I’ll tell you what they did. They cut more payroll in one season then any other club in history. Yes more then the Marlins who caught so much heat for their fire-sale. They reportedly are cutting over 50 million from their payroll. The truly sad part is the payroll is still at 90 million and they have a terrible team. The Mets are truly playing casino games with their fans. They are basically betting they we are morons and don’t know whats really going on. “Hey look we moved the walls in so our power hitters can hit more homers!” Guess what? We don’t have any power hitters! This just means the opponents hitters are gonna hit more too. Smoke and mirrors folks.

Now we have Sandy Alderson starting a Twitter accounts to make jokes of the Mets financial problems. I know he’s trying to make light of it, but here’s some feedback, stop it. Maybe if you have been around more then 2 years you wouldn’t find it funny. Maybe if you’ve been living the ups and downs of this team for 30 years like I have, you too would have a hard time finding the humor in the slow death that is now the Wilpons and the Mets, Mr Alderson.

The Mets continue to embarrass us as a fan base. Just remember this season, none of this is on the players so don’t take it out on them. I really hope we set another record this year for the Wilpons, and that is the single season attendance drop off. You wont see me at any games that’s for sure. I refuse to support the Wilpons as they leverage our beloved team in an effort to save their financial empire that was based on greed and stupidity. Save your money folks, it’d be better spend at the casino, so click here, I’d rather you waste your money gambling then by putting it in the Wilpon family bail-out!

The thing is this is one of the smarter moves the team has made in awhile, the Omar administration would have just throw cash as him like Ollie P, Castillo or Bay. Let’s face it folks, the Mets are not going to be able to contend for awhile. The Phils still have Halladay et. al. The Braves, Nats and Fish all have young studs and well, we have a AAAA team. By time the Mets are ready to contend again, Jose Reyes will be long past his prime. Signing him would have just added another anchor around a team that needs flexibility going forward.

Even with all of this information, we are forgetting the most obvious thing, JOSE IS INJURY PRONE! The Mets definitely cannot afford to take a risk on someone who’s legs have been a problem for most of his career. Jose wanted six years, how productive are those legs going to be in the second part of this contract. For a guy who came back this year after an injury and forgot what a stolen base looked like and couldn’t hit a triple in a triples ballpark, the risk was too much. If we were talking about a power hitter at 34 versus a leadoff guy at 34 are too totally different things.

There is definitely blame to the Wilpon’s in this mess however, they gambled with the Mets money and lost. A team that was adding a $20 million piece an off-season is now reduced to cutting payroll left and right. If this was 5 years ago regardless of how competitive the team was they would have been able to sign Jose to a huge contract. Those days have past us and because of the Wilpon’s we will be reduced to Gee, Duda and Murphy as our best players instead of Beltran, Delgado and Reyes. The ownership is a complete joke in my opinion and things are only getting worse. You can’t blame Jose for running away from the joke that is the Mets.

Lastly, how can anyone be surprised? The Mets are bad, remember the jokes from a few years ago that people didn’t want to play for the Mets, do you think that idea has changed with a few more bad seasons? Are you surprised Jose chased money and moved to Miami. Jose showed his true colors on the last day of the season. Jose didn’t stay in for the fans or to help the team, he cared about his batting title. He doesn’t care about the Mets, he cares about Jose. This is the same guy that fought with Jerry Manuel in the first inning of Jerry’s career in front of everyone to see. Of course, he would chase the money, I am not shocked.

I think most Met fans I know have my same sentiment about Jose and that it is was smart to let him go. I would also go as far as saying that like the Phillies most Met fans are going to hate this guy when he is not in your uniform. Here’s to the Marlins being stuck with a bad contract in a few years!

Secondly, they have decided to change the fence distance and height. This is a great move, this field has all but killed the careers of David Wright and Jason Bay. Flat out, the designed the park for Jose Reyes to hit triples and ignored David Wright. Now that Reyes is going to leave them high and dry, there is a chance they may be able to resurrect David’s career and keep him happy enough to stay in Queens.

