4
2012
First Place In Our Hearts, First Place In The NL East
An article by 
As most of you know, for most of the offseason, I’ve taken an optimistic approach toward the Mets for this new season. In our 2012 MMO Predictions, I picked the Mets to win the second Wild Card in the National League. For comeback player of the year, my choice was Johan Santana. I’m on record as saying that by the end of this season, the Mets will have increased their attendance over last year. I shared Sandy Alderson’s sentiments that this would be a fun team to watch, but was a little annoyed that we didn’t do a better job of bolstering what I believed was a team that could contend for a Wild Card this season.
And yet on top of all those things, I’m so surprised to wake up this morning and find my beloved Mets in a dead heat for first place. I can’t even describe how proud I am of this team right now. I’ve embraced these 2012 Mets from the very beginning. I took flack for daring to say this team feels a lot like the 1983 team back in early April. I may have in fact been wrong in saying 1983 because in hindsight I’d like to change that to 1984 instead.
I’m so excited not just for the team we have assembled now, but even more-so for the players that have yet to arrive. I’ve never seen such an array of top-level talent in our minor leagues in decades. I’m not just talking about your garden variety, ho-hum prospects that we’ve seen come and go in the last decade. I’m talking about legit prospects that are not a product of the Mets Hype Machine, but rather a dozen or so prospects that have rival team executives and rival scouts abuzz and envious of what we have in the pipeline.
We are living in some incredible times with regards to the Mets. The LOLMets days have come to an end and any Mets Blogger who continues to use that hashtag should be ashamed of themselves.
I love this team so much, that I simply have no more tolerance for the negativity I see from so-called fans who wouldn’t know what a promising team looked like even if it came up and bit them on the asterisk.
A lifelong dream was recently realized in the form of Johan Santana who gave me what I’ve longed to see all these many, many years – our first no-hitter. In that regard, if you haven’t read Joe Spector’s and Ed Leyro’s takes on that wonderful night, you really should.
Sandy Alderson said on more than one occasion that he has the money to bolster this team at the Trade Deadline if we’re in a position to win a coveted a play-off spot. I would advise him to call Mr. Wilpon right away and tell him to get his checkbook out because we are looking at a serious contender here, but we also need some help to seal the deal.
Don’t let this team down Sandy because I swear I’ll come after you on August 1st with everything I got if you fail this team this season. I’ve kept my mouth shut for most of the year so far and given you a free pass. But if you pull an M. Donald Grant where David Wright and Johan Santana are concerned, I swear I’ll open up a great huge can of whoop-ass on this site.
The great Bill Parcell’s always used to say, “You are what your record says you are”. The Mets record says that they are serious contenders for the division. They have the best record against division foes and the best record against teams that are over .500. That doesn’t happen by accident.
Tomorrow is the start of a big three game series with the Washington Nationals who since the start of the season have been in first place from wire to wire. Now the Mets have a one-third stake in that, and on Tuesday we’ll show them that we’re not a team to be taken lightly, but instead a force to be reckoned with.
I’ll have my post entitled, “The Best 1-2 Punch In The National League” up later today or tomorrow morning. If pitching is really everything, the Mets currently have the best top of the rotation in the division and the Nats are about to find that out for themselves this week.
Let me just close by saying that if you’ve turned a blind eye toward this Mets team, and in some cases your backs as well, you have no idea what you’ve been missing. Maybe you should consider rooting for that other team in the Bronx because we don’t need part-time fans and band-wagoners in this fanbase – the best and most Amazin fanbase in baseball.
Lets Go Mets!
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.
14 Comments + Add Comment
NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 24 | 18 | .571 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 20 | .535 | 1.5 |
| Phillies | 20 | 23 | .465 | 4.5 |
| Mets | 16 | 24 | .400 | 7.0 |
| Marlins | 11 | 32 | .256 | 13.5 |
Last updated: 05/18/2013
Recent Comments
- ill_egl: on Mets vs Cubs: Davis Not In Lineup As Gee Looks For A Win In Rubber Match: Last 3 or 4 outings Gee has...
- BadBadLeroyBrown: on Mets GM Tells Ike Davis He Has Until End Of Month To Turn Slump Around: Luckily for me I have numerous hobbies,...
- Al: on Mets vs Cubs: Davis Not In Lineup As Gee Looks For A Win In Rubber Match: Brown pulled from Las Vegas 51s game
- Paul: on Is Collins The Blame For Team’s Poor Performance, Or Is He Just The Patsy?: Valdespin leads the team in runs per...
- Paul: on Murphy Batting Leadoff, But For How Long?: Valdespin leads the Mets in runs per...
MMO Mets Chat
Need Tickets To The Mets Game?
