Dear Mr. Alderson,
I would genuinely like to thank you for quite literally just doing something; actually, as of Monday, July 27, two somethings.
Though there are certainly more impactful hitters around the league than Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe, it is refreshing to see that you’re at least now beginning to patch up the holes in what looked like a sinking ship that is your team, the New York Mets. And to add RHP Tyler Clippard as well, I must say that I’ve been pleasantly surprised at your sudden wheeling-and-dealing behavior.
Up to this point, it seemed as if you and your pals Fred and Jeff were going to combine to bring the hilariously incompetent front office from Major League 2 to life. (I’m sure there are more than a few people out there who wouldn’t mind seeing you pull a full Roger Dorn and take a fastball to the back too.)
It has been clear to see for months now that no matter how good the pitching has been, the offense – as it was – would not be enough to get them to the Promised Land. But then you traded for Johnson and Uribe and suddenly the team’s energy was resuscitated.
While the Mets could still use a true leadoff hitter and possibly yet another outfielder, even with Michael Conforto now in the Majors, that trade was a big step in the right direction. It shows us as fans that even if 2015 doesn’t result in the team’s first playoff appearance since the very first iPhone roamed the Earth, then at least the Amazin’s will go down fighting, not as a result of complete inaction.
But you didn’t stop there, either. For as strong as the Mets’ make-shift bullpen has been so far, adding a veteran late-inning arm like Clippard is a significant upgrade and could prove crucial down the stretch.
Hopefully there is one more sizable move to come, ideally for a bat that really puts the team over the top and officially takes this week to video game-like levels of deadline deals.
But even if there are no roster additions between now and July 31, thank you for finally stepping up and realizing that the Mets lineup of the previous few months–you know, that group of guys made up of largely minor league-level hitters disguising themselves in Mets uniforms–simply wouldn’t cut it. You have given Mets fans something we haven’t truly had this late in the year since 2008… Hope.
Sincerely,
Encouraged Mets Fans Everywhere
