We continue our remembrance of MMO founder Joe D., who passed away last week, with recollections from current and former MMO staff. You can read part one here.
As a reminder, if you would like to make a donation in Joe’s honor, his family provided this link to St. Jude’s.
Patrick Glynn
It was hard to go a week without Joe letting reminding you what he thought of you. It was all positive. (The same can’t be said for certain politicians.) I loved that he always took an optimistic outlook with all of his writers. He knew not everyone who wrote for this site is perfect. You can’t hire a ton of college kids and first-time writers and expect excellence. Passion for the Mets was first. AP Style was a distant second. He was happy to give you a chance, then another, then dozens more. Then he’d remind you how proud of you he was in your growth.
My computer wouldn’t turn on New Year’s Day last year. I let Joe know, cus I was getting the site together a couple of days later. (It’s a little tough to edit on WordPress from your phone.) He immediately asked for my address and sent me a laptop. I was really shocked. It was instantly the most someone invested in me personally doing my job.
My last couple of conversations were about the site–more operational things than strict editorial dealings. That’s Mike’s job. But he was always receptive to ideas, always willing to listen, and, as always, clear about what he thought of you. I’m glad the last thing we talked about on the phone was all excitement about where MMO could grow. He’s run some version of this site for over 15 years, and it never got stale for him. He’d run it for 15 more years if his body let him. I’ll try to remind myself of that.
Marshall Field
To know Joe was to respect and admire him. His passions were many, but three stood out to me the most. First, was his love for the site he founded. It has become, in a fairly short time, the place for all things New York Mets. To write here is a privilege, and to become an editor here, an honor. His patience and integrity were not lost on me who needed Joe to help me navigate through some murky waters early in my career here.
Second, was his passion and compassion for the people he worked with. I spoke at least twice a month with Joe by phone, and although I never met him, we both considered each other dear friends. He remarked on both problems and good points with certain writers and tried to help everyone succeed. No piece on MMO was insignificant to him as was no writer.
Finally, his love for his Mets knew no bounds. It hurt him greatly that his health prevented him from attending more games. But that didn’t stop him from paying for every seat the last time the MMO staff saw a game at Citi Field. The Mets lost the game, but to us, Joe’s gift was all that mattered. When I look back on a life cut short, I will remember much about Joe. He was a good guy, an excellent journalist and a terrific human being. I will think of him each time I go onto MMO, and smile through a broken heart. Smile because I know I’m among friends and family. Joe was like family, a man you could trust and certainly look up to. I will miss him, I will grieve for him and I will never, ever forget him.
Matt Mancuso
Joe D was a special man. Now, with other men, that’s certainly a hyperbole statement, you hear it very frequently.
But regarding Joe, that’s reality.
Alongside Mike Mayer, Joe D & MMO took a shot on a high school junior with a hardened passion for the Mets & a nil amount of writing experience. In my first few years with MMO, stricken with the anxiety a first-time author often faces, Joe offered unsolicited words of encouragement, sent over Mets-related presents, & messaged me to chat about our shared passion for all things Sicily.
I’d soon learn this was the norm. He frequently took a shot on young, passionate writers, allowing MMO to serve as a first step in our careers. As I transitioned into writing more analytical-based work, I would open Twitter to constant praise from him upon publication of my latest piece, giving me much-needed confidence to continue. Joe helped mold me into the writer and person I am today. I attribute most of my professional success to the opportunity & compliments Joe D & MMO offered. RIP Joe D. You will be missed.
Tommy Rothman
Like many in the MMO family, I was shocked to hear of Joe’s passing. Joe brought me on board in 2013 when I was just a high school kid, and from day one he was extremely helpful, kind and constructive. He gave me great feedback on my good articles, and useful feedback on the ones that had room for improvement. More importantly, he made writing about the Mets fun, and I know he made reading about the Mets fun for everybody who consumed the website from the other side.
I’m devastated that we lost Joe, but I’m glad that he lives on through his greatest passion, and this amazing community he built that we can all continue to be a part of. Thanks for everything Joe, and LGM.
