It is evident while watching the New York Mets vs. the Former New York Giants, especially live, that these are clubs way on the opposite end of the secure franchise spectrum.
The Giants are very secure in their franchisehood. It is evident in the way everything they present at AT&T Park celebrates the Giants, whether that's in New York or San Francisco.
The Mets are very insecure in their franchisehood.
Let me reiterate.
The franchises are on the opposite side of the secure spectrum.
NOT the fans.
We know who we are. We're the New York Mets. We're the birth child of the Giants and Dodgers leaving town. We're Orange, and We're Blue. We were endearingly awful, before surprising the world. We let the pressure of the city get to us in the 70's before letting it build us back up in the 80's, before collapsing around it in the 90's, before...well, yada yada yada. We know who we are. But this team, from the top down, doesn't seem to know, or really, knows and is too much of an insecure sack to own it and have fun with it, so it can finally stop letting it haunt it every step of the way.
The New York Mets, starting with Fred Wilpon and Jeff Wilpon, don't seem to get what this team is all about. And in that little detail of knowing your franchise and being proud, bruises and all, of the damn thing completely throws off their ability to operate the team. And in the time that they have been sole owners of this team, they have failed to show us they can properly operate a ballclub, let alone the New York Mets.
They could use some serious pointers from the Giants franchise right about now. Just by walking around the freakin' joint.
And the thing is, The Dodgers and the Giants had to develop as franchises as well. And the Dodgers, moreso than the Giants, had a similar first 50-so-odd years, actually with less success than the Mets.
But they eventually settled into their identity. And they didn't have to compete with being the offspring of long-time New York institutions.
And the Wilpons do have to compete with the Yankees, but they don't really NEED to. There is NO EVER competing with the Yankees unless you went on some CRAZY World Series spree over the next 50 years. Probably not going to happen. So, screw them and stop worrying about it because if you play good baseball, you're going to get a lot of people watching a lot of baseball in New York.
You just need to worry about being the Mets.
And forget the fact most of us don't think you can continue to financially fund your ownership. And the fact most of us just don't think you really know what you are doing, even if you were able to fund your ownership. So, forget anything you are or aren't able to do with this ballclub on the field.
You want to show us you actually GET who the Mets are?
Erect 3 statues or monuments in or around Citi Field.
Tom Seaver, Joan Payson, and Marvelous Marv Throneberry.
Ideas and moves and thoughts along these lines would AUTOMATICALLY make me have more faith that you are capable of running a ballclub like the New York Mets, and understand what this team means to the folks who call themselves Mets fans.
But then again, it's probably too late.
Because when your fans give it all they've got in enemy territory like The 7 Line Army did last night, you best be prepared to give it your all as well.
I'm sure you guys are really nice. That's all I hear. That you're not tyrants like James Dolan.
But sell the team. Come on. Honestly. The shenanigans are up. Do the right thing. Because this? What you're doing and what you've been doing? This ain't it.
But this is it, what the fans are doing, I'll tell ya that.
I'll see you at the ballpark today.
