Mets Mess: Loss of Reyes Worse Than Tom Seaver Trade

Article first published as Mets Mess: Loss of Reyes Worse Than Tom Seaver Trade on Blogcritics.

I, no doubt like most fans of the New York Mets, am still not able to process the loss of superstar short stop Jose Reyes to the Miami Marlins. Yes, I know it has occurred, but I am still hoping that something will make me snap out of it and realize this is only a dream.

Actually, it is like some terrible nightmare. In my mind this is right up there with the worst trade in Mets history - Tom Seaver to the Cincinnati Reds, but it is in fact a more insidious and devastating move that will affect this team and its fans for years to come.

The loss of Seaver in a deadline trade in 1977 sent away the player, dubbed The Franchise by New York sports writers, who embodied the heart and soul of the Mets. It didn't matter that the Mets were a losing team when Tom Terrific was pitching. People went to see him, to watch his mastery on the mound, to enjoy his personality and his true connection to fans and team.


Now flash forward to 2011. Reyes may not have been "the franchise," but he surely was the most popular, effervescent, and talented player on the Mets in recent years. Coming off his best year ever, including a .337 average that gave him the National League batting crown, Reyes was (just like Seaver) a reason to come to the ballpark. Watching him hit a triple was like sitting back and listening to Yo-Yo Ma playing the cello. It became an ethereal experience, making for a majestic and surreal moment when all seemed right in the Mets' universe.

Sadly, Reyes takes his wonderful smile, his exuberant spirit, and his many talents to Miami. Yes, there are those who say Reyes is too injury prone. His legs are going to go on him. Whatever the reason the Mets did not make a serious offer, it leaves Mets fans cold. Many of us feel that GM Sandy Alderson should have done whatever it took to get Reyes back to Citi Field. Now he will return with the visiting Marlins on April 14, 2012, and how much do you want to bet that there will not only be a capacity crowd but that they will give him a standing ovation?

Now on talk radio there are the rumbles about trading David Wright because Reyes is gone. Alderson is no doubt fueling these rumors with talk about using the cash that would have gone to Reyes for "rebuilding." Now, don't go get visions of sugarplums and C.J. Wilson dancing in your heads, because it is more than likely that Alderson is settling his brain for a long winter's nap.

Let's face the ugly facts: the Mets are going nowhere in 2012. We can call this the "Season of If" : if Ike Davis can return in top shape, if Johan Santana can return and pitch like he used to do, if Ruben Tejada can be a full-time shortstop, if Mike Pelfrey can ever shake the bats out of his belfry, if Lucas Duda really has thirty homers in that bat, if Angel Pagan can return from last year's disappearing act, if Jason Bay can be the guy he used to be in Boston. The "if" list can go on and on.

In the end this loss of Reyes is worse than the Seaver trade. The loss of Seaver destroyed the team and it took years (seven actually) for the Mets to start to show signs of resurgence (ironically, after Seaver again was lost to the Chicago White Sox and a young pitcher named Dwight Gooden came into the picture). Losing Reyes now is a firm and clear commitment by Mets management to giving up on 2012 before it even commences. At least Seaver was traded during a lost season; this time it is clear the season is already lost!

Now, it has been eleven years and counting since the Mets were in the World Series. Let's say with great confidence that this will the twelfth year without any shot at it. Many more lost years may be on the horizon if Alderson lets Wright go and basically waits for the Phillies players to start needing canes and walkers. With Miami poised to become the new powerhouse in the NL East, there probably will be no joy in Metville for a long time to come.

Photo Credits: reyes - espn.com; Seaver - bleacherreport.com

NY Mets on the Road - To Live and Cry in LA

Article first published as NY Mets on the Road - To Live and Cry in LA on Blogcritics.


There is no doubt about it (or as beloved NY Mets announcer Ralph Kiner used to say "No bout a doubt it") the New York Mets are Amazin’s once again - at least on the road.

The Mets look lost at Citi Field, and I can admit I do feel that way myself sometimes. It seemed like I knew every nook and cranny of good old dilapidated Shea Stadium, and I remembered where Cleon squeezed that last ball in 1969 or Rusty hit the outfield wall in 1973 or where Mookie hit the ball between Buckner's legs in 1986. These were great Mets memories, not to mention the Beatles trying to out scream the fans on a stage out near second base. Those were the days.

