MARLBORO, NY – Soccer’s World Cup champion will be determined today and the tournament has been a good diversion to New York Mets fans. It really is too bad that there aren’t more sports options to steer us clear of the depressing baseball the Blue & Orange subject their fans. Why I still watch these games is a great question. Today’s discussion centers on the answers to this query: Why Watch The Mets.
Jacob deGrom is a good reason to watch every fifth game. The guy is the Mets lone All-Star representative and is at the top of his game, even though he doesn’t figure in the decision on most nights – because his team flat out can’t hit for crap. It seems like the Mets average about five hits a game and producing runs off of that number is a tough task, so when the deGrominator gives up a run or two you know the script by now: it’s a loss or at best a no decision. Just this past week we watched as deGrom put zeroes on the board for eight innings and lowered his ERA to 1.67 and couldn’t get a “W.” In an age where baseballs fly out of the park at a rapid rate, what this guy is doing whenever he takes the mound is almost inconceivable. Catch his starts while you can because my gut tells me the Mets will be moving him in a trade almost necessary to net real ballplayers since there are almost none in the clubhouse now and nary a star in the making in the minors.
Brandon Nimmo is a breath of fresh air. Here’s a guy who wasn’t part of the Opening Day roster but is now one of the better players on the Mets, if not the best. He busts his ass, says and does all the correct things, and is a bit of an aw shucks kind of goofy. Only Nimmo and Asdrubal Cabrera have any idea of what they’re doing with a bat in their hands. Having been forced to drink due to the lack of support for deGrom the other day it did end happily when Nimmo hit a walk-off three-run dinger. You just have to feel good for the guy.
Dominic Smith is almost an embarrassment at first base and makes Butch Huskey or the Mets version of Mo Vaughn look like Babe Ruth. Jose Reyes is another guy stealing a paycheck. Both Smith and Reyes are hitting below .200 and don’t appear to be trending up as they struggle to put the ball in play. It’s comical watching this club try to hit the ball and funnier after I heard the following tidbit during a recent telecast: the Mets have the lowest home batting average as a team since 1898, which is defined as the Dead Ball Era. You can’t make this stuff up.
The bullpen. Ah, yes, the bullpen. If and when the Mets do score enough for a multiple-run lead the so-called relievers do their job in delivering defeat from claws of victory. I’ve seen blown games against the Pirates and Blue Jays somewhat recently and just knew the Mets bullpen would find a way to lose the lead and eventually the game.
These are just some of the reasons why I watch the Mets. They suck so bad it’s funny and when the New York Yankees are tearing the cover off the ball across town, the New York Mets become more of a folly. With the Little League World Series coming up to keep me interested in baseball, the Mets will have to do for now. Why do you watch the Mets? I really need to know so hit the comments section.
