Yes, it’s been eons since I last penned anything in this space. In fact, the Mets had a winning record at the time. But I was not about to be fooled. So I went missing. And no, it wasn’t writer’s block this time. I just haven’t felt like venting. The Mets are what inspires Off the Foul Pole and I haven’t felt too inspired (to even bitch!) about a team that is once again circling the crapper as September arrives.
I had pretty much shut it down this year ready and willing to feed my angst from the deep and muddy trough of my other source of high blood pressure, the Jets. They already have me in a bat-shit crazy frenzy and the season doesn’t even start for another week. I would have a field day blogging about Gang Green (Off the Upright?) but it’s a lot easier just to bang my head against a cement wall or snort freeze-dried crystals of grain alcohol.
Anyway, yesterday Sandy Alderson was quoted by Jay Schreiber in the NY Times in response to his spring training proclamation that the Mets are shooting for 90 wins. At least that’s the way I and many other fans interpreted his unmistakable words. Regardless, you knew this would come back to haunt him. Now Alderson, who was admittedly annoyed that the media keeps bringing this up (I bet he wouldn’t have an issue if the Mets were actually on pace to fulfill his nice little fantasy instead of their usual and highly predictable 74 or so in the W column), claims that he never proposed 90 wins as a “goal” or “expectation.” Actually, he claims it was just a “reminder” of the level of “performance” and “excellence” that the Mets need to reach.
A reminder? Seriously? So why didn’t you and everyone in the organization just put a Post-It note on your fridge or send yourself an email (“Reminder to self: we really need to stop sucking so bad and win more games.”) rather than announce to the world this whole deal about 90 wins? Just because most rational Mets fans (I know, that’s a contradiction in terms ) knew that it was mere pie-in-the-sky PR speak doesn’t mean you can get yourself off the hook with one snarky, dismissive remark to the media. Not when you have Chris Young and Curtis Granderson to answer for.
Another September hits us like a bad cold and we are treated with yet another painful, frustrating example of the appalling lack of accountability in the Mets front office. Despite signs of promise from some young arms and a few position players (very few), another season will end in a haze of disappointment and who will pay the ultimate price?
The fans, as if you needed a “reminder.”
Off the Foul Pole 