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In an article for the Daily News, John Harper discusses how the Mets need to put last year behind them and prove their worth in an improving National League.
Harper writes:
“Be the team that fans want to believe these 2008 Mets can be – even if the National League landscape seems to be changing all around them.”
“We’re better than we’re playing right now,” Omar Minaya said yesterday when asked about the state of his team. “But we’re not the only good team that’s just a little over .500 right now.
…i for one am tired of looking in the rear view mirror, and continue to try looking ahead…the fact that people still write about last year irks me, but they have somewhat of a point…the mets need to play well to put this talk to rest once and for all…
…as for the rest of the league, it has certainly become harder for the team to distinguish themselves as the best of the rest, as the diamondbacks and others continue to improve…
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Yea regis i too am tired of people writing about last year. The whole NL has changed since 2006 when we were the most dominant team. Not that we are playing catch-up but we are just one of many good ledgit teams in the NL. Face it people we are not going to run away with this division like in 06. We may not be in first place basically the whole year lik 07. I guess with the huge success the mets had in 06 it kind of sets the bar pretty high for fans. Its kind of hard to think about 2 years before in 04 and how bad that team was. Omar has a point in that alot of good teams are .500 right now or around there. The tampa bay rays are in first place…Hell the Marlins are in first place. Do i think it will stay that way, no but it almost seems people think it will. The club is up for review in june…If we can manage to stay in the pack and heat up around aug or sept, i think we will have a good shot at making this thing. Its not how you start its how you finish…and we are far away from that.
Why are we getting updates from Regis? Where is Cerrone? Come back please.
LOL so much for being subtle…
Huh? Whats wrong with Regis? You have a man crush for Cerrone? It will be ok, seems like he’s been busy the past couple of days so Regis is stepping it up and you should be thankful of that. Remember the days where an update wouldn’t take place for 2 days or longer? Thank God those days are long gone. As far as hating on Regis and telling Cerrone to come back, let the man live, hop off it.
Bling, bling goes Eli’s ring. :-)
I’ll stop thinking about last year when this team starts to play different than it did last year. Its the same crappy product that we have had since May of LAST YEAR! Where is the team that blew through April of last year? Where is the team that was supposed to be that much better this year with Santana? Until then, I am unfortunately reminded of the disappointment of last year…and how nothing has changed.
Something has changed. Look at our home winning percentage compared to last seasons.
Look at our overall winning percentage…still hovering around .500. I’m not interested in splits. At the end of the day, the total record is what matters. The 2006 team found ways to win…some might have been ugly some might have been pretty, but we didn’t care. The final “W” was all the mattered.
This team gives us 1 W and then 1 L, 2 W and then 2 L. The minute we start to get momentum, Wilie decides maybe his guys need a breather and rests someone or moves the lineup around. Then another rough patch until they get comfortable, then something else happens. It never changes.
THIS ISN’T 2006, get over it. Every year is a new year, and this year you’re going to have to realize it’s going to be a fight. We’re not going to role through the season and win the division in May. In fact, divisions are RARELY won this early in the year. I know I know, this team looks like it did last year. Well, if we played like we did right now, for those last 17 games, we would have been in the playoffs (and most likely lost like the Phillies anyway to the steam roller that was the Rockies). That doesn’t matter though, its a new year. People around here need to accept that and stop bringing up 2006, stop bringing up 2007.
Listen bro this is not the 2006 team 23-14
nor is it the 2007 team 24-13 we all remember (especially you) how that ended
It is the 2008 team 20-17
The phillies record at this time was 18-20 in 2007 and we all remember what happened.
