No, not because they beat your club in that heartbreaking NLCS Game 7 at Shea Stadium.
Because that team exemplifies the duality of competition. You're not playing your season in a vacuum. To the contrary, your success is measured wholly against that of your foes.
I know, I ain't gonna get an inviation from Mensa for this blog post. But at times like this, when the Mets are facing what feels like a crucial week, it's worth reminding yourself of this reality.
For while the Mets (5-6 entering tonight's game against Washington) have done nothing to erase memories of their 2007 collapse _ to the contrary, they've churned up more than one sensation of deja vu _ let's not forget that their primary NL East foes are dealing with their own agita.
The Phillies have failed to capitalize on last year's thrilling comeback with a strong start. Instead, they're 6-7, having been mired by injuries to Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino. Second-year starting pitcher Kyle Kendrick, who emerged from nowhere last year to bail out the Phils, looks like a one-year wonder so far.
In Atlanta, meanwhile, the Braves have lost Tom Glavine and closer Rafael Soriano to injuries, and Mike Hampton never even made it onto the mound. Bobby Cox's group is 5-7.
I'm extremely confident that the Marlins, currently the NL East leaders at 7-5, won't be able to sustain that pace. So how many victories will it take to win this divison? I think less than the 89 the Phillies won last year. And the Mets currently have the best winning percentage among themselves, the Phillies and the Braves.
Those '06 Cardinals tallied a seven-game losing streak and two eight-game losing streaks, and yet they managed to hold onto the NL Central with an 83-78 record. And once that happened, they started from scratch at 0-0, and they somehow eliminated the Padres, Mets (thanks to Yadier Molina) and Tigers en route to a parade.
The Mets have plenty of issues, and if they continue to put up losses like Sunday's, then perhaps there will be a shakeup in the manager's office.
Yet I still think the Mets have too much talent, in the talent-barren NL East, for such a scenario to develop. They might put up a losing record in the American League. But that's not their problem.
Certainly, the Mets themselves shouldn't think of clubs like the '06 Cardinals. They seem too relaxed, as is. But fans could try it, just in order to preserve some sanity.
Comments (14)
The difference is that the Cards had LaRusa managing and we have Willie. I don't love LaRusa, but at least he has a pulse. At least he gets his players to play hard for him. And even when the Cards were in a tailspin, they straightened out and MADE THE PLAYOFFS...the Mets choked.
"History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce."-Karl Marx
Welcome to the Farce, gentlemen.
Mets fans sure do seem to hate Willie. I wonder if he'll retain his job after this year if the Mets miss the playoffs. Maybe Ken D. can answer that question...
I think the Mets' "struggles" (and I put the word in quotation marks because it's certainly an exaggeration) should have been seen from a mile out: they have pitching issues. The original starting staff was relying on an injury waiting to happen, an erratic but talented pitcher, and a young guy who hasn't found his feet yet. And their bullpen, while not totally horrible, is shaky. The toughest guy in it seems to be Feliciano. Sosa is once again revealing that he's a slider-happy guy who cannot be trusted.
Probably the one thing that can get you down is that Santana hasn't been a totally lock-down no-doubt ace (yet!). It was sort of deflating watching him get pounded by the Brewers and outpitched by my boy Ben Sheets. But then again, Santana has always been a brilliant second-half pitcher. Maybe he'll cruise till the ASB and then don his Superman outfit, pitching the Mets to a playoff spot.
Oddly enough, the less Santana does on the mound for the Mets, the easier life is for Hughes and Kennedy (who pitched well last night).
This may be a little different but there were two African-American players in the 19th century..the Walker brothers Moses and Fleetwood. Has anyone ever tried to trace their descendants and do a story on them? In some ways the were first but there was no Larry Doby to follow them and they played in Ohio, so you know the New York media will ignore that.
Good point on the 2006 Cards (or the 73 Mets if you want to keep it in house).
The laid back manager may not be the issue for the Mets.
Look at the Yankees.. Wasn't Girardi supposed to be a tougher version of Joe Torre and get the Yankees out of the starting gate quicker? Wasn't Girardi's experience as a catcher supposed to help in the development of the younger pitchers?
It hasn't happened yet...and may not. Managers earn their keep when they can adjust to their players' abilities and personnae. I have my doubts that Girardi's and Randolph's talents are suited to maximize their team's logn term success.
