This is the time of the year, the time that comes too often for Mets fans, where there’s nothing left to learn. The Mets were mathematically eliminated weeks ago, and practically eliminated longer ago than that. But this three game series with the Reds is different than the games that took place in the previous two weeks. You can learn something about a team playing the spoiler role against the Braves and Cardinals (and with two wins against Atlanta, and a huge comeback against St. Louis that right now is the difference between in and out for the Cards, you definitely learned a little something there), and you can learn something playing the Phillies (of course, what the Mets learned was that they still can’t hit Doc Halladay) because … well, to hell in a handbasket with the Phillies. What can you learn about a team in a series against the Reds to end the season?
Well if you’re Josh Stinson, you learned that hanging sliders are not your friend.
But other than that, that’s it. You can’t learn much from two teams playing out the string. But on Wednesday, when the Mets close this party down, I’d like them to learn something from you … the Met fan. I understand that this Wednesday, “Closing Day” as coined by my buddy Greg Prince, isn’t going to be well attended. It isn’t going to be like 1985 where the next to last day of the season featured 56,000 people waving scarves vigorously with every highlight that came on the Diamond Vision minutes after being eliminated 8-3. (Somewhere in the wreckage, I still have that scarf lying around.) Heck, even Closing Day ’85 drew over 31,000 … if the Mets got 31,000 on Wednesday the Wilpons would buy escorts for the entire staff they’d be so happy.
Closing Day ’11 would do well to draw 11 … not thousand, just eleven. I’ll be one of those eleven. Here’s what I want from the rest of you: Cheer. Cheer everybody on the field. Jose Reyes is a given. But everybody else deserves a heartier than normal ovation. From the celebrated R.A. Dickey and Justin Turner, all the way down to the whipping boy Mike Pelfrey. Yes Mike Pelfrey, if he’s somehow introduced or if his face comes up on the scoreboard, deserves your cheers. In fact, he deserves rousing cheers. Trust me, and if you read me enough you know this: I’m not Mr. Sunshine. If somebody deserves to be booed, then I’m an advocate of booing. Boo the hell out of him. For 364 days out of the 2011 calendar year, Mike Pelfrey absolutely deserves to be booed.
Just not on Wednesday. On Wednesday, everybody deserves a cheer. And cheering the Mets individually and collectively isn’t an approval of the Mets record, or the way the Mets front office does business (note to management, it’s not minor league baseball that would keep Met fans out of Citi Field … that would be something else keeping them away). Hell, if the Wilpons were to show their face on that field on Wednesday, boo the hell out of them. And if they dare show up on your television screen with another one of their useless apologies, throw your whiskey through the screen. But for the players, for one day, give ’em a cheer. There’s no malcontents on this team. There are no Oliver Perezes, no Luis Castillos, no Bobby Bonillas (although he wouldn’t come on the field at the end of a Closing Day to throw his hat to the fans … he’d be in the clubhouse playing poker.) In other words, this team did the most that they were expected to do with the capacity they have as ballplayers. Even the least capable ballplayers on this team gave you a little something … Scott Hairston, Willie Harris, hell even Ryota Igarashi got out of a bases loaded nobody out jam last night.
They do try. They do bust their asses out there. It may not mean much in the grand scheme of things, and it may not resonate for generations to come. But it’s better than last season, and certainly the season before that. And really, it’s more than we could have ever expected this season. Doesn’t that deserve one day of thunderous applause from the folks who will be there? Even if you’re part of the high percentage of fans who come to Citi Field who come less for the baseball and more for the amenities, and more to see who can get drunk enough to start that horrible wave (you know who you are and you’re going straight to hell when it’s over for you), I think you can put it all aside for one day to show the players on the field that even though the results aren’t acceptable, that you appreciate the effort they put out for half full stadiums of people who couldn’t recognize Angel Pagan if he hit you over the head with his bat (if he did it to himself, don’t you think he’d have no problem doing it to you?) I know it will never approach Scarf Day ’85, but these players deserve your love for one day. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wish for them to be cut the minute you get on that 7 train to take you to winter, but thank them for trying.
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Programming note: This will most likely, unless I go completely crazy over something that happens tonight, the last in-season nonsense that I’m going to come up with here on the blog. Like I said, I’ll be at the game, and then I’m going on a crazy adventure that involves a roller coaster, cooking sherry, and a bank vault.
The playoffs will be well under way, so don’t forget to use my postseason scoring system to decide who to root for in the playoffs (if there’s room on their bandwagon), updated for 2011. Go through the postseason rosters and use these rules:
If you’re a former Met not named Timo Perez: +1
If you once stole a base off of Mariano Rivera to start a comeback from 0-3 down and defeat them in the ALCS: +1
If you’re a Yankee: -1
If you’re a former Yankee: -1 (If you’re Aaron Boone, make it -2)
If you wear a uniform that says “Braves”: -1
If you’re a former Brave: -1
If you have ever been the World Series MVP against the Mets: -2
If you have ever hit Mike Piazza in the head with a pitch: -2
If you have ever hit Mike Piazza with two pitches, and ran away when he charged the mound (the Guillermo Mota rule): -2
If you’re a Phillie: -1
If you’re a former Phillie: -1
If you’re Shane Victorino: -25
If you’re a member of the Metstradamus Hall of Hate: -3
Highest score (or least negative score) becomes the team you root for.
Unless I’m so moved to do so earlier, I’ll be back here on Monday, October 3rd. You definitely want to come back then, because there’s a bit of business that we usually have taken care of by now but hasn’t yet occurred. (Hint: I just linked to it.) If you’re not familiar with what I’m talking about, then this is a great time to get involved. And if you are familiar with what I’m talking about, forget everything you know about it and throw it out the window. It’ll be bigger and better than what we’ve done with it before. I’m stoked to bring it to you … later than usual, but also bigger than usual. Have a great Closing Day, enjoy the playoffs, and see you on Monday.
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