All im trying to say is it doesnt matter how you start its how you finish. We are only 2 games out and the Marlins are in first place…cmon you and i know thats not gonna last. Last year is over put it away as that year. I would have hated to have that attitude during the 90’s when this team was garbage…”its not 86″. Its a new year and a new approach. Lets reserve judgement if this team is any different than last year at the end of the season when the dust settles…alot of baseball left
I understand you are still hurt but this is a different dance and you have a different girl. Yes this girl still has some of the same traits but that’s because she’s still a girl and she is uh going out with you. ;)
Actually, this is alot more like a break-up after things don’t work out (2007) and the girl begs you back promising that she will change and after one month, you see the same exact things resurface that made you crazy in the first place. And at that point, you have to question your sanity for being with her again….sure you love her, but is it what is best your own mental health…
Yea but you took that girl back because you loved her and you gave her a shot to change. While the old tendencies do show up, the girl is not going to change right away and while it may seem like the same tendancies at first may be the start of change and a new girl alltogether in the long run. My point is you took the girl back because you felt she could change, give her a new slate or you probably shouldnt have taken her back at all if you going to continue judge her for the person she was when you broke up and not give her a chance to prove you wrong.
What if your biggest problem with her is her parents (Willie, Peterson) and their philosophies? LOL…I know, I digress…but I just needed to keep the correlation going.
You guys are too funny!
holy oprah blog batman!
You guys need to stop comparing the mets to girls….
girls will s_ck and f_ck you….all the mets do is play baseball…there are many more reasons why you take a girl back…
Forget it. Even if the Mets play well and achieve a comfortable first-place lead, the fans and the media will still be all over them at the first sign of a bad slump. They will not be able to put it behind them until they next make the playoffs, hopefully this year. The media and the fans just won’t let them.
To be honest, I think it’s better if they have to scrap and fight for first place all this year. With their personalities, they might just get too complacent with a big lead again.
And I think Omar gets too complacent too. IF the Mets had a big lead in the standings now, I bet he wouldn’t have eaten Sosa’s contract. And if the Mets hadn’t had such a big lead last year, he might have done something about Show and Mota instead of just watching them blow all season long.
Omar gets just as complacent as the players on the team.
Why are there Don Mattingly baseball bat ads on this site?
I’m guessing that it’s because the Don Mattingly baseball bat people bought ad space.
I saw that last night and almost threw up. I always likes Donnie Baseball, even though he was a Skankee, but come on, its in bad taste!
Are you kidding? It’s a baseball ad on a baseball site. it’s advertising a player who was always a class guy no matter where he was and what uniform he put on. It’s not bad taste – bad taste would be selling Roger Clemens autographs. I got no complaints against Donnie Baseball…
Its a Mets site. Go back to the Bronx.
It’s a site that needs revenue to run, no matter where that revenue comes from.
Mattingly’s not even in baseball now, so what is the gripe?
I understand it for the economic side, but it still doesnt mean i have to like it. Cant we get a Keith Hernandez Rogaine ad or something.
Sure. You should talk to Matt or his ad agency about where to send your check.
This site is free. Deal with the ads.
Ever heard of tongue in cheek? Why are some of you so confrontational?
We’re better than we’re playing right now,” Omar Minaya said yesterday when asked about the state of his team…… NO, YOU ARE NOT!…. It is ridiculous when teams say they are better than their record….. they are not. The performance is reflected on the numbers/record. Accept it and improve to see better results.
Maybe Omar can emphatically prove his point with a Dennis Green like rant…”They are what they say they are”…although I don’t think anyone is ready “crown their @#$”
lmao too funny
You really think the Marlins and Rays are elite teams and that the Padres are the worst team in baseball?
I think there’s definitely a difference between being a team being good and a team having a good record. But hey, I also think Aaron Heilman is a valuable member of this team (and franchise), so what do I know?
I still think Aaron is a valuable member, good trading chip! Kiddin. He is pitching alot better of late. He will straighten himself out and have a good year.
You hit it on the head, trading chip indeed… get some value while you can!
They are better than they are playing. Teams go on winning streaks when everyone is playing at their best. Problem with the Mets (started last season) is different guys step up at different times, but the team doesn’t step up as a whole. Right now our bats are all coming together and i think we are at the start of a good run.
We keep blaming Willie for not having a consistent lineup but we fail to see the reasons why. This team is recovering from injury at very key spots. This team is old and frail at very key spots. So Willie almost has to keep his bench involved so when they play they are fresh and in the mix.
It’s really difficult to get rolling when you HAVE to, not CHOOSE to, replace a starter for weeks at a time. The regular lineup gets together for a few games and the team gets rolling offensively and then Castillo gets hurt. Your bench gets its roles settled then Pagan hits the DL. Now Willie has to get Tatis in the mix.
