Category: Uncategorized

I will root for whoever I want.

If I dislike Oliver Perez then I will dislike Oliver Perez.  I don’t care if he was within his rights to refuse the assignment.  I am within my rights to personally respect him less.

I think Castillo’s reasons for not going to Walter Reed were weak.  Show up.  Stand at the back of the room if you feel squeamish (as I often do at funerals).   Just go on the trip.   If you get that uncomfortable step out and go to the men’s room and take your time.   That’s my personal opinion and I won’t be told it’s invalid.

I’m thinking Beltran could have rescheduled his meeting.   I tried to look up if his foundation is located in Washington but couldn’t find an address.  Perhaps someone he needed to meet with was in town.   Maybe this meeting was all over the phone and he could have pulled it up an hour or used this new fangled cellular technology while on the bus.  Maybe the Mets have a no-cell rule on the bus.  I don’t know, but I’m still allowed to be disappointed he didn’t go.

I’m not so mad at Beltran because of performance.   I am mad at Castillo and definitely Perez for performance.  Wright’s up and downs don’t bother me.  I’m not as gonzo over Ike as other fans are.

I thought the Mets version of Pedro was terribly overrated.  Can’t stand Tom Glavine.  I love Santana.  I love all five 1986 starters.  I have little fondness for the 2000 team.

I’m not nuts about Piazza nor Franco.  I liked Cora more than you did.

I hated Valentine as manager but kinda dug Jerry even though it’s time to move on.  Loved Davey from minute one, hated Joe Torre from minute one.

My favorite player of all time hit .264 in two stints with the Mets and somehow got a ring.  I just like him.

My favorite player on the Mets right now has 11 career wins.

I’m reading newspapers/blogs/tweets and being told how I’m supposed to feel about WalterReedGate.

I’ll feel how I want.  Right now I feel annoyed.

You can disagree with some or all of everything I wrote.  I doubt we agree on everything, but we do agree we love the team.

My dream version of the team wears pinstriped jerseys and all 25 players (even the starting pitcher) visit Walter Reed.  Maybe I don’t know anything about starting pitcher preparation  Maybe your version is Luis Castillo in a black jersey.  Maybe the Mets should have given A-Rod his 24+1 deal and the A-Rod Store way back when.

Doesn’t matter.  It’s my feelings and I’m the one who pays for my tickets.

Getting right to it: No.

If you haven’t yet, read Andy Martino’s column in the News in which he states:

This is where some folks will loudly disagree, but it is clear that a certain segment of the fan base and media is less patient with Latin American players than with white players

I can’t argue with the general “certain segment” because even if it’s .00001% of the fanbase then yeah a “certain segment” acts that way.  As a general indictment of the fanbase, no way.

I find that Mets fans like gritty players who play better than those of us in the uppers perceive their god given abilities to be.  Sometimes that’s Wally Backman, sometimes it’s a 35 year old knuckler from nowhere.  Scrappy shortstop at Seaver’s side: loved.  The Chose One Rookie that came up for coffee in 1987 and for the 1988 playoff run – not loved.

Mets fans love home grown stars who play well, whether they are shortstops, third basemen, pitchers who make the Hall of Fame, pitchers who don’t make the Hall of Fame partially because of cocaine,  right fielders who leave us for another woman (Los Angeles) and pitchers who try to save a season on three days rest.  We love them all.

Mets fans get mad at folks who come to town to play left field and go from 52 home runs in 1977 to 13 home runs in 1982.  They get mad at left fielders who go from 36 to 6.

They get mad at beloved managers who kill of a dynasty that never-was in 1991 and they get mad at managers who kill off a dynasty that never was in 2007 and 2008.

You come over from the Cardinals and teach us how to win, we love you.   You come over from Pittsburgh and stink up the joint we boo.

You drop a pop-up against the New York Yankees in the middle of all this recent angst, yeah you’re gonna get booed.  You make a leaping catch over the left field wall you are loved.

Martino:

Now, a lot of this involves performance, too. Angel Pagan, for example, is no longer called “dumb” in part because he is playing well. Perez is hated—why? Because he lost his fastball? Because he took the money that the Mets were waving in his face? Because he exercised a collectively-bargained right to refuse a minor league assignment?

Exactly.  Pagan is playing better.  Ollie’s refusal to go down is seen as hurting the team.   One member of my staff worked all Labor Day weekend on an unexpected project and we respect him for it.   Our other coworker who never seems to be around?  Not respected.   It’s a team.

Definitely read Martino’s piece.

People seem to like Santana and Reyes.  They don’t seem too crazy about Jason Bay.

Oliver disliked because his last name is Perez?  Please.

I welcome intelligent comments and even guest posts.

Back in an hour with part 3.

I haven’t found a list of which players (David Lennon you probably have it in your notes, there’s a column from you in the archives) but here’s a note From mlb.com August 13, 2008

CEO Fred Wilpon, general manager Omar Minaya, Manuel, members of his coaching staff and about 15 Mets players visited Walter Reed on Wednesday morning. The contingent gathered with patients at the facility for a lunchtime cookout complete with hot dogs, “a couple of” Mets fans — according to Manuel — and one person who was rather impressed at David Wright’s friendship with LaDanian Tomlinson.

I don’t see any details about 2009 or other years.

Metsblog pointed out a great column by Andy Martino in the News…a column so strong I’m going to split my own feelings into three posts.

The first relates to the story of the young Met who suggested the team wasn’t playing to its potential (Martino’s version here) and was shot down by veterans who felt the “kid” was out of place.

The question Andy asks is who was right.

The young player was right.   This is part of the Man Up and Play Better attitude that K-Rod’s father in law was correct about.

How can any member of the 2010 Mets be satisfied with this season, or last season, or 2008 or 2007 or perhaps even 2006?

I’d love to know who the young player was an offer him my C.

Back in an hour with the third rail of blogging.