For the first week of spring workouts and meet-and-greets, the excitement factor at the Mets’ Port St. Lucie home-away-from-home ratcheted up fairly quickly. Considering that a good chunk of the team was already there, it should come as no surprise that the annual spring time good timin’ machine was already in full swing when the gates “officially” opened. Matt Harvey “felt like he never left.” David Wright’s shoulder is “not something [he’s] worried about at all.” Michael Cuddyer wants at least one ex-mate to join him in Flushing. Terry Collins, Wright, Harvey and Zack Wheeler have all chimed in at one point or other about the odds of them making the post season – they think the chances are very good, in case you were wondering. As befitting this new attitude, the team’s casual attire has also taken a confident tone.
Of course that’s all fine and dandy right now and for the next six weeks. Heck, no one’s even gotten hurt yet. Oh, wait… For that reason, the actual workouts have gone apace with very little fanfare. Everyone knows the Mets’ reputation for medical/training staff ineptitude. One of the cornerstones of the “LOLMets” movement of the past seven years has been the team’s propensity to turn a seemingly minor ailment into a three month DL stint. “Oh, Juan Lagares has a pulled hamstring? What time do they amputate?” #amiright? So the actual work being put in is somewhat ginger, at least until the games start.
From over here, and at this extremely early juncture, this is looking like the correct approach. Why shouldn’t the Mets show some confidence? For years now, we fans have been moaning about the lack of “swagger” around this team. This was a hallmark of successful Met squads of the past. Tom Seaver was talking playoffs before the 1969 season. Look how that turned out. Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden, Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter and Ray Knight practically coined the term in the mid-‘80s. Even as late as 2006, there was an air of inevitability around those division champs, personified by Carlos Delgado and Pedro Martinez. And hey, we all know how preseason bold talk failed to backfire on the Phillies the following year. So some boldness here is kind of welcome. Did they need to make t-shirts about it? Of course not, but you have to like the attitude.
At the same time, there is some fragility around the key players. Wright, Cuddyer and Harvey have all had well-documented health issues and their bounce-back ability will go most of the way in determining the team’s ultimate fate. It would stand to reason that they don’t go “bustin’ it” right out of the box. It’s one thing to talk about a bright future and quite another to shoot it in the back because of over-exuberance. When you want to see more of an “all out” mentality will be in the final two weeks of camp, when the starters play longer, the pitchers are mostly stretched and the squad looks more or less like the twenty-five who’ll head to DC on April 6.
Until then, we get to listen and watch.
Follow me on Twitter @CharlieHangley.
Charlie, not a fan of players chirping about playoffs but I guess it’s better than not. There are a couple of things that bother me about the makeup of the Mets:
1. As we have already seen Duda pull an oblique muscle, what happens if he is on the DL for an extended stretch? Does this team have a backup plan, or do we move Cuddyer into four and Granderson into five (hope not!)?
2. While we know that the team has a weakness in the defensive side, how are they planning to offset this? I figure the fundamentals are an absolute must! This team is already hamstrung defensively, so shouldn’t they be talking up fundamentals and practicing until they’re blue in the face?
The Mets lately have been a team that has been unaccountable and unprepared at times in games. From fielders not being ready, to not putting down bunts, to stealing third with two outs. For this team to actually make the playoffs, they cannot beat themselves at any time this year. While everyone looks at the Royals and thinks it was easy, they really did a great job if never beating themselves all year, and at they end, they won enough games to qualify. Can the Mets have this mentality? Can their manager recognize this? Doubt it, and doubtful.
Also, the t-shirts are management’s idea; the players don’t even know what they mean. More underdog thinking. Morons!
I would much rather the t shirts say
I <3
Fundies
I'm in complete agreement there. Don't forget all the adventures of pitchers throwing to bases, or I suppose I should say not throwing to bases. And failing to lay down a bunt is embarassing.
The Metsblogosphere is giddy with Spring Training, guzzling the Kool-Aid. Okay, fine. But having been around the block a few times, I recognize this for what it is, Spring Training. The factory of hope. I’m really happy about baseball. About seeing the green grass, and how the well-struck ball lasers off the bat. All the hype and promises and bold talk are just noise — a phenomena that has gotten far worse over the years with the explosion of mass media. The blather machine. I don’t take it seriously. Everybody is healthy . . . for now.
But I will say this: Terry scares me. We’ve never once seen him manage a meaningful game. He’s never once been under that kind of scrutiny. I feel almost positive that he will fail that test.
+1
All valid posts for concern. I am not a fan of the T shirt but I am a disciple of quiet, arrogant confidence. I prefer the glare and swagger over the trash talk. You don’t need to celebrate with theatrics but instead walk off with confidence and intimidation because you knew you were supposed to win. This is a different generation and although I may not like the brazen talk I will accept it. The one thing that impresses me the most about this group of players is that they have been at it most of the winter, working hard, pulling for each other, and focusing on a goal. The players are a really good bunch of people and I hope they get rewarded for their efforts. LGM
’69 and ’86 had the quiet confidence and the leaders to back it up. I’m with you Metsense. Better to be quiet and let the team play speak for itself. You are expecting to win. So there is no need to have the parade of circus acts following each win. Who are the Met players trying to convince? The fans? Or themselves?Winning teams love to hear the noisy chatter from the have nots. Can we at least play .500 ball at home before we get giddy over a wild card race? When things start to spiral out of control the silence will be deafening from Queens.
I’m sorry, but the 86 team was anything but quiet. Davey Johnson told the team in spring training that he didn’t only want to win, but dominate and the players themselves were despised by the league for their cockiness. Now, they had a much better year in 85 than this team did last year and had good reason to be confident, but they were absolutely the opposite of quiet confidence. How many fights did that team get into and they were well known trash talkers
+1
I agree about the players. I like just about all of them; this is an easy team to root for.
You’re right Joe! My memory was way off. But at least the ’86 team was damn good and had a damn good manager. Our current Met shirts should read ? Or maybe we will? Or the farm is loaded!
I’d like to see Ruben Tejada show up one day wearing the “Underdog” team T-shirt from a few years back. You know, kind of a retro spring training look.
Really, all this cockiness is entertaining to see. If it actually helps motivate the team to be more competitive this year it will be great. And if they fall on their faces and look ridiculous after all the posturing that’s going on now, well that might work out alright too. Somebody’s head would have to roll, and you know who usually gets that honor.
http://shop.mlb.com/product/index.jsp?productId=13006938
Like this? That was such a good idea, I had to look it up, because I had never seen this before. I love it, I just bought one!