The team is in constant flux. Here are the things that get me thinking positive. This team is still good enough to win with a lack of power hitting. They are still good enough with Beltran and Delgado and Wright and Reyes being inconsistent so far.
The biggest reason to believe in this team is the emergence of a legit top two aces in the rotation which we did not have in ‘06 or ‘07. If Pedro or Perez(or both) emerge behind Santana and Maine, then I love our chances.
The Mets strength will be starting pitching and that will separate us in the dog days.
Yes, this team will continue to look inconsistant until the back end of the rotation is fixed, and the front end starts pitching like…the front end. When you throw pelf and a AAA pitcher out there every fifth day it will be tough to get on a roll. I don’t mind pelf as the #5, but he is basically our 4 now and that is not good enough to win consistently.
I thought they rested on their laurels a little last year, but not in September. That was a near complete meltdown of our pitching, particularly the bull pen. In fact, when we were comfortably in first at the deadline this blog was full of concerns regarding our pen, it seemed like everyone felt we simply did not have the pitching to win last year, although understandably we never thought it would kill us in September.
Mediocre pitching will make you look inconsistant, uninspired, and heartless, all words used to describe this team especially last september. Better pitching will transform this group into “winners” and willie into a genious overnight.
Unfortunately, the pen needs to stabilize and I still think we need Pedro, we are one quality starter short. I am not comfortable putting that much importance on him, but that is where I think Omar may have made his fatal mistake. Time will tell.
I dont like the looking in the rear view mirror with it comes to the Braves and Phillies. The whole ‘were just over .500, but so are they’ idea is bunk. Get in first place and it wont be an issue, but they arent there yet. And they are closer to 4th right now.
The message has been all wrong from the start, in regards to last season. Willie was so sick of answering questions about the collapse that he made a rush to change the subject. Always saying that this is a new season and last year is over. While this is all true and very obvious, its not the right message. Last season will stay with these players for the rest of their baseball lives. Its important from a psychology standpoint for them to not be in denial over it. They should instead be taking a major motivation from this collapse , instead of just pretending like it never happened. Of course you don’t want to relive it every time you take the field but the collapse should of been put in the correct light from the start. It is a lesson above all else and one that “should of inspired all these guys to come out of the gate and give 150% every night.”
Instead of it being embarrassing or something that they should be ashamed of, it should be looked as a positive going forward. When asked about it, there answers should of been more to the effect,, we know what went wrong, we are going to learn from this experience and come out next season and make the necessary changes. Instead of Last season was last season and we have moved on.
The past will always repeat itself if you don’t learn from it. What was last seasons major issue?
The scary thing is that not only is it still this years issue, but its even worse. They could of closed out the division in august but played like they deserved the Division title, instead of going out and proving they are champions. They clearly have not learned a thing from last season and its going to destroy this team in the future.
Omar and Willie truly have to revisit this with the players. Maybe they bring someone in and get them angry or maybe they realize their mistake but it has to be dealt with correctly or they are going no where. Its no surprise that the guys on last years team are the ones that are struggling.
Omar its not too late for this to be dealt with correctly. Do it or you’ll regret it.. Ask a professional if your team has gotten the right message about last season. I’m sure you find its all wrong. This thing is mental and something that can be dealt with one or two ways.
Either send the right message about the collapse or fire the coaches and put it on them. The message is realistically the only way go.
everything you just said is how they dealt with it, go back and read interviews given by Willie,and David Wright, they all said they had to learn from it, but move on at the same time. And your notion that this team is in denial over it is laughable. You’re just making that up. They’re not in denial, they clearly have addressed the issue time and time again, and as Wright has said time and time again, it adds to the motivation to be better and not allow it to happen again. Just because they’re saying its a new year doesn’t mean they’re in denial. That’s like saying that the world champs say it’s a new year, they can’t rest on the laurels of last year, that they’re in denial that they didn’t win it the year before.
Thanks you darkstar…i didnt respond to this one because its getting tiring trying to wake people up and realize its a new year.
oh, by the way, you’re basically judging an entire season by a month and a half.
