These are dark days for the New York Metropolitans. The ownership group known as Sterling Equities has made clear that it is willing, indeed anxious, to sell up to 25% of the team to raise funds that will allow the team to continue operating.
Carlos Beltran's knee apparently isn't going to make it through spring training, let alone a 162 game season. Jose Reyes is as good as gone by midseason. And now the most recent blow. Word is that Johan Santana might not pitch at all during the 2011 season and when he returns to pitching he might be just a shell of the brilliant ace the team thought it was paying top dollar for.
One Mets fan, 34 year old Brandon Russell of Manhattan has had enough. We caught up with Russell at a deli near his apartment. Here's what he told us.
"All my life I've rooted for the Mets through thin and thinner. (Thanks a lot DAD. I blame you!) The whole thing is stupid. Nothing good or encouraging ever happens with this team. Do you see that garbage they're trying to pawn off to us at second base. Oliver Perez is still with them. Come on already. It's just too much."
We tried to introduce the idea that the new GM Alderson and his top lieutenants plan to turn things around. But the young fan wouldn't hear of it.
"Sure Alderson is a sharp guy but how is he going to do anything when the budget looks to be shrinking to the size of that of the Pirates'?"
We then asked what Russell plans to do. Will he stop being a Mets fan?
"I wish I could. But they're in my blood. I can't totally ditch them. But I've been giving it some thought and here's what I will do. I am going to change 25% of my allegiance to another team and just leave myself a 75% Mets fan. If it's good enough for Fred Wilpon it's good enough for me."
So what team will it be?
"Now that's a tough one. I can't see myself pulling for another NL East team even though I do enjoy the racing Presidents in Washington. I have friends in Chicago who like the Cubs and White Sox. But I don't want to have to choose among them and anyway the Cubs make it to the playoffs even less often than the Mets."
How about Texas, we suggested?
"That's not a bad idea. There's the whole Nolan Ryan connection with the Mets. They're a great up and coming team. But I wonder if others would see me as climbing aboard the bandwagon. You know, I always hate those front-runner kind of guys. I'll give the Rangers some more thought but I'm not feeling it."
So who does that leave?
"I think it's gonna be the Twins. Not too big, not too small. Gardenhire's an ex-Met and a great manager. They compete and play the game the right way. I'm really leaning towards becoming a Twins fan - at least one quarter of one."
We had to throw this in. Any chance of it being the Yankees?
Russell laughed out loud and said, "Yeah, right. I'd rather gnaw off my right arm!"
All articles featured on The Apple are fictitious. No Mets were harmed in the writing of this story. Story by Larry Smith. You can follow Larry Smith on twitter @dr4sight
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