Figueroa recently said on the Mets nightly show that they sure could’ve used a few more wins in April in 2008, and that old, antiquated thinking that games don’t matter in April really needs to be buried alongside a pitchers’ won-lost record and left-handed relievers pitching to only one batte.

As we get closer to celebrating the 50 year anniversary of the ’69 team, I began jotting down some notes about how that team was my entrée’ into the world of championships. Combined with the old ABA New York Nets & New York Islanders, along with the 1973 team, as a kid I thought that winning was a divine right of all New Yorkers and how, as a young adult, I found that the opposite was actually the truth…I’ve begun making plans, in fact, to attend my first games at CitiField in 5 years this June as I head back into town to see the 3-game series celebrating that ’69 team. 

I’ve started the mindset by pre-ordering (months ago) books by the great Erik Sherman and Art Shamsky, Ron Swoboda, Wayne Coffey and Rich Coutinho, and the Shamsky/Sherman book arrived on Tuesday, the official release day. I’ll have reviews of each book posted as I read each one, as they are released between now and June.

Look for a really big season from Michael Conforto, as he grows into the face of the franchise with Wright now retired. He’s finally going to have hitters both in front and behind him, so he doesn’t have to feel like he has to hit a homer every at-bat in order for the team to win. If Harper had stayed in Washington, I’d bet Mike’s stats would have been even better than Bryce’s, but with that short porch in Philly I don’t think, at least power-wise, that this will now be the case. But at a price of around $32 million LESS this season, Conforto remains a great bargain!

Matt Harvey has looked pretty good so far this spring with the Angels, but any thoughts that he was going to eventually rediscover his high heat were just overly ambitious. He’s sitting in that 91-93 zone, although his off-speed stuff looks crisp once more. He may end up being the Angels’ opening day pitcher with the recent re-injury to Andrew Heaney and Tyler Skaggs also on the DL, but it isn’t because he’s regained his form as a top 10 hurler.

Wilson Ramos is perhaps the best two-way catcher in baseball with Buster Posey a shadow of his old self and Pena sidelined the entire season in Kansas City. Let’s hope he stays healthy because his presence in the field and in the line-up brings us that much closer to the all-important play-offs – and beyond!

And speaking of catchers, here’s hoping the team finds a way to hold onto Devin Meseraco as his player option is about to expire and they have to either bring him to Washington or release him to pursue the majors with another organization. Having 3 catchers may seem like a luxury to some, but as Travis gets back into game-shape, having someone who can both hit for power and is the preferred target of Cy Young winner deGrom is a luxury that we cannot afford to give up.

I’m looking forward to finally attending my first Brooklyn Cyclones game this year, at the same time I’m in town for the 69 reunion weekend. My dad was at the first game played in Brooklyn, and I practically grew up across the street, as my aunt, uncle and grandparents lived in Lunar Park, a stone’s throw away from both the ballpark and my second home, the original Nathan’s!! Since moving to Southern California back in 1994, it was all I could do to get back east to see a Mets game, let alone stage a trip to Brooklyn once my family moved out of Coney Island. Here’s hoping that the team will feature a handful of our best prospects (as usual) and I’m beyond excited to be heading back to the home of the world’s best hot dog AND Gil Hodges!!! Be well, be kind to one another, and I’ll be posting again soon!