Loss and pain are something New York Mets fans know so well. People who are Yankees fans – or any other team's fans for that matter – are sitting back grinning from ear to ear. They love taunting us for our loyalty to the team. As I was walking down the street yesterday wearing my Mets cap I heard, "How much more can you take?" from someone across the street. And then I heard another guy yelling, "Well, I guess it's wait until next year!" laughing like a madman wearing Yankees Pinstripes. Wait until next year in December? That's the ultimate insult.
And yet, I see the point to these jabs – Steve Cohen went and played Scrooge before Christmas. Instead of opening his sizeable wallet, he let Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso go to other teams. I think that even the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, or Future couldn't have changed things or even the ghost of Casey Stengel. He was going to go ahead with this plan and, in doing so, stab Mets fans in the back.
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| Will this ornament stay or go? |
The blood in my veins is orange and blue as we Mets fans are the descendants of The New York Giants (orange) and the Brooklyn Dodgers (blue). My maternal grandfather and his family were diehard Dodgers fans. When they couldn't get into Ebbets Field, they watched games through the holes in the outfield fence.
This love has been transferred to the Mets – the sometimes wayward descendants of the teams that left us for the California sun. This is an entirely different story that I will tell one day in more detail (as to how it affected my family), but the truth is that loss only fueled the fire that makes Mets fans loyal to them even when they slap us in the face.
Losing Diaz was one thing – it was bad but we could live with it, but losing Alonso is another thing. He came up through the organization. We watched his wonderful rookie year and all the other seasons he was here. In many ways we saw him as we saw Tom Seaver. He was one of ours. He had the orange and blue blood running in his veins too, but now he is gone, and there is a void – a deep, dark chasm that cannot be filled.
I am not sure where this leaves us as fans. In one way, I would like to still wear my Alonso jersey when I'm out and about, but why give Yankees fans anything to add to their glee. But we have been here before. Nolan Ryan was traded for Jim Fregosi. Who? Just crickets. Tom Seaver was traded for Pat Zachary. Who? More crickets.
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| The World Series Winning 1969 Mets |
I am so angry that for the first time in my life I am thinking of taking down my Mets ornament from the Christmas tree. Now, if you knew me, you would know that's a drastic step. In my office I have team pictures of the 1969 and 1986 Mets. They might be next.
Besides these two losses we also learned the Mets traded Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien. Not Nimmo. Not him too! Forget the orange and blue blood, just rip the hearts out of our chests and put us out of our misery. Remember that famous line from the movie Network? The guy yells out, "I'm mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore." That's how I feel right now.
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| Will I be saying goodbye to SNY? |
So, Steve Cohen, give me a reason not to take down my Mets ornament. Give me a reason not to take down my team pictures. Give me a reason not to cancel my subscription to SNY. I'm really going to miss Ron Darling, Gary Cohen, and Keith Hernandez, but I'm really close to doing these things. I want to cut the chord to this relationship with the team. In my life I've always known to get away from something or someone toxic, and I'm feeling those things now.
But there's that blood thing, and I have no desire to get a pint of Pinstripe blood, so I'm waiting, but I've been waiting for many things from this team for a long, long time. Maybe it is over. I'm really tired of waiting!
As for Christmas, Cohen has already put coal in my stocking, so Bah, Humbug!
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