I didn't watch the game yesterday. Frankly, I couldn't. I had seen enough of this reeling team losing 10 of 11 and playing like a bunch of guys on a stage that was too big for them. I needed a break, just like I think some of the Mets need a break.
Saturday's game pushed me over the brink from hopefulness to despair. Watching the very sure-handed Francisco Lindor misplay a bouncer up the middle that would have ended a threat with no runs was exasperating. Probably even more for him than for the fans, but painful to everyone. Then the defensive replacement at third boots a ball leading to more runs. Then the out that wasn't an out because it was a pitch clock violation that was called in retrospect. On the next pitch, if it were a Mets hitter right now would be strike three looking at a fastball down the middle. But the Brewers swing the bat, looking for results. And they got two runs for their trouble.
This is baseball. Things like that happen, and often in bunches. When it is going bad, it goes really bad. I understand that. But I also need to walk away for a day. No, I am not giving up on the Mets. A Mets fan never gives up, because we are trained to accept the adversity and wait for the next positive moment to come along.
This streak will end, and the team will end up playing better - they have to because there are many skilled players that have performed throughout their careers on average. But I think the damage is done. They are no longer contending for first place and a bye in the playoffs. They will fight for the last wild card spot and likely match up against a hot team that will eliminate the Mets in the first series. A sad end to a promising start. A tragic end to another season with the highest payroll in baseball. Soto may regret not putting an opt-out clause into the second year now that he has seen the curse that has lasted 39 years.
By the way, I am not out to blame anyone for this slow motion train wreck. Too many want to lay it all on someone - like Mendoza for pulling starters too quick (he does) or the hitting coaches for messing up the hitters (I don't believe that). This is more likely one of those "state-of-mind" funks that creates doubt in the mind of the hitter, distracts the fielder, and causes the pitcher to become predictable.
So a day (or two) off from it all will help me get renewed perspective. Just like the spring of every year gives rise to new hope to baseball fans every year that this could be their year. On Thursday, I will be back with a ray of optimism (I hope). After all, I am a Mets fan.
6 comments:
We should stage a hunger strike at Citi Field, because this team has left us hungry and distraught far too many times over the past two centuries.
Is there a baseball version of the NBA’s Michael Jordan in our clubhouse. He would not have let his team slither thru an 18-31 disaster stretch in which they somehow won 7 straight, but otherwise have been 11-31. Inexcusable. Michael would have been screaming in dudes’ faces.
I was trained by an editor of a newspaper the do's and don't of sportswriter
I confirmed these with Adam Rubin
You can never write like you are a fan of the team you are covering. It had to be fact based . From there you can objectively add comments but you can never use the word "we" when discussing the team
Agree with the precedent, but thought the fans needed an "empathy" piece.
Love it Paul. It’s what I was thinking to some extent. As for the Micheal Jordan of this team, he will be Ronnie Mauricio if you let him be. Doesn’t anyone on this roster have more talent? I don’t understand why people are saying the Baby Mets are a failure. Vientos was just starting to stir when Stearns got the CF from Baltimore that he doesn’t need, sending McNeil to 2B and Vientos to the bench… Baty should have been shipped out.
I literally stopped watching after Manea gave up those runs to a bunch of hitters barely hitting their weight. SMH
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