But Mets fans have tried to warm up to Citi Field, and it is designed way better than Shea right down to more plentiful - and clean - bathrooms. The food courts are wonderful and plentiful space is available to drink, eat, and be merry.

Still the team struggles at Citi as it did in the last home series against the Yankees, although that last game when the Mets beat Mariano Rivera was pure gold. You could bottle that and Mets fans would buy it again and again. The Mets beat Rivera - what a moment!

Now out on the road they are warriors again, taking the first two in LA. Last night Mike Pelfrey seemed like an ace who never lost a case - no, that's Perry Mason, another LA story -  but I digress.
There is a good deal to be happy about right now as manager Terry Collins has his team believing in themselves as much as he does. They have lots of guts and determination as they strike out on this last road trip before the All-Star break without Reyes and Santana and Davis and Wright.

In another universe we would be crying out there on the West Coast, where many Mets teams went 0 for 9 and came home whipped. This team seems different and they keep finding ways to win. That will definitely keep Mets fans watching and wanting to go to the ballpark. Now, if the team could just find a way to win more games at home, but that's another story.

Photo Credit: NY Daily News

Surviving A Rain Delay At Citi Field

Article first published as Surviving A Rain Delay At Citi Field on Blogcritics.

Going to last night's game at Citi Field, I was tempted to take my old toy broom, which I used to bring as a kid to games at Shea Stadium when the Mets were ready to sweep an opponent. Instead, I opted to take an umbrella, and I am glad I did.


The Mets ground crew quickly got the field covered when rain fell.

During the rain delay there was an amazing spirit amongst the people waiting around in the ballpark. The way Citi Field is configured, there are plenty of refreshment areas and everyone was partaking in the bounty of hot dogs, pizzas, grilled sausages, and ice cream that is available. Another difference from old Shea is the quantity and quality of a variety of beers either on tap, in bottles, or in the can. Two hours is a long time to twiddle one's thumbs, but from what I observed many of the faithful were too busy holding cups to bother with that.

 

I am waiting for the game to start along with forty thousand other fans.

 

It is Fleet Week here in New York City with the impending Memorial Day holiday, and you could tell that all the big ships are in town because sailors were everywhere at the game last night. As lightning crackled across the sky and heavy winds blew, you could see that our Navy fellows were undetered by the adverse conditions. The regular fans were also not going to let the weather get them down. They came to see a sweep and some heavy rains were not going to get in the way of that.

After a two-hour rain delay, the game got underway at 9:05 with Mike Pelfrey's first pitch of the night. The damp weather didn't seem to bother Pelfrey (now 7-1), as he was on his game and pitched seven scoreless innings. The opposing pitcher Cole Hamels (5-3) matched him for the most part, but the lefty eventually broke down in the seventh and gave up two extra runs the Mets needed to close the deal.

I don't know what is more intriguing about this sweep of the Phillies: the fact that the Mets shut them out for twenty-seven innings, or that the Mets finally seem to be able to get the big hits at the right times. If the pitching continues to be as good as it seemed to be this past week, and the hitters keep doing their thing, who knows what can happen? Hey, I know R.A. Dickey and Hisanori Takahashi are not Seaver and Koosman, but they looked pretty damn good to me.

The Mets are now 19-9 at home but 6-14 on the road. As they embark on this road trip, they need to be able to start winning some away games fast. Owning a 25-23 record, and having won five in a row and seven of their last ten games, the Mets are now only two games behind the Phillies in the National League East.


Ghosts of the old Mets seemed to hover above the field in the rain.

By the time the game ended last night at 11:53, I was pretty much ready for some sleep and not the long ride home from Citi Field. Although I was exhausted I was also glowing, because on that soggy night the ghosts of the old Mets seemed to hover above the field in the preternatural haze above the stadium. I could almost hear the voice of the late and great Tug McGraw saying, "You gotta believe!" And on this night, I started to think anything was possible again for my beloved Amazing Mets.