Bobby Ojeda isn’t the only 1986 Met ripping the Mets for their recent lifeless play. Yesterday, Kevin Kernan of the NY Post caught up with Darryl Strawberry who, among other things, said the Mets have no swagger.
“I think that is what they are really missing, the attitude, the swagger about being in New York, and representing New York. Other teams don’t fear them. There’s no fear. They’ve got to get to that point where other teams fear them, whatever it takes. Teams feared us when they came to the ballpark.
“They say it’s a different time now. It’s not a different time. It’s baseball; it’s still the same game,” he said, his voice rising with passion. “If nobody fears you, they are going to beat all over you and they are going to laugh at you, and that’s what teams do to the Mets now.
“They beat all over them and they laugh at them,” he said. “Teams never came to Shea Stadium thinking they were going to beat all over us and laugh at us. We would have kicked their heinie on the field and off the field. That’s just the way we were.
“I’m sorry, I love those guys and I’ve been with them. I want them to win,” he said. “I’m not a former player who doesn’t want them to win, I care about the organization. I like the manager. I care about them winning, but nobody is going to give it to them. They need to understand that: You’ve got to go out and you’ve got to take it.”
Do you agree with Straw or disagree? Do other teams fear the Mets?
What is your opinion when former ballplayers levy harsh criticism on the current team and players?
Does what they say matter?
