Craig Mitchell - Mitchell's Musings

 

Mitchell’s Musings

SUBMITTED FOR YOUR APPROVAL…..

I have to say it. As a Met fan 2021 has been the strangest year I can remember. That’s saying a lot. I mean it. We are less than a season away from cardboard cut-outs in the seats and a 60 game season with a universal DH. Despite that if you’re a Mets fan, in comparison 2021 is The Twilight Zone. Monday night as the Rockies came to Citi Field, the Mets fielded a team that looks like an early spring training game. Jose Peraza, Johneshwy Fargas, Cameron Maybin, Tomas Nido, Jonathon Villar? The only “regulars” in the line-up are a sub .200 batting Francisco Lindor at short and Dom Smith in Left. I’d include James McCann, but he’s out of position playing first base for the first time in his professional career.

Seriously? Where is Rod Serling? Is he eating a Polar Burger? Look, I’m no newbie. I’ve seen weird. I’ve seen Todd Hundley try to navigate left field in 1997. I’ve seen Joel Youngblood get hits in two separate games with two different teams, in two different cities on the same day (Mets and Expos.) Nope, doesn’t hold a candle to 2021.

In 1976 I saw the Mets trade Rusty Staub for a 35 year old Mickey Lolich. That same year I witnessed the Mets feature a mule named “Mettle” as a mascot. I’m talking weird here.

April 8^th 1985 a 41 year old Staub, who returned to the Mets two seasons earlier, now a pinch-hitter supreme, comes in to play right field for the first time since 1983 in the 12^th inning. Manager Davey Johnson moves Staub from right to left in opposition to the batters pull field to minimize the chance that Staub would have to make a play. (He ended up saving a run on a pop fly off the bat of Rick Rhoden)

On July 4^th 1985, I stayed up to nearly 4 in the morning to watch Rick Camp hit a Home Run off Tom Gorman in the bottom of the 18^th inning to tie the game at 11 in Atlanta. (Camp was a career .074
hitter)

On July 22^nd 1986 in another extra inning affair in Pittsburgh, I watched Roger McDowell and Jesse Orosco flip-flop from the mound to left field and right field and back again.

OK, that was strange but also kinda awesome. That’s just to name a few.

But looking at the line up the Mets were forced to field on Monday. It’s just so bizarre. I have never seen the Mets besieged by so many key injuries.

But I keep thinking of 1972. A very, very strange season. First off, April started off with tragedy with the sudden loss of Manager Gil Hodges. The season was delayed 12 days due to a players strike. Once underway the Mets featuring new arrivals Rusty Staub and Jim Fregosi started off red hot. Rookie Jon Matlack started 6-0, another rookie John Milner was hitting 

 .324 and Rusty was raking. By May 21^st the Mets were an astounding 25-7. Then the domino’s started to fall. Fregosi out with a broken thumb. Staub out with a broken hand. Harrelson out. Grote out. Jones, Agee…and well, the losses started to mount. The Mets got back to full strength by August, but by then, it was moot. The Mets ended up 83-73, 13 ½ games behind the Pirates.

Despite all that 49 years ago, the injuries in 2021 are just so much worse. Not physically so much, but in scope. McNeil, Alonso, Davis, Conforto, Nimmo, Taijuan Walker all sidelined. Noah Syndergaard, Hector Carrasco and Seth Lugo starting the season on the IL. Latest word is Conforto and McNeil are

not going to be back until late June. The good news is the Mets will be getting Davis, Syndergaard, Alonso and Lugo back before not too long. The Mets (as of this writing) are still above .500 and if they stay competitive they have a shot. The key is hitting and defense. The Met super-subs have flashed the leather, but to be honest, neither squad has been tearing the cover off the ball. That puts a strain on the starters and the bullpen.

Honestly, I could have made three dozen predictions before this season started and this current situation NEVER would have come to mind. Oh No! As I’m writing this Johneshwy Fargas is now OUT with a strained AC joint in his left shoulder.

Cue the creepy music and Mr. Serling...