Was talking with a friend today, and as we usually do we drifted back to 1986. From my perspective in the uppers I felt like they actually cared when they lost a game, whether it was in ’86 or ’85 or even ’87.
I felt there were guys like Keith Hernandez who would actually get mad when they lost.
I don’t get that vibe from this team. I want to. I like the comments that came out from Wright, Reyes and Santana…but who is the guy that will be mad when the Mets drop two of three to the Nationals?
To me, the person has to have some combination of tenure and resume. It can’t be a rookie, and it can’t be someone who never plays.
I’m not in the clubhouse so I may have no idea what I’m talking about. Does this team have such a guy? Is one of the core one of that type of guy?
Not old enough to really comment on the ’86 team, but I think it’s a media thing versus a team thing. I definitely get the feeling that Wright cares. (and obviously Santana)
Maybe Murphy will develop a little personality this year with a little more comfort?
But the after game process is just so sanitized with having to come out, meet with media, answer a billion questions, manager press conferences for every game..I think the players sorta retreat within themselves for a lot of this, especially the way things can be taken out of context or one wrong word twisted the wrong way. It’s a weird world where guys can be criticized for not showing enough emotion except when they’re actually playing. (i.e., Styling after a home run, bad. Shrugging after the game and saying “We’ll get ’em tomorrow”, criticized.)
Again I wasn’t in the room, but the ’86ers gave you the feeling that if they dropped 2 in a row to a crappy team someone would be like WTF ^*#%*%@?!
This generation just seems depressed after a loss, not angry. It’s like “c’mon Pelf, you can do it!” little league type cheering.
As I said last time the question of “edge” came up, the Mets don’t have such a person, and it’s doubtful they ever will under current management. The Mets have gone out of their way to project a pristine image since the early 90s back page disasters of Saberhagen, Coleman, and Cone, and have mistakenly equated that to avoiding players with the kind of grit of which you speak. Raise a little hell on this team, and you’re on the next flight out.
Santana seems to have the personality to light some fires under his teammates, but that’s neutered by the fact that he’s only on the field every 5th day. Wright’s the All-American nice guy; it’d be hard to even take him seriously in that role. If Reyes tried to stir up his teammates, it’d just come off as a temper tantrum. Beltran is this generation’s Kevin McReynolds: fine stats, but ultimately just a guy doing a job who’s just as happy going home for the winter.
Sadly, the closest the Mets have come to filling that void since LoDuca departed was when Gary Sheffield was playing every day.
Yeah maybe it’s just Wright’s speaking voice but I don’t see him being the guy (then again, Keith doesn’t sound that manly’). If Jerry bombs I’d roll the dice on Backman. Jerry’s best moment was his first when he threatened to stab Reyes. I’d like to see more of that.
It gets lost in the noise, but i t’s there. Do you remember Beltran’s “I’m ashamed” or whatever it was, when they lost the Pirates?
That moment with Manuel just confirmed to me that we got the wrong manager.