EXACTLY my point. If you want to judge the team if they got over last years collapse..why judge them a month and a half into the season. I would think it would be more accurate a judgement when you have a larger sample size..lets say at the end of the season perhaps. If this team wins the WS would you still say the have not gotten over the collapse?
There is still way to much baseball for anyone to say if they got over last year or not…Lets “try” to reserve judgement over last year until the end of the season for people who are interested in doing so.
i think that’s the problem, people don’t want to reserve judgment, they WANT to have a reason to bash the Mets, or they want to somehow explain away what essentially is just inconsistent play. People can psychoanalyze this team all they want, but we’re just playing inconsistently right now, all of our players are not performing at the same times. It’s that simple. I think once they do that, we’ll be able to rind off a nice winning streak.
um, rind? not even sure what word i was looking for there, but anyway, you get the point.
I hope your right man, I hope this team actually learned from last season. But everything so far seems to point in the opposite direction.
One of the major issues of last season was not taking games for granted. Allowing other teams back in games and not having that killer instinct. So far this season this trend has continued and they are not even playing to the level where they were at last May/June. This team also has better players. So watching this team underachieve is a signal that they have not learned one thing from last season.
You could pick and choose comments made by the players about the collapse since there were so many of them but I don’t remember ever hearing a player speak about it the way it should of been spoken about. If Wright made those statement then great but its also clear that the team is not a unit and they don’t all share those thoughts.
Their play on the filed is proof of this. No?
Maybe I went a little crazy with over analyzing the situation with that post but i felt like covering all the bases just in case someone was listening. The fact is that this team has lost it Karma/mojo and belief in itself. Do you even remember how this team played in 06. The confidence and determination. This team is a shell of that squad. I want these guys believing in themselves and having a sense of pride that is not present on this team anymore. Whether that means firing Willie or someone uniting the the players in the clubhouse, It must be done. This is the last season at shea and the last season for a bunch of these guys. This team will be in transition next season and the competition will be even better. If we have a chance to take this whole friggen thing, its this year. Lets start playing like we want it
i agree this team is inconsistent, but that’s not a shocker to me, I still think they’ll be able to roll off some wins in a row when players start producing at the same time. I hate to do this again as well, but this isn’t 2006, never was, never was going to be, never will be. I see both ‘07 and ‘06 in the same light. Different seasons, different times, not this season, never will be. I advise you do the same. This team is not the 2006 team, nor is it the 2007 team. This team is playing inconsistently right now, and frankly, i’m not sure why people need to come up with these over analyzed answers as to why that is. It’s just the way it is right now, they’re treading water, sticking around, and hopefully will be able to get it going at some point.
pitching.
Great job Darkstar.
Yes DS. Wins and losses are part of the game but to some fans it seems that every loss is a result of last years collapse when in reality its a new year. Yes some of the people involved with the collapse are still on this team but you know what i can guarentee you they have put it behind them and are playing 2008 like 2008 not an extension of 2007. The team is inconsistant bottom line but look around what team is running away with it. In 2006 we WERE the dominant team in the NL and we proved it….that is no longer the case at this point. My last point is if you are looking and over analyzing each and every win/loss as a result of last years collapse..you will be extremely fustrated because i doubt the two are related at all. Its baseball guys this is how it is.
“but this isn’t 2006, never was, never was going to be, never will be. I see both ‘07 and ‘06 in the same light. Different seasons, different times, not this season, never will be”
All true, but thats now what I’m trying to say. All we want is this team to play with the same intensity and hunger that that team had. Its about wanting it more than everyone else! Just look at the Rockies.. That was a group of youngsters so hungry that it almost got them a championship. Its that hunger that is gone. We know its still there somewhere but they need to find it again. I think some of us are just trying to figure out where it has gone and why.
Waiting till the end of the season to figure out if this team is in the correct frame of mind is not an option. This needs to be taken care of now. If they are just all in slumps then that is one thing but I thinks is a bit deeper than that. Its a something mental that has become physical with some of them and can be fixed.
But I struggle with all this debate about hunger and grit and desire. How do you measure it? If you score 5, 6, 7 runs agianst the phils in sept but your pen gives up 9 are you less hungry?
