Mets fans were not pleased with the opponents in this year’s World Series. So much has been written on who we should be rooting for. Between the Phillies and the Yankees, which is the lesser of two evils.
I started out rooting for the Phillies. But after their game one win, I started worrying about a four game sweep and how badly that would sit with Mets fans. Having to deal with the Phillies repeating as champions would not be easy. The Phillies would be a cocky bunch when they arrive at CitiField next year. And their fans would surely be extra obnoxious.
My allegiances in game two swayed towards the Yankees. I can’t say I’ve never rooted for the Yankees before. They were the only New York team in town when I first became interested in baseball. Mickey Mantle was a god. You couldn’t root against him.
I figured the longer this series lasts, the better. It delays the inevitable of one of these teams winning. So the Yankees winning game two was a positive. But it was no fun watching them win three games in a row. I was relieved when the Phillies came through in game five, sending the Series back to New York for a game six.
As I watched game six, I was anxious. Now it’s over, and the Yankees are celebrating on the field amidst all their fans. Friday will be the parade down the Canyon of Heroes. I can deal with that. The Yankees haven’t won in a long time, eight years to be exact.
What I’m really afraid of is another Yankee dynasty. Once this train gets rolling, there’ll be no stopping it. The Yankees have stars at almost every position. They have such a strong nucleus in all aspects of the game; starting pitching, relief pitching, and at the bat. Plus they have lots of money coming off the payroll (about $37M by my estimation. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Matt Holliday a Yankee next year. That sure would fill the void of letting Damon and Matsui walk.)
It’s always sad when a baseball season ends. It is a sign that winter is here. Four long months of no baseball until spring training begins. This winter is not going to be easy for Mets fans. Maybe, we’ll feel better after a winter of roster shuffling and hope will again spring eternal.
The yankees do not concern me. I don’t care about them or their fans. And in a way I am a little encouraged: I thought the phillies were better. Rollins is a blowhard. Frankly, he kills the mets but if you watch mets’ games you scratch your head at all the meatballs met pitchers throw to him, whereas utley hits some really tough pitches out of the park. They have Lee, but Hamels looks like he is going down a hole. And Lidge is once again certifiable, which is excellent news, although we don’t seem to be able to unnerve him. Problem is, the Phillies not being as good does not make the mets any better. It would be a matter of finishing 6 games out instead of 12. My greatest fear is this front office. Another year of this group (Jeffie included–since he may be the actual GM) and whoever follows will be set back 3 years trying to undo it.
I’m with you jdon. I have been saying for months that the Mets biggest problem is the front office. This “jeff is the real GM” is just an excuse for Omar pom-pom waivers. A real Gm pushes back, has a plan, you know…manages….I don’t see that with Omar. I sincrely hope they prove me wrong this offseason, but I too am skeptical.
I agreee with you about Omar failing to push back to ownership to succeed on his mission. That leaves him as a figurehead with no real contribution. Until we have real GM, the future is questionable for the Mets. On a positive note, the Putz decision has been correct so far. Omar figured out he’s not worth $9 mil. Now can he figure out how to use the $8 mil that wasn’t spent?
MASK, WHAT WORLD DO U LIVE IN? WHAT’S YOUR CORPORATE MNGT BACKGROUND? IT’S USELESS TO FIGHT AGAINST A COE(CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT) JUST AS PUNCTUALITY & BUSINESS DRESS ARE CONDITIONS BASIC TO CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT. IT’S OBVIOUS OMAR WAS HIRED CONTINGENT UPON HIS AGREEMENT TO CERTAIN RESTRAINTS. IT’S LUDICROUS TO BELIEVE THAT ANYONE COULD GET FRED TO ABANDON HIS PRINCIPLES. I WOULD THINK THE ONE BEHAVIOR THAT MAY BE ARGUABLE WITH FRED IS THE SLOTTING RULES Re DRAFT PICK NEGOTIATIONS. PERHAPS OMAR CAN GET FRED TO REEVALUATE NYM POSITION ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, TOTAL ADJUSTMENT ISN’T HAPPENING. BTW MASK, THERE ARE MANY OWNERS WORSE. U R CONTAMINATED BY YOUR PROXIMITY TO STEINBRENNER MODUS OPERENDI. MOST OWNERS ARE BUSINESSMEN BEFORE FANS; BOSS IS FIRST & FOREMOST A SHOWMAN, IF THAT REAPS A PROFIT, SO BE IT! BOSS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FAN’S MODEL OWNER. TED TURNER TRIED TO ENULATE; BUT EVENTUALLY REVERTED BACK TO BUSINESS FIRST APPROACH SACRIFICING HIS TEAM ON THE ALTER OF CORP. GREED WHEN SELLING IT OUT TO TW.
I’m glad it’s finally over. Seeing the Yankees win was hard to watch. Their 259 million offseason spending spree paid off. We sign Redding and Livan, they sign CC and AJ.
