A Weird Sigh of Relief

Listen, the Mets are going to be the Mets.

We've come to realize this.

And unfortunately, they've showed promise throughout their history of a franchise ready to break out.

You look through most of Mets history, it's littered with teams that just couldn't get over the hump. After their first 6 years of losing 100 games, the Mets generally tended to avoid that. And teams that don't lose 100, like the teams we've gotten used to over the last 6 years, are ones that will show way too much promise in all the wins they put together, only to botch most of the losing ones. And its weird about losing teams, 'cause I'm sure other losing teams out there in different geographies blow most of their games, too. But some just get shellacked from the get-go. The Mets...well, as certain people have documented, they have always seemed to be way too close to be losing so much.

But this weekend, unlike other weekends spent in Miami, this team took 3 of 4, and needed one of the greatest throwing performances in baseball history to lose one, and even that came with some flaws from everyone involved (including Major League Baseball). Those plays just aren't NEARLY as fun anymore. Players are forgetting, because the rule is so vague, that ACCORDING to the rule, you can STILL run the catcher over if he has the ball. But you literally have a SPLIT-SECOND basically to notice he has the ball and decide that you are going to run them over. Just like it takes time and seasoning to really recognize a ball entering your plane on its way from someone's hand 60 feet 6 inches away, it's gonna take some time for players to adjust to completely altering how you go about that play.

Through it all, though, the Mets took a 3 of 4 out of Miami this weekend, beginning with a resounding 1-0 win by Zack Wheeler and ending resoundingly in the last game (that was partly begun with an awesome suicide squeeze.)

And no matter what the Marlins can be, they can also be the Marlins sometimes. And you know what I just said makes COMPLETE sense. So, even when the Marlins are losing 98 games, it's always nice to take 3 of 4 to the Marlins.

And I think I've come to realize...I actually like the Marlins uniforms. In that utter hatred type of way.

Look, as a baseball fan you want the full baseball experience, especially in your rivalries, and in that great baseball way, you want your rival to have a clear, defining contrast to your clear, defining uniform identity. And the Marlins in their Miami incarnation have made much more of a clear, defining decision with their aesthetic identity. Forget the fact that I was KINDA a Marlins fan when I was a mild to cold baseball fan, and do happen to love the clear-cut choice of the teal at the beginning (though they are REALLY ugly), but they got away from straight-up teal and that just wasn't nearly as cool in its ugliness. So, I actually give credit to the Marlins for going all-in on their Miami incarnation. You actually found something more annoying than the plainness of the Florida one. I applaud you for making that decision to add yourselves to the history of the baseball uniform.

The straight-up orange ones, though, are REALLY ugly and shouldn't exist.

And there's freakin' FISH to the left of their home plate, for cryin' out loud.

Who we taking on next? Let's see...

Oh. OAKland.

Well...

There's only two things left to say...

LET'S. GO. METS....

And

Thanks for reading! Follow me on Twitter @convertedmetfan. For more from myself and others on the Mets, head over to Rising Apple. And for the latest on a Brooklyn Baseball TV Series I am developing, Like the Bedford & Sullivan Facebook page, follow on Twitter here, and listen to the research process here.

Clem Labine Family Friend Endorses Jacoby Ellsbury

That's a bit of a misleading comment, because Rick Elliott, family friend of the late Brooklyn Dodger and '62 Met Clem Labine, endorses the free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury to stay on the Boston Red Sox.

Somebody reached out to me regarding Mr. Elliott, saying he would be perfect for my Bedford & Sullivan podcast, and they were right. Rick has a plethora of information regarding growing up following the Dodgers in Woonsocket, RI, where Clem is from. Clem found work in the early 40's at Rick's father's garment factory, and worked closely with the family business till they closed their doors in the 80's. Rick has been more than receptive, and has wanted to share some of Clem's memorabilia that got passed down to him when Clem died in 2008.

Though this post is mostly regarding what he had to say about Ellsbury, here is Mr. Elliott's podcast episode for your listening pleasure when you get a chance.

More Television Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with Bedford Sullivan Brooklyn on BlogTalkRadio

On that podcast, I mentioned I was a Mets fan, and Rick said because Clem finished his career with the Mets, he'll "forgive" me. Soon thereafter, I got a letter in the mail from Rick saying he wanted me to have the signed postcard on the right.

