Q&A: with Steve Popper about leaving Mets for Knicks

Matthew Cerrone: You started covering the Mets for the Record at the end of 2004 – which was one year after I started MetsBlog.com. What is the biggest difference
between the Mets (as a team, culture, etc.) in 2004 compared to now?

Steve Popper: I’d guess the real difference is the mood – within the organization and from the fan base. When I took over it was the start of the Minaya era. Willie Randolph had just been hired, providing a bit of swagger as a face of the franchise. David Wright was just starting up his first full season in the majors and Jose Reyes was pairing with him as a potential star. And mostly, the Mets were in a spending mode. Minaya was given the open checkbook to change the culture – think of what the Marlins did this winter and multiply it because the Mets were chasing the best talent in the game. … Now, sadly, it’s hard to watch. I’d imagine Bernie Madoff is more famous to Mets fans than any player coming aboard. Until the money troubles are resolved, and I suspect that’s a long way off, it’s going to haunt this franchise. It’s really hard to imagine this team that was chasing the best talent in the game for years is now left to settle for the scraps that they collect now, wishing and hoping for future prospects while fielding a team that boasts marginal talent at best.

Matthew Cerrone: Yikes! Well, on a more positive note, I believe you were one of the first ever reporters to do a Q&A with me for MetsBlog.com, back when doing so was pretty rare and new. You were always very supportive of me, this site and new media, which cannot be said about all of your colleagues. Why did you have such an open, supportive mind about this space when compared to others?

Steve Popper: I think that all of the beat writers are great guys who realize the changing landscape of the media, that it’s hardly the old format of filing one story for a midnight deadline and heading to the bar for a drink. With blogs and twitter and the instantaneous news of the internet we all have become multi-media presences for better or worse. Your blog is a part of that – one of the spots where Mets fans first gathered as a community. It’s been a balancing act for all of us, trying to find what works, what is proper attribution and linking to stories. There was never a connection between the fans and the media like there is now – where a fan can ask a question during a game and get an immediate answer. It’s interesting and I won’t pretend that I’ve figured it all out, but I’m happy to help in any way I can.

Matthew Cerrone: What will you miss most about covering the Mets?

Steve Popper: I think with anything it’s the connections you make. It was the same way when I began with the Mets and left the NBA – leaving behind a lot of media members that I had been friends with for years and losing contact with people in the game, players, coaches and front office officials, that I had gotten to know. While the other beat writers are certainly my competition, there is no doubt that they are also my co-workers – a group of guys who spend a lot of time together. It’s a long season and long hours and these guys become good friends. It’s the same with the team – there are a lot of players that I really enjoy speaking to and dealing with and, really, learning from. There are executives – Minaya, Duquette, Ricco, Alderson – and managers and coaches that have been invaluable in helping me do my job and I really appreciate the time they gave me. Despite some jokes on Twitter, I like these people and think they are all well-intentioned and doing the best they can in a difficult situation.

Matthew Cerrone: Lastly, given what you have seen over the years, your experiences dealing with players and executives, knowing this market and all that goes on with
the organization, why should I (as a Mets fan) be optimistic about the team’s future and why should I be skeptical?

Steve Popper: Well, I think it’s hard to imagine a best-case scenario coming to fruition for the Mets this season. You’re looking at a team that really needs everything to go right – Johan Santana getting healthy and being close to the pitcher he was; David Wright and Jason Bay returning to form; Ike Davis and Daniel Murphy not only being healthy, but picking up where they left off; kids like Ruben Tejada and Lucas Duda avoiding the inevitable growing pains. And as we saw with the Fernando Martinez news this week, waiting on a can’t miss prospect is a shaky proposition. So counting on a low-budget, grow-from-inside plan is hardly a sure thing. Would I be surprised to hear that one of the highly-touted pitchers needs Tommy John surgery? Of course not. And would I be surprised if one of them never makes it? It’s part of the game. Now, I do think that the Mets are taking the only course of action they can with the financial difficulties afflicting the franchise. I’ve made my points clear – that I thought they needed to keep Reyes if for no other reason than to keep money flowing in with ticket sales and television revenues. The message I hear from fans is that they are tuning the Mets out right now and that’s the worst thing that can happen – bad is one thing, but irrelevant is worse. It can change if some things work out – Santana is a great place to start. But, look, money is going to have to be spent at some point. You need to acquire proven talent if you want to compete. You need veterans. At some point, the fans are going to grow tired of just waiting for kids and they are going to want to see wins. The Mets need to accelerate that process in any way they can.

Matthew Cerrone: In all seriousness, Steve, you have always been fair, straight up and helpful to me and this blog over the years. I’ve enjoyed your work and I wish you the best of luck going back to the NBA. Have fun…