It’s a little hard for me to believe, but this is the ninth annual Christmas column here at Mets360. That first column gave out gifts to, among others, Bay, Beato and Paulino. Eight or nine years from now when reviewing this 2019 column, the hope is there won’t be a then-new acquisition who the sound of his name makes you cringe. If so, we’ll call it a Christmas Miracle.
But enough with negativity. This time a year ago it was everywhere and it was no fun. So, let’s get back to what this site is all about. Let’s have a little fun and maybe learn a little something while talking about the Mets. Learn something from this column? Sure, do you know right now which catcher holds the team record for highest BABIP in a season?
You may think your favorite millionaire ballplayer has everything he could possibly want. While that may be true, here they receive the gifts they really need. With the power of the keyboard, here are my gifts to Mets players.
Peter Alonso – Some patience from the fanbase
Robinson Cano – A five-year supply of undetectable steroids
Yoenis Cespedes – A pair of Dr. Scholl’s Stylish Step High Heel Relief Insoles
Michael Conforto – The wisdom to lay off two-strike breaking balls
Travis d’Arnaud – A better experience in the outfield than Todd Hundley had
Edwin Diaz – A bunch of one-inning appearances with a three-run lead
Jacob deGrom – His 2017 run support of 5.13 runs per game
Jeurys Familia – To throw his four-seamer more and his sinker fewer times
Todd Frazier – Six months of his April 2018 performance when he had an .839 OPS
Robert Gsellman – Better fortune with his strand rate
Juan Lagares– The ability to hit the ball in the air
Seth Lugo – Contentment in his seventh-inning role
Steven Matz – A shock collar that emits a charge whenever he throws a ball in the middle of the zone
Jeff McNeil – 500 or more PA
Brandon Nimmo – The smarts to avoid throwing his body in front of pitched balls to get HBP
Wilson Ramos – Last year’s BABIP to knock Paul Lo Duca from the club’s record books
Amed Rosario – To carry over his hot six-week stretch over an entire season
Dominic Smith – A chauffer to get him to all Spring Training games on time
Noah Syndergaard – To bond with Ramos like he did with Tomas Nido
Jason Vargas – Six months of his final eight starts of the year when he had a 0.963 WHIP
Zack Wheeler – A long-term contract from the Mets
*****
Mickey Callaway – The nerve to look for reasons to keep his starters in the game
Brodie Van Wagenen – The fortune to draft someone as good as Nimmo with his initial first-round pick
*****
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of the readers here at Mets360! I’m very happy that you come to our site on a daily basis. And I’d like to give an extra special thanks to loyal readers Pete in NJ, David Klein, Jim OMalley, Chris F, Mike Walczak, Eraff, Name, Gus, Metsense, TJ, Pete, IDRAFT, Steevy, Bob P., Steve S., Chris B, LongTimeFan1 and anyone I may unintentionally be forgetting. Your contributions add to the site and make us all better writers. And finally, thanks to all of the writers at the site. May you have a wondrous holiday season.
And to the entire team and fan base: A championship year!
A championship year may be a little much to ask at this point, so let’s shoot for an interesting and competitive year devoid of last June’s debacle.
A Merry Christmas to all on Mets360 who do the interesting writing and those who provide all the thoughtful and non-toxic commenting. I appreciate the conversation and different views without the vitriol of some of the other sites.
Happy Holidays!
Wishing all a wonderful Holiday Season.
Lets Go Mets!
It;s wonderful to read intelligent comments from everyone. Best wishes for the holidays and for the New Year. And as Brian wrote about Peter Alonso: patience not only to Peter but for all of us!
Brian – I am in complete agreement with your “gifts” to each Mets player that you listed. First on my list would be for Michael Conforto to lay off the outside breaking ball after two strikes. I remember wishing the same for David Wright when he was still in the everyday line up before going DL for the balance of his 140 million multi year contract. Mike Young
Merry Christmas Brian and a Happy Mets New Year!
Wishing the best to Brian and everyone in the Mets360 family…year-in year-out the most thoughtful Mets destination on the web. I don’t agree with everything, but always know thoughtful discourse will result in a friendly space.
