Should Mets Fans Root for Wins or Losses?
At 63-75, Mets are currently a full game ahead of the Phillies in the NL East standings. However, that also places them in a tie with the Blue Jays for the 11th-worst record in MLB. As you may remember, only ten teams have their draft picks protected in the event they sign a free agent who received a qualifying offer from their former club. As you also remember, the Mets were shut out from this “protected” status last winter because the Pirates failed to sign their 2012 #1 pick. Well guess what? The Blue Jays are automatically in the top ten (bottom ten?) because they failed to sign their 2013 first-round pick.
So, considering the implications of not having their 2014 first-round pick protected, are you rooting for the Mets to continue to win over the final 24 games of the year, in the hopes they can finish in third place in the NL East and build momentum toward 2014, or are you hoping that they lose enough so that they drop into that pool of protected picks?
Fittingly (pardon the pun), today’s Mets Item of the Day is a pair of “Draft Pick Plaid” Mets boxers. I’m not sure what about the plaid pattern makes it “draft picky,” but, whatever — they look nice. Buy them at Amazon for $16.95 by following this link: New York Mets Draft Pick Plaid Boxers – Royal Blue (Large)
About the Author
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.
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Well, last offseason, the theme regarding how the Mets had everything worked out to sign Michael Bourn but the only thing standing in the way was not having a protected draft pick, generated considerably more excitement than the potential alternate theme of watching them not sign Michael Bourn despite having everything worked out. So, perhaps, not having a protected draft pick would again be exciting, and again provide the additional benefit of a built in “excuse” for inaction.
As for the boxers, I agree. They do not look drafty.
Good point, friend.
Maybe I should root for the Mets to win, and not have a protected pick, as it is guaranteed to generate tons of discussion on the blog throughout the winter.
Actually, there was nothing standing in the way of signing a FA. It was just a PR line, which is the only thing this hapless org is fairly good at. They throw a lie out there and if it works, they don’t et go of it for months. Losing seasons every year are the other good thing they produce now that the Pirates, and last year the O’s broke there hapless streaks, the mets are moving up the ladder.
But if someone actually roots for their team to lsoe, they ain’t a fan. No real fan can root for their team tolose , even a meaningless game. No real fan can sit and watch and cheer the opponent scoring runs or wiffing your guys.
I agree with Izzy. And the ground remains solid under my feet.
Really, it isn’t a matter of choice. Many times I’ve wished I could stop rooting for the Mets, or at the very least establish an affinity for some other team as an ongoing concern (briefly connecting with a team in the post-season, as I will with the Pirates, doesn’t count). But I can’t break the relationship, and will continue to root for them to win, right down to the utterly meaningless Brewers series.
Joe,
My understanding is that the Blue Jays get the 11th pick in next year’s draft for failing to sign their pick this year, which was #10. So, the protected pick prize is available for the bottom 10.
I don’t have it in me to root against the Mets during any game, but I do rationalize the losses as contributions toward the 2014 team. In a perfect world, all the kids will perform well, and guys like DiceK and soon Harang will stink it up just enough to squeeze into the bottom 10.
In any event, protected pick or not, the Mets need to acquire a player or two via FA that will cost the pick. Alderson is leery of dealing quality young pitching and rightly so. Choo comes to mind as the most likely fit. That said, with this ownership, they don’t need any more excuses for not improving he MLB roster.
Nice boxers but they do not qualify (yet) under my current employer’s casual dress code.
Dave, you’re right about the Jays’ #11 pick — thanks for that.
However, there’s another issue with the Jays — they have about as bad a record as the Mets. So the Mets will have to be worse than both the Phillies and the Jays in order to get a protected pick.
I’m not sure if it is possible, but maybe the Mets and Brewers will have to battle it out in the final game of the season, in an epic crapfest…
I’m rooting for both momentum and losses. Winning thanks to (e.g.) Matsuzaka and Hawkins would not count as momentum, because those guys are not the keys to our future. I want massive rapid progress from d’Arnaud and Flores, and then for Matsuzaka and Hawkins to blow the games.