Mets: What we missed most about the Amazins during the endless offseason

Our Team: The Amazins

What more could be said about the current Mets roster that hasn’t been said a hundred times over during the exciting summer of 2019?

Fan favorite, Pete Alonso, summed it up best last season with his creative take on the current clubhouse as, “One, big animal kingdom.” Last April, the “Polar Bear,” fashioned names for several of his teammates, including Michael Conforto (“silky elk”), Brandon Nimmo (“golden retriever”), J.D. Davis (honey badger), Wilson Ramos (“Buffalo”), and Jeff McNeil (“Squirrel”).

So was it a coincidence they all thrived in their roles as the season went on, or could this highlight how the interactions between this tight-knit group of athletes motivated them and their performances together on the field?

Based on the excitement they generate together, who wouldn’t miss seeing these young athletes compete on the same field as a team? Not only is their collective talent playoff-caliber level, but they’re fun to watch and apparently exciting to be around too! Invigorated by Mets sensation, Alonso and this band of dynamic youngsters were what Mets fans looked forward to watching all winter, and through this baseball-less spring.

Watching our young guys play on a daily basis, and witnessing walk-off home runs reached new heights of excitement last summer. I mean, who doesn’t miss Alonso ripping off someone’s jersey in celebration of a win?

But that’s not all there is to miss: from Pete Alonso’s power displays at the plate and nickname assignments; to Nimmo’s electrifying walks to first base; to Conforto’s everyday smoothness; to McNeil’s at-bats and dynamic style of play in the field; and JD Davis and Dom Smith’s brotherly relationship on display in Spring Training, there’s so much that we were looking forward to this season.

2020 had so much potential and Mets fans are looking forward to experiencing some great moments come the end of July.

I’m sure an Alonso-bomb would cheer anyone up right now.

Watching a New Skipper

One of the biggest stories, and later scandals, of this past offseason was who would succeed former Mets manager, Mickey Callaway after two stagnant seasons. Although the initial excitement at the prospect of Carlos Beltrán assuming the position turned to frustration, fans were eager to support Luis Rojas – who should hardly (and isn’t) be seen as a second choice.

The 38-year-old son of 3-time All-Star, Felipe Alou, and brother of former All-Star Moises Alou, was highly regarded for his rise throughout the Mets organization – first as the manager of the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies from 2017-2018, and then as the 2019 Quality Control Coach under Callaway – where he developed close relationships with several of the Mets current major league stars.  It’s no surprise then, that Rojas was set to manage his first MLB season.

However, since baseball has been put on hold, Mets fans have literally been missing Rojas’ first season as skipper. We’re also missing how he would have managed the most dynamic Mets roster in years (even more so than the 2015 squad), as this year’s roster is young, dynamic, and not so heavy of veterans.

There were also storylines we looked forward to seeing how our new manager would deal with this season. What was the Stro-show going to be like during Marcus Stroman’s walk-year? Would we have seen Jed Lowrie actually play a series in a Mets uniform for a change? Would Seth Lugo continue his dominant relief in tight situations, or would he excel as a starter (which became a possibility after Syndergaard went down with Tommy John surgery)?

This was also Yoenis Céspedes’ last contractual year in a Mets uniform, and fans had hoped we’d see him on the field once more (mid-season probably since he is still injured). What’s a Mets season though without some intrigue? Watching how Rojas managed the bullpen saga/drama with notable Mets relievers Edwin Diaz and Jeurys Familia and their possible redemption season would have also been something to see, as his predecessor and his staff never seemed to figure it out.

And of course, everyone was looking forward to Jacob deGrom’s chance at history. But how much of this 60-game season will be taken seriously? Time will tell.

The Ballpark

I think we’ve established that there’s nothing like baseball in the Big Apple. In fact, it could be argued that the only thing the Wilpon family ever got right as owners is the design of Citi Field. League consensus is that the Mets have a beautiful ballpark – that it is a much better venue than Yankee Stadium is as far as many New York baseball fans are concerned.

Just coming to Citi Field (or anywhere, really) ranks high among what fans miss most about a stalled season aside from actually watching live games. In fact, I would venture to guess that fans are even missing the $13 beers right about now.

Whether it’s a Friday night or a Sunday afternoon, though, fans are missing more than a summer spent at the ballpark. From the excitement that 9-innings of baseball can impart on its dedicated audiences to Citi Field’s usual hosting of firework nights, sponsored bobble-head and T-shirt giveaways, a day or night at the ballpark is unlike the experience of any other sporting event.

Aside from the incredible views, fans miss the feeling of watching the game and cheering our players as they take the field, including the Rising Home Run Apple we miss seeing, especially if it came off the bat Pete Alonso.

But for the fans in attendance, there’s more to these games in between innings that make this an unforgettable experience, which is why we miss gimmicks like Mr. (and Mrs.) Met – although I’m not sure Noah Syndergaard does.

The Fans

Finally, we miss the camaraderie of being together with each other! The New York Mets fan base out in right-center field is a passionate, and traveling set, of Mets fanatics. Their color-coordination and enthusiasm about their team permeates through us all – Even General Manager, Brodie Van Wagenen joined them last summer.

But for all Mets fans, 2020 has deprived us of one of the most anticipated seasons in recent memory for a base that has known more rebuilding years than winning seasons. In fact, if last summer taught us anything, it is how impactful a full crowd at the ballpark can be on its players, and the electricity the team derives from them.

Hopefully, in the 60-game sprint of this new, shortened season, fans will finally taste baseball once again while getting to watch the players we’ve missed so much since baseball activities ceased in mid-March.

And with a fresh crop of prospects set to resume their auditions for a spot on the big league roster (like INF Andrés Giménez or LHP David Peterson), Mets fans will have tons to watch, debate, and share about their team this July when Spring Training facilities resume baseball activities throughout the country.

And speaking of power, the fans may just get to see Yoenis Céspedes back in the lineup come Opening Day. Only time will tell, but if there’s one thing Mets fans have to a fault, it’s faith in their team and an undying hunger to watch them compete.

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