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November 9, 2009 09-10 Offseason Joe Janish

To All You Yankee Rooters

ny-yankees-logoNot long ago, I gave you five reasons to root for the Phillies in the World Series.

Which team to pull for was a difficult decision for any Mets fan. But now that the World Serious is over, and the Yankees are the 2009 World Champions, I have a question for those Mets fans who chose to root for the Bronx Bombers: would you now reconsider that decision?

I ask because it is now five days after the final game, and yet the YES network is still showing that goddamn parade 24 hours a day. Sure, it’s easy to avoid the channel, but when I’m surfing or looking through the on-screen TV guide, that damn thing pops out like an inflamed wart. And if you frequent NJ’s Route 3 highway, you’ve no doubt noticed that a digital sign just past the Meadowlands STILL states “Friday – Celebration Parade in Manhattan”.

But it’s not just the parade. I turned on the Giants football game on Sunday — the first time I’ve put the Giants on since they won the Super Bowl — and, lo and behold, the Yankees “general manager” Joe Girardi was honored in a pregame ceremony.

Then of course, there was the “key to the city” thing. If the Phillies had won the World Series, I doubt I would be reading about Pedro Martinez getting a key to the city of Philadelphia — that news simply wouldn’t get up here (NOTE: this post does not apply to anyone living in the South Jersey / Philly area).

Similarly, I probably wouldn’t be seeing Matt Stairs, Greg Dobbs, and other Phillies bench players hawking various products and promoting local businesses the way I suspect we’ll be seeing people like Jerry Hairston, Jr. on local cable channels and newspaper ads this winter.

I also doubt sincerely that I’d be seeing people coming out of the woodwork wearing Phillies hats all over my town, on the ferry, on the bus, on the subway, and in random coffee shops — such as I and others are seeing NY Yankee hats infiltrate their neighborhoods.

And I’m certain I would not be running into at least one acquaintance every day who just happened to be a Phillies fan, knifing me with their gloating smiles and condescending quips like “I’m sure the Mets will turn things around soon”.

Again, I’m sure things would be / are much different in the South Jersey / Philly area. But here in the New York City Metropolitan Area, there is no escape from the daily reminders that the “other” New York team won the World Series.

As fellow blogger Greg Prince of Faith and Fear opines:

“Tell me how this isn’t tangibly more hellish than a Phillies victory.”

It’s going to be a long, cold winter, Mets fans.

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Joe Janish began MetsToday in 2005 to provide the unique perspective of a high-level player and coach -- he earned NCAA D-1 All-American honors as a catcher and coached several players who went on to play pro ball. As a result his posts often include mechanical evaluations, scout-like analysis, and opinions that go beyond the numbers. Follow Joe's baseball tips on Twitter at @onbaseball and at the On Baseball Google Plus page.
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  1. Walnutz15 November 9, 2009 at 9:32 am
    As time goes by, this doesn’t bother me all that much.

    I have a couple of options:

    – turn my head the other way to avoid the conversation with mostly know-nothing “fans”; or

    – expose them for the bandwagonners that they are with chatter that lasts for more than 17 seconds.

    What will, without a doubt, bother the crap outta me — is the fact that if and when the Mets do turn it around….we’ll have the same kind of crap going on within our own “fanbase”.

    The Bandwagon is one of the most annoying facets of professional sports. I guess it’s mainly because these casual sometimers decide to be the loudest and most vocal about “their” team, when things hit their pinnacle.

  2. TThai November 9, 2009 at 10:12 am
    Out of 20 friends I probably have 1 Mets fan and out of the other 19, probably 3 have watched a regular season game. Yet all 19 of them claim to be a “fan”, which doesn’t bother me because I know they’re only bandwangonners. I went out and watched the WS with them and rooted for the Yankees unwillingly. Some say the Phillies are the way they are because they are “Gamers” but I actually can’t stand them, as they show little to no class/respect. To see them win it all again is just terrifying, I’d rather be tortured by these bandwangonners during the winter blues than see that happen.
  3. Walnutz15 November 9, 2009 at 10:29 am
    I had taken off on Friday, and during the morning hours — flipped around on the TV, to find that the Yankee parade was on at every turn.

    It was amusing to me to hear the exchange between “expert” Rosanna Scotto and rookie Phil Hughes.

    (As one of her colleagues is yelling “Phil Hughes” over the crowd — basically to announce him)

    RS: “Does this EVER get old for you?”

    PH: [pauses] “….my first time? uhh….No.”

    Classic.

  4. bigbomber November 10, 2009 at 12:23 am
    If i was from new york, i would probably be a fan of the mets, just because the fact that the yanks are the ultimate dynasty. The yanks are only good because the fact that they pretty much dont have a salary cap. They get whoever they want and somehow have enough money to pay them.
  5. Harry Chiti November 11, 2009 at 10:43 pm
    The Yankee championshipis the best thing that could have happened to Mets fans. Maybe not next season but the more the Mets get kicked in the face by the NY press and the sports radio, the sooner Citi field will be emptied of fans and the sooner the Mets will be forced to create a true professional front office that can make them winners. If the Phillies had one there would have just been pounfding on Cashman for failing to win with his big free agent signings. So thank you Yankees.