The Mets have never made it easy. For their fans and for themselves. On a glorious summer afternoon where their cross city-rivals in the Bronx presented a classy, unforgettably heartwarming Norman Rockwellesque Old-Timers’ Day, manager Mickey Callaway became mad at Newsday reporter Tim Healey for saying “see you tomorrow.”
It got worse from there. After Callaway referred to Healey as an obscenity, he walked away, only to come back and curse at the reporter once more, ordering him to leave the clubhouse. Leaping before he looked, pitcher Jason Vargas piled on. After a staredown with Healey, he said “I’ll knock you the fuck out, bro,” and had to be restrained from charging at him.
On the following day, the stench of stupidity lingered when Callaway met with reporters. Instead of showing any signs of contrition, he essentially justified the potential violence against Healey by stating “Billy Martin punched a reporter one time…I’m a passionate guy about baseball, I’m a tough competitor.” Aside from the fact that the tragically self-destructive Martin is the last figure you’d want to invoke in these particular circumstances, getting upset about something as harmless as “see you tomorrow” is the complete opposite of tough.
Sometime later, Callaway called the reporters back to the clubhouse and ended up apologizing. Looking like a hostage video in a Mets cap, it was clear that management had forced him to address the media again. Vargas, on the other hand, didn’t bother with an apology. While almost beside the point, he could’ve injured himself had there been a fight. To put it mildly, that’s somewhat counterproductive when you throw a baseball for a living. The whole incident was reminiscent of an episode of Boardwalk Empire, where Bobby Cannavale, as a perpetually aggrieved gangster, gets offended by someone sincerely wishing him good luck, subsequently burning the man to death. The only casualties in this idiotic situation are the reputations of Callaway, Vargas, and of course, the Mets.
Every once in awhile though, the Mets get things right. Their 50th anniversary tribute to the 1969 team that won the World Series was a stellar, indelible ceremony, with the main highlight being Ed Kranepool’s speech. The Bronx native, an original Met, spent his entire career with the organization, from 1962 to 1979. For some music-related perspective on how long that is, the Beatles debuted with “Love Me Do” during his first year, and Paul McCartney released “Goodnight Tonight” in Kranepool’s last year.
That he made it to Citi Field in the first place was, to use a word associated with the ’69 Mets, a “miracle.” Waiting for a kidney transplant for more than two years, the 74-year-old Kranepool finally had surgery on May 7th. Addressing the Mets regarding their disappointing year, he said “They can do it, like we did—you got to believe in yourself.” Kranepool continued with “Good luck. You have half a season. I wish you the best so that we can celebrate in October.” Inspirational, magnanimous words made all the more powerful considering where he was just a month before. Mets broadcasters Gary Cohen, Ron Darling, and Keith Hernandez were understandably emotional. The latter couldn’t even say “Ed Kranepool” without his voice breaking.
The tribute concluded with the ’69 Mets and current team greeting each other. Seeing rookie sensation Pete Alonso (the home run derby champion a week and half later) and Kranepool talk was a brief yet memorable moment, two first basemen separated by 50 years but linked by history, both loyal to the orange and blue. Alonso, an All-Star in only his first year, and a charismatic showman of a ballplayer, is one of the few bright spots for the Mets, endearing himself to the fans on and off the field, such as when he dressed as Robert Plant circa ’75 for Halloween last year. (Led Zeppelin released their first two albums in 1969, with Led Zeppelin II coming out less than a week after the Mets won the World Series.)
Mets fans barely had time to bask in the warm afterglow of nostalgia and promise of the future, as the folly of the present immediately intruded. A day after the ceremony, the Mets apologized to Jim Gosger and Jesse Hudson, both from the ’69 team, for including them in a video montage of deceased players. Before the game, a message ran on the scoreboard expressing regret for the mistake. The Mets couldn’t even get the apology right, as Hudson’s first name had been misspelled as “Jessie.”
That’s how the Mets started the week. They ended it with the instantly legendary “chair-throwing” episode. After a loss to the Phillies, general manager Brodie Van Wagenen met with Callaway and the coaching staff. He reportedly yelled at the coaches, picked up a chair, threw it, and much like Frank Vincent telling Joe Pesci to “go get your fucking shinebox” in Goodfellas, told Callaway to conduct his “fucking press conference.” Callaway will never be confused with Gil Hodges, but Van Wagenen mainly had himself to blame.
This past October, the Mets somehow thought hiring an agent as their general manager would be a good idea. Van Wagenen proceeded to gather players who once were his clients, like Robinson Cano and Jed Lowrie. The former is a 36-year-old who missed most of 2018 because of a suspension due to testing positive for a banned substance, while the latter still hasn’t made an appearance yet for the Mets, essentially an injured list in human form
Both are second baseman, which the Mets didn’t need, as they already had recent All-Star Jeff McNeil, now playing the outfield and currently batting .349, the best in baseball. Van Wagenen traded Jared Kelenic and local hero Justin Dunn (from Freeport, Long Island) the Mets two biggest prospects, to the Mariners for Cano and closer Edwin Diaz. Cano, with four years left on his contract, has had a horrible season, exemplified when he twice didn’t run out ground balls earlier in the year. Diaz is a whole other story. After having a dominant season in 2018, he now seemingly can’t get anybody out.
But wait, there’s more. The Mets also included Jay Bruce in the deal. The Mariners later traded him to the Phillies, a hated division rival. Bruce finished the first half of 2019 with 24 home runs, and most importantly, has helped the Phillies to a 6-1 record against the Mets, going 9-for-26, with four homers and 11 RBIs. Meanwhile, Cano has a grand total of four homers and 18 RBIs.
On Sunday, Newsday perfectly summed up the season so far, when they featured a photo of the Tampa Bay Rays Travis d’Arnaud celebrating his walk-off home run against the Yankees. He spent most of his years with the Mets on the injured list, until they gave up on him back in May. Just below the image of a triumphant d’Arnaud was a photo of Van Wagenen, with the accompanying headline “Brodie threw chair during Mets’ meeting.”
Van Wagenen, Callaway, and Vargas deserve each other. The Mets and their fans, however, deserve better.
Matt Leinwohl