Mets Update

The Mets in recent years (started watching them in the last 1990s) have continuously been somewhat tedious. Common things were the ownership never quite getting a complete team, though one good enough to be a tease. Various players that you can root for.

Or, general managers that repeatedly seem to be bullshitting us somehow. Not great luck there this season: first one was out because of sexual harassment claims. And, now another is out for the time being because (this came out on an off day, as if the team needed news) of a DUI charge. 

And, various flawed managers, though I liked Terry Collins. On that front, Luis Rojas, an emergency manager that was held on to this season, is at best a mixed bag in my view.  He seems to be a "trainer" manager, as if there is an expectation he will grow into the job. Rojas looked good when the team hung together via various problems.  Less so, when there seems to be some need for tough love leadership. 

Also, repeatedly up/downs, never quite going all the way.

This year seemed more tedious. Lot of rain-outs. Lot of injuries. Good enough, but not that good (including key bats like Lindor), until they weren't. Braves and to a lesser degree Phils (which then slipped) hung around enough to make moves at the deadline. Mets made limited ones. And, then they had pretty bad July/August.

Being the Mets, they tease. Nats turned out to be losers and now they have a two week stretch with them and the Marlins. The Braves managed the slumping Giants, but lost each game versus the Dodgers/Yanks. 

The Mets now are five games back, with another rain-out because of yesterday's deluge. The margin is that close since the Mets have an actual winning streak going, including a "storybook" ending (per one report) where they scored five in the bottom of the ninth versus the Marlins, who missed multiple chances to have a bigger lead.  Such are the ways of scrubs, but still annoying on a competition level.

(To add to the carnival, Baez -- who has been underwhelming in various cases except for certain moments -- lost his earring scoring the winning run.  There was a big to do about trying to find it.)

The Mets fan comes in various shapes and sizes.  Some complain a lot, including how horrible the team is. Others live in the moment. This allows them to enjoy the Mets winning now, even if it is against bottom dwellers.  I'm at this point not there.  I'm tired of their season. I'm tired of their refusal to admit much is wrong as they had problems all year, especially lately.  

I'm tired of controversies such as some apparent stupid gimmick where a few players do a thumb down as a "fu" of sorts to fans that booed the team.  This specific thing was called out by Sandy Alderson, who said the players admitted they were wrong.  Uh huh.  I would have actually DID something to show them they were wrong.  Fine, skip a game, even DFA.

The odds are -- given the Mets will eventually have some real competition and the Braves have various soft teams -- that the Braves will win the division.  If the Braves somehow falter -- which is possible, since they still are a flawed team (they really needed to win ONE of those Dodgers or Yanks games, which they repeatedly ala the Mets lost by close scores) -- maybe the Phils can sneak in.  But, my lack of respect in them seemed warranted given recent struggles versus teams like the Diamondbacks.  

It's not a gimmee, again, the Mets are in the midst of some gimme games, though the Marlins' pitching can get ya, and have enough talent to go on a run if only just so Pete Alonso and company can get all excited.  The result will be more teasing -- who would be shocked if the margin goes down further than five games.  I should like that, but the team is so tiresome.

The Mets hung in first for some long because the competition was so mediocre.  If they actually manage to sneak in, it would be more of the same there.  It also would encourage ownership to do even less to improve the team.  Why bother? They are playoff bound!  But, they are flawed, from the manager on down.  

I'm just tired of them. 

Howie Rose, the veteran radio announcer, received some love being he will be out the rest of the season because of a medical procedure he has to have done.  As a bonus, he finally got his Twitter "checkmark."  Rose is a lovable sort, who for some reason got a sort of "dad beard" (one of his daughters, Alyssa, is on Twitter too and has a sports media position) this season to boot.  

Mets fans have the charm of great t.v. and radio people, if somewhat less so on the post-game shows.  

ETA: I had not keep track of the Phils before writing this and see they are  (sorta like the Mets) back to winning ways, helped by scrubs. They are closer to the Braves than the Mets.  I still don't trust them, but who knows.  

The Mets won last night against the Marlins in a low scoring (4-3) messy game.  That's what they had to do.  The Braves won by one run versus the Rockies too.  So, they remain five games back.  

.... and, the Mets won another exciting one, after blowing it in the 9th (after the blowing, the Nats had a man on third with one out & basically one shot ... I knew they wouldn't win in extras) when the Nats took a risk running on 0-2 and via collision at the plate, tied it up 2-2.  HORRIBLE at bat and ground out ended regulation.

The Nats, not being able to hold that level of pitching for TEN innings, made it easy for them by giving up four.  The Braves lost to the Rockies, who do good at home, and now we are hearing the "it's a race again" talk.  Back to .500 and four back.

I'm with those who am getting a bit tired of this.  It is who they are though more often than not the tease brings heartache.  Again, this season seems a bit more tiresome than usual though for me personally 2021 itself hasn't helped.