If you live in New York and are interested in baseball, aligning yourself with the proper team is perhaps the most important decision you can ever make in your life. Today the debate is simple. Are you a Yankees Fan or are you a Mets Fan?
In the 1950's the debate was a lot more difficult. Your choices were being either a Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Giants or New York Yankees Fan. The choice then was between the centerfielding trio of "Willie, Micky & The Duke" Those three players were who most fans aligned with to portray their love for their team. Arguments over who was the best are still had in New York today.
After Robert Moses denied Walter O'Malley from building a new stadium (that wasn't in Queens) the Brooklyn Dodgers & New York Giants relocated to California in 1957. This left a lot of New Yorkers hurt, and without a team to root for. They certainly didn't and couldn't root for the Yankees.
In 1962, needing National League representation and a second team in New York, The New York Mets were born. In the almost 50 years since their arrival, Los Mets have won 2 championships and become know as one of the most heart-breaking franchises in baseball. Currently they are amidst financial scrutiny and could be under new ownership shortly.
As a 30 year old baseball fanatic born in Brooklyn, I find myself now right smack in the middle of this important debate. Do I root for the Mets or the Yankees? In the 8 years after my birth I was a Mets Fan. I run through my family albums from time to time to see photos of myself and family in Mets Gear. One specific photo is of my mom in her 1986 Championship tee & me in a starter Mets jacket. It is one of my favorite pictures ever. My icon at the time was the Met I shared a birthday with, Gary Carter . I was groomed to be a Mets Fan. I remember the screams in my house when Bill Buckner let Mookie's basehit up the line through his legs. What at the time, I didn't know was that the 1986 championship was the beginning of the end for my years as a Met Fan. While I was only 8 at the time 1989, was a tumultuous time. The Mets released my childhood idol (Gary Carter) and traded my 2nd favorite player in Lenny Dykstra. I was incensed. How could they do that I thought? They basically traded away the heart and soul of their team to either get younger or "get better"? Surely the Mets were thinking about getting better when they traded Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano. Or when they signed Bobby Bonilla (still paying him today), Mo Vaughn, Jeff Kent & Roberto Alomar. All of these signings or trades are evidence of poor front office decision making. It seemed as if players leaving the Mets got better, & those coming got worse. By the way where is Johan Santana? 1989 also was the year that I first started playing wiffle ball. My next door neighbor Charlie was my teacher. He taught me how to hit, pitch and how being a baseball fan meant being a Yankee fan.
In the years that followed, it became a blur. Somehow my Mets fandom was completely erased, and the Yankees became my baseball life. Gary Carter was replaced with Don Mattingly. Lenny Dykstra was replaced by Ricky Henderson. After some losing seasons in the late 80's and early 90's the Yankee Dynasty was formed. Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera & Jorge Posada were the core of the team. Even as I try to write this article, I can't recall ever liking the Mets even though I know I did. It's just some saved images, and perceived feelings that I remember. That's how much I loved the Yankees. They played hard, they were clutch, and they embodied the team concept. There were no names on the jerseys. Just numbers & the pinstripes.
During the dynasty years of the Yankees, they too made some horrible decisions. Although they were masked by their championships & deep pockets, Hideki Irabu, Kei Igawa, Kyle Farnsworth, Carl Pavano, Kevin Brown, Steve Karsay were egregious errors. Now my reason for mentioning this is simple. In baseball our teams are managed by businessmen who are supposed to be able to build a "champion" through free agency, trades, and scouting. The teams with deeper pockets (bigger markets) have the advantage due to lack of salary cap. This approach to building a franchise can often lead to the loss of our heroes or our teams favorite players. But the manner in which our favorite players leave is what's at debate here.
Over the last few months, since the start of the baseball season, a new feeling has been brewing for me. It started with the contentious negotiations between Derek Jeter & the New York Yankee Brass and is continuing with the Jorge Posada saga. These two "problems" are leading me to seriously question whether or not I can continue to be a Yankees fan, or whether I should switch allegiances to the Mets. (For me being a New Yorker there are no other options). The heart of the issue is that I believe the Yankees are treating their stars like ****. (sorry for profanity but no other word suffices.) The Yankees are using the media to prepare us fans for the dismissal of Yankee icons. In Jeter's instance, the public negotiations of his contract created two sides amongst Yankees fans. One side stands behind #2 no matter what.
The other side are the "morons" who are groaning and looking for ways to replace him. Do you think we'd be hearing those same groans in Yankee stadium this year had those negotiations remained private? I'd bet not. Had Brian Cashman or whatever Steinbrenner son fool running the Yankees had treated Jeter the way he should of, fans would not be so quick to jump on the most influential Yankee since Mickey Mantle. Now in Posada's case his asking out of line-up was wrong. He admitted it. He has been embarassed by his start to the season. His adjustment to the DH role has been hard. That being said, when the Yankees signed Jorge to a 4 year deal in 2007 his expectation was probably that he would catch for those four years. When he was fazed out in spring training it had to be hard. The Yankees were basically saying, "Jorge your career is over" We have seen this with athletes all the time. It is hard to let go. Jorge should have been given this year to finish his contract as a catcher even if it meant they would finish last in Majors (which they wouldn't). As a business you owe your employees the ability to finish what they started, especially if they built your business.
Now Jeter & Posada are certainly not above the team, but along with Mariano they have helped create this "Yankee Dynasty" Without Jeter, Posada, Mo the Yanks might not have drawn 4million in attendance each year, they might not have the YES Network, and they definitely would not have been able to build a new stadium. The fact is that when it comes to these three, they should be treated with more respect that they are being given. How can I as a fan root for a franchise that is looking to dismiss its stars, and my sports heroes? Can I really stop rooting for the Yankees and if I do will it matter?
As I have thought about it rationally here are the Pros & Cons for rooting for the Mets.
Pro METS:
- Rooting for an underdog is fun
- Minor league team in Brooklyn
- I can root for Ike Davis
- They have a mascot
- Same colors as the Knicks
- Doc & Darryl
Con METS:
- "Everybody clap your hands...."
- They have a mascot
- The Wilpons & Dolans (I believe they are related)
- More Sports heartbreak
- Play in Queens
Although those bullets may not seem serious, I assure you they are. When weighing switching a team you have rooted for and loved for so long everything matters. The way their baseball cap fits, who their stars are, what their ballpark feels like when you are there. For me the most important factor to take into account is, can I identify with the team I am rooting for? In the case of the Mets the answer is clearly no. I know nothing about them. I know nothing of the pain of being a Mets fan. But similarly with Yankees, I can't identify with them either. The players, the front office, even the stadium is a shell of what I remember about loving the Yankees.
So I guess its fitting to end this post by saying, as a Yankees fan transforming overnight to becoming a Mets fan is impossible, at least for me. The wheels however are in motion, and if the Yankees are successful in throwing Jeter, Posada and Mariano under the bus, then that process will speed up exponentially. Until then I will continue to root for the Yankees, and check on the Mets from a safe distance.
The one thing I can say with certainty is if the Dodgers ever mover back to Brooklyn, all bets are off.
Original Story:
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