Check Out These Great MLB Links!
Photographs From Gordon Donovan
5360 Fans Follow Us On Twitter!
1269 Fans Like Us On Facebook!
2341 Fans Read Our Feed!
1702 Fans Subscribe via Daily Email!
“I’m on record as saying that by the end of this season, the Mets will have increased their attendance over last year.”
Joe, if this comes to pass then how appropriate will the 2012 slogan “Winning you back one game at a time” will be?
Pretty darn appropriate! I guess that’s why fate chose your slogan as the winning entry.
GREAT SLOGAN
That reminds me… It’s June… Time to give away another pair of Free Mets Tickets to one of our lucky readers.
Good post Joe and I’m gonna hold you to that can of whoop-ass if Sandy doesn’t do something to bolster this team.
No more should be that the team has to prove something to him before he makes a move, it’s time for him to help keep the team afloat and be proactive. Enough of this waiting around for the “market” enough of this “kicking the tires”.
Get ahead of the game and do something and do something quick. Omar provided him the goods now keep it going.
Good afternoon Bay, if you see the question below I agree they can improve the team but where and who is the better questions.
I keep hearing that if the Mets have money and Sandy believes in the team then he will add (big) pieces to the team at the deadline.
My question is what are you adding? What is the need? Unless an injury occurs you have
Johan, RA, Niese, Gee, Young, and the kids for the SP
The bullpen is an obvious choice but that is more likely to be maybe a 2nd LOOGY?
The offense is already jammed a little when Bay and Ruben return. You could look for some power at 1B I guess if Ike is going to struggle all year.
that is a big part of why I think the moves will be made, but won’t be blockbusters. Though really, not that many teams make huge acquisitions at the deadline (top flight players). the majority are bolstering or filling needs types of deals.
The pen (say bringing on a 2nd closer) is the one area you can see it happening, though if you have a shot at a difference maker SP (assumign there are any on the market) you have to go for it.
but of course, it will come down the the cost. And I really don’t see Sandy trading say Wheeler for Garza (or some such rental type).
“My question is what are you adding? What is the need?”
BULLPEN help. See if they can sell on Rauch, Francisco, and maybe Parnell in an effort to strengthen the pen. Then again, we still have some internal options (Hampson, James, Beato, Edgin, Arm. Rodriguez?)
“You could look for some power at 1B I guess if Ike is going to struggle all year.”
Kevin Youkilis says hi.
Well you forget that if we went after an ace who is made available in July, Gee would probably be a part of that trade. They are going to want an MLB pitcher in return no?
Santana is going great but can you trust he can go a whole season? I doubt he can if he keeps pitching complete game shutouts!
You have Harvey coming down the Minor League Walkway and while he might be just the guy to replace Pelfrey next year, you have to take measures for what you have if he struggles and has to go back down.
So I could definitly see them going after a potential Ace to be the #2 or #3 behind Santana and Dickey to both ensure against any relapse from Santana and to upgrade the Pelfrey spot.
Then your rotation next year looks like:
Santana (ace)
Dickey (ace)
Guy I’m talking about (Ace or near it)
Niese (Potential to be an ace)
Harvey (who everyone assumes is going to be ace material)
If Harvey is Ace, Wheeler will make dealing with Santana as a FA in 2014 much easier. And if Harvey has problems Wheeler takes his place whil he sorts them out.
SO I can see getting a starting pitcher who is Ace or near ace worthy as being a good move.
Best way to solve the Pen issues is to avoid them entirely!
If we want to get bullpen help there is plenty of players in the MiLs who could get us that they don’t ever cost a premium!
Havens could get you one, Quintanilla is done when Turner and Tejada get back and could get you one and lets not forget we still have Mejia and Familia who seem to be front and center in the minds of the FO to solve the pen problems as well!
I would never turn my back on this team! I know plenty of fans that didnt believe in this team. Tug McGraw would say shame on all of you! Lets go Mets!!!
As I posted before: Only one game in town right now. No Hockey, No Basketball, No Football, that other baseball team in NY can say what it wants, BUT it’s only METS BASEBALL RIGHT NOW. LETS ENJOY IT!!!
Well that didn’t last long now did it?
So Glad we improved that Bull Pen aren’t you?
Need a single and Torres hits a Sac Fly…
Damn that was one helluva Good Day now wasn’t it?
I HEAR YOU BUDDY
“Let me just close by saying that if you’ve turned a blind eye toward this Mets team, and in some cases your backs as well, you have no idea what you’ve been missing. Maybe you should consider rooting for that other team in the Bronx because we don’t need part-time fans and band-wagoners in this fanbase – the best and most Amazin fanbase in baseball.”