Maybe its talent? I still maintain that weakness at certain positions=poor, inconsistent play=perception of lack of hunger/desire.
I think the team wants it and were embarrassed by last year. They are not good enough (yet, hopefully) to erase it.
“If they are just all in slumps then that is one thing but I thinks is a bit deeper than that”
So if david wright or anyone strikes out at the plate its because he was thinking about his performance from last year….
“Waiting till the end of the season to figure out if this team is in the correct frame of mind is not an option.”
And waiting a month and a half…2 games outta first place(fl marlins) to decide that the team is in the correct frame of mind is the right thing to do…..
“All we want is this team to play with the same intensity and hunger that that team had”
We all want the team to play with intensity and hunger but frankly you cannot compare the team in 2006 to this team because you have to take into account the competition. The NL is a whole diffrent world than it was in 2006 and that my friend is where the problem is when people want to judge and compare this team.
We are only a month and a half into the season with much baseball to be played. This team can turn it around and go on a crazy run at any time. Relax and take every game 1 at a time for the 2008 campaign.
yea RPs,, I guess your right.. How can you measure it, but if they truly wanted it last season don’t you think they would of beaten the crop out of the Marlins and the Nationals? Those are the games that really bother me. The phillies were right there with us talent wise so I don’t look back at those games. Its beating the weaker ball clubs. A win is a win and only lack of hunger/grit/heart whatever you want to call it is responsible for us getting our butts handed to us by those teams. It was taking those teams for granted.
Dirtysanchez,
not taking teams for granted and wanting our guys to play close to their potential has nothing to do with comparing the 06/07 mets to the 08 mets. So I’m not sure what your getting at.
I think there was a lot of that in July and August, no question, almost like they thought the post season was a given.
But in Sept, they looked to me like they knew they were in trouble. They could not get anyone out down the stretch, unfortunately even the marlins and nats.
I think thats why alot of us see the “same things” that we saw in september – hitters/lineups will always ebb and flow with guys getting hot/cold even on great teams, but really good teams have consistent pitching that is the one constant that carries you through the 162 game season. Good pitching holds leads when you hit, and keeps games close when you aren’t hitting.
Their pitching simply isn’t good enough right now, in my opinion. If it gets better, I think they will improve dramatically.
Did I miss something? Did the 2006 NY Mets win something?
I don’t want that team back. I want a better team and lets be clear, if the 2008 played against the 2006 Mets, based on piching alone, 2008 would win. Do we forget that the 2006 Mets was so far ahead that when they collasped and lost 10 of 13 in september no one took that as a sign of future failure.
This team has won despite its pitching for two years. But we have seen that we are not going to go far without a top tier starter. Pitching trumps this “fire and desire” argument thats going around.
Lack of pitching killed 2006 and 2007 not Willie, not a lack of “fire”, and not slumping bats.
What we ARE seeing is a transition. This team is no longer an offensive powerhouse. The team has become dependent on very good starting pitching.
The lineup will score runs but they are not the kind of offense that can turn it on when it needs a run.
I hope to God that this team isn’t trying to “out play” last year. If so, then shut the lights off now.
As long as the Mets come to play every night and give 100% then thats all I can ask for as a fan. Thats what we want. If they loose then so be it but we will see that they are giving everything they’ve got. and yes you can tell by watching a baseball game whether the team is giving its all. We saw it last season in sept when they threw away games against the Marlins/Nationals and we have seen them give away at bats and mail it in a few times this season already.
Metdamage
The Rockies and the Phillies didn’t have the pitching talent we had yet they had no problem getting to the playoffs. So hunger does play a role..
Its not the end all be all… its a combination of both. You have to have the talent and the talent has to want it bad enough. Its a balance and when you look at our team last season you can deff say they had the talent and lacked the hunger. I don’t care how you spin it,, we had the talent and the numbers to prove it.
We so easily forget the 1969 miracle mets…
the 2007 new york giants or the other countless teams that were clearly not the most gifted athletically and came through and won championships. But thats not the situation with last years team or this years team. We are among the top in talent so hunger is the one thing this team needs to bring it all together
I agree. But the pitching is better at this point based on potential alone.
