Meet the new (backup) shortstop

This is the stuff bankruptcy will do to you. The Mets acquired 28-year-old Ruben Tejada...um...sorry, 28-year-old Ronny Cedeno to backup Ruben Tejada. You see, in my mind, Cendeno and Tejada are the same player (I'd like to see them in the same room at the same time). Both can play some D, both will struggle at the plate, neither has a ton of speed. Tejada wins this "battle" because Cedeno has a propensity to strike out, evidenced by his career numbers. How does that Who song go, "meet the new boss, same as the old boss...the parting on the left is now a parting on the right"? Baseball decisions are being made at the Goodwill Store now, and as a partial season-ticket holder, I feel violated.

As Steve from The Kranepool Society points out in a recent blog post, it's hard to have sympathy for the Wilpons, because we, the fan base, feel like they're not being up front with us. Why were CRG Associates brought in? This firm helped the Rangers through bankruptcy, and helped engineer their ultimate sale to Nolan Ryan's group. Does that necessarily mean they're working with the Wilpons for the same reason? No. But does it give the customer base, the people who buy tickets, merchandise, beer, and Shake Shack concessions, reasonable cause for concern? Yes. And what do the Mets do? They tweet, and I'm not kidding, that all is ok here and the CRG provides many different services. OK, fine. But Reyes is gone, the payroll will be down $50 million, and the Mets are at a standstill while the division (did ya hear Fielder to the Nats?) gets better. And all is ok here? What is this, spin control after the Titanic struck ice? Anyone hear a band playing "Nearer my God to Thee?"

It's January 7th. We're about 6 weeks to pitchers and catchers, and less than 2 months until the first Grapefruit League game. I renewed my tickets and I will be there all summer. But, man alive, as my friend Jason's FB page says, "It Hurts Being a Mets Fan".