What It Takes To Be a True Met Fan

By Brendan Costello,

Empty promises, winter long stomach aches, and punch-filled walls, you might know what I'm talking about. This is what a true Mets fan deals with every year. Whether it's Beltran promising the N.L. East Division, to being up 7 games with 17 to play or some of you die hards will remember the Mets blowing a three game lead to the Cubs to lose the wild card in 1998. Even going to back to 1988 N.L.C.S where the Mets were upset by the Dodgers. After going through all of this we find out who are the real orange and blue.

Honestly, in my opinion, this helps me root for the Mets harder. I feel more of a die hard seeing these things going through my head. After going through all this pain and hardship, watching them succeed will be exhilarating. To be a true orange and blue it's pretty hard, there isn't many of them but one's that are know the game of baseball, and are very knowledgeable to the sport.

I feel the New York Mets franchise should be clumped in with the Cubs franchise and pre-2004 Red Sox. No, I'm not trying to feel sorry or self loath, all I'm saying is that if your a Mets fan your a “real fan”. It's not that our ball club doesn't want to win, we have the payroll and new ballpark. The fans are there, and yet we still find a new way to lose traumatically year in and year out. All of this is building up to one of the greatest World Series celebrations of all time.

I feel this can be our year, if healthy we have all the talent to win a championship. Do we the heart and will , I don't know. We will get a glimpse of what the Mets are made of when they square off with the Phillies and Yankees back to back. We shall have a healthy Reyes, Beltran, and Church, the B team will be no longer. In addition we have a proven Gary Sheffield and a up and coming F-Mart. If Putz can get his act together, we can have a solid bullpen. Also, Billy Wagner will be back by mid-July which will be a key addition to our already solid bullpen.

Honestly, I don't have any problems with this team, were banged up and still a game and a half out of first place. When healthy, we can be very dangerous. No, were not as good as the 1999 and 2006 team, but we do resemble a lot of the 2000 team. They battled injuries with Rey Ordenez getting injured in May and Darryl Hamilton getting injured in early June. Also, key slugger Mike Piazza was injured in July after getting clocked in the head by steroid using Roger Clemens. That team also started off slow but managed to catch fire and explode to the World Series even after only winning 94 games.

I feel this team doesn't have to win 94 games, any where from 88 to 92 wins should crown them N.L. East Champs. Lets be honest, when Joe Blanton and Jamie Moyer are holding up your 3^rd and 4^th spot's in the rotation your gonna have problems down the road. If we had a ballpark like Citizen,s we could be in the top five in all offensive categories too. Now if we get into the playoffs, do we have the team to get to the World Series? After the 2006 Cardinals won the World Series anything is possible. It just shows you have to be hot at the right time. Personally, I feel we can match up with the Dodgers and Cubs. With Johan, Pelfrey, Maine and a healthy Livan we have a solid four-man rotation as anyone else in the league.

Also, I've been reading a lot that the Mets might be pursuing Pedro Martinez. After watching him pitch in the World Baseball Classic with the Dominican Republic it shows the man can still throw. He can be a solid fifth starter in the rotation, also the fans would love to have Pedro back at the ballpark for he was a fan favorite.

Us met Fans are like no other, losing makes us want it more and winning will help us stay humble. I feel great pride tuning into SNY every night. Listening to greats like Ron and Keith, I'm pumped to watch the Mets. At times we can be fun and explosive. When Reyes returns I hope to that fire the Mets need to win a championship. Us Met fans are like no other we are faithful and we get emotional. One thing I can promise is when we finally do drink from the cup it will taste sweeter then any of the Yankees 26.