Posted on

Letters to the NL East, Part 2/5

(To read past year’s letters, click here)

nationalslogo

Letters to the NL East, Part 2 of 5. (part 1)

Dear Washington Nationals,

You’ve won the award for biggest roster turnover, and biggest hyped prospect, but this doesn’t mean that you’re going to be vastly improved.  Kudos on working to make the future of baseball in Washington DC a little bit brighter.

With Steven Strasburg looming in the minors it sounds like there will be more to look forward to this season beyond Barack Obama throwing out the Presidential first pitch.  This tradition was actually first started by Taft 100 years ago.

You’ve got some talented young pitchers on the team already, and a couple of guys that can actually swing the bat.  However this isn’t enough to field a complete team, and though you’ll be improved, you’ll still likely be the caboose of the National League East and end your season along with everyone else on October 3rd.

Look on the plus side though, if Strasburg is talented enough to make the majors this year he’ll draw a lot of fans to come see him pitch!

Sincerely yours,

Optimistic Mets Fan

Join the discussion at The Real Dirty Mets Blog!

Posted on

Letters to the NL East Part 1/5

(To read past year’s letters, click here)

florida-marlins-logo

Letters to the NL East, Part 1 of 5.

Dear Florida Marlins,

Congratulations! You’ve been caught stealing from the league! No one was surprised after you were told by the league to stop pocketing the revenue sharing money that you handed your star pitcher a big check.  Why look at free agents or try to actually improve the team in any way?  That’d cost money!  Maybe when you get that new stadium right?

This isn’t to say you don’t have any good players. The aforementioned Josh Johnson and the whiny guy at shortstop are stars.  Some good prospects and young talent floating around down there, but who knows how reliable or talented they will end up being.  Chances are you’ll be the team that’s semi-talented, capable of winning any ballgame but just not that often.  Yes, you’ll probably beat the Washington Nationals, but that’s not exactly high praise.

You’ll be in to Citi Field to open the season this year, and I suspect that’s the closest you’ll be to the Mets in the standings all year.  You’ll play the Mets a series in Puerto Rico this year as well, and despite having last licks, I suspect there will still be more people in the stands rooting for the Mets.

Your disgusted rival from up north,

Optimistic Mets Fan

Hop over to The Real Dirty Mets Blog for some lively discussion on the topic.

Posted on

Letters to the NL East, Part 5/5

Letters to the NL East, Part 5 of 5 (part 0, part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 )

 

 

Dear New York Mets,

 

New Stadium, Fresh look. Let’s forget these so-called collapses, and focus on 2009. Games from 2008 don’t count, and teams don’t get handicaps for being defending champs. This division is ripe for the picking.

 

Braves look stronger, Phillies look weaker, but you still look like the best team on paper. It’s time to make that stand up. The bullpen changes should be enough to give you enough confidence to finish off these teams, win these games, and have an excellent season. As usual, health plays an issue. You need to make sure guys like Delgado, Church, Castillo and Maine all stay healthy. One benefit this year is that you seem to have a ton of outfield depth in Sullivan, Reed, Kielty and Evans. More so if you do acquire Gary Sheffield today, although I think he’s a washed up cheater if anything.

 

We’re all excited for this season, and hopefully you’ll give us something more to enjoy than a new ballpark. We’re all curious how Citi Field will feel in those rowdy, anxious playoff moments. Lets get us there to find out. Many have reservations about the park and how it stands up to Shea Stadium, but this season has the potential to get to put Shea behind us. Give us a new crop of highlights in the new park, and we’ll all love it.

 

Your lifelong fan,

 

Optimistic Mets Fan

Posted on

Letters to the NL East 4/5

Letters to the NL East, Part 4 of 5 (part 0, part 1, part 2, part 3, )

 

Dear Philadelphia Phillies,

 

Every dog has it’s day. You’ve gotten your ring for the century, and I suspect you’ll drift back into mediocrity pretty soon. When do the Eagles kick off again? Many of your players last year, particularly in that bullpen, over performed last season. This means that when they fall back to earth, even a little bit, you’re in for a rocky summer.

 

Will any of your fans show up at Citi Field this year, or will most of you stay away unless you have the upper hand in some way? You can count on a bunch of us coming down there as often as possible, turning your stadium into Citi Field south, as usual.

 

Maybe I’m wrong and you’ll compete again this year. The Mets are the better team on paper, but that hasn’t stopped them from giving it up two years in a row. Will you hold up your end of the rivalry and start developing this into something that could surpass Yankees/Red Sox? If the Yankees continue to falter that rivalry could take a step down in intensity behind the closer Mets/Phillies. On the other hand, Phillies fans have never shown up to Shea with the commitment of Red Sox fans at Yankee Stadium, and the Phillies aren’t even half the club the Red Sox are. You’ll probably finish third.

 

Your hated rival,

 

Optimistic Mets Fan

Posted on

Letters to the NL East 3/5

Letters to the NL East, Part 3 of 5 (part 0, part 1, part 2)

 

Dear Atlanta Braves,

 

Could it be that you’re relevant again? Barring injuries, you just might have a shot at sticking around this year. Last year it seemed like you had some good stretches, but injuries got the better of your team. We’ll see how you stand this year. Acquiring Derek Lowe certainly helps the pitching rotation, and there are some young arms there that look pretty good too.

 

Somehow my hatred for you has ebbed, and you’ve risen to my 28th favorite baseball team. The challenge is on, can you get back down to 29th or 30th? Do you have the manpower in the lineup to compete for this division, or are you going to wallow away and fight with the Phillies for second place? Currently I expect you to beat them, and for at least that first night of baseball before the Mets have a chance to play, I’ll be rooting for you.

