For this WS, I am rooting for...

I’m coming out of my off-season slumber (well, it’s the Mets off season) to comment on the upcoming World Series. It’s been a lot of fun reading Mets fans tweet about the Yankees vs the Phillies. For so many people, this is worst case scenario. Mets fans are feeling forsaken by the baseball Gods. And, regardless of who wins, we’ve nearly reached the baseball apocalypse.

That is not the case for me. For me, a Mets fan who came of age in the 80s and then on into the 90s, the Mets true rivalry is with the Braves. I know that those days are long gone. And, I know that kids who have been introduced to the Mets in the 2000s know not of which I write. But, while Jimmy Rollins’ trash talk a couple of years ago got under my skin, I feel no natural rivalry with the fightin’ Phils.

So, here is it – for me. First and foremost, I’m rooting for the National League. Isn’t that my obligation when my NL team is out? Second, I find it hard to envision a NYer switching team allegiances – even for a WS - regardless of reason. I didn’t grow up in a house that HATED the Yankees. We never thought about them. The Mets were the step children taught not to be jealous of what big brother got. So, I learned to ignore big brother – the Yankees.

Third, in all honestly, the Phillies are simply a great team. They go out every day ready to win. Six runs back in the 8th? They’re still fighting for every run. These guys like each other. They like playing together. They are scrappy. They are the team that I wish the Mets could find a way to be. It’s more than talent. It’s each player having confidence that the next guy up at bat can make something happen. It’s teamwork. It’s camaraderie. It’s intangible yet totally recognizable.

So, for this WS, I am rooting for the Phillies. I do it with a heavy heart, knowing that my team did not have what it takes to get anywhere near the playoffs. And, I hope that the Mets front office hears us sad Mets fans as we break apart to root for either the Yankees or the Phillies this year. We are united in our love for our Mets team and yet disassociated as we pick sides. Here is to next year, when we unite again toward what I hope is a more inspiring season of Mets baseball.

Goodbye to this miserable season!

Clearly, I haven't been blogging... nor have I been watching. I've been keeping up with our losing ways via Twitter. But, now, I feel it important to formally close down the blog for the 2009 baseball season and ask that you return next year.
A few things as I sign off.
First, no matter how many times I hear how many injuries we sustained this year, I still can't wrap my arms around that number. 20 people on the DL this season. Seriously!
Second, it is embarrassing to finish this season 20-something games back, especially when I have no idea how we'll turn it around for next year. Yes, odds are that we won't have a bazillion people on the DL but we have some serious problems to solve this off season and sadly, we don't have serious money to solve them.
Third, I don't think that firing Manuel is the answer. Perhaps injuries were mismanaged, but the reality is, no manager could have done a lot with this second rate, B team. Did guys drop balls, yes? (Murphy, you know that I mean you!) Did we squander some good opportunities here and there? Yes. But, with a DL roster that is longer than my arm, there is no way that we'd have been in contention regardless.
So, I'm bidding farewell to this season with a heavy heart. But, at least we didn't blow it with 17 games to go... Does that count as a bright side?
I'll keep posting using 140 characters on Twitter. @metsfanrachel
See you when pitchers and catchers report in late February. I can't wait!

1986 Let's Go Mets Video

As this awful season finally comes to a close, I have to say goodbye to this season's blog with the 1986 Mets music video. Pathetic? Yes. Sad? Yes. But, it was our heyday and it's worth the look... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ymixm6PtVBA
Enjoy!

What to do with David Wright?

So now everyone is asking what to do with David Wright... Sit him for the rest of the season or let him come back after the DL. Honestly, if he's well, I think that they should let him play. But, that's only if he's well.
Based on what I'm reading and hearing, I don't think that he's traumatized by being hit in the head. I don't think that he'd stew all off season if he doesn't get back into the batter's box in 2009 but if he's cleared to play, and feeling up to it, I don't see why we should hold him back. He clearly wants to play - he said so himself - so as long as it won't hurt him to do so, let him.
The truth is, it doesn't matter anyway. This season is done regardless of whether or not our star third baseman takes the field. So, in a way, this is best case scenario for us and for him. We don't NEED him. There is no pressure. If he comes back, great - I'd surely love to see him. But, if not, if he head isn't back to 100%, then let him sit. We really need him ready for next year anyway.

Pedro...

So, this isn't going to be a long insightful post by any mean. But, I do need to take the opportunity to say I TOLD YOU (see my July 15 blog post.) Pedro was impressive last night. He wasn't the Pedro of yesteryear but he got the job done. He was throwing 94 on the gun. And now, as we are mired in injuries and we are the laughing stock, I feel pretty smug in writing that I knew it! I am done with this team for this year but I had to take the opportunity to write that we should have signed Pedro while we could have. He wouldn't have saved our season by any means, but if we look around now, it would have been nice to have him. Sigh.

Avoiding the blog

It's very bad when one avoids her own blog. And, honestly, I've been avoiding my blog. I log into my iGoogle each morning, see my last post, and cringe. I don't want to come back here right now. I don't want to deal with this new reality - the space where the truth hurts; and we really do have to refocus on next year.
We had a vague shot after the All Star Break. It was slim but it felt great. It's gone now. I turned yesterday's game off - and while I scoreboard watched on my computer, I wasn't even compelled to turn it back on when we came back. It's too painful. This season is over. And, I had high hopes for this season.
I applaud the beat writers and sports announcers who have to watch this team day in and day out to earn a living. I don't know how they do it. I can't stomach it.
A die hard Mets fan from Israel said it best when we talked the other day. He said - our Mets suck, hu? I said yes. He said, you know what I'm excited about? I asked, what? He said - next year. Sigh. He said it best.
I will do my best to continue to blog this season but don't expect too much. :)

Hope again in Mets-ville

Since I’m determined to push past this Adam Rubin story, I’m blogging more about my impressions of my team as of the last four starts. I’m not sure what was put into the Kool-Aide in the club house – or what motivating factor influenced their behavior over the last little bit but I can tell you this… There is something in the air that has absolutely changed.
Pelf loaded the bases with two men out twice during last night’s game. It stressed me out for sure, but there was an underlying hope within me; a voice that told me that we can get out of the inning unscathed. And, sure enough, both times – we did.
People were tweeting about it. Ron, Keith and Gary were talking about it. It’s like someone turned a light on. We are now 5 ½ games out of the wild card. What’s more surprising to me than that data is the fact that I’m even blogging this right now. I confess – I had given up. I had trouble even turning on the games. I was thinking about next year. There, I wrote it. It’s out there. But now, the tide has turned for me. I’m tuning in every night like I normally do – and I’m actually feeling excited about my team and how we’re playing.
A friend of mine emailed me after Tatis’ grand slam the other night and told me that he thinks that the Tatis GS might be the turning point of the season and that we’ll look back on it as the most important at bat of the regular season. Perhaps. Or, perhaps we’re overachieving right now and this is all a mirage. But, I can write this with absolute certainty. There is hope again in Mets-ville. And, it feels pretty darn good to have something to hope about again.