13
2011
MMO Flashback: Yippee-Ki-Yay, Jose Reyes
An article by Tie Dyed
Here’s another great article originally written and posted back on February 15, 2011 by the always entertaining Rob Silverman AKA Tie Dyed. It’s a little bit prophetic and some of the comments are a blast to read nine months later. Enjoy…
Nakatomi Plaza, Century City, CA: John McClane is acting alone, trying to save hostages from a group of terrorists. But he is not just fighting against the terrorists. The LAPD, the FBI, the media and even some of the very hostages he is trying to protect are working against him. His only ally is a street cop named Powell who he is communicating with via walkie-talkie. In one scene Powell asks, ‘How are you feeling?’ McClane’s response: Pretty (expletive) unappreciated.
I wonder if our own Jose Reyes is also feeling pretty (expletive) unappreciated.
On June 10, 2003, one day prior to his 20th birthday, the young shortstop made his ML debut. Although the Mets lost a 9-7 slugfest to Texas, Reyes batted 8th and went 2-4 with 1 double and scored 2 runs.
The following day fans displayed hope when writing on message boards about the first Mets teenager since Doc Gooden. One fan wrote, “The Mets have nothing to lose and everything to gain by seeing how this kid plays the rest of the year. Lets hope Reyes stays longer then the 2 week trial period (Steve) Phillips says it is.” Another fan posted, “In just one game, Reyes along with Wigginton has vastly improved the left side of the infield. Derek Jeter, take note.”
Reyes has definitely surpassed the ‘2 week trial period.’ And then some. He has done everything management and teammates have asked of him. He has become a bona fide superstar, an All-Star, the best lead-off hitter in team history. And he has done all of this while elevating himself to one of the most beloved players in team history.
Fans have shown him the love. Management has not.
Jose has already become the Mets All-Time leader in triples and SB’s. He ranks 3rd in runs scored, 5th in hits and 6th in doubles. He was a silver slugger in 06 as well as league leader in triples and SB’s 3 different seasons. He also is the only player in New York baseball history to post 3 consecutive seasons with 50 or more Steals. He has a career 80% success rate. And at just 27 years old, he is only now entering his prime.
In seasons when Jose was healthy and our every day shortstop, the Mets have compiled a .538 winning percentage. In years when he was hurt or before he assumed the every day role, we have posted a 427 winning percentage.
There is no way to calculate how many games Jose has won with his speed. How many times in 7 years has he legged out an infield hit? How many times has he stretched singles into doubles and doubles into triples? And how many times has his speed disrupted the pitcher’s concentration? The next best thing to stealing a base is the threat to steal a base.
Yet, our GM, the great and powerful Alderson, discounts all of Jose’s attributes, claiming recently that ‘Stolen Bases are a footnote.’
It is clear that Mets management, or lack thereof, is more concerned about the bottom line then winning. A healthy Reyes would force the Wilpon’s hand to dole out the big bucks starting in 2012. Yet, Sandy Alderson has already begun the smear campaign and made less of Reyes’ talents and what he brings to the park day in and day out.
Reyes has been everything and done everything asked of him
However, on the flip side we have Oliver Perez. Perez is clearly one of the most hated players in team history. He has done nothing teammates or management has asked. But yet, he is welcomed to Spring Training with open arms. He almost seems to be less in the crosshairs then Reyes.
Since Alderson’s predecessor handed him $36 million over 3 years, Perez has compiled a 3-9 record with a 6.81 era and tossed only 112 innings. Over this time he has earned $24 million, or to break it down, $214,000 for every inning pitched over the last 2 years.
And yet these two players who have different impacts, different fan support and different work ethic are put on the same level by Alderson and Collins?
Jose is in a no-win situation and it appears almost a foregone conclusion that his days in NY are limited. If he struggles this season, management will certainly not resign him for ‘12 and beyond. And if he puts up big numbers, it seems unlikely that owners who have been digging around the garbage all winter for leftovers would suddenly hand over the big bucks.
