Mets: Rojas Chides Fans, Cohen’s Pep Talk, Not The Right Message

Mets manager Luis Rojas touched the third-rail with Mets fans, loyal and true always. Then Cohen shows up for a misguided pep talk – Oh, my…

No big revelation, the Mets suck at the moment. There’s no need to expand on that.

Nor should it be any surprise that Mets fans are down and disappointed by the recent outcome of games played by the Mets.

Apparently, Rojas does not get that Mets fans are real, emotional, and all “New York.”

Please scroll down to the comments received from Mets fans in yesterday’s column to get a feel for their frustration.

So, why does Luis Rojas feel it necessary to be the dad at Little League games when his son has struck out three times but tells him, “Don’t worry, son. It’s how you play the game that counts.”

Yet, Rojas felt compelled to tell the New York Daily News:

“Fans should be supporting the guys at this point,” Rojas said. “These guys, they come in every day ready to play, ready to give their 100%, and I think all of them need their support. Nothing more than positive support will help the player play at their best – knowing that they have their fan base behind them.”

Like Mets fans don’t know this, Luis?

Mets: How Was The Limo Ride To Philadelphia, Steve?

Then, Mets owner Steve Cohen picked yesterday to show up, in Philadelphia no less, to deliver a pep talk to his players and fans.

Unbeknownst to Cohen, perhaps, his Mets were on tap to face a realistic candidate for the NL Cy Young Award in former Met Zack Wheeler. Bad timing, Steve, as Wheeler threw a complete-game shutout against his team – and by the way – the Mets were trying (Luis), and they don’t mail games in.

Sorry, but Steve Cohen had his chance at the trade deadline to help the players in the Mets clubhouse.

He chose not to, authorizing only the trades for Rich Hill and Javier Baez, who is currently on the Injured List along with the Mets “big play” of the offseason, Francisco Lindor.

Steve Cohen should have stayed home, or if nothing else, he could have reminded everyone (to the effect that), “I said this was going to be a three-year endeavor to complete the task at hand. The players will continue to play hard, and the chips will fall where they may need this year. Let’s not make this more than it is…”

Pete, The Time For Talking Is Not Now

Pete Alonso also fell into the trap of uttering meaningless words when he should not be talking – except with his bat.

Alonso’s confidence remains unswayed….duh, we hope so, Pete…

“I understand for us, this is a very important time of the year, but we have a bunch of games (51) left to make a difference and come out on top,” Alonso said. “I have no doubt in my mind that this is going to be far behind us. In a week from now, two weeks from now, no one’s going to talk about this. It’s going to be over and done.”

It doesn’t help the cause either with the juxtaposition of the back pages of New York newspapers heralding the surge by the Yankees while the Mets have plummeted to third place.

Mets: Que, Sera, Sera

However, the fact is that Luis Rojas, Steve Cohen, writers like myself, or the legion of Mets fans have zero effect on the rest of the 2021 season.

The players control their destiny, and it doesn’t matter who is or isn’t suited up to play their next game, because as former Mets manager Terry Collins once said, “I don’t care who you are because when you put on a major league uniform, I expect you to play like a major leaguer.”

Are the Phillies and Braves better teams than the Mets? It’s a moot question, though, because all that matters is they are playing better than the Mets now.

It’s August, and soon it’ll be September, and the number of opportunities for all teams is winding down.

Mets fans have seen the team’s upcoming schedule, and they recognize the challenge ahead when only the Dodgers and Giants appear from August 13-August 27.

Root, root, root. A pep talk, pep talk, pep talk – nothing can escape the Mets from a quirk in their schedule that comes about at a most inopportune time.

The Mets have only three games remaining with the Phillies and Braves, with the last three of the season coming in Atlanta.

This is not a good scenario for the Mets to make up for any lost time.

So, how about we let the season play out?

And don’t kill me for this, but there’s an upcoming winter boding for opportunities that afford the Mets a chance to upgrade their roster.

The Free Agent Class of 2022 has a wealth of talent, both pitchers and position players the Mets can be in on, along with subtractions like Michael Conforto and Javier Baez, neither of whom should be re-signed.

Mets: It Ain’t Rationalizing If It’s The Truth

Remember, too, the dog days of summer in August 2020, when the Mets and their fans were still entrenched with the Wilpons and Brodie Van Wagenen, memories that should still be fresh.

The NL East was set up to be a dogfight among four teams, any of whom, with a stroke of luck and a mini-outburst, were capable of finishing on top.

But that’s it because no team in the NL East has a chance in hell to beat the Brewers, Giants, Dodgers, or the Padres to reach the World Series – and that most definitely includes the Mets without Jacob deGrom.

But, with a $200+ million payroll and $14 billion in the bank, I don’t want to hear about injuries because we can ask the Atlanta Braves about that, too.

So, what’s the point?

It’s simple, the Mets need only to play the rest of the schedule out, showing up every day and ready to play hard – but always remembering – not as a crutch but the fact that this is the first of a three-year plan Steve Cohen has promised to deliver on.

We witnessed this year, for instance, the work that needs to be done regarding the Mets farm system, with no one to reach down to when the team needed them.

Next year, the pressure increases, and the following season, it explodes as Mets fans hold Steve Cohen to his word – but not today…

Here’s What Readers Are Saying…

Lori McNicholas Let’s Go Mets 

Joseph Cumia Why I think Mets fans are acting like this is (because) we want a championship. 25 years since we (had) one, so (what do you)  expect. This is coming from a Mets fan since 1967

Jim Russell Steve Contursi, your best piece so far! Let’s see what everyone has to say AFTER the 13 games against those two top teams. Yup, that’s all we can do.

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