The time is finally coming for the day of judgement for those lovable schmucks: the New York Mets. Will they be in the race for the playoffs or the race to remain relevant? And what about shortstop, will anyone step up? Unlike shorter seasons of NFL or NBA, baseball is a little more cruel. It's an arduously long marathon, and when your team's dead, they're going to be dead for three more months. The bleeding doesn't seem to end quick enough.
According to fangraphs.com, Jose Reyes ranks fifteenth overall in W.A.R. (wins above replacement), and only second in his position to Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki. The next player to have been on the Mets is Carlos Beltran (thirty-six), and he was traded away before the season closed down on this hapless team. Jason Bay is the highest active Met at number sixty-four, a player who over the last two years has had career lows in home runs (six and twelve). It doesn't look to good for the Mets.
Reyes' replacement Ruben Tejada is not fairing much better because it seems he will start out the season with a day-to-day left groin strain. Met staff believe he can be a decent player, and it seems manager Terry Collins will not bat Tejada in the lead-off spot so that he won't be lost in Reyes' shadow. Tejada is not the only injured player though; it seems that the Mets are compiling a complete lineup of the injured.
Unfortunately, this list includes the backup, Ronny Cedeno.
It's going to be a year of teasing the fans. The chances of making the playoffs are still slim given the fact the postseason will expand, but according to MLB's network, it's quite possible they can be in third place.There seems to be some viable pieces around this club, unfortunately, a lot of them are young and inexperienced. Even with a decent lineup and maybe some good starting pitching, their biggest weakness just might be their own division. The NL East is stacked with talent from the perennial contenders The Phillies, to those that will remain in contention for a postseason spot (Marlins and Braves), and finally the Nationals whose improvements seem to make them tough to beat. Not only will they have to deal with others, but themselves, as it seems the medical staff needs the most improvements and right now, they aren't getting to the best of starts.
It seems that this will be a year of appreciating the little things. I believe manager Terry Collins can coach the Mets to be competitive. Just about near the end of last season, the Mets were coming up with some impressive wins even as they were out of contention. One stretch that exemplified this was a series against the Cardinals which could have spoiled their season.
Right now, all a fan can do is hope. Right now every team is undefeated. When the gun pops and the race begins, every fan is going to hope that their team can surprise a few, and continue to give off some fighting spirit. And as the season gets into its dog days, one can hope that their team is primed for the finish. And for the Mets... hopefully, a few miracles.
According to the preseason hype of the past couple of years or so the New York Yankees have dominated, winning five World Series, second only to the Philadelphia Phillies set of four. Who knows what this season's speculation will crown the supreme champion of baseball. In all the fracas though, what does reality say about the past ten years? Angels (2002), Marlins (2003), Red Sox (2004), White Sox (2005), Cardinals (2006), Red Sox (2007), Phillies (2008), Yankees (2009), Giants (2010), Cardinals (2011). Looks like the predictions aren't so clear-cut after all.
What makes a team so hyped year after year after year? Sure, it's probably the talent, but how do you get that talent? By using a lot of money. This is probably the biggest reason why the Yankees are always favored; because they have the finances to make these glamorous moves. This is such a part of their identity that fans of rival teams accuse them of buying championships. It is a wide spread notion that clubs which spend the most will be prematurely ordained winners. From a more sullen angle this can be said of the NY Mets. In referencing the movie, Moneyball, Jon Stewart quipped, "Do you think they’ll ever a make a movie about a big-market team that has the money to spend, but still sucks. We could call it something fictitious, like, the Mets."
If one looks the amount spent and who actually wins, you'll get a different picture. Last year, for example, the combined payroll of both World Series opponents (Cardinals and Rangers) was still just four million shy of the the Yankees' top spending ($201.7 million). For eleven consecutive seasons, the Yankees have spent the most, winning one World Series in that duration. I'm sure its infuriating to hear that, if you're a Yankee fan, but it's annoying for a regular fan. Currently, gambling odds are in favor of the Phillies winning it all this year, with the Yankees second.
