Finally spring is here. Workouts are taking place in Port St Lucie.
While the season and specific players have question marks over them. I’m officially pumped! Lets Go Mets!
It’s like any other spring, we have doubts, fears, money problems, a less than dependable front office… but we also have youthfulness, passion, drive, faith and Johan Santana!
Ya Gotta Believe!

Although I wasn’t a baseball fan when Gary Carter was a Met, I’m saddened to hear about the news. I hear lots of people say what a great guy he was along with being such a talented sportsman, I’ve been constantly researching mets history since becoming a fan, and he became one of my favourite players to read about.
Rest in Peace Kid.

It’s only a matter of days before P&C report to Port St Lucie, then the rest of the team. It’s been a long winter.
As most of the UK is buried under a blanket of snow (which appears to be going nowhere) seeing a bit of sun on my screen, and hearing the pop of a baseball will be a remedy of warmth that is desperately needed.
NFL season is done, I’m not a massive fan of American football but the super bowl always makes me excited for baseball.
I better renew my MLB.TV subscription pronto!

I can’t muster up any enthusiasm this off season. A few departures and a few arrivals as usual.
Jose is a Marlin, we knew it was gonna happen…. Even if we didn’t want to believe it at the time.
Pagan is no longer a Met, even though he was a bit rubbish last year, he was a 2010 fave of mine. I blame his diminishing skills on his beard growth!
I’m excited for Andrea Torres in a Mets uniform. I know he isn’t a particularly remarkable player, but he’s a nice addition and appears to be a nice chap.
Other than the usual money/wilpons sagas and debates there’s nothing to get me pumped. Is it me or is this off season just terrible!?

Reyes left the game (possibly his last game in Mets colours) after he reached on a bunt. This caused an uproar, an uproar i can understand, but don’t particularly choose to participate in. Yes it woulda been nice if he stayed in, but it was nice that he got his hit, he got the title and after EVERYTHING he has achieved with this team he deserves it. I want Jose back with the Mets next year, lets face it, injuries aside and money aside its a no brainer.
The circumstances with the bunt are to me inconsequential, what happens to Reyes in the off season however, means a lot.

2011 was a funny old year for the Mets, and i’m sad to see the season end.

Yes we had a worse record than last year, yes our bullpen wasn’t fabulous, Yes Jason Bay had a temperamental bat, Yes we had a hat crisis, Yes Daniel Murphy & Ike davis got hurt, and worse of all we don’t know the fate of Reyes (please stay)

Yet after everything, i really enjoyed watching this team, I loved seeing Lucas Duda, Justin Turner, Dillon Gee, and Tejada come into their own.  I enjoyed see R.A Dickey pitch well, even if he didn’t get the wins he deserved.

The 4 games i got to see in person amazed me, the team looked so different, if they played that well every game then this blog post would have not been writing until the end of October.  Alas that’s not happening.

Here’s to a happy off season. Lets Go Mets!

 

Yesterday was an emotional day. Its pretty hard not to be moved on Sept 11th on any given year, no matter where you are in the world, no matter what you are doing. There’s always a point where it crosses your mind for a few seconds, hours or in cases longer. It’s a day to remember the innocent and the brave, and to give thanks to all that have & continue to help rebuild the city.

I watched, and cried at the video of the Mets memorial ceremony a few times today. It was as a touching and intense affair that was respectful and moving.

As most people will know, there was a twitter hashtag trend about the Mets being banned from wearing the hats referring to teams of different NY first responders. I joined in a few #wearthehats tweets myself. It felt strange how MLB wasn’t willing to waive the rules for one night. A night that should be about remembrance and pride. Alas rules are rules to MLB and by the sounds of it, they didn’t want to let the Mets do it again. Maybe Bud was still pissed that they did it the first time, and tried to exude authority . RA Dickey has already tweeted that they all wanted too wear NYPD/FDNY/PAPD hats, and that Wright was wearing his in the dugout until it was taken from him. Hats being confiscated like being at school. It was an insensitive and generally stupid move by MLB that appeared at first money motivated. I don’t plan on buying merch for awhile thats for sure.

Nevertheless the memorial made up for any lack of different hats. Before the game started (UK time zones and all) i lay awake thinking and unable to sleep due to a hectic shift. I thought about how i wish sporting events were like ones i have witnessed in the states (OK so i have only been to Mets games but still..)

I love how the national anthem is sung before every game. I love how Vets are recognised and applauded. This is something we lack in the UK. It does happen but not often enough. It might be a mixture of the “stiff upper lip” mentality that we all have or how we don’t like to show too much emotion. Still i think it would be a good thing for UK sports, and much better than a day off because a couple of rich people got married (as nice as it was)

I’m sure i will watch the ceremony again. Just seeing Piazza catch the first pitch from Franco gave me chills, even if i wasn’t a Mets fan 10 years ago i have still seen all the clips, seen Mikes HR that moved Shea Stadium.

Watching the team with the Kids from Tuesday’s Children was also heartwarming and heartbreaking combined.

I guess i’ll always remember watching this ceremony even if it is just via the net.

Hopefully i will manage to stay up to see Chris Schwinden make his MLB debut tonight and hopefully help the team get to .500 (and hopefully stay above that for the remainder of the season…..)

There’s no chance i’ll be up for Dillion Gee starting the 2nd game, but i’ll be rooting from slumber i’m sure.

With only a few weeks left of the season, i’m feeling extra sad. It’s raining outside and summer is done. It will be practically a year before i visit NY again and i’ve already cracked open my baseball themed movie collection, which i usually reserve until the season is officially done.
I’m not disappointed with this season, while it could have been better, it could have been a whole lot worse….but more on this at the end of the month.
I guess there’s always NFL, Hockey and Rugby for me to look forward too, but its not baseball.

Earlier this week i visited NY and managed to see  4 games. Before I came here I was 2-5 in Mets wins witnessed first hand at Citi Field. On Saturday 6th after a soggy rain delay i managed to witness possibly one of my favourite games ever. An epic 4 home runs in one game. 2 of which from Justin Turner. Sunday provided me with the only loss of the trip, but it was still a battle, even with injuries happening to Jose and Murph.

My trip was fun, not just because of the Wins but because it was like watching a whole new team. There was just something different. I can’t explain what. Even with now at the time of writing, the Mets have lost 4 games in a row (cough maybe cos i have been home for 4 days…) I’m still more excited about this team than what i have in ages.

I miss NY & The Mets incredibly. I still have hope for a decent finish to the season.