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(As everybody knows, I am a neutral sports columnist who never roots, ever. However, I happen to know this Mets fan who is suffering because of their new so-called closer, Frank Francisco. The other night this fan delivered a rant from deep in his tormented soul.)
I can’t stand it. Frank Francisco is the final straw. He has conditioned me to expect the worst, so now I suffer even when he gets them one-two-three the way he did Tuesday night and then again Wednesday afternoon in Pittsburgh. He’s setting us up for something horrendous, I know he is. He even has Howie Rose making jokes. On Tuesday night when Francisco came in with a one-run lead on the road, Howe-on-the-radio was citing the Beatles’ Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite -- about a circus! How apt. We’re all familiar with the frantic organ music and allusions to trampolines and fire and somersaults on the Mr. Kite song. That’s what this Francisco is, a human cannonball, with a 1-3 record and a 6.75 earned-run average after Wednesday. Francisco seems so fragile and erratic, with bad fundamentals with men on base. But Mets fans are used to suffering. Fact is, we have been suffering for a decade and a half with every closer they come up with. What makes it worse is that across town the Yankees have had Mariano Rivera. Never mind Jeter and Bernie and Posada. Rivera put the Yankees over the top while the Mets have had a bunch of high-wire acts. I put some statistics together. Since Rivera became the Yankees’ top closer in 1997 (replacing John Wetteland) he has come jogging out of the bullpen, so calm and assured, and has saved 603 of 672 opportunities, including this year, and now he is injured. That amounts to 69 blown saves by the Yanks’ main closer in 15-plus seasons. The Mets, as far as I can figure it out, have had 86 blown saves in 573 opportunities by their leading closer from 1997 (the Mo Era) through Tuesday night. Somehow, it feels worse. The whole jittery parade of them – John Franco in 1997-98, Armando Benitez had the most saves each year from 1999-2003, good grief Braden Looper for 2004 and 2005 – who even remembers him? – and then Billy Wagner for three seasons and Frankie Rodriguez for three seasons. As far as I’m concerned, Wagner was the most reassuring of the closers because when he was on, he really could blow it past the batter. But sometimes he wasn’t on. Meanwhile, in the Bronx, like a metronome, Mo trots in, they play his music, and then it’s time for New York, New York. Out in Queens, we drive into the night still shaking from fright, even when the Mets hold on. The damage to our nervous system. The damage to our collective psyche. All from the gap between closers. I can’t take it! (The Mets are not about to switch closers this early in the season, not at those prices. A valiant little team, with a manager who seems to have a grip, must depend on a closer who makes people crazy. It’s an occupational hazard for all closers -- except Mo. Poor Mets fans, in such proximity to greatness. Makes me glad I do not suffer like that.)
Michael Green
5/23/2012 09:15:27 am
I am reminded of reading the story of Jon Miller when he was broadcasting a particularly bad Orioles team playing a particularly error-prone game. He very calmly finished the inning, cued the commercial, and then took off his headset and slammed it on the table. 10/3/2012 08:21:25 pm
Maybe it's the photo, but he looks adorable here. I'm actually kinda liking the hair, and the smile, most definitely. :) 5/21/2013 05:13:15 pm
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IT COULD be worse--could be a toronto maple leafs fan..... 4/17/2013 12:24:12 am
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Andy Tansey
5/23/2012 02:12:57 pm
Perhaps the neutral sportswriter who never roots should flirt with the "R" word at least on a come-and-go, on-and-off, temporary basis and rely on his articulate ability to express the heartfelt loyalties transported northeast via the Intaboro. (I honestly couldn't identify one Trolley Dodger who played for the Metsies - although Say-Hey Willie did! - ever the greatest ever in the mind of this Yankees fan.)
George Vecsey
5/24/2012 02:20:58 am
Mr. T: I haven't rooted for a team since late Sept. of 1957. Mets loaded up on old Dodgers -- Hodges, Zimmer, Neal, Craig, Labine, Snider a year later.
Roy Edelsack
5/24/2012 03:50:58 am
Banner in the Polo Grounds in 1963:
Brian Savin
5/25/2012 01:21:11 pm
Fascinating assertion, George, that you haven't rooted since 1957, but I will challenge that statement as beyond belief given the quality of your writing. Your enjoyable reports are produced by an extraordinarily talented, yet very human, being. I myself don't often start out - as a spectator of all sorts of sporting events - with preconceived favorites, but I can't help but develop rooting interest as I watch the action, the effort, and my perception of the mental state of mind of the contestants. I don't believe that you don't do that too. Even though it may be nice for you to believe that you have achieved the perfect Zen state of reporter objectivity, your reporting is just too damn good to be Deep Thought's clone! Great reporting is, in important respects, at least somewhat a product of rooting interest, because that is what most usually begets passion. Not a problem in my book -- it is human to be human. 10/9/2012 02:14:43 am
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George Vecsey
5/24/2012 06:08:38 am
I probably wrote that in Newsday.
Hansen Alexander
5/25/2012 02:02:50 am
George,
George Vecsey
5/25/2012 02:48:48 am
Hansen, that was comparing the leading "closer" vs. Rivera starting in 1997 when he became the Yankee closer.
Ed Martin
5/25/2012 11:42:54 am
Anybodybelse remember Hugh Casey. His song might have been "I'll have Another" or is that a horse?
George Vecsey
5/26/2012 05:13:26 am
Ed, sure I remember. Casey was a horse of a reliever for a while. And in my Musial book I point out that when Slaughter spiked Robinson in 1947, as he jogged back to the Cardinals' dugout, Casey challenged him near the mound. As Joe McDonald pointed out, one white southerner challenged another white southerner. Casey came to a sad end -- committed suicide summer of 51. GV
Ed
5/27/2012 03:06:30 pm
thanks George. a nice thing to remember. I saw him in 46-48
George Vecsey
5/28/2012 04:52:44 am
two strikes, two outs, is when to throw the hellacious pitch. 10/3/2012 05:59:31 pm
He gets a pass this year. But I am worried about some things next year. Hopefully the FO won’t sit on their hands again. 3/22/2013 02:27:25 am
Yeah, you are right but let's hope it's gonna be all right because worries are not very healthy.
Charles in Absecon
5/28/2012 07:54:11 pm
I know the emotional unrest your, uh, friend endures. At particularly aggravating moments over the years, I've been known to utter that "the Mets will be the death of me."
george vecsey
5/29/2012 05:06:05 am
re: manager changing pitchers:
Ed
5/29/2012 09:55:27 am
The Rays, my co-team, have a fine manager now, and they keep coming up with good relievers after trading good ones or losing them. An earlier manager fo
George Vecsey
6/3/2012 04:06:22 pm
The old Branch Rickey adage of better a year too soon than a year too late is applicable. We're all conditiond to relief pitchers parading into the game. 8/20/2012 10:49:01 pm
The old Branch Rickey adage of better a year too soon than a year too late is applicable. We're all conditiond to relief pitchers parading into the game. 8/20/2012 10:50:18 pm
two strikes, two outs, is when to throw the hellacious pitch. 10/9/2012 07:36:53 pm
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