Mets Camp – Nightmare In Port St. Lucie

February started out with so much hope.  As the players arrived in Port St. Lucie there were so many positive vibes.  And fans picked up on it and became excited.  The adage, hope springs eternal, was never more true.  Now, three weeks later, everything has changed.  It’s a nightmare and we are not waking up.

The bad luck from last year is continuing with no end in sight.  The winter of discontent has been extended indefinitely.  More injuries, new illnesses, comical  PR gaffes with story lines changing hourly.

What will happen next?  How about some really juicy gossip.  We can use a good wife swapping story.  Or a player coming out of the closet.  Maybe a rumor of a sexual assault.  A DUI arrest always is popular in the press.

Now I’m dreaming good things.  Citifield will be sold out and rocking on Monday April 5th as Johan Santana faces off against the Marlin’s Josh Johnson. We don’t need all of Maine, Pelfrey, and Perez to pitch well.  Two out of three ain’t bad.  Reyes and Beltran will be back before the end of April.  Right?  How do you like this lineup?  Reyes, Castillo, Beltran, Bay, Wright, Murphy, Francoeur, Barajas.  That’s damn good.  The bullpen will figure itself out, even if by committee.  Ike Davis, Fernando Martinez, and Jerry Mejia will flourish in the minors and by July maybe even called up to the majors.

Wayne G, a Mets Merized reader had a comment soon after the latest Jose Reyes news broke, that I thought was apropos.  He said “this is NO time to be the voice of reason”.  How true.  No more unbridled enthusiasm.  Maybe even the time to jump ship.  And the season hasn’t even started.  A sell out on opening day but still 80 more home games after that.  The Wilpons and Minaya have been assailed all winter long.  Ripping them has become boring.

I don’t know what to believe.  I can’t take it anymore.  Spring training is killing me.

Let the season begin.