Michelle Ioannou
I never would have covered the Mets if it wasn’t for Joe. I never would’ve been in the Mets dugout if it wasn’t for Joe. I never would’ve interviewed Mets greats if it wasn’t for Joe. He not only opened a world of opportunity for me, but he believed in me and supported me. He believed in everyone he brought as part of his MMO team. He was a great source of feedback. He was a leader that always gave you praise and thanked you, which are things that have become rare in leaders. Joe supported me and the entire MMO team as if we were his own family. He was understanding of our lives outside the blog and many of us have our own stories of Joe helping out personally.
When my brother passed away, he not only let me use MMO as an outlet to get my grief out, but he also worked with our design team to make “Christopher” t-shirts and all of the proceeds were donated in Christopher’s memory. Joe was truly one of a kind and I can honestly say I will miss working with him and even just shooting the sh*t with him. May your memory be eternal, Joe. I know I’ll never forget you. Thank you for everything.
Carl Aridas
I was in Europe when I heard the news and while I knew Joe was very sick and had been almost as long as I knew him, the news was still shocking. I read Joe’s original posts before MMO was a site, and after he started MMO to organize his Mets fandom (one of the few baseball people I have ever known who is a bigger Mets fan than me) I loved how Joe always had new material.
In the beginning, this meant 2-3 new articles per week, but Joe allowed people to become regular contributors via Fanshots, and I took a shot. He liked my post, which I had intended to be a 1-time only post. With his encouragement, however, he let me explore my own topics and write whenever I wanted to. I wrote mostly about baseball cards and Mets from my youth (early to late 70’s) and even when fans sometimes had a negative reaction, Joe was always encouraging. Because of him, I was able to become a guest writer for Fangraphs and HardballTimes. Joe offered me a regular gig, and although family and corporate commitments prevented me from accepting his offer, Joe was always willing to offer his support. All of us will miss Joe, and I will never forget the man who published my first baseball article and encouraged me to write more. RIP Joe
Clayton Collier
When I think of Joe DeCaro, I think of passion and commitment. Of course, both apply to his love of the Mets and Metsmerized, but I will always remember Joe for the way he applied those qualities to the people he brought on board at Metsmerized.
Joe was one of the first people to believe in me as a writer and broadcaster. I was 15 at the time, writing for my own blog just to gain experience. He took a chance on me by not only inviting me to write for MMO, but credentialing me to cover Mets games as a high schooler. That experience, and his encouragement, were invaluable as I began my professional career.
His legacy lives on through the community he created with MMO and the countless people he inspired to pursue their dreams. He will always be our “fearless leader.”
Connor O’Brien
Regardless of what he was going through personally, Joe was always an incredibly warm and generous man. He went out of his way to encourage and mentor young writers, always elevating them above himself. Over 18 years, a generation of young staff was molded by his influence. But just as importantly, Joe was deeply committed to the community he created here, a digital oasis where we could enjoy (or more often, suffer over) Mets baseball in pleasant company. In that way, he made the lives of thousands a little better each day. I’ll miss him.
Brian Wright
Like all of us, Joe is connected with each contributor’s entire time with Metsmerized. For me, that connection began in March 2020. Joe eagerly welcomed me in as a historian and it’s been a wonderful way to continue channeling my passion for the Mets. Joe was not only dedicated to bringing high-quality content to the site but was remarkably supportive and encouraging to the writers. His love for the team also came through in his writing as well. I admire his generosity and will greatly miss his presence.
Jack Ramsey
Joe was one of the kindest souls I ever had the chance to interact with, whether in our online world or in person. He never hesitated to do what was best for you, and cared so deeply about each and everyone he came across. To Joe, it didn’t matter if you were an editor who had been here for 10 years, or if you were a new writer who started yesterday. He cared about all his riders all the same.
What I will remember the most about Joe was just how appreciative he was of everyone who contributed to his website. Even if it was just something as small as the morning briefing, he always made sure to find a way and the time to compliment his writers and coach them up, even in the later years as he was less involved with the website. Joe cared about and loved the community he created so deeply, but it won’t be the same without him. I’ll miss all our conversations and just talking about life with him. I loved Joe, and I’ll miss him dearly.
Michael Lloyd
I was profoundly shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Joe D. The friendship, guidance, love and honesty he exhibited with not only myself, but everyone he ever interacted with here, and in life; are character traits that we all should aspire to.