There is also the other side of the spectrum. Instead of spending a boatload, spend the least amount possible, but focus on statistical similarities to richer teams. What I am referring to is Moneyball. It pretty much consists of building a competitive, efficient team with the lowest possible payroll. So far, all that it has proved is you can keep a team competitive. In their prime years, the Oakland A's who were the main proponents of this system, went to the playoffs four straight times, never making passed the first round; the farthest they ever got was to compete for the pennant in 2006.
There is no one way to win it all, but focusing on the amount of money spent doesn't guarantee anything. It's almost ludicrous how much objective analysis becomes blinded by all the money one organization can throw around. Even in the case of a Moneyball themed organization, there is still the fact that baseball has implemented a luxury tax. This is supposed to take money from those who spend more to those who have less; so, small market clubs do need financial help and not all can contend like the Oakland A's.
Analysis should stop favoring the richest and actually try to find who has the best chance my examining talent and experience. Added to this now is the MLB's new playoff system which will add one more team to the mix, in a one game elimination. This would make the final number of postseason teams five for both leagues. Baseball is a marathon and the one that survives will only gain a chance to play fall ball. Nearing the end though, there is always one team that is on a hot streak that most of the analysts don't predict. Teams can't "buy" their way to a World Series anymore, but like the rest of us they need to spend their money well, and with a little bit of luck, can be champions.
It must be infuriating when the system fails. It's actually quite perplexing how legal goings-on progress; a bureaucratic system tied up with so many rules seems to be walking quite warily lest it should fall trip on itself. The breaks of the few are the exceptions to the rule, and what a travesty it seems when these escapes are unfair loopholes.
It wasn't long ago when Ryan Braun was respected as last year's MVP (though I believe it should have went to Matt Kemp). Long story short: Braun was tested for performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) and failed. Twelve previous players came up to bat to appeal their tainted tests, and all twelve went down swinging. So, after four innings, baseball's drug testing system had a no-hitter going, then up steps the Ryan Braun. Surely, Braun struck at this rigid testing with all his might, shaking it to its very core, a herculean blast as it were. But, no! Instead, it was a desperate jab, a bloop hit that ended the MLB's streak.
What happened? He got off on a technicality. Because his samples weren't sent immediately, the results were null and void. Is there justice? What does it say to that affect? I remember a debate between linguistics expert Noam Chomsky and Michel Foucault, a leading French intellectual of the day, debating what is justice and does it exist?
Though the debate is more befitting of the mechanics of society, it can still be impressed upon this smaller example. Arguing from a Marxist-influenced perspective, Foucault believes in the clash between those who are the means of production (the players) and those who control production (the MLB). This theory is not so far fetch when it comes to labor relations within the sport; just as any collective bargaining agreement in any major sport winds down, there are always some legal troubles that ensue and ultimately, what can occur is a complete lockout. If one follows down this cynical road, which says there is no justice, but struggle, then Braun's motives are sinister. He does not fight against the establishment because he is innocent, but because he can win ground in the players versus ownership struggle in his own way.
In his defense of traditional justice, Chomsky argues: "power doesn't imply justice or even correctness." I believe power relations is a substantial claim to add to the mix of things, but its almost as if one cannot be without the other. Justice has always been apart of civilization and is used as power, but instead of being indifferent in its aims, it tries to do what is right and fair. Ryan Braun may have eluded these charges, but does that make his results any less tainted or the anger of the fans any less satiated? No. Whatever the final outcome is, it now becomes(as paraphrased from Chomsky): how does justice "evolve," so that travesties such as these cease to occur in its continuing work to serve what is righteous.
It is not only the values which become tested, but also those involved in the final resolution. Ryan Braun was dead to rights, but what about the arbitrator who ruled in his favor? It seems that the scientific evidence is overwhelmingly against Braun. The one who ruled to overturn, Shyam Das, still has to be examined. When guilt was the only answer, what evidence did he finally see that would vindicate Braun, is it possible their was some tampering in the midst of the testing, or was Das a slave to the letter of the law? If Ryan Braun's innocence is faulty, it remains to be seen how Major League Baseball can pick itself back up and close any such maladjusted loopholes. It will be quite a revelation to hear Das because his written opinion will be revealed thirty days after the ruling, giving fans enough time to mull over the nature of this spectacle.
