|
Reasons to Root for the New York Mets (yes, I know I'm late, but whatever) -ridiculously awesome pitching -they aren't the Yankees -roster is only minimally hateable/problematic -I need more people to shoot the poo poo with in GDTs  Non-Players of Note Terry Collins (manager) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=494TCuQb72M This guy somehow managed the 2016 Mets, who were held together with wadded-up chewing gum & wishes, to the playoffs. He may stay. Sandy Alderson (general manager)  This man got Yoenis Céspedes back. Need I say more? Okay fine. He's also responsible for cutting the Mets payroll and acquiring/developing the pitching staff that we all know and love. He also may stay. Dan Warthen (pitching coach)  Spins UCLs into gold. Thank him for the pitching. Have I mentioned how awesome Mets pitching is yet? Pitchers Noah Syndergaard  I feel like most people think I'm kind of this quiet guy, but when I'm on the mound ... I try to be as intimidating as possible. I try to use that as a weapon of mine. I feel like I'm on top of the world when I'm on the mound. The Mets' obscenely buff ace. 80 grade Twitter account. He pitched an absolutely godly (get it? because Thor  ) game against Madison Bumgarner against the NLWC, but the Mets offense let him down. Even though he pitched through bone spurs last year, after seeing him in spring training, I have no reason to believe he won't continue to wreck everybody's poo poo.Jacob deGrom  I wasn't a first-rounder, but I wasn't that late of a pick—I was a ninth-round pick, and I just kept working hard and followed my dream. I was fortunate enough that it came true. The Mets' NOT obscenely buff ace (there can be two aces, right?). deGrom's 2016 season was just about as successful as it could have been, considering it ended prematurely when he had surgery for an issue with his ulnar nerve and he'd experienced other smaller setbacks throughout the season. As can be expected, he has looked great in spring training, and I have very high hopes, as long as he remains uninjured which I understand is a huge if. Matt Harvey  It’s pretty obvious what we bring to the table. Everyone is a year older and we’re used to being in spring training together. It’s nice to have a core group of guys coming from the same place. Infamously went without peeing for so long that he got a bladder infection. Infamously fucks supermodels (he was recently spotted out on the town making out with Adriana Lima, for example). Infamously appeared naked in an ESPN Body Issue. Everything Matt Harvey does is infamous for some reason. I don't hold it against him, because he's basically a male version of me if I had a gajillion dollars. Anyway, one thing I WILL hold against him is that he seems to melt down every time anyone gets a hit off him. After having surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, however, he seems to have come back in fine form, physically and mentally. Steven Matz  Confidence in every pitch and knowing that I am able to go out there and dominate. Because you have to know you can before you actually do. Steven Matz's elbow is made of fiberglass insulation, thumbtacks, and old Brillo pads. He does extremely well when his elbow isn't bothering him, and his elbow is bothering him approximately 98.5% of the time. I'm not sure what to expect from him, but I wish him all the best and would like for everyone to get off his back re: pitching through discomfort. Robert Gsellman  I’m here to seize the opportunity and you never know what can happen… trades… injuries. I’m not worried. I’m young and I have a long way to go. Noah Syndergaard's only son. The handsomest pitcher in the NL East. Questionable but prominent tattoos. Gsellman was called up in August after injuries claimed half the pitching staff, and he has excelled ever since. Gsellman himself was also injured, with a torn labrum in his non-pitching shoulder preventing him from swinging a bat, but it didn't hold him back much. Today it was officially announced that he has a spot as a starter (whether it's 4th or 5th is yet to be determined/seen), and I'm pretty stoked. He's cool and handsome and hopefully Ray Ramirez doesn't sever his UCL in his sleep. Honorable Pitcher Mentions Seth Lugo - pitched for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, might still be in the running for a spot in the starting rotation, has the highest curveball spin rate in the Statcast era Zack Wheeler - has not pitched in an MLB game since the Jeterian Age, may or may not actually exist, has actually done very well in spring training & could very well be called up not long into the 2017 season Jerry Blevins - has an odd but charming advice column/vlog called Hello Jerry in which he answers non-baseball questions from fans, is a generally odd but charming man, pitches really good Jeurys Familia - brilliant in save situations, un-brilliant in non-save situations, was arrested in October on a domestic violence charge and will probably be suspended for a significant portion of the season Otherwise awesome pitchers who I can't think of anything clever to say about Hansel Robles, Addison Reed, Josh Smoker Catchers Mets catching is mediocre to garbage. The nicest thing I can say is that Kevin Plawecki and Travis d'Arnaud's dogs are friends, and they are extremely cute together.  