Reese Kaplan -- The Happy End of a Rough Year

Through sidebar comments and replies to others’ posts I’ve let it be know that I’m indeed going through a rather unexpected set of symptoms related to what would otherwise seem to be a fair typical circumstance.  

I was at home just after the company Christmas party and the following late evening I passed out in my home, smacking my thankfully bare face already without my eyeglasses onto the edge of one of the pieces of furniture giving myself more of a Halloween-appropriate shiner rather than a look and feel more appropriate for the December holiday season.  

After reviving me and getting me into bed I apparently kept drifting in and out of consciousness until my wife decided to call in the experts and off I went via ambulance to the hospital.  That was on December 7^th and Sunday, December 29^th, I finally got discharged. 

I don’t mean to make it sound overly simple or straightforward.  I went from an emergency specialty center for about a week onto a rehab hospital for almost three weeks, then onto a discharge into an outpatient center.  In between there was a brief moment of civility with a Sunday brunch at a local Mexican restaurant during which I felt “normal” for a brief interval for the first time in nearly 4 weeks.  

From there it was a quick drive to my next new home where a private apartment style accommodation was awaiting me along with a day full of interviews and forms to fill out.  All the initial slaughtering of trees has been done and I’ve inked enough puzzling responses to their questions that it should provide a few hours worth of mystery as they try to understand.

In the interim, it seems the Mets went into the Winter Meetings with a number of interesting if non All-Star level moves.  They added folks like Jake Marisnick, Michael Wacha and Rick Porcello, all of whom should help, though none who defined notable improvements over the current roster.  

The big one (and an act few of us saw coming) was the addition of former superstar reliever Dellin Betances from a near season-long disabled list stint into the bullpen.  Considering his close relationship with new manager Carlos Beltran and the rumored heavy bidding for his services, the transition from the beach towel, err, the Bronx to Citifield came as something of a surprise, but one that was greeted by universal approval by the faithful fans.

The roster is far from done, of course.  

There is no question about who’s playing first base, too much money in who’s playing second, a great stride forward by the shortstop and a big question mark about if it’s Jeff McNeil, J.D. Davis or the nearly invisible Jed Lowrie at 3rd base.  

Then there’s the outfield question between Michael Conforto, somewhat reborn Yoenis Cespedes, semi-healthy Brandon Nimmo, remaining ex-third basemen Davis, McNeil and Lowrie, as well as newcomer Jake Marisnick.  

Is there room for improvement?  Absolutely!  

Will there be?  Probably not. 

So what’s been going on in your lives?