If you’re a mobster, or a mafia movie fanatic like myself, the first thing you think of when you hear the words "This thing of ours" would be Cosa Nostra itself. However, if you’re a Mets fan, the phrase "this thing of ours" refers to something else. The thing I’m referring to would be this horrible never-ending rash of injuries our beloved team just keeps on suffering. And this "thing" doesn’t appear to be just a "2009 thing". A one and done fluke. No no. The plague has now dipped into 2010, claiming both Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes. No my friends, I’m beginning to fear that "this thing of ours" may wind up being a permanent unlucky fixture, much like the Chicago Cubs century and change of never winning the World Series.
As I’m sure you’ve heard, yesterday Omar Minaya revealed during a conference call that Jose Reyes will not be prescribed any meds to combat his thyroid issues. Instead, he has been ordered to rest – as in absolutely zero strenuous physical activities – for an undetermined period of time between 2 to 8 weeks. As in 2 months… Not good my fellow Mets fans, not good at all. He may wind up returning completely out of shape for all we know. When the news initially broke of Reyes having an issue with his thyroid, it sounded rather mild in my estimation. The whole thing seemed like no big deal, like he’d miss some more spring training but would surely be ready for the opener on April 5th. What gives? Where did this bombshell come from? Always got to expect the worst when it comes to New York Mets injuries, you really do. This plague of injuries is absolute torture. Why oh why can’t we just have a roster that doesn’t feature some key player on the disabled list, the place where Reyes will likely wind up. Is it so much to ask?
This is such a punch in the stomach to me. All the optimism I had at the beginning of Spring Training 2010 has suddenly vanished. I mean don’t get me wrong, I still plan to root my head off for the team as soon as Opening Day rolls around, but all I kept hearing this winter was how if the Mets just stay healthy next season, things will be sure to improve. Now look where we stand. I want to be positive, I want to believe, but how can I not help feeling disappointed and ticked off at this ridiculous streak of unluckiness the Mets are riding on? It’s only natural. Injuries are freak things – especially this hyperthyroidism, who the heck saw this one coming? – and can happen to anyone. No one’s to blame, but it sure is natural to whine and pout, especially when they keep on coming and coming. What the Mets are dealing with is completely ridiculous!
So with Reyes out potentially into May or June for all we know, the top two in-house options to replace Jose are veteran backup Alex Cora, and 20-yr old minor leaguer Ruben Tejada. As far as my thinking goes, both aren’t the most desirable replacement for different reasons. What can I say about Alex Cora? Come on, he’s pretty substandard no matter how you spin it. He played the most games at shortstop for the Mets last year, and displayed pretty shoddy fielding, with nearly no range. He didn’t make up for his defensive shortcomings at the plate either, hitting just .251 with a woeful .630 OPS. And we go and guarantee him 2 million bucks over the winter. Disgusting… And as for Tejada, I don’t know. He hasn’t shown that much since leaving rookie ball to begin with, but that’s likely because of his young age. The Mets can’t just rush him, promote him to the big club after displaying nothing beyond the lowest level of organized baseball. This could seriously harm his development. He needs to definitely stay in the minor leagues. Like I said, neither route is that attractive looking, but who could’ve seen this calamity with Reyes taking place.
I suppose the silver lining to this whole 2010 so far, is that the injuries – cross your fingers that we don’t suffer any more serious ones, though it may be unavoidable, we are the Mets after all… – is that Beltran and Reyes’ problems have happened very early. The good news is, eventually they will be back. They will be around for the lion’s share of 2010. They both should be around hopefully all summer long. And that’s good, because without these two key components in the Mets wheel, the Mets will likely get off to a slow and sluggish start. I’d be kind of surprised if they didn’t, especially with the wafer-thin 2-5 slots we’re rocking in the starting rotation. But, Reyes and Belt will come back eventually, and hopefully the Mets will take advantage of their returns and have a booming, prosperous summer at Citi Field. For Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya’s sake, I sure hope they do. Though it’s difficult, we’ve got to at least make the attempt to keep our chins high. Remember that Beltran and Reyes will be back, and will be around for the majority of 2010. But man is it going to be hard to endure the first couple weeks of the regular season with them MIA. Brace yourself fans, it’s likely to get a little bumpy. Every game counts, and with these two crucial blows dealt to us already, the season may be cooked before it even starts. Pray, multiple times, that that’s false.
What’s going on in your heads my dear friends? Are you keeping that optimism afloat in your minds, or are you filled with pessimistic thoughts regarding 2010? Can the Mets afford to get off to a slow start, and will Beltran and Reyes’ returns be enough to save face and allow us to contend for a playoff spot? Would you rather see Cora, Tejada, or somebody else man shortstop until Jose returns to the ballclub? Please submit your opinions below, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the latest Mets tragedy. Try to stay positive friends, I know how hard it can be. And finally as always, thank you so much for taking the time to stop and read my blog!