CAPSLOCK=DISABILITY ACCOMODATION
LISA, BOTTOM LINE IS THIS; STEIBRENNERS ARE RICHER THAN WILPONS TO BEGIN WITH, YANKEE LOGO MORE POPULAR IN CULTURE THAN NYM ENSURING MORE INCOME. BOSS & FRED WENT DOWN VALIANTLY SIDE BY SIDE IN FIGHTING AGAINST IMPOSITION OF LUXURY TAX, THEIR INDIVIDUAL REACTIONS TO LOSING TELLS THE TALE.
BOSS’ REACTION: I’M NOT LETTING THEM STOP ME, I’LL PAY THE DAMNED THING; BUT I’LL SHOW THEM THEY CAN’T STOP ME.
FRED’S REACTION: I’LL SHOW THEM YOU CAN STILL WIN WITHOUT PAYING LUXURY TAXES. I’M NOT PAYING TO SUPPORT MY COMPETITION. I’LL NEVER SPEND A DIME ON LUXURY TAXES.
TO THEIR CREDIT, BOTH MEN HAVE KEPT THEIR VOWS & INTEGRITY. REGARDLESS OF ALL THIS TALK ABOUT SPENDING WHAT’S NECESSARY, THE TRUTH HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE METS WILL NEVER SPEND THAT DIME IN LUXURY TAXES MEANING THEIR LARGEST PAYROLL BUDGET WILL ALWAYS BE SET AT WHATEVER THE LUXURY LINE IS THAT YEAR.
FRED NEVER TRUSTED PHILLIPS IN THIS REGARD & ALWAYS PRESET A RESTRICTIVE PAYROLL BUDGET WELL SHORT OF THE TAX LINE AND FORCED PHILLIPS TO COME GET HIS(FRED’S)(APPROVAL BEFORE EXCEEDING THE FALSE BUDSGET LINE. FRED TRUSTS OMAR & SO FAR AS I SEE IT HAS ALLOWED OMAR TO WORK UNDER THE LUXURY LINE AT WILL(THIS MAY BE DUE TO HIS SON’S INCREASED INVOLVMENT OVER WHAT IT HAD BEEN). THUS OMAR HAS TO ENSURE HE ALWAYS MAINTAINS A LARGE ENOUGH GAP TO ACCOMODATE A NECESSARY MIDSEASON ACQUISITION OR PASS IT BY REGARDLESS OF IMPORTANCE,NECESSITY. IT WAS NOT BY ACCIDENT THERE WAS A 14M GAP BETWEEN THE 149M PAYROLL IN ’09 & ’09s 163M LUXURY LINE ROY HALLIDAY & MATT HOLLIDAY WERE EACH EARNING 14M IN ’09 IF THEY WERE NEEDED, STOPGAP ACQUISITIONS LIKE DiROSA & OTHERS WOULD’VE MADE THE BUFFER TOO SMALL. NONE OF THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH BERNIE MAIDOFF AS THE BEHAVIOR PREDATES BERNIE. IT’S MORE PHILOSOPHICAL. FRED’S GOAL HAS NEVER BEEN DOMINATION OR DYNASTY; BUT MUCH MORE COMPETITIVNESS AKIN TO THAT SHOWN BY BKLYN DODGERS OF 50s.
“FRED’S GOAL HAS NEVER BEEN DOMINATION OR DYNASTY; BUT MUCH MORE COMPETITIVNESS AKIN TO THAT SHOWN BY BKLYN DODGERS OF 50s.”
This is approach is counterproductive towards winning the WS, don’t you think?
IT’S NOT COUNTER PRODUCTIVE TO GETTING INTO WS, FROM THERE IT’S ALWAYS A CRAPSHOOT, ALWAYS HAS BEEN. JUST LOOK AT HOW MANY WC TEAMS CAME OUT VICTORIOUS. DODGERS WERE AS DOMINATING IN THEIR LEAGUE THROUGHOUT THE 50s AS NYY WERE IN THEIRS. MANY OF THOSE SERIES DETERMINED BY ‘BREAKS’
It is ridiculous to base what will happpen next year on what happened in a short series. The truth is that Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard did little in this years World Series and as much as I hate and I do mean hate to admit it…Yankee pitchers had something to do with it!
One of my biggest concerns is how the Mets screwed up the Jose Reyes injury. He is no doubt a great catalyst but he has proven to be an immature player whose dancing and high five jigs seem to infuriate other teams. I would trade him in a minute if I could get decent value for him. He could even be considered a cancer in the clubhouse by some older players.
Mets fans should be concerned with a few things for sure. Unless the team adds two solid starters 2010 is going to bring much of the same results. Free agency is going to be the issue because we have few pawns to trade with other than having to weaken the core. With some protection in the lineup behind him, David Wright will bounce back.
The Phillies are probably not going to stand still either as they have some issues with pitching too. Let’s hope that what Jeff said is true and that we will be players in the market during this offseason!