Simple things like the fence and dropping the black may not forge this team to first place but I think as simple as they are they do show signs of improvement. The Mets are listening and under this leadership are making smarter decisions. The Mets have seen that there original plan is not working and the Mets play at home this season forged this move. The field is definitely in batter’s head and something had to be done. Instead of wasting another season, the Mets can at least try to make Citi Field, the home we all have been waiting to make it. Hopefully, in the years to come the team will make us forget Shea and think of Citi as home sweet home.

There is no doubt that all Mets fans that were alive in 1986 and remember cheering for the team can fondly remember this Mets club. Take more for example, right now I am watching game 7 of the 1986 series. My room is decorated with such items as a 1986 World Series banner and in my closet I could throw on a Mex, Nails, Doc or Straw jersey.

Whether it is baseball season or not, whether the Mets are the joke of baseball, I can also put on the old Year To Remember video. I can always tell the story of how I fell asleep when the ball went through Buckner’s legs with a smile. I claim my fondest Shea Stadium memory as the 20th year reunion in 2006.

For the Met fan, 1986 will always have a huge hold in our hearts. However, if the Mets had won 27 titles would be look at this team the same way. If the Mets had won in 84, 88, 90, etc., etc., etc., would 1986 jump out as much. My answer is no, the more they would have won would have taken the individuality out of this year. However, this club had so many characters that it would be hard to say it would not have been one of the best eras of Mets baseball.

To answer the question I would give it up all of those memories to have more then one title in my lifetime. I’m sure for Yankee fans those titles of the late 90′s and early 00′s blend together and that none of those individual teams are as important to them as the 1986 one is for Mets fans but nothing beats winning.

The Mets have had just a few close calls since 1986 and the Met fan is left wondering will I ever see this team win again? I’m sure the Yankee fan is just wondering when the next one is coming, not if. As I get older and my parents do too, I hope that one more time in our lifetimes, we will be able to share that moment of seeing the Mets bring it home. The feeling of celebrating with them would more then outweigh the banners, the VHS tapes and the jerseys.

I maybe thirty years old but I consider myself old school. If I had Doc Brown’s time machine, just like Marty McFly I grab some Air Mag’s and a book of sports results to bring to a Vegas casino but first I would love to go watch some baseball, catch Babe Ruth in the 20′s and Willie, Mickey and the Duke in 50′s.

Hearing the story as a kid of how Ted Williams played in a double header and brought his average from .3995 to .406 is legendary and it is a beautiful part of a wonderful game. What Jose Reyes did during his last game of the 2011 season is nothing less then cowardly. It to me is shortcut and I feel the same as if he was caught using performance enhancers. He cheated the game, he cheated himself and he cheated Ryan Braun.

In his last game for the Mets, Reyes got a bunt base hit and pulled himself out of the game to hold on to his lead. How about all the Met fans who only showed up to see Jose off and give him the respect that up until this point he deserved. No thought of anyone else here but himself, not the game, not the fans just Jose.

This is why I feel he is gone, Jose is not all about the team or doing things the right way. How many times has he not run hard, or how can we forget calling out Jerry Manuel in his first ever game managing. Jose is me first, team second and with that philosophy, he is going to run to the money. He can talk all he wants about the Mets and wanting to be here but he would pick playing for the Toledo Mud Hens if it paid more then in Queens.

Jose is what is wrong with sports, cocky, obnoxious, and here for himself. Just wait and see, he is going to chase that money. I think he showed his true colors yesterday and all I can say is good riddance. This is not the type of player I want to build around because just like the last three years, this team has gone nowhere with players like Jose.

So far the Mets have carried up their side of the bargain and I have to say that after a very ugly 5 and 13 start, I have held up my side of the bargain by watching as much as possible.

In 2005, we got a new manager, some of our youth and free agents started molding together and built up something special for the following season. Watching in 2005, I had hope and knew 2006 was going to be a year to remember. I feel that this group could be starting to bring some of those feelings come back.

The term that we heard over and over again was “grit”, in the past we didn’t have it, now it is a word that many used to define this team. The Turner’s, the Murphy’s, Pagan’s etc. have carried the team while superstars Wright, Davis and Santana mend injuries. These guys want to win and play the game hard. Yes, we have to deal with this occassional dumb mistake but they are giving their all.