All we can do is sit back, hope for the best and enjoy #7 for as long as we have him. Unlike a Hollywood blockbuster, once he’s gone there wont be a sequel.
About the Author: Rob Silverman
It was 1973 when my dad introduced this 7 year old kid to Baseball and the Mets. It's been a love and passion that has lasted for 40 years, much longer than my first marriage. Since I was little, there've been 2 things I've always dreamed of: 1) Being a successful author and 2) playing right field for the Mets after Rusty Staub retired. Although 4 decades have passed and based on the current condition of the Mets, I have not given up on either dream
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Great post! I’m glad I’m not the only one who sees through the great & powerful Alderson! He gives guys like Ollie a chance while he smears Jose. But his name is not Omar Minaya so everything says & does is always right.
Sorry – but this is awful. Alderson never bashed or smeared Reyes and some of you people are taking whatever he says and twisting it to your own agenda because you hate the guy before a pitch has been thrown. OMG – did you really say discounts ALL of Reyes’s attributes? Are you freaking kidding me?
This entire thread is complete crap. Then the great and powerful Pomes weights in…….the guy that has done nothing but smeared the best CFer this team has ever had and made up crap about him.
You are ALSO making up a lie saying Perez is less in the crosshairs then Reyes – you could not be more wrong.
GET IT MARLA! I agree wholeheartedly.
Marla, Alderson says that stolen bases are a footnote? Not only is that simply bad baseball, but it’s a slander against Reyes AND Wright who both use speed in their game. And since we play in one of the biggest parks in the pros, shouldn’t we be encouraging our speedsters, not making light of one of the few weapons we have shown to have in the past with our core.
I’m not out to make Alderson the devil, but that comment was clearly his biggest gaffe so far. What happened to “speed and defense?” I don’t know if they are going to resign Jose, and I’m not going to jump off a cliff or do a happy dance either way, but a comment like that certainly isn’t building up our club.
Really?
Did anyone ever find out why or what Alderson meant by his “footnote” comment?
Anyone?
Has there been a followup somewhere saying why did he say stolen bases are a footnote when he had the all time stolen base leader on his team back in Oakland?
Has there been a followup to ask why did he say stolen bases are a footnote when he has also said “What we need in the future, lots of Jose Reyes if we want to be a good team.”?
People would rather run off and interpret things the way they see fit rather than wanting to know in what context or why something was said.
Stolen bases are not the same as speed. Rickey Henderson was flat footed but still managed to steal lots of bases and play terrible defense.
And there is a lot more to Jose Reyes’ game than just his stolen bases. I respect and enjoy him enough to realize that.
I did not see him upgrading Perez, and downing Jose, but I will like to repeat these last words of truth:
“once he’s gone there wont be a sequel”.
And Jose will become one of the best SS before he is finshed with BB. His states will go threw the roof when he retires.
And I sure hope that he does it as a Met.
Great post! I’m glad I’m not the only one who sees through the great & powerful Alderson! He gives guys like Ollie a chance while he smears Jose. But his name is not Omar Minaya so everything says & does is always right.
You can say the same thing under all your screen names – doesn’t make it any more true.
How much do you want to bet he is “Tie Dyed” as well?
It is funny how the article reads like a list of Pomes’ Tweets.
Greg Pomes and Rob are not the same, are we playing conspiracy theory games now? You disagree fine, that’s what makes blogging and commenting fun, but let’s not make more out of it than that.
Its not a conspiracy if its just one guy.
And we already know Greg has two accounts in this very thread making the exact same comment, praising a guy who is echoing the comments on Greg’s Twitter account.
Wouldn’t be the saddest thing I’ve seen on the net.
