Steve and the Tank! - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde NY Sports Fans

Friday, August 11, 2006

New York sports fans need to have their heads examined. I don't know what it is, but what makes a Mets fan boo Carlos Beltran on Opening Day? Sure he had bad numbers in 2005, sure he is making a ton of money, but this is how you motivate him to play hard? He played in pain most of last year, so why not chalk it up and start fresh in 2006? What ever happened to turning over a new leaf on Opening Day. Give the guy a chance, we know he is capable.

Now the same thing is happening to ARod over at the Stadium. The Tank wants to trade him. Yankee fans relentlessly boo one of the greatest players in baseball. The situation has gotten so bad that fellow New York 3rd baseman, David Wright, had to come out and defend him!

ARod is "only" projected to have 119 RBIs (after 130 last year when he was MVP) and 34 HR. When I present this info to Yankee fans they say "But he only hits home runs when we are already in the lead."

So what?!?! Pitchers are afraid of him. He still gets the big hits. he can take you deep at anytime. He plays everyday and protects the other batters in the lineup. He plays hard. Only Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter are batting better than him this year (and Daman not by much.)

Contrast the boos with Mike Piazza's return to Shea Stadium. So many standing ovations and cheers. Mike hit a home run and the crowd made him come out for a curtain call. What class. I don't think this ever happened before in Shea Stadium, a player from another team making a curtain call! Mike was reluctant since he did not want to show up the Mets, but said: "The game is nothing without the fans." (Even more class.)

So Mets and Yankee fans you all can learn something from this: stop the unnecessary boos. Boo when someone dogs it, but not because they are in a slump. If you cheer ARod every day you will only help him hit and help the Yankees win. If Carlos Beltran has a slump don't boo, remember all the good he has done this year. These guys are capable, don't forget that. I know booing is as much a New York right as complaining about the subway but show some class. Keep it up and in a few years all the good players won't want to come play here anymore, despite all of George's money.

Posted by Steve in New York.

MLB

Friday, August 11, 2006 2:34:33 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [1] |

Friday, August 11, 2006 11:46:41 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Steve,
I am generally a very positive person and a student of Tony Robbins, the world leader in motivational thinking and doing. However, A-Rod has unfortunately become a fantasy league MVP this year. (I voted for him as MVP last year because he had a great glove and many clutch hits, as many as David "Big Papi" Ortiz who rarely plays the field and only DHs.) Furthermore, A-Rod has had many more errors than he had last year. I was at the Monday, July 17, 2006, game at the Stadium against the Mariners when he had three (3) errors. I still tried to cheer him and encourage him.
As the trade deadline approach, I tried to help the Yankees in the best way possible as GM named "Brian Minaya" and "Omar Cashman", the combination of the Mets and Yankees GMs that you recently dubbed me. I tried to trade A-Rod and the entire Build a Bear Company (recent Mets promotion) to the Mets for David Wright. Unfortunately, you, Linda, and her Mom didn't go for the deal. Since no one else wanted A-Rod, Boston Bob and I agree to swap A-Rod for "Keep 'em close" Randy Johnson. Granted, the first intra-team deal but I am getting desperate. In trying to correct A-Rod's mental issues, I am trying to set-up a Tony Robbinseque fire walk over hot coals to purge the pain and prepare for the NY media and fans instead of sunbathing in Central Park. (BTW, I met Tony after doing the fire walk over 12 feet of hot coals at Unleash the Power Within in New Jersey in September 2002.)
A-Rod's recent errors at Toronto and Chicago cost Mike Mussina and the Yankees critical victories. Mussina, who is a pretty low key guy, has let it get the better of him. I am not saying that A-Rod is a clubhouse cancer but if he can not solve his mental issues, the Yankees will have to try to deal him in the off-season and move in another direction. Until then, there is plenty of baseball left and A-Rod will hopefully calm down and redeem himself. Believe me, I know about trying too hard and trying to satisfy everyone; I struggle with that as much as he does. (I care not to "go there" until a later date. TMI.) Until then, I will continue to try to encourage A-Rod but I will have to boo if he does not advance RISP position as he did in Thursday night's game at the Chicago White Sox.
Go Yankees! / Go Mets! / Go A-Rod!
Tom

The Tank | DjurdjevichAT NOSPAMyahoo dot com

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