It has never been easy being a Mets fan. Playing little brother to the Yankees in New York, and having more losing seasons than winning ones can definitely make supporting this team extremely difficult. I have found that being a Mets fan in 2023, has been even more difficult. Watching a team that was expected to play for a World Series heartlessly play themselves into sub-mediocrity has been gut-wrenching to say the least. Something had to be done.
And something was done. It was newsworthy and impactful. However, was it the right thing to do? I'm just one fan (one for over 50 years), but I believe I share the sentiments of many other Mets fans regarding what just happened over the past few days.
I believe there is good and bad to share of these recent events. The bad part is how embarrassing it looks to the Mets organization. Imagine a country declaring war on other countries. They prepare their troops, gather their weapons, inspire the citizens, and get ready to take over new territory. Then, in the middle of it all, they retreat. In essence, they are saying, "Wait, we change our minds. We're not gonna do it this way. We're heading back." It then seems like the whole philosophy and all the planning was for nothing. That's what the Mets have done. They've gone back on everything they sold to their players and fans.
On the other hand, there is good in this situation as well. It is looking more and more like the days of buying championships in Major League Baseball are gone. Heck, even the Yankees seem like they aren't doing it anymore. Who's been the best team in baseball over the past seven or so seasons? The Houston Astros. They sacrificed and endured a few miserable seasons to get to this point. However, through excellent player development and management, they built a solid foundation that is not going anywhere anytime soon. Ditto to the Braves, Rays, and now potentially Orioles, and maybe even the Reds as well. This is the way to go in modern day MLB. I found it a breath of fresh air when the Mets let loose some of their young potential earlier this season in players like Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, and Mark Vientos.
Ok, so you don't want me to be wishy washy. Pick a side, you say. I understand, so here's my overall take. Even though it's a bad look, and you've wasted an entire baseball season (potentially even one or two more after this), I believe this is the best course of action to take. It appears that the owner and GM realized that what they were doing wasn't working. They realized the formula for success in this league is to build a solid foundation with good, young players, perhaps bringing in some solid veterans along the way. Better late than never, but at least I feel they are doing things the right way now.
There are still reasons for concern. This isn't going to change overnight. And now you have some veteran players who aren't happy (such as Lindor, Alonso, and Nimmo), because they were sold something that was never delivered to them. However, I believe this is the best move in the long run. As a fan, I would rather watch a young, enthusiastic team play exciting baseball, (even if they lose more than they win), instead of the heartless, uninspiring brand we watched this year. With the current young group we've seen now, and the other prospects they received in these recent trades, I think Mets fans will be a bit more patient watching a fun team develop into a potentially championship team.
Let's face it. This was an extremely difficult week in a difficult season for Mets fans. However, I believe it's a good thing, and the right direction for this franchise. Hopefully Mets players and fans will reap the benefits sooner than later.
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