7
2009
Mets Fans Are Grumbling While The Team Is Stumbling
An article by 
As the injuries have been piling up for the Mets over the past few weeks and the losses to teams like the Pirates and Nationals continue, Mets fans have come out in droves complaining about the team and their chances to make any kind of noise in the National League East. To those fans, I say RELAX! There’s still plenty of season left and many things to look forward to. Before you ask me what I’m drinking and how much of it I’m drinking, let me explain why this season is not lost yet.
Last year, a few days before the firing of Willie Randolph, the Mets were in fourth place, 7½ games out of first. With their 30-33 record, the team was doing their best to be the poster boys for underachievement. Their lackadaisical play was prompting the fans to call for Randolph’s head, which was eventually served to them in Anaheim. At the time of the firing, the Mets weren’t in anyone’s rear view mirror and they were showing no signs of breaking out of their season-long slump. Two months later, they found themselves in first place and their early season woes were but a memory.
This year’s start (I refuse to call it a poor start, as the Mets are 29-25 through the first third of the season) can be attributed to injuries and poor baserunning. Despite all this, the Mets woke up this morning in second place, only three games behind the first place Phillies. They have a better record and are closer to first than they were last year at this point of the season, so why are all the pessimists out in full force again?
The Phillies are always a Brad Lidge appearance away from a loss and the Mets are getting healthier, as seen by the return of Carlos Beltran a few days ago and Ryan Church today. When Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado return, the offense will be intact and more importantly, well-rested. In August, when the proverbial dog days of summer are affecting the other contenders, the injured players will all be back and it will be like a second Opening Day for them. Also, don’t forget that Billy Wagner will be back before the summer is over, as well as J.J. Putz. We’ll be able to see if the early-season performances by Putz were really due to his injury. If they were, a bullpen featuring Parnell, Wagner, Putz and Rodriguez will be devastating to opposing lineups. The starting pitchers won’t feel the need to stretch themselves out, meaning fresher arms come August and September.
The Mets have proven that erasing a big deficit after showing no signs of life is possible. They turned a 7½ game deficit into a 3½ game lead last season. Even if they fall further back in the NL East race, the precedent is there for them to make a run for the division title. The team will get healthy and their Opening Day roster will be on the field before too long. No one on the team has a season-ending injury the way the Phillies do with Brett Myers. This Mets team will be a force to contend with down the stretch and the rest of the league should be wary of them. If the Phillies do not take advantage of the Mets’ injuries, they will regret it in August and September.
So Mets fans, stop with the defeatist attitude! Our team still has over 100 games remaining in the season and they will get healthy before those 100 games are up. It’s never a good thing to lose to teams like the Pirates and Nationals, but I’m willing to bet that the Mets’ best days are ahead of them and just like last season, they will make this year’s early season performance a distant memory.
About the Author: Ed Leyro
Ed Leyro was hatched in the Bronx, but spent most of his youth in Queens at Shea Stadium. Apparently, all that time spent at Mets games paid off as Ed met his wife (The Coop) for the first time at Citi Field during its inaugural season. Guess the 2009 season was good for something after all. In addition to his work at Mets Merized Online, Ed also owns, operates and is head janitor at Studious Metsimus, where he shares blogging duties with Joey Beartran. For those not in the know, Joey is a teddy bear dressed in a Mets hoodie. Clearly, Studious Metsimus is not your typical Mets blog.
10 Comments + Add Comment
MMO Featured Video
Recent Comments
- LongTimeFan: on Clubhouse Confidential On Bay’s Struggles: Larman, Bay should grow up? I haven't...
- Bayonne Mets Fan: on Clubhouse Confidential On Bay’s Struggles: Very, very foolish comment by Collins. ...
- LongTimeFan: on Clubhouse Confidential On Bay’s Struggles: Collins already said months ago that he...
- Bayonne Mets Fan: on Clubhouse Confidential On Bay’s Struggles: Brian Kenny talks out of his ass...
- Joey D.: on Clubhouse Confidential On Bay’s Struggles: Do think Citi Field was a shock...
Recommended Links
Advertisement
Write Your Own Mets Post
Advertisement
We Appreciate Your Help
Affordable Graphic Design
How did you get a job as a writer on this site? You’re an optimist! We don’t take too kindly to your type around here…
Just kidding obviously…nice article, and I agree wholeheartedly. People need to save their panic for a time when it’s fully warranted…I’m not saying to not be disappointed, since we could/should EASILY be at 35-19 right now with some of the games we’ve lost this year, but before you step out onto and over the ledge, think about it for a second. We’re a few games over .500 right now, the Phillies have serious issues at closer (there was a chant of “We Want Lidge” in the 9th inning for the Yankees/Phillies series finale a few weeks ago that I was at), and we can only get better. If we are managing to be 4 games over .500 when we’re playing as pathetically as I’m sure most of us would agree we’ve been, imagine when the spark comes and we get healthy again.
I look forward to more articles like this…
Wow Ed, that was very uplifting, nice job. Lately, we’ve been used to all the injuries coming in the second half and not so early in the season. I think it’s heightened fan anxiety especially after the last two disappointing years. If the Mets are 100% healthy come the dog days of summer and are still in striking distance, it may make for a great pennant race a trip to the post season.
Outstanding article, I’m glad there are others out there that think like me. “Its not over til its over”. Considering the games that have been are played pretty poorly, the injuries that pretty extensive, they have a decent record and are hardly out of it at this point
YA GOTTA BELIEVE
Really puts things into perspectice. I think most fans feel this way, it’s just that in NY we expect the best (and deserve it) and after the way the past two seasons ended, we won’t settle for less.
Nice job, Ed!
I meant perspective…lol
Couldn’t agree more – if you call yourself a Met fan you have to back your boys sometimes even when things aren’t going well. Especially when it’s because of things the players can’t really control such as the rash of injuries we’ve suffered.
If this patchwork squad can somehow keep us in contention – we have to believe the cavalry will arrive in time to get us over the hump.
Of course a couple of smooth moves by the front office couldn’t hurt… but I don’t cheer for Minaya.
I’m glad Minaya hasn’t been in a rush to add players. If the team had gone on a long losing streak, then I’d see a move having to be made, but they’ve done better than expected with the players they’re putting on the field. There’s no need to trade away our future when the present is still doing a serviceable job.
The one move I wouldn’t mind is adding a guy like Mark Derosa to the team. Because of his versatility on the field and plus bat – he’s a natural fill in a number of spots. But only if Cleveland is willing to part with him for the salary dump.
Pitching wise I don’t see us getting any real help – or the price for a difference maker will definitely be one that I don’t think we should pay (top prospects). Cross your fingers for Ollie to get back – and I can’t believe I’m saying that…
I maintain that the Mets just need to be consistent on the field. Play fundamentally sound baseball, wins and loses happen, errors and blown calls happen. It is the baserunning and bone-head mistakes that get my ire! All this talk of blowing up the team or being sellers at the deadline are ridiculous. However I do not want to see the likes of Emil Brown, Mr. Valdez, Ramon Martinez or any of that sort trotted out as staters in a MLB game dammit! There has got to be better talent out there than that set of guys. Go Mets 2009!
Very refreshing article.