Dear Mets fans,
Why? Why do we do this to ourselves? Why can't we just be Yankee fans? Why does this team make the same moves, and do the same thing over and over again? I mean the list of why questions can go on and on, but in all seriousness why? This letter is for all Mets fans out there who deal with the same trouble I do during baseball season... being a fan of an inept, unfortunate, and a tad unlucky organization. I do not even know where to begin there are so many issues, the owner, the general manager, the manager, the bullpen, I mean it is almost a new issue every day with this ball club.
They might just be one of the worst run organizations in all of baseball, and the sad thing is, if you asked a non-Mets fan that question, they would probably answer with the Mets. It's kind of sucks loving a team knowing every other fan believes we are the joke of the league. What makes it even worse than that, is we share a city with what might be the greatest run organization in sports. I saw a tweet the other day and it said, "Mets fans live in a special type of baseball hell." I do not remember who tweeted that, but they could not be any more on the money with that statement.
This year, only 62 games in, somehow has felt like an eternity. Only the Mets can make a 30-32 record seem so terrible. In reality, there is still more than half the season left the Mets can actually turn it around. But will they? How as Mets fans can we even think that is possible. Naturally, we do, but what has this team done to prove that they can turn it around. They lose games that you cannot even imagine losing. I mean in one week they found a way to lose games in which they had 4+ run leads in the 7th inning or later.
Good baseball teams do not do that.
Then the following week they take a 3-2 lead vs one of the best pitchers in baseball, Madison Bumgarner, give the lead right back the next inning, then give up six runs in the 10th to lose 9-3 in extra innings. Sadly, those are just a few of the more recent blown games and tough loses the Mets have had this year, I can go on and on about others, but I'd rather not disgust myself or the people reading this.
The truth of the matter Mets fans, I think what gets us so angry about this year, more than any other year was that this team should be better than this. They have had so many games slip away because of that dreadful bullpen. That bullpen that was supposed to be lights out. I mean I do not know if I am alone on this but how many more wild throws and blown leads can we watch Jeryus Familia throw.
I get this man had 57 saves one year for the Mets but I do not know if this guy has been worse in his career than he has been this year.
Nothing is easy for him, he cannot throw strikes, and off the top of my head, he has cost the Mets at least six games. Win half of those and they are one game over .500 and maybe we feel a little different about the season. Also, I should probably mention that when this article posts the Mets would have had series against the Rockies and Yankees, two of the hottest teams in baseball, so all the things I have mentioned above might be even worse while you are reading this.
Moving on to the manager. Not too long ago I wrote an article referencing who can replace Mickey Callaway as manager of the Mets... yeah, the thing is I do not know if anyone can save this team right now. Yes, Mickey has made some more questionable moves, like taking Syndergaard out of a game with two outs in the 7th and only 100 pitches only to watch the guy he brought in to give up the tying run. But in reality, there is a part we have to understand as fans, and that is a lot of our top players have underperformed. Remember when we all wanted Vargas gone? We were crying for Keuchel, yeah well, Vargas has probably been, no actually is our best pitcher right now. deGrom has been steady but not himself, Matz has been hot and cold, Wheeler goes deep in games but always has an inning in which he gives up 3+ runs and well Syndergaard looks like Matt Harvey 2.0.
I know I am being harsh, but I was once such an optimistic Mets fan, but at only 21 years old, this specific team, manager, and management have made me make a turn for the worse. All of the off-season crap that was thrown at us, all the important signings, the famous "we plan to win now and, in the future," well through 62 games I do not buy any of it. I also think as a collective group we should not buy any of it either. Also, did you know a combination of Kimbrel and Machado would have been cheaper than Cano, Diaz, and Lowrie, plus we would have been able to keep Bruce (having a great year) and three of our top prospects? But remember those two guys were not "cost-effective." I mean it is still early, but that trade has dumpster fire written all over it. A very good representation of the whole Mets organization actually.
OK, let me stop now, but let me just say one more thing. I do still have a little bit of optimism left, and when I say I little I seriously mean bare minimum. Truthfully if I did not have some hope left, I would not be a true fan. As I have been constantly saying, it is only 62 games in. They just put together two nice wins and are at home for another three games. (Or at least while I'm writing this). This season is far from over, and maybe they just went through their bad patch, like every other team goes through, a tad bit early. Lets right the ship and get this thing going. (Fast though, because I do not think we can take more horrendous losses. Especially blown leads.)
So, my parting message to all you "Metsie" fans reading this, let's all be CAUTIOUSLY optimistic because anything can happen! We have to remember though, no matter how much we love them, they will always be the Mets, our loveable loser, a team with so much opportunity, but are sadly startled by cheap ownership.
Sincerely, now and forever,
A diehard New York Mets fan
