Last week, it was pointed out that there aren’t a whole lot of reasons to pay attention to the Mets, even with this 2014 season as early as it is. That assessment appears to have been mistaken: the Mets and their machinations have been noticed as far away as Paris…as in France. In the painstakingly detailed article linked here, it is posited that once the Willets Point project, with its ritzy hotels, pricy restaurants and upscale retail shops is completed, Fred and Jeff Wilpon will have no more use for the team they own but do not love, and the stadium they also own, but for which they are in hoc up to its flagpoles. The article goes on to say that they could – with the assistance of their MLB Godfather, Commissioner Bud Selig – follow in the footsteps of their beloved willets-point-designDodgers by leaving New York a one-team town and high-tailing it up to Montreal.

A far-fetched, paranoid delusion? Perhaps, but well within the realm of chilling possibility: we wouldn’t give it a second thought if it hadn’t happened in this town before. It also seems like it could be real, given the identities of the players involved. Face it, if you’re a Met fan, you can’t put anything past these owners when it comes to callous disregard of its own rapidly dwindling fan base. It would explain the wild desperation to hold onto the team in the face of mounting costs, ever more hostile press and public clamor for them to do otherwise. It would explain the Chinese-water-torture-style starvation of the major league product. It would explain the continued presence of Chris Young on the 25-man roster.

The counter-argument, of course, is that Fred Wilpon wouldn’t be as cruel as to inflict the same pain on the people who love this team that he felt as a young man. One would hope he wouldn’t. As we’re reminded on a daily basis, though, baseball is a business. If the Wilpons can “get out from under” by hiking north of the border and then coast home by collecting the expansion fee that will come when MLB inevitably establishes yet another team known as New York (NL)…or yes, even Brooklyn…

Could you see Fred, Jeff and Uncle Saul swapping out Mr. Met for Youppi? And if so, what would you do? Become an Expo fan? Head to the Bronx? Start watching soccer regularly?

Here’s to hoping we never have to find out.

Follow me on Twitter @CharlieHangley.

8 comments on “Red Flags And Conspiracy Theories: Could The Mets Be On The Move?

  • pete

    With all the hundreds of millions of dollars the city spent in helping the Wilpons to achieve their dream do you think the city would sue or just let Fred walk away while the taxpayers drive by an empty ball park?

  • Name

    So Met fans are so against the Wilpons they’re willing to buy what the Herald de Paris says?
    Herald de Paris? really? that’s a credible source for baseball-related info?
    Luckily, reading the comments section of that article, it seems most fans are not that stupid.

  • Dan'r

    You threw me off there. I thought you were going to say that the Mets actually were thinking about a big trade or actually spending real money.

    Or maybe that Fred, Jeff, Sandy and Collins are really aliens who were put in charge of experimenting the tolerances of Mets fans sanity by trading or signing players like the Erik and Chris Young.

    Editor’s Note – Please do not capitalize words in your post, as that is a violation of our Comment Policy.

  • Doug

    I realize that this is not necessarily a credible report, but the question of fan reaction is a fascinating one. Personally, I haven’t lived in NY for almost 10 years, so I don’t know that my fandom would be affected by a relocation. That being said, there are elements of my own nostalgia for both my near and distant past in NY wrapped up in that fandom. So in answer to your question: Damn, I don’t know exactly what I’d do…

    • Charlie Hangley

      Right? Me either, though I don’t think I could ever in good conscience root for the Yankees…

  • Steve

    Did you read the comments section? There is a link to an article there that calls for the dissolution of the Mets so that the Dodgers can return home to New York like a prodigal son, and take up residence in the Ebbets Field replica we know as Citi Field. Chilling (Not a Montreal pun).

  • Jim OMalley

    I saw this last night…I sent the link of the story to Brian. It’s pretty far-fetched but the Wilpons care about Brooklyn and they care about being an MLB owner and they care about real estate. I don’t think we can argue that they care about putting a quality team on the field for the Mets.

  • Patrick Albanesius

    None of these ideas make credible sense. Selig will be gone before any possible move could be considered. I just moved to LA, and believe me, the Dodgers aren’t going anywhere. And the city of New York would keep any possible thought of moving locked up in courts until the stadium crumbles into dust. Fun read, but let’s get serious. Now about that alien idea…

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