New York Mets manager Buck Showalter is as disappointed as anyone regarding the team's performance in 2023. Coming off of a 101-win season and a Manager of the Year award, Showalter appeared to be the captain that would steer Steve Cohen's MLB yacht into the World Series. That excursion may be short lived.
Each year, as the Major League Baseball trade deadline comes and goes, many fans are left disappointed, as they watch their favorite player or players shipped to a new city. These days, most of those deals are done to save a little money or to buy into the team's future with prospects.
So much has to go right for a major league team to play 162 games, win all of their playoff series and then four games in the World Series, against the other league's best team. Even more would have to go right for the Amazin' Mets.
[bran
Should the New York Yankees actually thank one of their cross-town rivals for the power surge displayed by one of the Pinstripes' stars during the 2022 playoffs? It seems like they should.
Money can't buy happiness, nor can New York Mets owner Steve Cohen buy a World Series for his team's fanbase. Cohen will certainly try but it's not going to happen in 2023. Here are 5 reasons why:
A few weeks back, the New York Mets and first baseman Pete Alonso agreed to a 1-year $14.5 million contract to avoid salary arbitration. Alonso, coming off of a 40 HR and 131 RBI season in 2022, is still under team control until after the 2024 campaign. Mets fans would love to see 'Polar Bear Pete' make his home in Queens for the rest of his career. However, the Amazin's may encounter some icy waters before a contract like that gets done.
On the same evening that New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge crushed his American League record, and non-steroid era record, 62nd home run, the Bombers' crosstown, National League little brother was making some MLB long-ball history of their own. After winning the first game of the doubleheader, with a whisper of hope of winning the NL East, the New York Mets needed to come out firing on all cylinders and that they did at a historic pace.
He is certainly the most popular player on the New York Mets and for the last two All Star Home Run Derbies, he has been a fan favorite, as well. On Monday, the Amazin's first baseman slugger and two-time defending champion, Pete Alonso confirmed that he will indeed participate in the 2022 mid-summer classic Derby. It's not really a surprise since the man dubbed the "polar bear" seems to REALLY love this event.
As the first day of summer dawns, the two New York Major League Baseball teams are on a collision course for another Subway World Series for the first time in more than two decades. The Yankees have the best record in baseball. The Mets have the second best scorecard. In a few weeks, the two will face off for their regular season series. Maybe then we will see which team is better. However, which team has the best all around player? Who is the king of New York baseball?
True New York Mets fans hold their breath, wait for the next shoe to drop, etc, until about the second week in October. When that rare occurrence happens and their beloved team makes the playoffs, they will be generally satisfied and begin to enjoy the winning experience. Until that point, it's early and plenty of bad stuff can and has happened to this franchise.
As kids, my father would tell us not to fight but if we did, choose your battles wisely. On Wednesday afternoon in St. Louis, as the New York Mets were taking on the Cardinals in the final game of a three game series, a former manager of the Tri City ValleyCats decided he was going to pick the guy they nicknamed the 'Polar Bear.'