 

Your longtime enemy,

 

Optimistic Mets Fan

Posted on

Letters to the NL East 2/5

Letters to the NL East, Part 2 of 5 (part 0, part 1)

 

Dear Washington Nationals,

 

Ooo, A shiny new ballpark! I challenged you to use the revenue from the new ballpark to make yourself relevant again. You haven’t done that yet, but you’ve started to show signs of it. Adam Dunn is one step, and the supposed contract offer to Teixeira is another. You appear to have shades of potential and talent on the team this year. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if you moved up one place and finish fourth ahead of the Marlins.

 

Still, it appears the biggest story concerning the Nationals is the prospect of drafting Steven Strasburg, who throws 102 consistently and also has a nasty curve. From what everyone says, this kid appears to be the real deal. Drafting him would be a no-brainer if it wasn’t for his agent. Scott Boras is set to test how serious you guys are, throwing out numbers like 50 million as a signing bonus. It looks like the biggest game you’ll play this season will be a numbers battle with Boras.

 

 

-Optimistic Mets Fan

Posted on

Letters to the NL East 1/5

Part 1 of the 5 part series, “Letters to the NL East” (Part 0)

 

Letters to the NL East, Part 1 of 5

 

Dear Florida Marlins,

 

I don’t have much to say to you, except shame on you! I can’t take you seriously or give you any respect, even for your two World Championships, while you still are so obviously profiting off your team. Between licensing money and luxury tax money, you could probably pay all your ushers the same as the players and still make money. When Babe Ruth hit more home runs than some teams, it was a great thing for baseball. When Alex Rodriguez makes more money than your entire roster, it’s not a good thing. I know this is the same paragraph from last year, but that’s how useless you’ve been.

 

I think the Nationals may even finish ahead of you guys this year. That’s sad. Your claim to fame the last two years has been being on the field when the Mets were eliminated. This year you won’t even have that.

 

Hope may be on the horizon. I’ve heard that you’re getting, finally, a new ballpark. This is good news, and hopefully it’ll provoke you to spend some money and have a real team on the field when it opens. Maybe you can even convince Hanley Ramirez he wants to stay, because I’m sure he’s drooling over the stories in NY about the Yankees moving Jeter in a couple of years from shortstop. We all know up here about Hanley’s New York fetish.

 

Sincerely yours from the other side of the division,

 

Optimistic Mets Fan

Posted on

Letters to the NL East

(If you weren’t paying attention last year, so begins the second annual ‘letters to the NL East’ week. We start with the other team we want the Mets to do better than, before diving into the division)

 

Part 0 of the 5 part series, “Letters to the NL East”

 

Letter to Brian Cashman and the New York Yankees.

 

Dear Yankees,

 

You spent a ton of money after your first season out of the playoffs in years. It certainly makes you wonder if you made a mistake firing Joe Torre. There are still a ton of question marks with your team, even putting aside the A-Rod situations.

 

Will A.J. Burnett be Carl Pavano part two? Will Posada be able to reliably play catcher this year? What’s up with the log jam at DH, or your too many outfielders? How much does Pettitte have left for a full season? Can Joba really help the team, even if he’s superb, considering the Joba rules and Innings Pitched limits?

 

Those are just the obvious ones before the season has even started. Who knows what other issues will pop up. I’d stray away from assuming just because you again spent way too much money that you’re the team to beat in that division. I still think you’re favored not to make the playoffs. I don’t care what the so called experts say. Don’t be surprised if by August, your ‘fans’ are looking for a ticket into Citi Field. That’s where the good baseball’s gonna happen this year.

 

But don’t worry, the media will still be all over you. The over/under for new A-Rod controversies is at 13.

 

Hatefully Yours,

 

Optimistic Mets Fan

Posted on

Coming Soon!

Coming Soon on Optimistic Mets Fan:

 

I’ve got a fair selection of topics slated once Spring Training starts and we can start to smell Opening Day:

 

My yearly baseball wagers.

 

My fantasy teams, and what types of leagues I’m going to join. Hopefully a nice rotisserie league.

 

The Second Annual Letters to the NL East where I address all five teams in the division, and the Yankees.

 

Thoughts and observations on my first ever trip to Spring Training. I’m going to see Three Mets Games, against the Marlins, Nats, and Tigers, as well as the Twins versus the Pirates.

 

While I’m down in Florida, I’m going to be catching a game of the World Baseball Classic.

 

And that’s just some of the thrilling prose I’ll have for you over the next two months or so..before we can get down to some serious April baseball.

Posted on

Letters to the NL East, part 5

Letters to the NL East, Part 5 of 5

Dear New York Mets,

Expectations soar this year. You disappointed us horribly last year, and I hope you disappointed yourselves too. Whether we like it or not, the marketing department has introduced the element of revenge into the advertisements. It’s important that you guys keep this revenge fresh in your minds.

No more taking it for granted that you’re good, instead you need to rub other teams faces in it. Up 9-2 in the ninth? No reason to take that for granted either; steal that base, bunt those runners over, score that extra run. It’s never enough, and you should never be satisfied with being ahead, whether it’s in a game, a series, or the division.

I want to see some attitude this year, and I don’t care about how the other teams feel about it. I don’t care if Jimmy Rollins thinks the Phillies are awesome or if Hanley Ramirez hates the Mets. You guys are better than they are, and there is no reason not to act like it. They don’t like you dancing on your on-deck circle? Fine, dance on their on-deck circle. Don’t be afraid to throw inside, and hard. It’s punishment time for the rest of the NL East, and you are the enforcers. Your opponents should feel like they were in a wrestling match and body slammed to the mat repeatedly. You should be playing like the Phillies punched your mother, and the Braves knocked up your sister. Remember, there are no unwritten rules of baseball; Play tough, play hard, and it doesn’t matter how you get there in the end, just get there.

Your lifelong fan,

Optimistic Mets Fan