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So it's been a couple of days. It didn't even get that much coverage on WFAN or in the news since the Giants and Jets are approaching the end of the season. But now that the news has settled in I'm beginning to understand layers to why I hate Reyes leaving so much.
First of all, there's the obvious. We all loved seeing this:
And now we're going to see this:
But it's more than that.
I spoke with my brother when it all went down and he told me "I just can't believe I can't root for someone who has been a Met since he was 16." In this era of free agency it's increasingly rare to find that true franchise player. The Ozzie Smiths, the Cal Ripkens, even the Derek Jeters are becoming more and more rare in today's Major League Baseball.
So the more I digest the fact that Reyes is gone, the more I hate that he went to the Marlins. Not just because he's in the division, but because of who the Marlins are. They build their team up, they break them down (wash, rinse, repeat.) They frequently boast the most pathetic, apathetic, and abysmal attendance year in and year out. Maybe it's something in Florida, because Tampa can't even fill the seats when the Rays are competing for the pennant.
So after years of treating games in Florida as Mets home games because it's retired New Yorkers that move to Florida who actually go to the games, after years of the Marlins pocketing revenue sharing year in and year out, and after the Marlins get the tax payers to purchase their brand new stadium, all of a sudden they decide that they want to be a relevant baseball team and want to make a splash.
Who would have ever thought that THIS would be a financial force to be reckoned with?
If you're going to spend all this money, why not find a graphic artist who isn't horrendous? Jesus Christ I'm just waiting for Ryan Murphy to put Glee's "nationals" in Miami so he can put his cast in these jerseys.
I just don't feel like the Marlins have earned the right to suddenly be relevant. It's like when the boss' daughter starts interning at your office and demands special treatment from everyone. Miami is now the spoiled brat of baseball. In what seems like a spur of the moment decision, they want to start winning baseball games, and in the process took the heart and soul of the Mets, and will possibly do the same to the Cardinals.
I view baseball as a beautiful, pure game. Despite all the blessings I've had in my life (and believe me, they are more than I deserve), I find it easy to get bogged down with the pedestrian stress of life. The morning commute, the politics at work, the persistent financial strain and worries for the future; it can be overwhelming. But baseball can transform me into a Holden Caulfield-like state. It's a beautiful game that can be played anywhere, with basically any equipment, by people of any age. You can sit and marvel at a flawless swing, a filthy curveball, or a diving catch. You can grab a hot dog and argue statistics, or discuss never-ending arguments like "who is the greatest pitcher of all time?" or "give me your dream line-up." And when it's over there's a clear winner and a clear loser; a welcomed clarity in what can be mass confusion.
It's an old game, it's America's past time, and it feels like the Marlins just decided they'd like to join the party. Miami is the douche bag who just realized the flashmob was moved to 12:30.
Obviously I'd find fault with anywhere that Reyes went to. But if you see Miami land Pujols, you are going to watch the Marlins go from being ignored to being hated. I just hope their "dream team" works out the same way the Philadelphia Eagles' "dream team" did.
