Good Morning, Met Nation.

Starting the day off with Mets talk may not be ideal as of late but true sports fans can’t help but get caught up in the banter, debate, and drama. Unfortunately, with our beloved Amazins, there’s more than we can stomach at one setting. Adam Rubin from ESPN NY has been especially chatty about the team over the last few weeks:

New York’s Finest

The team has been referred to as a circus with the constant stream of negative press that has happened in a little less than a year. Here are the lowlights:

  • Francisco Rodriguez was arrested, and had season-ending surgery, “The team placed him on the disqualified list without pay and is trying to remove the guaranteed portion of his deal.”
  • “The team openly feuded with Carlos Beltran and agent Scott Boras over whether Beltran had the team’s permission to undergo Jan. 13 arthroscopic knee surgery.”
  • “The FBI visited the Mets’ complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla., during spring training to question Jose Reyes and Beltran about their visits to a Toronto doctor since charged with unlawfully distributing human growth hormone.”
  • “Fred Wilpon had a civil suit filed against him by the widow of an employee of Wilpon-owned Sterling Equities.”
  • “Johan Santana had a civil suit filed against him by a woman claiming the married ace sexually assaulted her in October 2009.”

Did I miss anything? The Mets in 86 had their own share of problems but admittedly, when I hear about that championship team, I never hear anything but the negative press and internal turmoil in the clubhouse and off the field. Can winning really make the turmoil this team is facing go away? This is one time when I think winning is not enough. We’d be happy because the team will have another title but problems left unaddressed and problematic persons not weeded out will always re-surface and negatively affect the dynamic. There’s some real issues in Flushing. Can the Mets ever escape the specter of being “New York’s other team”?

Father Knows Best

You got a volatile and maybe combustible situation when the coaches and players don’t like or appreciate each other. It’s even worse when there is a lack of respect entirely. It usually means someone has to exit the relationship. There’s a few instances this year where players have railed against their coaches in a fit of disrespect and contempt. See Hanley Ramirez vs. Fredi Gonzalez. Dan Warthen calls John Maine a habitual liar. Jason Bay is distressed that Jerry Manuel called his season over due to his injury without speaking to him first. Just another extension of the same problems we already know about. It’s hard to see how anyone from this managerial staff makes it into 2011. I don’t believe the players trust those that are in charge of their growth and development. I don’t believe they trust in the direction of the franchise. If you were working in a place where your bosses or immediate supervisors speak disrespectfully of you or giving you reasons to not trust or respect them, what do you do in a situation like that? Mets players are probably asking themselves that right now as they’re cashing their checks. My Mets fantasy team I posted last week is looking better and better.

CitiField Sit-Out

Well, fellow Mets blogger Taryn Cooper has raised the challenge flag for Mets fans to sit out on today’s baseball game. In essence, the fans that lived and died for this organization and that eat, sleep, and breathe Orange and Blue 24/365, are taking their balls and going home for one night. I’m a firm believer in the power of one but even a frimer believer in the power of many. There has been a growing positive response to this request and I believe that, if done right, it will make the desired impact. I just question if the fan base is willing to make that statement. Some fans think this is a bad idea and some don’t care as the games are more a social event than something to rally for or against. Can this sit out get the attention of the powers-that-be and mark a real turn in Mets history? We’ll know in about thirteen hours………..

Met Nation, have a fantastic day! Can’t wait to hear from ya. Orange and Blue Till We Die!