This past Thursday, the 2012 Major League Baseball season got underway for most teams. Fans have seen a busy offseason, replete with major free agent acquisitions, the engenderment rebranded team, the sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers to new ownership and some polarizing controversy regarding reigning National League MVP Ryan Braun.
Yet, for a lowly New York Mets fan, baseball has been a non-issue. "Follow the latest baseball news" was shifted to the bottom of my to-do list, right under "Start watching hockey because the Rangers are good" and just above "Feed your goldfish." (R.I.P. Bulgy Eyes Drucker!)
So why have the Mets been neglected by a fan base so historically devoted that fans consistently refer to their team as the "Amazin's," even though the Mets have won a measly two World Series in 50 years as a franchise?
Well, the Mets have had one of the most deflating offseasons in recent memory. First, the Miami Marlins wooed away the Mets' most exciting weapon, shortstop Jose Reyes. Not only did Reyes lure disgruntled fans back to Citi Field time and again, but he was also a fan favorite because he was a Met through and through, the product of our (cough, cough) "revered" farm system. As a 19-year old, he was called up to the majors and quickly became a New York hero, known for his bubbly dugout persona and his passion for the sport. Alas, Mets fans now must choke back the tears - and the vomit - as they watch the reigning NL batting champ Reyes play in the ugly silver, orange and blue jerseys of their division foes.
Coinciding with the Reyes debacle was the loss of faith in Mets management. Fred Wilpon, the majority owner of the Mets, recently settled a longstanding case with victims of the Bernie MadoffPonzi scheme for $162 million. Not only did this staggering sum pose a significant hit to the Mets' financial capabilities, but Wilpon also lost favor with Mets loyalists, who became disgruntled by his stewardship of the team and his shady involvement with Madoff.
As for free agent pickups, the Mets did not make a splash in an offseason dominated by the Los Angeles Angels, the Marlins and others. Rather than attack their starting pitching woes, the Mets shored up their bullpen with the additions of Ram??nRam?rez and closer Frank Francisco. Both players are hardly top relievers.
So, Big Apple "believers" had humble expectations for the Mets in 2012. Rather than fantasize about playoff berths and World Series rings, fans were resigned to praying for the resurrections of Johan Santana and Jason Bay and the development and maturation of younger talent like Jon Niese, Lucas Duda and Ike Davis.
For Mets fans, this is an unfamiliar situation. Though the Mets have missed the playoffs for five straight seasons, fans have had lofty aspirations for the high-bankrolled team for over a decade. Even when the Mets were struggling, players named Carlos Beltr??n and David Wright kept Shea Stadium and Citi Field at capacity.
Now, however, expect the Mets to surprise detractors simply because no one expects them to win and, frankly, their team is not that bad. Sure, the Mets lack the firepower to compete with division rivals like the Philadelphia Phillies or the Marlins, but they have a nucleus of budding players, some savvy veterans in Wright and Santana and proven baseball savants - general manager Sandy Alderson and manager Terry Collins - on their staff. Although all signs point to another upsetting season, this Mets fan continues to believe.