CAPSLOCK=DISABILITY ACCOMODATION
ALAN, WHAT IS YOUR BASIS FOR “CANCER” LABEL ON REYES, FROM ALL INDICATIONS HIS CLUBHOUSE SUPPORTS HIM & HIS EXHUBERANCE. I’M SORRY; BUT ALL THIS HOOPLA RE. OTHER TEAM REACTIONS IS REDICULOUS! IF ANY BEHAVIOR IN FLUSHING EVER PO’D THE OPPOSITION IT WAS THE CURTAIN CALLS OF ’86 & THAT OBVIOUSLY DIDN’T EFFECT SQUAT. PERSONALLY, I PRFER HONEST EXUBERANCE TO BUTTON-DOWN PC, “HO-HUM, WE’VE DONE IT AGAIN” IN BRONX OR OUTRAGEOUS PREDICTIONS WRITING UNCASHABLE CHECKS FROM BROAD STREET. THE NY SPORTSPRESS IS OBVIOUSLY BNX LEANING & ALL TOO CRITICAL OF FLUSHING DESRVEDLY SO OR NOT!(HELL THE PREPONDURANCE OF SNY PERSONALITIES ARE NYY FANS) I’M GUESSING U R TOO YOUNG TO REMEMBER THE CRITICISM LEVELED AT STRAW FOR “NOT DIVING AFTER BALLS” WITH NO REGARD TO MNGT HAVING ASKED HINM NOT TO AFTER HE INJURED HIS THUMB NY DIVING. THE COLUMNISTS ARE OFTEN QUICK TO CRITICIZE WHILE NEGLECTING BACKGROUNDS WHEN NYM ARE INVOLVED. JUST AS WILLIE BEING FIRED AFTER A NIGHTGAME IN LA WAS ALWAYS REFERRED TO AS A 3 AM FIRING IGNORING THE LOCAL TIME OF THE OCCURANCE. WHILE I CAN’T DEFEND ALL OF JOSE’S ACTIONS SUCH AS HIS TANTRUM IN JERRY’S FIRST GAME, I UNDERSTAND IT AS A PLAYER FIGHTING TO PLAY, WOULD IT HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT IF IT WASN’T ON-FIELD CERTAINLY; BUT HOW COULD IT HAVE HAPPENED OFF THE FILD AS GAME WAS “IN PROGRESS”? THAT IMAGE OF A PLAYER FIGHING TO STAY IN A GAME SOMEHOW IS IGNORED WHEN THE PRESS WANTS TO INTIMATE HE’S MALINGERING.
ADFTER U TRADE REYES, WHO ARE U GETTING TO PLAY SS? DDN’T WE SEE ENOUGH OF THIS LINEUP SANS REYES LAST YR? OR THE PALOOKAS ATTEMPTING TO MAN HIS POSITION. WHAT OTHER SS ARE U GETTING THAT IMPACTFUL? RAMIREZ? I DOUBT HE HANDLES NY & WHO’S BACKING HIM UP ON GB? ROLLINS? NO THANK YOU!
BTW, I BELIEVE THE REDUCTION OF REYES’ RUNNING GAME EARLY LAST SEASON ALONG WITH HIS GETTING ON A CROSSCOUNTRY FLIGHT HEALTHY & DISEMBARKING WITH A LIMP INDICATES A WBC INVOLVED INJURY SUSTAINED & PLAYED WITH SINCE DAY 1.
You must listen to Mike Francesa, who cares if the other teams hate Reyes’ celebrations? I would rather hate to have to face us than look forward to facing us. How you could call Reyes a cancer is beyond me. Were you a Knick fan who also hated Patrick Ewing? I really think Met fans won’t appreciate Reyes until he leaves, much like Knick fans respected Patrick when Ewing was gone.
ALAN, DON’T FALL INTO THE NY TRAP THAT OTHER TEAMS ARE AS FINANCIALLY AGGRESSIVE AS WE THINK THEY SHOULD/WILL BE. THE PHILLIES’ OWNERSHIP WILL NOT LIKELY BE MOTIVATED TO SPEND MORE AS THEY ARE NOW IN THE UNCOMFORTABLE UPPER ECHELON(#5 IN ’09,128M) OF PAYROLLS. WHILE THEY HAVE OBVIOUS ISSUES WITH BOTH HAMELS & LIDGE, BOTH ARE CONTRACTED FOR THEOUGH ’11 AND LEE WILL BE ON HIS OPTION IN ’10. HISTORICALLY PHL OWNERSHIP HAS BEEN MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE IN THE MID-RANGE ON PAYROLL & MOST OFTEN PREFER MID TIER IN FREE AGENTS ala IBANEZ. I COULD END UP SUPRISED; BUT I DON’T SEE A BIG PAYROLL INCREASE COMMITMENT COMING OUT OF THE ASHES OF THEIR FAILED WS APPEARANCE. THEIR BP IS MOST LIKELY TO UNDERGO COSMETIC MID-RELIEF FACELIFT WITH BOTH EYRE & PARK AS F/A NEEDING REPLACEMEBTS; BUT I DON’T SEE A LARGE INVESTMENT IN SPing THOUGH NEEDED, THEIR “CIGARBOX SIZED PLAypen” WILL NECESSITATE INCR FINANCIAL INVESTMENT TO INTEREST THE TOP F/A ala COLORADO.