Back in August I posted here that the NY Mets should look to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim as their blueprint for future success in building a franchise. (Shameless Plug: https://metsmerizedonline.com/2009/08/angels-should-be-the-mets-blueprint.html)
While I am still largely on my Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim bandwagon, especially with their comeback victory against Boston in Game 3 and now the Angels and Demons matchup of Yankees/Angels on the horizon, I have to come to terms with the fact it’s possible they won’t beat the Yankees.
With four teams left, an ideal World Series for a sulking Mets fan would be the Freeway Series between the Angels and Dodgers. The west coasters would get their fix of east coast bias, and we would see minimal players/front office employees that we despise on the field.
However, I read somewhere I forget where that as a Mets fan if the Phillies and Yankees were to meet in the World Series, that Mets fan would root for the Phillies. For SHAME sir! I’ll break down where my rooting interests would be in the potential series, and why you as a Mets fan should feel the same way.
Disclaimer: If any of these players snuffed you at a club, or refused to sign an autograph for you and you now hate whatever team they are on … well I can’t do anything about that. I’m talking as an average New Yorker and Mets fan here.
Angels v. Yankees (Angels and Demons)
I think it goes without saying that a true Mets fan wants nothing more than to see the Angels bunt and steal their way to a series victory here.
We also have some scouting to do. John Lackey is a free agent and often a the topic of conversation as to whether he will be a good fit here in New York, and is he worth the money? Well, we’re about to find out. Is there a bigger stage and a better lineup that Lackey could face in New York in Game 1? I don’t think so. He had an excellent game against Boston, but all due respect to the Red Sox Nation; your lineup doesn’t compare to what the Yankees bring. You wanna see if John Lackey should be sought after by the Mets brass? Watch him take on ARod, Tex and Jeter while going toe to toe with Sabathia. You’ll figure it out one way or the other on Friday night.
Remember when the Mets were about to get Vlad Guerrero and then his back injuries stopped them from doing so, and all he did was win the league MVP after? How can you not root for the guy? He’s one of the most fun hitters to watch swing the bat, he should have been here in NY but we were too scared to gamble and look what it cost us. He deserves a World Series trip in my opinion.
The Angels scare the crap out of Yankees fans. It’s actually a lot of fun to listen to.
Phillies v. Dodgers
Okay if there is one thing we as Mets fans love, it’s showing appreciation for Yankee greats when their franchise kicks them out the door. Joe Torre lead that team for 10+ years, never missing the playoffs and they ran him out of town like he was Jeff Torberg. Furthermore, in their new stadium museum, there is not one mention or photo of the great manager from the championship era.
I am not a Manny Ramirez fan, I’m glad he’s not wearing a Mets uniform right now (or a Mets hoody as he’d likely be sitting on the couch somewhere.) However, this week, I’m a Manny fan.
Did anybody read that story about Ryan Howard’s 200th Homerun ball? To sum it up, it was hit in Florida, and a 12 year old girl caught it, a Phillies representative convinced her to take the ball to the clubhouse to give to Howard in exchange he’d come out and meet her, sign a ball and take a photo. She’s outside the clubhouse, and a team rep walks out, hands her a signed ball and sends her on her way. The guy couldn’t take 5 minutes out of his lead pipe swinging day to meet a 12 year old girl who was giving him his memorable Homerun ball back. So she sued, and she won. Good for her.
I expect Pedro Martinez will get a sunny start in Los Angeles at some point, which will mean a Pedro v. Manny situation that the media will probably highlight for a day and a half leading up to it. I love Martinez, but he was insane to demand the contract he wanted from the Mets and I hope he gets lit up in Los Angeles.
I hate everything about that team. From their fans, to their manager, their pitching coach’s stupid name, Jayson Werth & Brad Lidge, and of course the core of Utley, Howard, and Hamels. I want to see Brad Lidge implode in Los Angeles so bad it keeps me up at night because I need to make sure my DVR is set to go 30 minutes over the scheduled time!
If the Angels or Dodgers play the Phillies or Yankees, it should be an easy decision for Mets fans. However, if the sun sets and the darkness fills the skies over Citi Field and we are forced to watch a World Series between the Yankees and the Phillies, I’m taking the Yankees.
Yankees v. Phillies
What do residents of Philadelphia despise more than Santa Claus? New Yorkers. Whether we wear pin stripes or blue and orange, they do not like us. Here’s why we should team up and root for the Yankees over the Phillies should this happen.
If the Phillies win the World Series again, though you may know fewer annoying Phillies fans personally than Yankees fans, the Phillies fan will have two years of not only defeating the Mets in the standings, but now conquering New York as a whole by defeating the best team on paper in baseball.
Yankees fans know they overpay for talent. Isn’t that our biggest argument? There isn’t a Yankees fan alive who thinks it’s a good idea to have a $200 million dollar payroll. If any team could do it, they would.
Remember last year’s All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium? New Yorkers boo’d Chase Utley and in a moment of hilarity he responded with “Boo? F%^& You.” He was saying that to New York! You’re a Mets fan, were you at the game? I’m sure you boo’d didn’t you? Stand up for New York and so, “No Chase. F^$# You!”
Finally, there’s Alex Rodriguez. You know, I think on average Mets fans don’t mind Rodriguez, mostly because we enjoy the fact his own fans can’t stand him even though he’s so talented. Wouldn’t it be so great to see Rodriguez win the World Series over Philadelphia? Your chances of getting through to WFAN shows will increase by 50% alone, because now there will be nothing to complain about in the Bronx!
If these two should meet in the Sandbox Series (you know, because they both play in little league parks.) You as a Mets fan can NOT root for Philadelphia. Swallow your pride and stand up for New York. We only play the Yankees 6 times a year, so for a little over a week we’d have to hear about how they are the defending champs. Imagine how annoying that would be, and then multiply it by 17 times. You realize on their own website their banner says nothing that they are World Series champions? It says “NL East Champions – 2007, 2008, 2009”
The Yankees despite what some of us think are not in any way shape or form our rivals. Sure, its fun to go at it with Yankees fans, but it’s only because they are so close in proximity to us. The Philadelphia Phillies are our rivals, they are who we build a roster to try and defeat next year, and to root for them in any series is not only a crime against the Mets, but it’s a crime against New York!
But seriously, I hope it’s a Freeway Series in Los Angeles! I’d obviously root for the Angels, but I’d be okay with seeing a teary eyed Torre talk about how he is so grateful to have been given the chance to manage another great team after he was run out of town in New York.