Reyes will probably be Derek Jeter replacement. He will be one of the top free agents next year and with his abilities, no way he will end up with the Mets, specially if they are not willing to put up the money. Look at Crawford contract with Boston, that’s how much it will cost to keep this guy. The Mets are on the way to be a really mediocre franchise unless someone puts up the cash and rescue them. Just enjoy watching Reyes this year in a Mets uniform cause after this…LGM
On their way?
And when did you get such a rosy outlook?
I assume that the team will be playing good BB, and be part of at least the wild card.
And that will bring back not only the attendance, but the money that goes along with it.
And Jose will be a major player to bring that around.
Therefore the owner knows that they can never give him up, because he is their money man.
If he goes, so will the Mets go down hill. And that includes the money that Reyes made happen this year.
Wait and see, for I do believe what I said, Jose can save the team from a money disaster this year.
Because if he finally goes all out (and I believe that he will), and becomes the true star that is within him, all of the fans in the nation will want to see him play the game.
As much as I like Reyes, he has become injury prone and “appears” to be less patient at the plate then he has been in past years. The bottom line is that he will be due a substantial raise next year and I am not completely convinced that dumping a boat load of money into the short-stop slot is such a good idea, especially when you have prospects waiting in the wings.
All of this has nothing to do with Collins or Alderson, it has to do with ownership. Next year we will have Beltran, Perez, and Castillo coming off the books, and if we decide to trade Reyes, we will have his salary to play with as well.
I know a lot of people will sigh and say “here we go again”, but I think if ownership is willing to re-invest the payroll of those players leaving back into this team, then I can not see why the Mets wouldn’t make an aggressive push towards Albert Pujols. I know, the contract he is looking for is a lot of money, and I know 10 years is a long time, but no one said we had to keep him for the full 10 years either. If we can acquire the best player in baseball and use him for 5 years, then trade him for top top prospects, it could really be the catalyst this team needs.
Look, attendance is down, this club needs a hero, and who better to fill that role then Albert. The amount of payroll coming off the books next year is more than enough to cover what Albert would be asking for, heck I think Beltran and Perez’s contracts would cover him. In five years when he is still a potent player but on the downside of his career, we trade him to the Yankees or Boston, or some other desperate club and get them to eat half the contract plus return us some really talented prospects. Everybody thinks prospects should be cheap, but I think paying $15 mil a year to get future all-stars is a steal.
Albert will fill the seats, we all know this. No, Albert can not fix the starting rotation problems, and No, Albert can not pitch an inning in relief, but, he could provide wright and Bay with protection, he could shoulder some of the weight that they have been carrying, he could prove to be a great teammate sharing some of his success with our players, and He is probably the only player out there who can hit a homerun in Citi field. Not to mention his fielding abilities at first.
So what do we do with Ike Davis, well, I like Ike, just like most of you, but I can already get a feel on what his ceiling will be. Will he become the next Albert Pujols, No, will he become the next Olerud, probably. Ike has his Pro’s, he is cheap, he is improving at his defense, he has potential at the plate and a genuine baseball IQ, but, he does not have the presence that Albert Pujols has. David Wright and Jason Bay do not get any kind of peace of mind knowing Ike is hitting behind them, in fact, it probably generates the opposite effect in that Wright and Bay probably feel more pressed to get that big hit, knowing a rookie is following them. So Ike Davis will be a good solid firstbasemen, but not for the Mets. He should be traded for a starting pitcher or some package that would include a MLB ready outfielder to replace Beltran.
People, I am probably the last person who would settle for the Mets trying to buy a championship, but years and years of falling short have taken there toll and it is too hard to sit by and see the uncontested best player in baseball become a free agent, and the Mets just let him go. If the Mets get outbid and the Yankees want to pay him $40 mill a year for 15 years, then I can live with that, but if all it will take is a 10 year $300 mil contract, I feel the Mets must make a play.
Hell we have been handing out Perez and Castillo contracts to sub-par players for atleast 10 years, lets atleast get something for our money.
I vote for Albert Pujols, Mets first basemen 2012!!!
I don’t understand the mindset of ‘injury prone’.
