Mets Must Write Their Own Story

A lot has been written this winter already about the path the Mets will take in rebuilding the roster.  Blog posts have likened the current state of the team to the Boston Red Sox, this time last year.  Others hope to see the Mets go the route of the St. Louis Cardinals.  I've even seen one or two articles talk about the free agent acquisitions made by the Detroit Tigers last winter.  Which will it be?  Which should it be?  In my opinion, none of the above.

I can't count the number of teams who've tried to emulate the New York Yankees' attempts to purchase a championship.  On an annual basis, the Yanks have boasted the highest payroll in the game.  It guarantees nothing...  Other teams have gone that route, to include the Mets, Angels, Dodgers and more.  Spend all you want, but its often the right players, not the "best" ones who bring home the hardware.

There are reasons the Mets can't just follow the paths of the other currently successful teams.  First and foremost, those teams don't play in New York.  Like it or not, there is something to be said about the media grind that goes along with playing in the big city.  Not everyone can handle it... Further more, those teams haven't had to endure the financial burdens the Mets have over recent years.  How that has impacting the decision making during Sandy Alderson's tenure, we may never know.

I want to see the Mets do their own thing, the right way.  You've committed to not over paying.  Okay, I guess.  But you had best find someone to take a chance on.  Give fans a reason to come back to the park.  This fan base doesn't have the patience to sit through an extended wait like the Pittsburgh Pirate's faithful apparently did. This is New York..we need action and we needed it two offseasons ago.

I'm not advocating a spend at all costs idea by any means.  I'm just no longer comfortable with the status quo.  I want to see the Mets finally complete the plans we've been hearing about for years.  Go get the young, under contract studs in exchange for some of the young talent we've stockpiled.  Bring in the aging veterans on decent contract to both support and tutor our youngsters.  Make it happen the way you've been preaching since you arrived.

Many of us bought in three years ago.  We've sat through the slim down.  Now we want the results we've been waiting for.  While I'd sign up for the results of the teams I mentioned above in a heartbeat, I want to see the Mets earn their own stripes.  Big market baseball on a mid-major salary scale.  You told me it could work, now prove it!