The 07-08 pen has not approached the perfomance of the 06 pen, that crushed them last Sept. The pen hurt them in 06 game 2, but you never want to start trachsel in the post season.
The 08 top 3 is certainly the best on paper, they seem to be coming around but haven’t really showed it yet. They still are short another starter, Pedro or someone else who is better than a AAA re-tread. This is not willie’s fault. If you want to discuss willies use/abuse of the pen and how can hurt them, well that is certainly fair ground for debate
They will not out-slug everybody, but with good pitching they have more than enough offense. I still believe, but the pitching simply isn’t/hasn’t been there. I would like to retrieve all the “fix the pen Omar” comments from July 07.
drjones-
If you want to say that the Rockies and Phillies had more “hunger” than the Mets did then thats fine. But I will counter that with this; When the Phillies “hunger” went up against Francis, Fogg, Fuentes and manny Corpas, better pitching than the 2007 Mets, the Phillies went home in three.
The Rockies “hunger” got them to the series. But against Beckett, Schilling, Dice K, and Lester(a rookie), their “hunger” was fed superior pitching that sent them home in four.
It cannot be debated that the Mets have not had a top tier pitching staff. They aren’t there yet. They have Santana and Maine but you need a third guy. Until that guy shows up(Perez or Pedro) then this team will struggle because they aren’t that talented an offense anymore.
The Giants is a terrible choice because that team beat the top 3 teams in the NFL on the road which means they were equal to/or more talented than those teams gave them credit for. They didn’t beat those teams with “guts” they beat them because the Giant defense was stronger, faster, tougher, and MORE talented than the offenses they faced.
We can really all just keep spinning our wheels and go round in circles with these debates. Its not like there was much Omar could of done in the middle of last season to help our pen. Not much out there this off season as well. He made a few bad trades that depleted out minor league bull pen talent and that cost us. But I still think this team could of persevered anyways. we should of at least made it to October right? 7 game lead with 3 weeks to play… For me the collapse was mental and could of been avoided. but thats just my opinion and I do appreciate yours as well. We still have the talent to make it to October so using the pen as a scape goat is not an option. IMO our pen is better than every other pen in our division so for me there is no excuse for not making the playoffs.
Metdamage,,,
giants 07 wherever,, the point was made though. teams that aren’t the most gifted athletically have and continue to win champioships
Fair enough Dr, but football is kind of a different animal.
Yes, I will give some credence to the hunger argument, as a a little more hunger in July and August last year (to the tune of one more win for petes sake) would have made all the difference in september.
Its just that I remember alot of discussion last year that the pitching was not good enough to win a championship, but then it all was forgotten when discussion of the collapse comes up and it seems to have turned to desire for many.
They will go as far as their pitching takes them this year. I think they could be better this year, if they make the post season their top starters are potentially very good and all have pitched well in the post season (no trachsel in site). They have alot of arms in the pen, it needs to shore up. o.k., maybe a little intensity as well, but better pitching I think will lead the way.
drjones-
Name me one team that won the world series without having the best pitching. That means all 12 pitchers.
The old saying is defense wins championships(football and basketball)
and Pitching and defense wins World Series.
You cannot tell me that the Giants was not the best defensive team in the NFL. That means they had superior talent in at least on phase of the game.
Boston, Yankees, Marlins, Arizona, Angels, White Sox and Cardinals all had great pitching and defense.
If great pitching and defense=hunger, toughness, or whatever, then there you go. But the facts are the facts.
seriously dude???Your saying that every team that has won a World Series has had the best pitching staff in all of baseball for that particular season? Really man,, come on.. I’m not even going to answer that. You know thats not true!
Are the Tampa Bay Rays “Young and Hungry” or the third best pitching staff in baseball?
Fans get “feels” about teams but there are usually facts about that team that spur on those “feelings”
The Rays are winning because they have one of the best pitching staffs in baseball at the moment.
Not because they’re young and hungry, they’ve been young and hungry for years now.