He had a hamstring problem in ’09 that was grossly mismanaged (along with Beltran and his injury).
He had a thyroid condition to start the year last year – not an injury.
Prior to ’09, he played in how many games each year?
His hamstring/legs were in great shape last year. He had an oblique injury mid season – again mismanaged by the Mets. Sure, tape him up and let him swing from only one side of the plate. Why wasn’t he on the DL once 5 days passed and it was determined it wasn’t mild and wasn’t healing?
If he goes down with a hamstring type injury again this year, I’ll be willing to rethink the whole ‘injury prone’ argument.
You guys must be stupid…..You blame Sandy Alderson for not having already dumped Oliver Perez? Anyone with half a brain knew that Sandy was inheriting the Ollie problem and that he was going to allow Perez to come to camp if only to absolutely prove that there is no hope at all for being able to find a sucker who might have some interest. I would think that ownership wanted to recoup anything they could get for him. Bottom line is that the Mets have to pay this SOB 12 million dollars regardless, so why not allow Ollie to come to camp? It is obvious that a Perez comeback in the major leagues is pretty hopeless anyway!
Anyone with half a brain knew that Sandy was inheriting the Ollie problem
I think they’re half a brain short.
Oh! Oh! I think I can do this too! All you have to do is take half a sentence from one of Sandy’s press conferences, make some incredibly weak connections and assumptions based on nothing, add in some batsh** crazy (i.e. Reyes is in the crosshairs more so than Ollie) and you’ve got it!
Ok, so Sandy said that while he doesn’t necessarily want to sign people to long contracts, he would “adjust to the market” or something like that.
WHICH MEANS he’s not against signing Albert Pujols next year if Albert becomes a free agent…
AAAAND, since he’s definitely signing Albert Pujols next year, that means Ike Davis is going to be out of a job!
OH MY GOD SANDY ALDERSON HATES IKE DAVIS AND IF YOU DISAGREE YOU ARE A LAPDOG.
Sandy said stolen bases are a footnote to winning. That’s not a twist in any way. In a huge park on a team with no power, why denigrate the only thing the club does well offensively?
Sandy also said “What we need in the future, lots of Jose Reyes if we want to be a good team.”
Do you really think the GM is looking to denigrate his ball club? Wow
Yes, Sandy said stolen bases are a footnote to winning.
So the author of this post took that to mean that Sandy sees SBs as completely useless, THEN decided that the ONLY thing Jose Reyes can do well is steal a base, THEN decided that somehow not cutting Ollie before Spring Training (when did we start talking about Ollie? Oh yea we didn’t) is disrespecting Reyes…because…they both…received the same ST invites? I guess?
All from five words.
Ya, Sandy Alderson completely disrespected Reyes when he called him a great player. And Reyes and collins obviously hate each other with Reyes saying things like he “loves what collins brings” and how collins wants to get Reyes more involved in the defense.
“There is no way to calculate how many games Jose has won with his speed.”
Ummm, ya there is.
“Yet, our GM, the great and powerful Alderson, discounts all of Jose’s attributes, claiming recently that ‘Stolen Bases are a footnote.’”
I like how you ignore everything else Alderson has said about Reyes. Oh ,wait, that comment wasn’t really about Reyes, either. In fact, when you see the context it was in, Alderson was implying that stolen bases are just a small part of what makes Reyes a great player, and a small part of what makes a winning team.
“It is clear that Mets management, or lack thereof, is more concerned about the bottom line then winning.”
Winning is the bottom line.
“Reyes has been everything and done everything asked of him”
For the most part, he’s been a teriffic player and great to watch. Nobody, including Alderson, has said otherwise.
“And yet these two players who have different impacts, different fan support and different work ethic are put on the same level by Alderson and Collins?”
It was the first day of reporting to camp. They haven’t even started official workouts. Excuse the Mets for trying to show a little professionalism.
