I had an interesting conversation with a someone whose profile tabbed him as a baseball expert. The guy was also a die-hard Met fan. I found him to be representative of most of the Met fans I know from Mets Twitter. I thought I’d kill some time late last night and chatted with many of my now 8,000+ followers.
It all started with “I thought you said the Arroyo meeting with the Mets rumor was false? Not according to Adam Rubin.” I merely responded with “we’ll see.” About 20 minutes later the news came out that the Mets had no intentions of meeting with Arroyo and that the rumor was untrue. “As you were saying?” I asked. No reply.
“You’re crazy, no way Arroyo will get three years”, as I just posted the breaking news that Phil Hughes had signed with the Twins for three years. “Yes, you’re probably right, what was I thinking,” as I chuckled at home.
But let me get back to our baseball expert.
It’s amazing what great lengths some people will go to just to be right. You can hit them in the face with a John Buck style punch pie filled with whipped cream and facts, but damn it, there’s no way they are wrong. It’s impossible. It kind of reminds me of a few people right here in our MMO community.
It all began with this tweet from me:
Joe D. – Remember when Sandy Alderson said he had 25 pitchers on his wish list last month? It must be down to 13-14 pitchers by now and shrinking fast.
Die-Hard Mets Fan – Worst thing you could do is spend big money on average players. We should spend wisely not just spend.
Joe D. – Give me some smart buys for this offseason?
Die-Hard Mets Fan – Honestly, not many out there, but I’d rather not have more Jason Bay contracts. This is not a win now team, patience.
Joe D. – Champions cant be gun shy and afraid to take risks because of one or two bad decisions. Fear is a bad strategy.
Die-Hard Mets Fan – I’d like to see Nelson Cruz, to me he’s a big bat and worth the money.
Joe D. – I’d like to see Cruz too, but likely 4/$60 or more on a PED user. You in? That’s “Jason Bay” money.
Die-Hard Mets Fan – Jason Bay was never a power hitter like Cruz, he’s also produced off PED’s. I’d take the shot on him.
Joe D. – Bay was not a power hitter like Cruz???
Joe D. – He led the American League in SLG%, HR, second in RBI before Mets signed him.. Four 30+ HR seasons. What do you mean he wasn’t a power hitter?
Die-Hard Mets Fan – You do realize he played in Fenway right? #bandbox
Joe D. – Last season, Ballpark at Arlington – HR Rate .903 Rank #19, Fenway Park – HR Rate .845 Rank #23. In 2009 Fenway ranked 26th in HR, Arlington ranked 4th in MLB.
Die-Hard Mets Fan – Go deeper bud, you need to take into account right hand hitters only.
Well, you get the picture…
Fact is, every ballplayer is overpaid and it’s been that way for over five years, open your eyes and your minds for crying out loud. There are no upfront bargains.
Rolling the dice on some fish bones you pulled out of the trash in January that ends up having a solid season is not a mark of genius, nor is it uncommon. All 30 teams have stories to tell like that.
When a homeless person grabs a brown bag out of the dumpster and inside he finds an unopened, still wrapped Twinkie that’s as fresh as the day it was made, that’s not genius, it’s luck.
I wish some fans would stop harping on who they like, then do a complete 180 after they sign elsewhere. It’s so transparent and it impresses nobody aside from possibly your own inflated ego.
Either learn how to work and deal in this new free agent market that is here to stay, or do everybody a favor and go the hell home. Nobody wants to see beggars at a banquet.
I’m sick and tired of these damned Metsian pity-parties and half-assed attempts to make paint this Mets apocalypse as some sort of inspired genius when it’s only a joint effort by the front office and ownership to dupe your gullible selves into thinking this is a strategy when the word for it is simple – poverty.
For all of you who believe that Chris Young was some sort of piece for the future, and I know there’s thousands of you out there, I’d bet anything that if he has lets say 15 homers and 40 ribbies by middle of July – who the hell believes that – he’ll be traded for some minor leaguers.
Then the high-kicking chorus lines spouting genius will be on full display again, even though the Mets are not one step closer to a championship or even relevancy at this point.
Lather, Rinse, Repeat…
