"We May Not Be"

There has been no lack of material to write about the Mets.  There has been ownership's financial losses in a Ponzi scheme, the resultant offer to sell a minority interest in the team, revelations that Major League Baseball secretly loaned them millions of dollars last year, and bargain basement signings during the off-season.

Now that the season is underway, the Mets have the worst record in baseball and through 18 games, the third worst start in club history, surpassed only by the 1962 and 1964 seasons when the Mets lost 120 and 109 games respectively.  Someone who cared could explain this with player anecdotes or tell-tale statistics, but I don't care.

Many of the Mets fans I chat with also say they don't care.  One guy at work ends every conversation about the team by declaring he will not attend a single game this year.  His protestations make me think of the 1975 hit single by 10cc.

I swear it is not because I am an unrequited fan that I quote R.A. Dickey, the anatomical anomaly turned knuckle-baller who went 11-9, 2.84 last year after signing a minor league contract with the Mets.  After his loss on Wednesday (1-3, one no decision), Dickey told the media

"We have to find a way to be honest with ourselves about what kind of team we are.  We can't keep telling ourselves,
'Oh, we're a better team than this.'
We may not be."  That is sheer poetry.