A Plea to the Baseball Gods

Dear Baseball Gods -

I know that in recent years you have answered the please of fans of losing franchises in Boston and Chicago, so I figured it was time for a fan of the NL franchise in NY to make his plea. I speak of course of the New York Mets, a team who, despite a rabid and loyal fanbase, has won but 2 World Championships since it's founding in 1962.

Surely given all that we have suffered over the years it is our turn. Heck, given what we have had to go through THIS year, it is our turn. I shall now make our case.

I reach back not to the early 1960's, as that was a time when the team had to lose in order to make the win in 1969 all the more special. You even threw in a wonderful run in 1973, albeit one that came up short, to keep those fans who started in the 1962 season happy. I will even forgo Nolan Ryan for Jim Fregosi. No, instead I go to the late 1970's a time when the owners and GM tried to destroy the team and its fans by trading Tom Seaver to the Reds. A dark pall was cast over the team, not to be removed until 1985 with the arrival of Doc and Darryl. 1986 was a nice gift, but we paid a price with Doc falling victim to drugs, and Darryl as well. Was this in response to allowing us to win at the expense of the Red Sox?

In 1988, you would not allow Bobby Ojeda to hire a gardener, ruining a wonderful season. Then came the early 1990's, with "men" like Eddie Murray and Vince Coleman and Bret Saberhagen and Bobby Bonilla (who for some reason you required we take back a second time, and then have to pay him till my 7 year old is in college in order to remove him from our midst at last). Hopes would be raised with the coming of "Generation K", but you saw fit to have one guy (Wilson) blow out his arm, another (Pulsipher) be afraid, and the last (Izzy) be traded and turn into a pretty darn good closer. We would trade Melvin Mora for Mike Bordick. We would trade Kazmir for Zambrano (of course we have been repaid with Omar and his team for that, we are sort of even here).

We would be saddled with Steve Phillips as GM, and then have to listen to him bash the team in the years after he was fired, from his perch at ESPN. We would have in-fighting between Doubleday and Wilpon. We would have to endure Kenny Rogers walking in a run against the Braves. We would have to endure Adam Wainwright, Scott Spezio, Yadier Molina and the gloating of Joe Buck and Tim MaCarver (I leave out Joe Morgan because all fans have to suffer him equally).

We time and again have to see other teams bring up rookie starters or has-beens or never-wases to face us and have them pitch very well, while our team sends out the likes of Lima Time! and Aaron Sele and Chan Ho Park to be decimated. "Five-Tool" prospects have been broken (Alex Escobar). Stars have been imported to help, and have failed (Alomar, Vaughn, Appier).

We have to read the slings and arrows from the likes of Wally Matthews and the other purveyors of crap that dot the NY print media. We have to listen to Mike Francessa rave about his favorite team and gloat over our failings. The chuckles on BBTN over the teams struggles. The Braves winning the division year after year and beating us along the way. Larry Jones naming his child "Shea".

We have suffered enough. Here is my plea. Tonight, Philip Humber makes his first Major League start. It is a tough situation for him, the middle of a pennant race, a 2 game lead, and a team that has not been playing well behind him, facing a team that has treated out pitching staff like a bunch of Lima's. I ask that you allow him to pitch well and allow him to win, as you have allowed other young starters to do against us. Further, I ask that you allow this team to end it's 21 year World Series victory drought. Last year was a tease, an awful one at that. This year we have suffered more, a big lead has shrunk. Stalwarts in the rotation have not done well. Injuries have hit the entire outfield, second base, catcher, first base, the bullpen. Make the suffering we as fans have had to endure worth it. Allow Humber to win, allow the team to win the division, and let them win the World Series. Make the suffering be worth it. Allow my 7 year old daughter to see something now that I was unable to see until I was 17, a Mets World Series win. Let my Dad and The Boy and my sister and Mom see another win. Let MetsGeek poster "86Forever" have the option to change his name to "2007Forever". Let all the Geeks and Mets fans all over have a World Series win. End our suffering. Hear my plea, please.

Warmest Regards,

Ed in Westchester

WTF?????????????????????????????

Seriously, WTF?

What has happened to the Mets team that we saw just one week ago?

Errors left and right. Guys shying away from throws (I'm talking to you Jose Jose Jose). Pitchers pitching who have no damn business starting games in a pennant race (I'm talking to you Brian Lawrence). Relievers pitching who just flat out suck (too many names to list here).

It's one thing to get beaten by a good team. It is another thing entirely to make the types of errors, both physical and mental that we have seen over the past 4 games.

Friday night Jamie Moyer (!) holds the team to 4 hits in 8 innings. Glavine pitched well, save for one mistake. Then, Aaron Heilman throws the ball to 2nd on a bunt, and Reyes makes a poor stab at catching it (the blame goes to both guys here). Again, bunts by the Phillies hurt the Mets (think back to Billy's meltdown at CBP last month). Saturday the pen coughs up the game. Sunday was a team effort of suckitude. But it was the Phillies, who at least have a lot of talent. What was the excuse for last night?

The Nationals hang a 12 spot against the Mets. The Nationals, who didn't have a 300 hitter in the lineup, who are LAST in the MAJORS in HR's and runs scored. I was in the car driving to the gym when Brian Lawrence showed why he sucks, coughing up a 4 run lead in the space of 6 batters. Then, Aaron Sele and Scot Schoeneweis continue to suck. Tell me something, why the hell is Philip Humber here? Why is it that pretty much every other team in a playoff hunt is willing to use a high ceiling rookie over a POS Veteran as a starter, but we get Lawrence over Humber? If they are worried about his arm, then shut him down, don't even have him here. All you are doing is adding to his service time clock. Other teams use rookies out of the pen to success, yet Willie says he doesn't want to throw Humber into that role. Fine. Then START HIM.

I'm a Big Willie guy. Liked the hiring. Like the level headedness. But the time for niceties is OVER. Some of these guys are not playing to their potential. Reyes looks lost. PLD stinks. Beltran has had a bad stretch, which must mean he is only at 85.478329%. Alou and Wright are the only two guys playing consistently good ball (yes, I know DW made an error last night.)

Willie needs to blow some steam. If not him, then someone else, like Wright. He has been talking about wanting to be more of a leader, then do it. Call the guys out. Enough of this BS.

Time to win some games and finish this damn thing.