I was away last week, visiting my niece and great nephew in Colorado, so I haven’t had a lot of time to write my column. (I’m also working on a TV show that’s going into production in May, so that’s had to take some priority.) I decided to go with an edited version of a classic: being positive about being a New York Mets fan. After all, baseball season has just begun, and the Mets were off to an 0-4 start through Monday.
This could be a long season, but I’m used to it. I’ve been a Mets fan since a young rookie pitcher named Tom Seaver showed up in 1967. The guy had a way about him that you knew would someday take this young and sorry franchise from being a joke to being a winner. Sure enough, in 1969 the Mets went from lovable losers to World Series champs. Yep, their first winning season they won it all.
They made the playoffs and World Series again in 1973. They lost to the Oakland A’s, but hey, when you’re a Mets fan you take what you can get.
They won the World Series again in 1986 when they were unquestionably the best team in baseball.
Since then, there have been no more World Series wins. In fact, they’ve only played in two Fall Classics since then, losing to the New York Yankees and, more recently, the Kansas City Royals. The Mets have made the playoffs a few more times but, unlike teams like the Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros, they’ve never made the playoffs three years in a row.
Sigh.
I thought there would be some hope. Two years ago the once-cheap Mets were bought by Steve Cohen, the richest owner in baseball — and man, did they spend the cash. Of course, last year’s spending spree didn’t work out, so this year the Mets got a new manager and a new general manager. They also have a new attitude about growing their own talent by building their farm system. I’m cool with that. After all, spending money on old established stars didn’t really pan out.
Sure, two years ago the Mets won 101 games, which was great. But they ended the regular season on a low note, losing the division to the Braves, forcing the Mets to limp into the playoffs. Then they got knocked out in the first round. As for last year, let’s just say it was difficult to watch. And this year has been rough so far.
So, what’s positive about this all? Well, it’s a long season and hope reigns eternal. Like a great Met and Yankee said, “It ain’t over til it’s over.” The Mets do have a much stronger farm system now. Plus, they have a young catcher in Francisco Alvarez who, at 22, seems primed to be a force.
Locally, the Mets’ Class AAA team in Syracuse has a lot of young talent that can make a difference soon on the big league club. I believe the future is bright.
The Mets will be an interesting team to watch. Plus, with the extended playoffs and summer trading deadline, if they can somehow hang around the middle of the pack for a while and get a break or two, they might sneak into the playoffs.
Will it happen? I hope so. And sometimes all you can do is be positive and full of hope. And enjoy the ride.
John Zakour lives in Geneva. He is a freelance humor writer with a bachelor’s in computer science from SUNY Potsdam and a master’s in human behavior. He is a chief happiness practitioner. He has sold thousands of gags to strips and magazines and had over 50 books published. He writes his own syndicated comic, “Working Daze,” which has anywhere from 30K-100K daily readers. His “Positive Vibes” column runs every Thursday. Contact him at johnzakour@gmail.com. Or, check out his blog at workingdaze.blogspot.com.
POSITIVE VIBES: Still positive about the Mets
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04.04.2024
I was away last week, visiting my niece and great nephew in Colorado, so I haven’t had a lot of time to write my column. (I’m also working on a TV show that’s going into production in May, so that’s had to take some priority.) I decided to go with an edited version of a classic: being positive about being a New York Mets fan. After all, baseball season has just begun, and the Mets were off to an 0-4 start through Monday.
This could be a long season, but I’m used to it. I’ve been a Mets fan since a young rookie pitcher named Tom Seaver showed up in 1967. The guy had a way about him that you knew would someday take this young and sorry franchise from being a joke to being a winner. Sure enough, in 1969 the Mets went from lovable losers to World Series champs. Yep, their first winning season they won it all.
They made the playoffs and World Series again in 1973. They lost to the Oakland A’s,........
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