Ain't that neat? It's unfortunate that Clem only made it into 4 innings as a Met, posting an 11.25 ERA before calling it a fantastic career that included 3 world championships ('55 BK, '59 LA, '60 PITT) mostly as one of the early fireman in Major League history. Still swell, though, that he was able to close it out back in town.

(Rick has sent me another awesome item regarding Jackie Robinson that I will show you all at a later date...)

Anyway, Rick and I have chatted a bunch, including via text. We were doing so the night the Red Sox won the World Series, something you can guess Rick was ecstatic about being a New England resident. The text chain eventually led to talk about John Henry the next day, which led to talk about Jacoby, and Rick has given me permission to quote him on here. Here's some of the text chain:

Rick: "...Henry will let Ellsbury slip away 2 Seattle...And if that occurs Henry must be drawn & quartered."

Me: "Hahahah. So, regarding that, it seems you believe he is worth the contract? Not saying I don't, just curious as a potential suitor."

Rick: "Every penny. He owns center field. He is rugged and resilient...a quiet and calm and peaceful man adding stability. Excellent hitter...always on base distracting pitchers...brilliant baserunner. And Sam stats can lie. Take 50 stolen & those walks and singles become doubles & he actually leads the MLB in slugging %. Tell you what, Henry, sell ur freakin' soccer team with Lebron and pay my center fielder what he needs."

Rick: ".....Or Sam...put me down as undecided! :-) But I adore Ells and what he brings. A great stable racehorse."

Me: "That's good to know. Us Mets fans have been wary of him..."

Rick: "...Remember Sam his rep for softness is a crock. He was put into left field to make room for 12 million dollar mistake named Cameron...Though unfamiliar there he was willing to play and collided with Beltre & broke ribs front & back. He had to heal. He did. He's a gamer and tough kid."

Me: "Haha that's how everyone refers to Mike Cameron."
Me: "We need (gamers.)"


Yes. Rick has a bit of a man crush on Jacoby Ellsbury, but makes some good points about the player. We should probably still be weary of the guy, as honestly we should be leary of any long-term contract. Us Met fans are conditioned to believe that no big contract will work out well based on our history. We got a lot out of Carlos Beltran, but still missed a couple years in there as well.

Based off of what Rick says about the guy, though, I am now less weary of signing Jacoby Ellsbury.

But Rick also said the following:

"...Ells is a west coast kid. If Sox don't smarten up & pay him, Boras will probably get him deal in Seattle. He LOVES WEST COAST...He's quiet and reserved. Might try to avoid NY. Even Boston took time for him to adjust.

"(But he's) a dream athlete. A miracle in motion!"

...as I said. Man crush. 

But we all have man crushes.

Anyway, here's the Random Song of the Day.

SIGN. THE. RIGHT. GUY.

LET'S. GO. METS.

Thanks for reading! Follow me on Twitter @convertedmetfan. And for the latest on a Brooklyn Baseball TV Series I am developing, Like the Bedford & Sullivan Facebook page, follow on Twitter here, and listen to the research process here.

The Mets Fan Incarnate

There is no way I could, in my current state of writing, wax as poetically about The New York Mets as Greg Prince of Faith and Fear. And if you haven't read his newest piece, Tick...Tick...Tick..., then you are quite possibly missing what it is to be a Mets fan.

A good amount of you read or have read Faith and Fear (in a little town called Flushing), since Greg was awesome enough to grace his pages with my link all the way back in February. I shouldn't just thank him- I should buy his season tickets (not quite yet though, Greg.)*

If I could be half the writer Greg is, I'd be a pretty damn good one. If any of us could be half the fan Greg is, we also would be pretty damn good. Having been born himself in '62, he grabbed a transistor radio from the doctor monitoring the game the second he got out of his mother's womb. I believe there is a bigger Mets fan than Greg less than I believe The 2012 New York Mets will win the World Championship.

This has been a testing week; An Amazin' Week, if you will, but in a season of so many sweets, why not have the sickening for 7 days? For those of us who weren't around to see 1962 in the flesh, we've just had a front row seat, as Greg points out. And doesn't that just make us more the Mets Fan? 

It is trying. 

But damn is the sweetness wonderful.

LET'S. GO. METS.

Thanks for reading! Follow me on Twitter @convertedmetfan. And for Rising Apple twitter updates, click here. 

*Of course, one must as well thank Matt Cerrone of Mets Blog and Ted Berg of Tedquarters for linking up as the blog built up. We will discuss season tickets, however, at a later monetary date.