Opinion

Mets Gaining Reputation As Not-So- Lovable Losers

Murphy's Law: Anything than can go wrong, will.

When I search "New York Mets" these days on the internet, I see a whopping increase in stories outlining the inexplicable ineptitude of New York's second best baseball club.

I also see a glut of blogs and websites dedicated to lamenting on the travels and travails of this comically dysfunctional organization. It's unreal the amount of effort that is going into these things. 

When he was signed in the 2008-2009 offseason, Juan Cruz was of the few Dayton Moore acquisitions met with widespread approval. Having waited to sign Cruz until the market shook itself out, Moore found himself nabbing Juan Cruz for a mere $6 million over two years with a club option that would bring that total to $9.5 million if exercised.

In December of 2004, Red Sox veteran catcher Jason Varitek was named the Red Sox's team captain, the first captain since outfielder Jim Rice in the 1980's. However, fastforward to 2010 and the 37-year old is now the back-up to Victor Martinez.

What has happened to Varitek in a period of six years? Could it involve off-field issues, such as the 2009 divorce between him and wife Karen? Is it simply old age? Whatever the answer, one only has to look to Varitek's stats to understand the magnitude of his rapid decline.

There's no doubt that baseball is a kid's game. 

There's nothing like trying on your very first pair of cleats, or having your very first bag of sunflower seeds. 

Baseball is built on the foundation of youth. Many of us dreamt about playing under the lights of Yankee Stadium at one point or another during our childhood. And many of us had aspirations of becoming a major league ball-player someday.  

My Grandpa was a lover to those close to him and a fighter against the disease that eventually took him away from his loved ones. He was an avid baseball fan, a man of courage and faith and mostly, a caring, supportive and loving grandpa to me.

With former Chicago White Sox star Frank Thomas announcing his retirement on Friday, the thought crossed my mind to what his legacy will be.

Just a few years back, there were questions whether he would be a Hall of Famer.

Now it seems to be a slam-dunk that not only will he get in, but that it will be the highest honor of all—first ballot.

But is Frank Thomas really a Hall of Fame baseball player?

Statistically he is. With 521 career home runs, a .301 lifetime batting average, 1,704 ribbies, and a .419 OBP, am I crazy for even asking this question?

I would like to begin this article by saying that I've recently joined "BleacherReport" and I will continuously be writing and commenting on the Atlanta Braves. I would sum up the braves off season as high-risk high-reward.

When Red Sox pitchers and catchers report for spring training, there will be one player in particular to keep an eye on. 

29-year-old right-hander Josh Beckett is entering the final season of a three-year contract extension. He is slated to earn $12.5 million, and the major question is: Will the Red Sox sign Beckett to another extension?

Today we are completing our quick tour of the NL East with our favorite team: the New York Metropolitans!  2009 was a tough year for the Mets as they were beset by a plague of injuries and ended up finishing fourth in the NL East ahead of only the lowly Nationals.