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February 23, 2010 09-10 Offseason Joe Janish

Torture Times Thirteen

A few days ago, Fred Wilpon described this past offseason as:

“Torture,” Wilpon said. “Very, very difficult.”

I’m so glad that a Dodgers fan had similar feelings to mine during these past few months, even if were for different reasons. The Dodgers, of course, suffered a heartbreaking exit from the postseason last October. To get so close to the Fall Classic, only to fall just a hair short, can certainly weigh on a fan’s mind for months on end.

As a Mets fan, though, we’ve felt “torture” for a different reason. Well, make that, reasons.

Here’s my personal list of the Ten Top Reasons Mets Fans Feel Tortured:

1. Memories of the 2009 season was torture
2. Watching the Mets try to trade Luis Castillo rather than find quality pitching was torture
3. Thinking all winter about how bad the Mets will be in 2010 was torture
4. Listening to the inane comments of Jerry Manuel is torture
5. Envisioning Rod Barajas / Henry Blanco behind the plate and getting 600+ ABs is torture
6. Banking on Ollie Perez and John Maine as the #2 and #3 starters is torture
7. Wondering who #4 and #5 in the rotation will be is torture
8. Relying on Sean Green and/or some Japanese guy in the 8th inning is torture
9. Handing leads to K-rod in the 9th is torture
10. Seeing Daniel Murphy tripping over himself at first base is torture
11. Listening to people gush over Mets “prospects” is torture
12. Waiting to see J.J. Putz do well in Chicago is torture
13. Fearing that the Washington Nationals will finish ahead of the Mets is torture

I stopped at 13 only because compiling this list was torture in itself. It easily could have grown to 25 or more.

Feel free to add your own torturous thoughts in the comments.

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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. gary s. February 23, 2010 at 10:32 am
    here’s a few more..1)walking thru the dodger rotunda is torture 2)having the season end and realizing that minaya and manuel and jeffie and daddy fred are all coming back is torture 3)seeing a story about the fences being brought in at citicavern and than reading they only lowered the fence in center by 8 feet and left the other moonshot distances the same is torture.4)going to an occaisional game in philly and buying a seat for $60 that would cost $300 in citicavern is torture.
  2. Mike February 23, 2010 at 10:58 am
    Hey Joe, I had to post this because it’s basically proof that Sandy Koufax reads your blog!

    http://www.metsblog.com/2010/02/23/read-sandy-koufaxs-advice-for-mets-starters/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+metsblogfeed+%28MetsBlog.com%29

    The more likely result of this post is that Sandy Koufax knows more than Dan Warthen and Dan Warthen knows less than you. To show up at Mets camp and tell Ollie to stop over-rotating his hips and tell John Maine to stride longer whereas Dan Warthen and the entire Mets staff can’t do that and it’s their job is amazing, in a very bad way.

  3. joejanish February 23, 2010 at 11:26 am
    Good stuff, Mike! Thanks for the tip!

    In Warthen’s defense, I do remember him working with Maine to lengthen his stride. If you go back to last Feb/March on this blog, there should be an article.

    However Maine needs someone on his case all the time — that’s why Rick Peterson was a good coach for him (and Ollie) in particular.

  4. joe bourgeois February 23, 2010 at 2:44 pm
    Uh, so why can’t Warthen be on Maine and Ollie’s cases all the time? Isn’t that what they’re sort of paying him for?
  5. DCwill beat the mets February 24, 2010 at 10:42 am
    Torture… It really takes a pathetic human being to make fun about torture. People get beaten for real for hours on end. Many are innocent. To make fun about torture makes you Janish and your disgusting owner almost as bad as thoise who do torture for real. SHAME on you The Mets deserve t lose every game. Wilpon thinks watching a baseball game is torture, and you think its a joke. SHAME on you.
  6. Mike February 24, 2010 at 10:56 am
    Anyone else want to water board “DCwill beat the mets”? Oh man, I’m making light of a horrible thing, shame on me.

    I’m sorry but unless this person is trying to be ironic (and doing a horrible job of it) then they have no place making inane comments on blogs. This blog has no responsibility to be PC, if Joe wants to be a PC as possible, that’s his choice. But if he decides to compare the Mets to torture then he has every right, without shame, to exercise his right to free speech. If you don’t like it then stop reading his blog.

    Sorry to speak for you Joe but the ignorance of people when it comes to “morality,” free speech, and the internet is unreal. The internet is no place to get lectured on the use of the word torture on a sports blog when people on AM radio are doing the same thing everyday.

  7. isuzudude February 24, 2010 at 11:02 am
    Well, Mr. DC, you would be the expert on “pathetic human beings,” now wouldn’t you? Considering you look at the definition of one in the mirror every day.

    I have a suggestion for you, DC. Instead of trolling the internet for ways to taunt Met fans, why don’t you go to CitiField and lend your thoughts to the masses there? You’ll certainly have a larger audience to address there than at this lowly blog, and I’m sure you’ll get the raucous reaction you’re so desperately seeking. And when you leave with a bloody nose, a pair of black eyes, and a few broken bones, you can be proud that you succeeded at getting under the skin of as many Met fans as you possibly could have. Just let me know what game you’ll be attending so I can be there in person to watch what transpires.

  8. CatchDog February 24, 2010 at 2:31 pm
    DC is a little coward hiding behind her keyboard. The pathetic fool’s obviously been jack slapped her entire ignorant loser life. And she’s just crying for attention.

    You can see her kind coming a country mile away…