Rene Rivera is catching on opening day for Noah Syndergaard, and like, I guess that's fine. Whatever. Moving on. Infielders David Wright  Depending on who you ask, David Wright is either a broken-down old man who needs to hang up his cleats & let the young guns take over, or he is an unassailable baseball god who should not ever retire, even in the face of a debilitating condition. Wright, 34 years old, has spinal stenosis. As much as I don't want to see him go, I want to see him irreparably damage himself even less. Will start the season on the DL. Asdrúbal Cabrera  A key piece of the Mets offense. His knee gives him trouble sometimes, which is troubling, but otherwise, he's really good and can generally be trusted. José Reyes  David Wright's BFF. I haven't forgiven him for whatever the gently caress he did to his wife, but I have to admit the guy rakes. Ho hum. Wilmer Flores  A beautiful cinnamon roll too good & pure for this world. Adorably weird. Infamously openly wept in mid-game when he heard a false rumor that he was being traded. Once kissed Jacob deGrom's hair in a Facebook Live video. Playing-wise, he seems fairly average. I hope the Mets keep him forever. Neil Walker  The Mets acquired Walker in exchange for Jonathon Niese, and holy poo poo what a bargain. Even considering the fact that he had season-ending back surgery in early September, he still had a hell of a season, with 23 homeruns in 113 games. Lucas Duda  Duda Smash (when he's healthy [which is never])! Curtis Granderson follows him around and it's highly entertaining. Honorable Infielder Mentions Matt Reynolds - only starts looking like a different person from Seth Lugo after the 20th time you see him, seems kind of in-between MLB and AAA at any given time Amed Rosario - super exciting prospect who was added to the 40-man roster after 2016 but hasn't played in the Majors yet T.J. Rivera - did a decent job playing for Puerto Rico in the WBC, is occasionally clutch but wildly inconsistent Ty Kelly - looks like a lost Olsen twin, is pretty loving funny, played for Israel in the WBC Outfielders Yoenis Céspedes  Raaaaaakes. Also, is a batflipper extraordinaire. "Cespy", as he is affectionately called, bounced around from team to team until he found a home with the Mets. The fans have embraced him, as well as the clubhouse, and after signing a four-year $110 million contract in November, he's officially here to stay. His bat is essential to the Mets offense, despite his left quad's attempts to take him down last summer. Curtis Granderson  Quite possibly a literal angel, Grandy is seemingly the most even-tempered, friendly, charitable baseball player ever to walk this earth. At 36, he's starting to show his age in the field and at bat, but he is still a reliable defenseman and hardly an offensive liability. Follows Lucas Duda everywhere taking Instagram videos of him for no apparent reason. Jay Bruce  Fighting with the younger, more consistent Michael Conforto for a spot in right field. When he's on, he's on, but he is extremely unreliable. The Mets are paying him a lot and acquired him in exchange for Dilson Herrera & Max Wotell and I think they feel like they have to use him over Conforto for some reason. Not my decision, but hey.  Michael Conforto  Does kind of mediocrely in the majors, gets sent down & bats .500, repeat. Personally, I think he should start over Bruce, but clearly the front office knows something I don't. Hopefully this whole back-and-forth thing doesn't screw too badly with his development because he seems to have serious potential. Honorable Outfielder Mentions Brandon Nimmo - never stops smiling even when he is leaving a game with an injured hamstring, played okay for Italy in the WBC, has an even Jesusier Twitter page than the Pope Juan Lagares - is really good but is injured a lot so he fits right in with the rest of the Mets, will probably need bionic hands/wrists by the time he's 35 Concluding Remarks Being a Mets fan is rewarding in the same way that I imagine parenting is rewarding -- it's a mostly thankless, arduous task, generally taken up irrationally, and in between the smiles, there are a ton of headaches. I will admit that becoming a Mets fan for reasons other than regional loyalty might not make a lot of sense at first glance. However, the Mets are a charming, talented, ambitious team that yearns for success and (I think anyway) stand a good chance of making it to the playoffs again. Only time will tell if this is the year they go the distance.
|
#
¿
Mar 27, 2017 05:12
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 5, 2024 00:24 |
|