We lost a nice man and good ballplayer yesterday - Tommy Holmes.
Check his 1945 stats (yes, there was a war effect) - and yes, i will use some old fashioned stats: .352/.420/.577, 28 HR, 117 RBI, 70 BB and only 9 K's while breaking the NL record fro consecutive games with a hit. NINE K's in a season of 636 AB's!!
He donated his retirement time to CYO baseball programs and the MLB Players Alumni activities.
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I don't see how Willie keeps his job if the Mets miss the playoffs, baileywalk.
Interesting point on the Walker brothers, Jim C. But I think it's fair to note that the 19th century was just barely "organized baseball." Then, in the 20th century, baseball proactively kept away African-Americans until Branch Rickey and Jackie did their courageous thing.
Ken if you do have dinner with her, try to remember to pay!
As for Bud Selig and Jackie Robinson, I think he tries to hard with this. I hate that 42 is retired (because people cant honor him by wearing it) and I hate that they're Jumping the Shark with EVERYONE wearing it. I loved the idea of just Griffey wearing it last year. It should be a request and an honor. Not just anyone should be able to do it. I mean how many steroid/wife/drug abusers are wearing 42 tonight?
This should be designated to someone who loves the history and is deserving of it. Can you imagine if Jose Canseco was still in the league wearing the #?
I apologize if we've had this conversation before (I feel like we might have - and here I mentioned deja vu today), Richie, but I agree with you that #42 should be active so that players can honor him by wearing it every day. I asked Rachel Robinson herself last year for her opinion on entire teams wearing the number, and her response was, essentially, "The more, the merrier."
Yeah, I have this argument with a few people so I'm not sure if I said it here or not. But now that you said that, I do remember Rachel saying that. But honestly, what is she going to say?
The intention is good, but whenever anything is forced it belittles the meaning.
On another matter, did you ask Rachel to dinner? If she's truly your #1, you should definitely ask or you'll regret it.
As much as I respect and admire Rachel, Richie, you'll see that I wrote that Jackie was my #1. :)
Hey Ken, I got a question for you. Who will get fired at the end of this season. Willie Randolph for the collapse last year and not making the playoffs this year. Or Brain Cashman who refuse to give up Phil Hudges and/or Ian Kennedy for Johan Santana resulting in the Yankees not making the playoffs this year? By the way, I have support for Joba to stay in the pen. One is recently elected Hall of Famer Goose Gossgie. And also Mike Francesca from Sports Radio 660 WFAN's Mike and the Mad Dog show.
1. Randolph will be gone sometime in June if the Mets are playing lousy.
2. Girardi has all the tools necessary to get it done with the Yankees. He is a good manager. Yes, he should have had Damon bunt and he has screwed up a couple of other decisions, but I'm confident he will get better. He is supremely prepared but doesn't seem to possess the weird ways of a Showalter, who was also well-prepared but strange.
3. I don't think the Steinbrenners will cut Cashman loose at the end of the year. If some of his decisions don't pan out, they will lose some confidence in him, trust him less, question him more, shorten the leash, but still keep him. I say he gets another 3-year deal. I don't see anyone better suited than he is for the job.
4. Joba belongs in the rotation. The Yankees need to work out a set-up man for Rivera. They had all winter to do it. That's a black mark on Cashman. The sooner Joba goes into the rotation the better.
5. #42 should be unretired for those who choose to wear it to honor Jackie Robinson. Bud Selig got that one wrong - very wrong.
6. rmt you are right on Tommy Holmes. He was quite a guy - on and off the field. The world would be a better place if there were more people like him walking among us.
Dennis, I think neither Randolph nor Cashman will get fired, although Cashman might leave the job after the season by his own choice.
While Goose is one of my favorite people in baseball, I'm going to respectfully disagree with him.
Goose Gossage may be basing his opinion of Chamberlain on his own experience. Early in his career Paul Richards tried him as a starter and Goose went 9-17. But Gossage didn't have the four pitch repertoire that Chamberlain is said to have (I did see him pitch one minor league start that was on the internet but I'm no scout). Does Gossage closely keep up with minor leaguers. I think it is possible to respectfully disagree with him.
No one should ever use Francesa or Russo to support their opinions and hope to be taken seriously.
Gene Michael thinks Chamberlain should start, doesn't he? That's good enough for me.