Not a Sandy basher, but this front office with ownership’s mess have yet to prove winning is the bottom line, time will still tell that. As it stands we had a mediocre off-season despite playing in the League’s biggest market and playing in a brand new stadium with an exclusive rights TV deal
Yes, you are. You’re just trying to look polite about it. It’s one thing to point out that the new Mets FO hasn’t won anything yet ans till has a lot to prove. You’d be right. But to go out and try to declare them a failure before Spring Training even starts is foolish.
We’ll let October decide who had a mediocre offseason.
But, maybe you’d like to go out and sign Jason Werth to $20 million a year for the next 7 years. That would grab headlines. That would sell mopre seats in April and May this upcoming season. It’s OK if you are a fan of Omar’s “plan”.
I’m just one of those whacky people more interested in selling tickets in October.
I think you guys pretty much nailed the author of this article. He lost all credibility whne he actually compared Jose and Ollie. C’mon, seriously?
Ty; perhaps u haven’t heard, there afre no big $$$ cacvhes in the Wilpons’ backyards if you’ll excuse the CAPSLOCK may I also point out other trials, tribulations placed upon his young talented shoulders:
IN ADDITION IS HIS GENEROUS ACCEPTANCE OF BEING SCREWED WITH ON MNGT’S WHIMS
1) MOVING TO 2B TO ACCOMODATE A SIGNIFICANTLY INFERIOR SS(MATSUI)
2) BREAKING DOWN & REBUILDING HIS RUNNING STRIDE(APPARENTLY NEEDLESSLY)
3) RELINQUISHING HIS BELOVED LEADOFF POSITION TO BAT THIRD WHILE ATTEMPTING TO COMEBACK FROM SIGNIFICANT MISSED TIME
4) HARNESSING HIS NATURAL EXUBERANCE FOR HIS TEAMMATES ACCOMPLISHMENTS
5) AGREEING TO STAY IN LINEUP WHILE INJURED(OBLIQUE) & UNABLE TO BAT LH. OR SLIDE HEADFIRST, LIMITING HIS SB POTENTIAL
I got as far as “Yet, Sandy Alderson has already begun the smear campaign and made less of Reyes’ talents and what he brings to the park day in and day out.”
If you really believe this then there is no point in reading the rest cause the idea that you can take a “footnote” comment and blow it up to Alderson beginning a smear campaign is one I simply don’t agree with.
Alderson also said “What we need in the future, lots of Jose Reyes if we want to be a good team. ” but that must of been to throw people off as to his bigger purpose “The smearing of Jose Reyes”.
Wow….
Rob, you wrote:
Jose has already become the Mets All-Time leader in triples and SB’s. He ranks 3rd in runs scored, 5th in hits and 6th in doubles. He was a silver slugger in 06 as well as league leader in triples and SB’s 3 different seasons. He also is the only player in New York baseball history to post 3 consecutive seasons with 50 or more Steals. He has a career 80% success rate. And at just 27 years old, he is only now entering his prime.
All we can do is sit back, hope for the best and enjoy #7 for as long as we have him. Unlike a Hollywood blockbuster, once he’s gone there wont be a sequel.
And what a way to enter his prime. A batting championship… who knew. And yes, there will not be a sequel.
Joe, can I ask
“what a way to enter his prime”
What do you consider a players prime years? Wouldn’t it be when they are at their peak in performance? When do you think a player is starting their “prime”?
Do you honestly believe/project that 2012-2015 Reyes will top 2008-2011?
Players prime years are generally from 25-29, not 28+. Players are at their best when they are younger not older…
JESS, THE MOST FREQUENT DEFINITION OF A PLAYER’S PRIME PARIAMETERS THAT I’VE HEARD/READ ARE THE AGES BETWEEN 28-32(5 YRS IN TOTAL). MEX & RON, FOR EZAMPLE, HAVE USED THOSE YRS IN REFERENCE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS.
