New York Mets

If there's one thing Met fans know about their fandom, it's this: it takes some thick skin to root for this team.

We have to contend with the constant noise from Yankee fans who revel in tearing down our "little brother" of a team, while also crowing about championships they won in the 20's and 30's. 

In July of 2005, the Mets signed outfielder Fernando Martinez out of the Dominican Republic for roughly $1.4 million. At the time, the signing was seen as a pivotal move in making the Mets a winning franchise following the acquisitions of Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran.

Decimated By Injuries, Poor Play and Lack Of Depth But Somehow Still Alive

Omar Minaya can continue to preach to the media about his club 'having the chips' to swing a major deal in the next few weeks to revive his fluttering franchise.

The reality is - he doesn't. The rest of baseball is awaiting his futile call. The price for any player worth his salt will be astronomical.  The reason?  Other teams know the Mets are in trouble and will bend them over a barrel in any type of trade.

"Will you sign my magazine?"
"Aww, sure thing, sweetie. Who should I make it out to?"
"Well…uh…to eBay?"
"That's a popular name today!"

-From Futurama

New New York Mets Pitcher Turanga Leela meets her fans.

Two weeks ago today, the Mets endured one of the toughest regular season losses in franchise history when Luis Castillo dropped a pop-up with two outs, allowing the tying and winning runs to score in the ninth inning for the Yankees.

Everyone was wondering how the team, but more specifically, Castillo would respond.

Since that fateful night in the Bronx, the Mets are playing .500 baseball (6-6), but took 3-of-4 against the Cardinals to put themselves just half a game behind the first place Phillies.

June 21, 2009.

That was the day.  Doesn't seem so long ago.  I was sitting in my weekend plan seats, watching the Mets' bullpen implode and force them to lose their fourth straight series. 

It was sometime late in that game where I realized the Mets were extremely depleted, and had no realistic shot at the division.  By the time Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, Oliver Perez, John Maine, J.J. Putz and Billy Wagner (phew) returned, it would be too late. They might make a run, but it would be far too little.

To review part I, click here. To review part II, click here.

What the New York Mets achieved in 1969 was truly amazing and the world witnessed not only mans first steps on the moon but equally remarkable, the first World Championship by a National League team in New York in 14 years.

The following took place during the 2008 winter:

Once upon a time there lived a young boy. He wasn’t so young. In fact, he was 26. His name was Fernando Alexis Nieve, and he was a pitcher that had been buried in the Houston Astros’ organization for almost 10 seasons. He had glimpses of time in the big leagues, but nothing substantial.

Since being signed as an amateur free agent in 1999, Nieve had pitched just 25.1 innings at the big league level. His ERA was above six, and the future looked bleak.

But then something happened.