Reese Kaplan -- We Have Met the Enemy and He is Us

Hashtags have become a way of life.  Even among people who manage to avoid using Twitter, only the most insular among us are unaware of the descriptors like #SomeCrapWeSupport which helps index similar thoughts from others searching to reaffirm what they already believe. 

In the days before Twitter we still had the same mentality, but it was distributed differently.  One that sort of straddles the older generation and the newer one is the resurrection of the LOLMets moniker.  You wonder how these things get started, but when you sit back to ruminate awhile the answer becomes self evident.

When the season was drawing to a close, no one doubted that the Mets were going to make a change in the field manager.  After all, Mickey Callaway made innumerable lineup and bullpen decisions that were at the least head scratchers.  He didn’t seem nuanced in the National League use of substitutions and pinch hitters.  He didn’t seem to understand things like the double switch.  He sometimes left his pitchers get battered around like a fungo practice session and other times was he was Captain Hook.  

Consequently, no one other than the Callaway family shed tears when Brodie Van Wagenen decided he needed to bring in his own guy rather than continuing down the path with the one who actually delivered a winning record in only his second year on the job (something his predecessor took until his 5^th year to do so).  Obviously, BVW was going to look for someone with more experience to address the shortcomings of handing the reins to a rookie ill prepared for the job.  

Instead, he hired Carlos Beltran who not only had not ever managed before, but also had not logged a single inning as a coach.  So in terms of experience, he actually went backwards. It was not like he was held in high regard by Mets fans.  They all vilified him for leaving the bat on his shoulder in the playoffs against Adam Wainwright.  Then he took up with the Yankees. Then the cherry on top was his stealing of signs during the World Series while a member of the Astros. #LOLMets

Seemingly year after year the Mets need to address the firestarters from the previous year's conflagration in the bullpen.  First came the blockbuster trade to bring the AL’s Saves leader to the Mets in the form of Edwin Diaz.  We know how that worked out.  Then came the ill-advised signing of Jeurys Familia who had been traded away the season before.  The reason it was not a particularly smart move was because anyone who watched the Mets saw that Familia was one pitcher with the game on the line and another one entirely in non-save situations.  He flat-out sucked in them, yet BVW gave him $30 million over three years to do what he demonstrated he failed at again and again. 

Therefore, it should come as no surprise when he provided kerosene for the fire as the setup guy.  He did acquire previously effective pitchers in Justin Wilson and Luis Avilan but both missed huge chunks of the season due to injury.  Only Seth Lugo was a bright light out there, so naturally the Mets are talking about removing him from the bullpen to make him a starter, thus further inflaming their Achille’s Heel.  #LOLMets

About the only good thing that came out of the prolonged injury that destroyed David Wright’s career was the fact that the insurance policy covered 75% of his salary after he missed 60 games and could not participate in baseball activities.  The most expensive player they ever signed, Yoenis Cespedes, has also seen his career derailed by injuries, though in his case it was a multitude (not all of which were baseball related).  

So, earlier this month video surfaces of Cespedes taking batting practice against his buddy Endy Chavez.  While some were probably pleased to finally see the leader of the 2015 World Series team possibly becoming relevant once again, the front office was likely horrified as it’s hard to make the case he’s unable to play and thus due for a 75% insurance reimbursement if he’s out there all over Instagram showing off his prowess.  Now his full salary must be factored into the already difficult off-season budgeting.  #LOLMets

Pogo was right!