AS TO REPLICATION OR IMPROVEMENT Re.2011 STATS, THAT’S A TOUGH ONE AS THE PARK’S DIMENSIONS ARE MORPHING AWAY FROM HIM TOWARDS DAVID & JASON, SHOULD HE STAY & MIAMI’S PARK HAS YET TO BE SEEN SHOUD HE DEPART FOR THERE.
RATHER THAN ATTRIBUTE HIS PHENOMENAL ’11 ACCOMPLISHMENT TO “A CONTRACT LUNGE” I BELIEWVE IT WAS THE RESULT OF THE CONFLUENCE OF REYES’ FIRST ENTIRE SEASON PLAYED IN CITIFIELD, THE IMPROVED COACHING OF HUDGENS OVER HOJO & HIS FIRST OF 5 PEAK PERFORMANCE YRS.
WITH THE NEW DIMENSIONS PERHAPS WELL SEE FEWER DOUBLES/TRIPLES AND INCREASE HR OUTPUT FROM OUR OFFENSIVE LEADER SHOULD HE STAY IN FLUSHING, IT’S A VALID ARGUEMENT EITHER WAY. WE ALL KNOEW BY NOW THAT A GREAT DEAL OF JOSE’S PRODUCTION IS TIED TO HIS EMOTIONS, SHOULD HE GO, I’D ANTICIPATE SOME INITIAL SHOCK OF SADNESS/REGRET STUNTING HIS OUTPUT SHOULD HE STAY, I’D ANTICIPATE THE OPPOSITE EUPHORIC EMOTION AS, ESP SHOULD HE SETTLE FOR LESS TO STAY, HE’S GREETED AS A RETURNING HERO FINAALLY BEING FETTED AS A HEADLINER BY MNGT.
SO, GO OR STAY, I BELIEVE 2011 WAS AN INITIAL PEEK @ HIS RESULTS FROM FULFILLING THE POTENTIAL HE WAS CRITICIZED FOR FALLING SHORT OF TOO EARLY IN HIS CAREER.
REYES, I DO BELIEVE WILL RETIRE SETTING CAREER NUMBERS HERETOFORE BELIEVED TO BE UNATTAINABLE JUST AS RYAN SUBSEQUENTLY DID FROM A PITCHING PERSPECTIVE.
Mets 62: With Hernandez saying a players prime is 28-32, isn’t it interesting that his best years were before he turned 28?
28: .810 OPS
29: .829
30: .859
31: .814
32: .859
.930, .902, .864 25, 26, 27 years old.
Won an MVP at 25.
I mean you can nit pick but overall he was at his best when he was younger.
JESS, AS I’M CERTAIN U ARE AWARE, WITH ALL GENERALISMS THERE ARE OUTLIERS ON EITHER SIDE, JUST AS THERE ARE PLENTY OF LHSP WHO DEVELOPED @ THEIR BEST LATER THAN 32, I GUESS KNUCKLEBALLERS ALSO AS DICKEY’S ONE LATE BLOOMER & BY KNUCKLEBLL STANDARDS STILL A FLEDGLING AGE WISE SINCE THE BEST KNUCKLERS WENT FAR INTO THEIR 40s VERY EFFECTIVELY. IT’S CERTAINLY LOGICAL MORE THAN QUESTIONABLE.
JOE, WELCOME INTO THE WARM LIGHT OF LOGIC, AND OUT OF THE DARK COLD OF WHAT JOSE ISN’T. I’VE NEVER QUITE UNDERSTOOD THE LOGIC OF WILPONS CHOOSING WRIGHT OVER REYES AS “TTHE FACE” SINCE IT’S BEEN OBVIOUS TO ME FOR THE PAST 7 YRS REYES’ GAME HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE MORE REPRESENTATIVE PERSONIFICATION OF THE METS’ FRANCHISE. MY 20 YR OLD SON HAS ALWAYS FAVORED JOSE SINCE DAY 1, MY 43 YR OLD DAUGHTER, DAVID.
