Last days at Shea
Shea Stadium is not getting the send off it thought it was going to get. With this the last season before Citi Field being finished right next to the stadium in Flushing in Queens. The New York Mets, a favorite among MLB experts at the beginning of the season to take the National League East, have floundered the season with their bloated payroll.
Many would consider playing .500 ball a complete le down, but in New York with a New York kind of payroll .500 does not fly. Jerry Manuel hopes he can succeed where Willie Randolph failed as manager. The Mets have the talent. Hopefully, Manuel can guide it to the National League east title or the wild card spot.
David Wright is playing alright, but he is being paid to be the biggest baddest slugging third baseman out there. After flirting with the NL MVP over the last couple of seasons as the Mets have built around him, he is having season of a second-tier player. His struggles have been shared by Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado. Players making more than $10 million a season and who struggle often get booed, especially in New York and Shea Stadium.
Fans might even buy Mets tickets just to boo at the players. Of course the batting woes have extended to the pitching. Johan Santana has pitched well and his numbers would be more impressive if he had more run support. The Mets’ ace is the unfortunate position of all pitchers- their record is determined by their performance on the mound and the batting lineup when he is sitting down. Wagner has been great as a closer, but he just has not had that many chances to prove his worth. The bullpen is struggling, but not unsalvageable. In fact, the season is far from unsalvageable.
The Mets are less than 10 games out and it is not even time for the MLB All Star game yet. The Mets having a great year would be a good story in their last season at Shea Stadium would be a nice story for MLB, much better than the Yankees having a good season at Yankees Stadium. Baseball fans would much rather see anybody than the Yankees win it, other than Yankees fans of course.