As I said before…
Its a combination of having the talent and and talent being hungry for a championship. You need both to win. Why is this so hard to understand. Teams underachieve all the time in sports. Its the team that has the talent and also wants it the most that usually wins.
drjones-
No I’m not saying that every team that has won has had the best pitching in the world but the facts are that more often than not, the best pitching staffs win world series more than teams that don’t.
If your a fan of baseball then you know that is absolutely true. Find me a subpar pitching staff that won a world series!!!!
Back up what your talking about. Every team I listed had very good pitching staffs, show me one baseball team in the last 10 years or the last 30 years that have won because of “hunger.’
You could count them, if they exist, on one hand.
holly cow,,,, you are the one that started talking about pitching staffs,, not me. The point I was trying to make was that the Mets last season lacked a bit of hunger that prevented them from making the playoffs. Right? 1 game is all we needed. Loosing to the Marlins/nats in late sept.
i was not saying the mets should have won the WS last season,, only that they lacked the hunger to get them to the playoffs.
“Back up what your talking about. Every team I listed had very good pitching staffs, show me one baseball team in the last 10 years or the last 30 years that have won because of “hunger”
ummm your not listening to what I’m saying.. I’ve been saying it takes both hunger and talent to win a WS.
So on that note I would that almost every single team that won a World Series had both HUNGER and TALENT. You need both and there are not many situation where that is not the case.
I think what hes trying to say is “hunger” is such a subjective thing to measure. Baseball has always been a numbers sport. A team that is not expected to win can easily be said that they are hungry when it all comes down to execution and better performance. That is the mets problem. They are not execution consisitantly enough and thus they are labled as having no hunger when that may not be the case. Just like when you said its “mental” at this point with the collapse. Cannot measure that…..Numbers are facts.
Exactly Sanchez. When you say that you want a team with “hunger” I say that “hunger” doesn’t win Championships and if it does it is rare.
Just like I said wih the Rays. Everyone calls them Young and Scrappy but overlook the FACT that their pitching staff is performing at a very high level.
I’m under the impression that we are discussing what element the Mets lack to become a better/Championship caliber team. The 2006 Mets did have “hunger” but they lacked pitching and they lost. Ditto with 2007 Mets and Phillies and Rockies.
There are times when excellent performance is confused with “heart, desire, hunger, passion”..etc
Being the basball nut that I am I have looked up the top two starters and closers of the last 29 World Series Championship teams while on my lunch break. There is no doubt there are a few “hunger” teams but pitching wins hands down. I will post in a few.
the losses back thing is especially inaccurate and misleading when we’ve played so few games. sorry guys.
As the season goes on, however, it becomes more accurate. It’s junk right now because of our rain outs.
I get why people don’t like it, or are confused by it, but it does have some redeeming qualities. It measures the degree to which a team’s deficit is out of its control. If the Mets are one loss back, they NEED the Marlins to lose one game in order to be in complete control (i.e. to not rely on someone else losing). If they are zero losses back they are in control of their own destiny.
But I also see why people don’t like it this early in the season, because at this point (with so many games left to play), winning percentage is probably a better measure of how teams stack up.
Personally, I think the best way to do it would be to use games back until September 1, and then switch to losses back. And if I ever start my own blog, that’s how I’ll set it up. Until then, losses back suits me just fine.
i don’t like it at all, until, maybe like september 28.
a win in the hand is worth two in the bush.
omar has built a warm weather team especially the line-up. the line-up will therefore pick it up during the summer and the pitching will finish it off in the fall.
the mets are 26-8 playing @florida and @arizona from 2006-2008.
just a thought. mets are winning the division. period. the playoffs are wide-open.
I think it may contribute to some hitters slow starts. Hopefully, this is the case.
The Dog Days of Summer truly can not get here fast enough then…
how is this a “warm weather” lineup when it’s basically the same group of guys who had extremely good aprils the previous two seasons?
it’s not.
Well, they did have a good april last year but I’m not sure who carried them offensively, if anyone.
Reyes certainly had a good start I think, but delgado and wright didn’t hit much if I remember. Alou started off good too, I think but then (surprise) got hurt.
In any case, its probably no more a warm weather line up than any other, who likes to hit when its cold out?
I think the pitching staff go really hot. Elduque I think had a negative ERA. LOL