Chris
p.s. Love all the Christmas wishes, except the last one!
In turn, I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and happy holidays.
I echo the sentiments above. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and all the best in the New Year.
Thank you Brian. Here’s my Christmas wish list. For our new GM a blockbuster signing that wows the fan base. But I’ll take gradual upgrades too. To Fred Wilpon. Thank you for the guts to try something new and totally outside the box. At least they’re trying which is more than we can say for quite a few teams in MLB. To Met starters good health (no joking). As for the position players there’s so much to say so I’ll just say good health and minimal DL visits (TDA)
To Gus a safe and happy holiday I enjoy your enthusiastic updates and chats. Don’t quit now. There’s always hope.
To all who post here. I enjoy waking up to see and read what’s on Met minds here. We may not always agree but we can agree we love our Mets.
To Brian and the other writers. Thank you for taking time away from your family and friends to keep us informed. Your different views and perspectives is what makes Mets 360 what it is today.
Happy Holidays
Thank you Pete, and Merry Christmas to you also.
“Once you choose hope, anything is possible.” Christopher Reeve
Is that our You Gotta Believe for 2019
Merry and Happy to the informed Mets fan community. It’s such a pleasure to chat and argue with you all – writers and contributors. Don’t forget contributor BK, my best friend since 5th grade and one of the most devoted fans I know. Dude lives in DC and has a Nats season ticket package just so he can root against them and go to all the Mets games.
I enjoy you all and thank you all for the hours of fun and informative Mets Jabber. Most Special Thanks to our Host and Servant Leader, Brian!….this is a great site!!!!
I’d like to play Secret Santa with you all—and we get to pick our Gift Receiver….Mine is Gus.
Gus…I’m giving you a Virtual Wilmer Flores Bobbles and Boots Huggie Doll. Best of All, He hugs you Back with His Rag Arms! We will all miss Wilmer…not as much as Gus will miss Wilmer!
Merry Christmas All!!!! Happy New Year!!! 2019 can be Special!!!!.. Brodie Said Championship!!!!
Mets360 really digs into the details of baseball and provides highly intelligent viewpoints. I really enjoy it.
So, thank for making it happen on a daily basis. I think the Mets should hire Brian as one of their new analytics experts.
I wanted to also wish David Wright good luck in his retirement and a speedy recovery to Yoenis Cespedes. One can only imagine how painful it was, not just to play baseball, but to have normal quality of life.
So, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. At least 2019 will be a fun year to be a Mets fan.
Good holiday gifts post.
Now for the fans gifts how about the front office give us – another Outfielder that hits RH (Adam Jones), a vet LHP Loogy, (T.Sipp), and one more starter they way Bartolo held up the rear end of the rotation for his years here. Injuries happen. (Gio Gonzalez ?).
The Braves will be tough, the Phils may be if they sign either Harper or Machado, and the Nats will be the Nats with better pitching minus Harper, which could equate to actually better.
Mets need these moves to happen before Spring Training and then stay healthy to have a good chance. Oh, and Brady VW, like your work, but please shut up ?
The NL East can be the “Most Fun” Division in the sport for Years!…… Let’s Go Mets!!!!
I’m legitimately excited about this season…impressed with the GM and the Direction and the Louder and Prouder Public Voice. I like that He’s young enough to stamp a new brand on this franchise, and that he can guide a new “Mets Way” for the next decade.
MetsMetsMets!!!!!!!
Happy Holidays to Brian and his writing staff.
Brian, your blog has always been great but this year then you elevated your writing to another level and it is incredible! I am looking forward to our annual Hickory – Columbia game and this year we can expanded to a Syracuse – Charlotte game and also maybe a The Burnt Biscuits concert.
Happy Holidays to all posters on the site and especially the Game Chatter crew that rescues me with Mets talk while sharing a game with me in the land of Madison Bumgarner. We are friends because of this site.
Gus, I want to wish you a personal Holiday Greeting. Thanks for all your inspiration this past summer. Yes, we are friends because of Brian’s great site.