http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=13062803

As silly as it sounds if the Mets were say 62-54 like the Cardinals and remained a .534 winning team, missed the playoffs by 6 or 7 games, I’d say that would be more exciting than the .500 or .504 Mets.

I think it’s mostly about consistency with regards to excitement.

My quick take, I really (and I mean really) like watching this team when things are going right. But when things go bad, they are almost unwatchable. I love the idea they have players nobody expects to contribute performing quite well but I’d have to say I liked the 2005 team better, obviously the 2006 and the 2007 until August 31st.

At the end of the day, an exciting team to me is one that plays hard but also wins more than they lose.

I don’t discredit this team, they are a fine group to watch but at the end of the day I think we’d all find a consistent winner to be more exciting

However, I can’t say that this year’s team is the most exciting in the past 10 years. This team has been really fun to watch at times, especially recently where they refuse to quit even though every thing is against them.

I have to go with 2006 being the most exciting. We won 97 games that year, tied with the Yankees, and we were a few great Heilman pitches away from going to the World Series. Of course, Heilman being Heilman, we didn’t… I also think we had 11 or 12 walk-off wins that year which was amazing to watch. Winning the division by 12 games was also a treat.

The playoffs for this year’s team is a long, long shot. But I still can’t totally rule it out based on the way we play. But it makes me very excited for the 2012 team, the most excited I’ve been for the team in a while.

If you want to say this is the best ball they’ve played since 2009 than yes I’d agree. But 10 years? No.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrQiOsdRlAY

to some degree, an over the fence catch on a high fly like that, while impressive to see, is not that hard if the guy has plenty of time to drift back and get set before jumping up. Much harder if they are on the run with their back to the plate!

Granted, both scenarios are very exciting, I mean, obviously winning 100 games and going to the World Series is an exciting season, but there is just something about this team that I’ve really taken to and find their style of play and over-achievement refreshing in a sports world filled with usually high and unrealistic expectations.

I agree, there were plenty of exciting moments in 2005 and 2006, but those moments were expected. The Mets were expected to be contenders, 90-win teams with a chance to go to the World Series. When something is expected, it isn’t as exciting, to me at least, when it actually occurs.

As far as the culture changing, the stink of the previous regimes lingers more in the minds of the fans than the players. Collins and his staff have gotten these guys to play hard, something that Manuel wasn’t able to do. They’ve played to the maximum of their ability, which is all you can ask for. And you are right, there was no direction, but so far, it seems as though Sandy has a plan, which is more than we could say about Omar and Stevie.

My only problem is, and I didn’t want to change the tenor of the post by mentioning it, is that as fun and exciting and hard-working as this team is, it in no way, shape or form, can compete with the Phillies this season or next season. And ultimately being able to win a championship is the goal. So what is the front office going to do about being able to not only be hard-working and exciting, but also be competitive enough to challenge for a World Series.

I guess the best part as you suggest is that if they are .500 or marginally better, especially being hit with the loss of Reyes twice, losing their best bat in Murphy and trading Beltran/Krod among others, it may help set the tone for future years to play to the very end. I like that about the team.

Lastly, it will take years for the culture to change – there is several years of abuse in the Mets organization not just in previous regime but even dating back to the likes of Steve Phillips. There has been no direction, so hopefully Alderson is setting the trend there. As for Collins, I like him a lot, and feel like he is a good fit for the team construct right now. He’s been able to maximize the talent he has and concentrates on that, which is a good thing for sure, since Manuel couldn’t seem to do so in 2009 and 2010. I still think there are a bunch of scaredy cats on the team though, and that might have to do with some of the players being too “nice.” I’d like to see Collins toughening them up a bit.