Updated Post 8/30

Terry Collins said it is a mistake to suggest the Mets’ goal for the remainder of the season is to finish in third place, ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins. “You know, it’s not a goal. I don’t know where that’s coming from,” Collins said. The Mets manager says his goal is to reach .500.

“The goal is to play as good as we can for as long as we can. For me, our goal should be to try to get back to .500. That should be our goal. What are we getting for third? Are we getting a sweater? A blanket with our logo on it? T-shirt, ‘We finished third?'”

That’s pretty funny… The Mets, now winners of four in a row go for a sweep of the Phillies this afternoon..After last night’s 3-2 win their record stands at 61-69, eight games under .500.

Original Post 8/29

“This team has been accused of folding it up. I disagree with that. I disagreed when I heard it. I know those guys in that locker room. I know what they’re made of. I know what their personalities are… They’re going to play it out. There’s guys are playing for jobs. There’s guys playing for careers. And there’s still a lot of fight. Hopefully in the next 34 games, or 33 games — whatever we’ve got left – we’ll see it.”  ~ Terry Collins

Sorry for my lack of posts, but now I’m settled into my new home and I’m ready to start writing again.

Lately I’ve been seeing more and more frustration being directed at Twerry Collins here and at MetsBlog. I don’t understand where all this frustration is coming from to be honest.

It was only a couple of months ago that there were many fans and writers alike who were suggesting Collins should be this year’s Manager of the Year. Nobody is saying that anymore, but yet it’s the same person doing the same job now as he has been all year. Collins has been consistent throughout this season and you can’t take that away from him.

To call him out now or blame Collins for the last five weeks of poor play is a complete overreaction and totally unfair to him.

Nobody has believed more in this team than he has. From the first day that camp opened he never once griped about losing Beltran or Reyes and instead he told his team we don’t need them and we can win without them. It sounded like crazy talk at the time, but as the first half wore on the Mets held that wild card spot for 98% of their first 81 games. It was a monumental task to say the least.

Then a chain reaction of calamities hit this team like a ton of bricks including the losses of Johan Santana, Dillon Gee and Frank Francisco. David Wright stopped impersonating Stan Musial and lost 40 points off his league leading batting average. Lucas Duda and Kirk Nieuwenhuis fell off the map of the earth and soon both would be demoted back to Triple-A. Bench players like Scott Hairston and Mike Baxter took on everyday roles. And somehow Terry Collins was to blame for all this?

The second half collapse has been tough to watch and is everybody’s fault from ownership on down. Nobody came through in the clutch and nobody stepped up to help carry the team.

It would be a shame to let Collins go in light of the fact he’s been handed a team in transition with many players that wouldn’t be on another team’s major league roster. He deserves a chance to be here when the good times begin in 2014. We owe him at least that much for the agony he’s had to endure over the last two seasons. You think the fans have it bad? Try putting yourself in Terry Collins’ shoes and then talk to me. Collins said he’s fighting, not folding. Mets fans should do the same thing.