It is really amazing that this team has played 9 or so games over .500 since that awful beginning and have only picked up steam after Davis and Wright were sidelined. If the bullpen could have held up lately this team could be ahead for the wild card. It shows you the job Terry Collins has done. The thing that has me on TC’s side especially is hearing Jose Reyes’ comments and love for him.

Speaking of Jose, a lot has been said but he is the NL MVP at this point. I am so shocked people gave up so early on Jose, he always has been one of the most talented players in baseball but only has been slowed by injuries never a lack of talent. I think that the support that the7line and others have shown for Jose will likely keep him in town at least until the end of the season but I think there is still a big chance that he doesn’t get the contract offer he deserves from the Mets and could walk to a team like the Red Sox.

Who knows what the next three and a half months will hold in store for the Mets but I hope that it will be enough to give us hope that we can get back to where we need to be in 2012.

So what have I been doing lately to keep my attention? I’ve been doing a little wagering. I love to gamble on the NFL and do it in all kinds of crazy ways, but baseball never really interested me. I started to work with a new guy and he’s crazy about betting the MLB. After hearing about how he does it and realizing it’s really not that complicated as long as you follow baseball I decided to give it a shot. If your interested here is the site I use, it has a comprehensive list of all the MLB Odds. It’s been super easy to use.

Let me tell you, the other night when Daniel Murphy launched that homer in the 8th inning of that game against the Nationals I went nuts. I’d normally go nuts anyways, but with some bills on the line too I was ecstatic. I probably haven’t felt like that since 2006. Totally ridiculous I know but hey, it’s what I do, haha.

Anyways thanks for hanging with us, we are still here, we still love our Mets baseball, and Lets Go Mets!

Amazon: Amazin’ Avenue Annual 2011: New York Mets Preview
Official Site: Amazin Avenue Annual
Amazin Avenue: Check out the blog

I placed my order for mine today, and am looking forward to checking it out. I post a review of it once I get a chance to sit down with it in a week or two.

My only question is how can a dude get to be a a part of this? It’s a goal for 2011!

How can we expect the team to put it behind then, how can we create a new “culture” and chart a new direction for the franchise if we as fans and bloggers constantly harp on the negative. I’m a married man, and I am far from perfect, and if my wife continually harped on all the stupid stuff I’ve have done in the past, the future wouldn’t be a happy one. Instead you learn from the little issues and create a great future together. Much can be the same with the Mets. Lets hope that the Mets can learn from the past and use it as motivation. A new page is being written now with the new front office, a transition that I love and have high hopes for in the long run.

As a website I want to start to focus our attention on the field. As fascinated as I am with the entire Madoff story, it really wont have any(more) effect on this current team so I will try to put that to the back burner. It’s a huge story, and one I will personally follow closely, but I will promise to not let it effect the day-to-day operations of the team … blog.

Lets have fun and watch some baseball. It’s a great time of year. Take realistic expectations and try to find storylines you want to follow closely this season. For me I am really anxious to see what Thole and Davis can do in Year 2. I am a youth/prospect guy so I love to watch players develop. Find the little niches that will interest you day to day, I find it helps a lot and can draw you into the team even more.

Spring training 2011 is upon us, so let’s play ball.

I think the new Mets brain trust will at least lead the team in the right direction this season. Trust me, I don’t think the Mets are going to even make the playoffs this year. Maybe contending for the Wild Card into deep August or September would please me. I don’t know if success this season will be matched in wins and losses. I think it will be just changing the culture, getting rid of the cancers of the team and locker room and getting a winning feeling amongst the team.

My idea is that Alderson will try to clean up the roster and focus on player development in the minors and the draft. We know that for awhile the big spending days may be over and the Mets will look to pick up players along the way like the champion Giants did. An Aubrey Huff, a Cody Ross, this are the guys I feel we will go after. Guys you need on a pennant winner, not what the Mets tried to do and that was copy the Yankees and just throw money at everyone.

2005 was kind of an exciting season, we cleaned up after the previous manager had made a mess, we had youngsters who were also showing signs and it led to a winning season and for the next year a magical season. I am hoping that this Alderson/Collins combination can do that. Make it exciting, make me want to watch every game, make me want to spend my money at Citi Field and I will be a happy man.