Once again, the Mets are trying their very best to dance around the truth. In fact, they have become better dancers than Fred Astaire and Denny Terio combined.
They danced around the fact that they were never going to sign Michael Bourn. They made themselves look good in the eyes of their fans for a few weeks, saying that they "were interested" in signing the former Brave All-Star, but when push came to shove, they used the excuse of not wanting to give up the No. 11 pick in the MLB Draft.
That was such a crock. They didn't want to sign Bourn because it was going to cost them $50 million. Heck, they wouldn't re-sign Scott Hairston because he wanted $6 million for two years. He ended up signing for $5 million. The Mets turned their back on their lone right-handed outfield power source for a measly $1 million. So they were "interested" in Bourn? Get real. That was all such a huge tease to get Met fans to buy tickets this season.
Now, here comes Dance No. 2. Johan Santana was shut down after having nothing left in that arm. He has no velocity whatsoever and no control with his famed change-up (a major warning sign). So the Mets say that they're going to give Santana until March 10 to see if his arm miraculously gets stronger.
Gee (not pitcher Dillon), spring training is just a week old and we're already shutting down pitchers? Face facts. Santana is done and the Mets know it. They don't want to say it, because they were really hopeful that someone would take that ridiculous $25 million contract off their hands, which is like hoping that Ted the Bear is going to hang out with you and drink brewskis at the neighborhood bar.
No one wants Santana, especially not with that contract. But the Mets, once again, think that fans are so stupid that they will buy this latest dance around the truth.
Why not try to recoup some of that $25 million by forcing Santana to retire because of the injury? They did that with a washed-up Mo Vaughn several years ago when Vaughn was done. Makes perfect sense here.
They can then send Santana out to pasture and allow phenom Zack Wheeler to begin the season with the big club, instead of shipping him to Triple A. Everyone would rather see Wheeler anyway, rather than a finished Santana. And please, don't give me a dose of Jeremy Hefner. I'd rather shave my head with a cheese grader and chew on aluminum foil than watch Hefner pitch.
So the Mets will continue to disco the night away instead of facing the truth. It's really not a good thing for a team in a so-called major market to do. Maybe Met fans would accept the hideous situation more if the front office would just tell the truth instead of doing the tango.
And while we're at it, is there a worse outfield in the majors? The Mets actually believe Lucas Duda can hit 30 homers? Did they watch games last year? During late July-early August, Duda couldn't hit a beach ball with a two-by-four. He struck out more than Screech with Lisa Turtle on "Saved By The Bell." He's not a good major leaguer. Mike Baxter? C'mon. Kirk Niewenhuis? Oh, good God.
So we're supposed to get excited about this team? Sandy Alderson, who somehow gets a flier from the media, even though he's just as bad of a liar as owners Freddie Coupon and Coupon, Jr., said that the Mets are looking at 2013, but shooting for 2014. Is that right? Then why should I go this season? To see Marlon Byrd? LaTroy Hawkins?
This is a team that will be really lucky to win 70 games this year. They'd be a last place team if Jeffrey Lauria didn't take out a pocket knife and proceed to gut the Marlins.
This is a bad baseball team, but hey, at least we know the front office can dance.
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The college basketball season is winding down toward the days of March Madness and unlike last year, when you could have crowned Kentucky as national champ in November, there really isn't a sure-fire favorite to win it all this year.
Is it Indiana? Not so sure. Duke? The Blue Devils sorely miss Ryan Kelly. Miami? It's been a great run by Jim Larranaga, but can the Hurricanes actually win it all? Or is it another Cinderella darling?
Honestly, I don't know. Things can change between now and St. Paddy's Day. But it certainly will lead to an interesting and possibly exciting NCAA Tourney. Anyone can win it. That makes it exciting.
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My work life has been insane, with coverage of the Nets, the Devils, Seton Hall basketball, high school sports. Every day is something new, so that makes it exciting as well as hectic.
That's why the blog has taken a beating. Only the second one of the year? C'mon that's just wrong. I promise to find more time to write the blog in the weeks and months to come.
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You can read more of my work at www.hudsonreporter.com, www.theobserver.com and www.dailyrecord.com.