Victor sent over this guest post…
I stumbled upon your site from metsblog.com. I really dig the post featured on your blog about Craig Marino’s response to the Fred Wilpon letter. This was some inspiring stuff. I don’t know if you do or do not have a better link to the front office nowadays but if you do, would you mind forwarding the following…..PS I was at the Mercury Mets game, I was 15 years old, wish they still had some of those hats so we could start a revolution. If my memory serves me correctly, an up & coming Brian Giles hit a shot that night that still hasn’t landed…Okay back to “What I’d Really Do If I Were Omar, Jeff and Fred”
How about this idea? It’s a plan for long term sustainability and rewards the fan base for their loyalty & devotion.
Spend $5-10M to make the roster a bit more respectable, filling some holes with mid-level free agent veterans. These vets will platoon with up & comers like F-Mart, Pagan, Danny Murphy, Santos/Thole, Niese, Parnell (as a reliever), Ike Davis (eventually, let’s not rush the kid). SAY NO TO overpriced free agents on the wrong side of their careers i.e. Bay, Molina, Marquis, Piniero. I still like Mike Gonzalez because if the Mets have a lead after 7 innings a Gonzo/K-Rod combo should close the door. Also save some $ to invest in scouting, player development and signing draft picks & foreign free agents.
You take $10M, yes that’s $10 mmmmiilllioon dollars, and invest it in the fan base. For instance every season ticket/plan holder over the last 5 years is rewarded with a $500 gift card (I’m just using an arbitrary dollar figure, it should be weighted based upon the length of commitment and type of package). This “Mets Money” could be used on anything at Citi Field, from tickets to hot dogs to New Era caps. This gesture alone will make fans feel more connected to the team. Ownership should care whether or not I’m enjoying my experience as a Mets fan. This would be a huge step towards mending the overwhelming sense of distrust between Mets fans and ownership.
Omar is now allowed to publicly declare: “Fans of the New York Mets. In our honest evaluation, we believe this organization will be best suited by allowing our youngsters to develop and play alongside our current core. It wouldn’t be in our best interest to spend tens of millions in the free agent market, for players we feel would essentially serve as a band-aid. Instead the Mets would like to invest in our loyal fans and say thank you for sticking with us through these tough times over the past few years. As an organization, we promise to demand a level of commitment and dedication that will define New York Mets baseball. We believe it will take some time to implement this model but we’re confident that in the long run this will be the best plan for assembling a roster that can compete year-in & year-out. We want you to remain a part of our family and reward your loyalty as we invest the time to re-establish the Mets organization as the gold standard of National League baseball.
To reward the fans who don’t own a ticket package, distribute Citi Field Debit Cards (Citibank knows how to make these, right?). You swipe this card every time you make a purchase at Citi Field. Let’s say for every $100 you spend it rewards you with $10 worth of “Mets Money”.
For every homestand, there can be a designated concession stand that gives a 50% discount. The varying concessions out by Shake Shack can alternate during the season. Now fans have an incentive to try to all different concession products, it creates a buzz, it makes people feel like they’re getting more than a disappointment in exchange for their $25 Promenade ticket.
Chances are the current Mets roster can’t go from a 70-win flop to a 90 – 95-win playoff team. If they stay healthy, add some professional vets to this current mix, and treat Mets fans like they’re royalty, they’ll have an 81 win team that the fans will take pride in. Under this plan, draft picks won’t have to be surrendered for Type A free agent busts. It’s the right step towards building this the RIGHT way. The final 3 years of Jason Bay’s contract won’t be wasted on a washed up LF or citicized in the NY media.
In the long run they save some $, get to be honest with the fan base about the real expectations for 2010, and prepare to build a sustainable winner.
I was a season ticket holder for the past 2 years and I refuse to renew this season. I won’t choose to hand my money over to owners who don’t appreciate loyal customers and offer a poor product in return. I already spent enough money while coming to the conclusion that the Wilpons don’t appreciate their fans, but at least I was getting a decent product in return for my coin. Until then they don’t deserve my money or respect, or anybody elses for that matter. I’ll still watch, listen and attend games because I’m loyal to the uni, but it’s time to step up to the plate, give Metropolitans fans a team they can always be proud to root for, win or lose.
An admitted rebuilding, with an already outraged fanbase, up against the World Champions competing for a dollar….might actually be the wise thing to do. It will never happen. Mets fans should keep their fingers crossed that a “shut up the fans” move (the kind idiots like me call for) doesn’t bite the Mets in the rear for years to come. How’s that Mo Vaughn and Robbie Alomar team doing?
I really appreciate Victor sending this in, and welcome guest posts to this community of frustrated fans.
Starting tomorrow I’m going on another obstructed views kick, and I’m starting a Share Your Shots campaign…so f you have pictures (of any kind, even non-obstructed) you’d like to share please email me at [email protected]
Now…where’s my Blue Cap Army at?
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