I SEE BOTH AS VERY TALENTED YOUNG PLAYERS, NEITHER OF WHICH HAS PEAKED; BUT BOTH ARE QUITE DIFFERENT IN STRENGTHS & UNIQUENESS IN ABILITIES. PERSONALLY, I VALUE REYES HIGHER DUE TO THAT UNIQUE IRREPLACABILITY AS I NEEDN’T LOOK FAR TO FIND PLAYERS NEARLY AS TALENTED @ 3B AS IT SEEMS NEARLY 30% OF TEAMS HAVE A D.WRIGHT LIKENESS @ 3B; WHILE NOWHERE THROUGHOUT MLB IS THERE A REYES’ FACSIMILE
FINANCIALLY IT IS NOT CLOSE TO AN EITHER OR SITUATION, A CONUNDRUM I BELIEVE WAS DELIBERATELY MANUFACTURED & HYPOTHESIZED BY MHGT & THE PRESS AS A GIMMICK TO DRIVE A WEDGE WITHIN “THE BASE” TO CREATE BATTLING FACTIONS OF REYES’ FANS & WRIGHT FANS.
SHOULD ALDERSON MAKE, IN MY OPINION THE ULTIMATE HISTORICAL NY MISSTEP BY SEVERING BOTH, AS HE “SUCCESSFULLY” ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE BASH BROS. CLEAVING IN OAKLAND. ALDERSON, WILPON & CO. WILL BE RECREATING, IMO, THE JUNE, 16, 12977 REDUX THAT NEARLY DESTROYED THIS FRANCHISE ONCE BEFORE. AS I SINCERELY DOUBT THE WESTCOAST INVOLVED ALDERSON WOULD EVEN RECOGNIZE THE TERM “MIDNIGHT MASSACRE” IT’S INCREASINGLY CRITICAL HE BE GIVEN A FAST NYM HISTORY LESSON IN UNDERSTANDING NY BASBALL FANS, UNLIKE OAKLAND OR ANY OTHER CITY’S FANS HAVE EXTREMELY LONG MEMORIES WITH RECOLLECTIONS OF INSULTS BEING PASSED VERBATUM THROUGH MULTIPLE GENERATIONS, HE SHOULD ONLY NEED ASK PETE ROSE WHY OF ALL THE CITIES IN MLB HIS NAME IS ACCOMPANIED BY THE MOST VOCIFEROUS NEGATIVITY SIMPLY FOR AN “INSULT” DELIVERED IN THE HEAT OF COMPETITION 39 YRS LATER. JUT AS 6/16/77 SAW ATTENDANCE DROP BY A THIRD IN ’78(1.5M TO 1.0M) TO NEARLY A HALF BY ’79(.79M) AND NOT RETURNED TO ’76 LEVELS UNTIL ’84(1.8M) A FULL 8 YRS OF MISERY. WITH ECHOES ACCOMPANYING THE BUSINESS SOUNDS EMANATING FROM THE “RUSTY TRIANGLE” ON GAME DAYS
SHEA WASN’T REFERRED TO GRANT’S TOMB EUPHEMISTICALLY, MR ALDERSON.
FRED NEEDS TO LEARN THE DeROULETTE LESSON, THAT TODAY’S FANS ARE NO LESS FORGETFUL THAN THEIR PREDECESSORS.
” 06/16/77, INEVER AGAIN!!” MUST BE OUR BATTLE CRY NOT JUST KEEP JOSE AS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FANS’ RETALIATORY REACTION SHOULD BE MORE FEARSOME THAN A LIFESIZED PICARD CUTOUT IN THE FRED WILPON HOME’S DOORWAY.
I am hoping that Sandy wakes up before it’s too late, kinda like Scrooge on Christmas morning, realizing what life would be like without Jose, and just give the Dude whatever he asks.
For a zillion reasons, it’s easier and more beneficial to sign Jose longterm and hedge against his injury risks, than to proceed without him.