The Mets were born in 1962. They’re 52 years old.
Isn’t it about time to grow up?
From this day forward, starting with Tuesday night’s game against the Dodgers at Citi Field, the Mets need to put winning first. Make winning the baseball mission statement.
Not Mr. Met — whose image is plastered all over their dugout, not a future promise of competitiveness, not taking pitches. Make winning the center of attention.
The Mets always seem to get caught up in sideshow acts, everything from the dead ball era at Citi Field because of the ridiculous dimensions, high walls and heavy air to Sandy and the Super 2s, Omar’s mistakes, Tony Bernazard’s shirt, the Wilpons being the Wilpons, Bernie Madoff, the in-house conflicts with Matt Harvey, the recent Davis and Duda never-ending fight for first base, worrying about 90 wins instead of one win each day — and so many other sideshows.
The latest being the Juan Lagares starting center-fielder controversy.
For a team that doesn’t have a lot of top of the line players, when a talented youngster does cross paths with the organization, there seems to be issues created by management, as with Lagares.
Instead of celebrating Lagares’ incredible ability to play center field, the Mets go out and sign Chris Young, promise him at-bats and create an outfield issue because Eric Young Jr. is fast and Terry Collins, like any manager in the real world, wants to have speed at the top of his lineup. With Curtis Granderson, the Mets have four outfielders for three spots.
They didn’t see this coming?
In a way, it was like trying to play two big left-handed hitters at first base in Ike Davis and Lucas Duda. That became a drawn-out battle no one won.
The Mets had a tremendous right-handed hitting third baseman with power to right-center in David Wright, so naturally they neutralized him by building a ballpark that is soul crushing to hitters.
Then there is the issue of the treatment of the 1986 Mets. The people in charge may or may not be fed up with hearing about the ’86 Mets, but it is another sideshow issue.
I’d feel better if someone from that ’86 team were in a position of power in the front office and his baseball expertise were part of this brain trust in a special-advisor capacity. Believe me, some of the smartest baseball people I know played for that team, the last in franchise history to win a World Series, 28 years ago.
As a result of all these issues, the importance of winning is completely lost or put on the back burner. General manager Sandy Alderson was supposed to clean up “Omar Minaya’s mess” but there remains quite the mess.
The bottom line here is the Mets need to focus on the important things, and that is not Bases Per Out. It’s learning how to win the tough games, having talented players with an inner strength, more concerned about beating the opponent than some wisecrack from a reporter.
Here’s the thing, the Mets are 20-23. There are not a lot of really good teams out there. After five straight terrible losing seasons the Mets could make this season interesting if they stop with the nonsense and focus on winning first and playing the players — no matter their age —that give them the best chance to win.
It’s really not that hard if you focus on winning — and know what you’re doing.