What the Valdespin Situation Really Reveals About the Character of the Mets and their Organization

By: Mr. Met (Staff Writer NFL Prozach)

As the title reveals I am doing a little critical thinking in this post here which is really all I do about this team these days.  Let me just start by saying I know the whole Valdespin  celebration which resulted in a beaning was some time ago and I wanted to wait to put my opinion up here until at least all the stories were out there by the beat reporters and enough player quotes were public.  I also want to say I am in no way giving Valdespin the pass for celebrating with his team down big but I am in no means that upset over it either.  If you remember correctly before Reyes became a superstar fans, players, and beat reporters a like all expressed their concern eventually talent, production, and the winning seasons (collapses or not the Mets still had a run were they put together 3 or 4 competitive years in a row) won out in the end and Reyes quickly became a fan favorite I still have his jersey hanging in my closet to prove it.  I am also in no means trying to compare the player Valdespin is or will be to what Jose Reyes was for this franchise.

Now to the point I do not like or condone the response of this team or Terry Collins.  As a guy who participated in sports as a player, teammate, and now coach I was always taught and teach that the bond of the team is sacred.  The bond of the team leads to things like team chemistry which is something that is often talked about amongst Met fans these days.  This team bond or chemistry will lead to having a good strong team spirit, clubhouse, or whatever it is being called in that particular sport.  Agree with Valdespin’s actions or not the Mets and Manager Terry Collins threw Valdespin under the bus publically to the media and the fans and that is HORRIBLE! It shows a lack of leadership from the Wilpons, Alderson, Collins, and yes even newly named team captain David Wright! As a coach you should never publically admonish a players actions as a teammate you should never publically say a teammate is wrong.  Those are things that lead to the 3 ring circus and unproductive horrendous baseball team and organization they have become during the Sandy Alderson years. Situations like this are to be handled out of the public light behind closed doors, and yes to the players who said what are we supposed to get into a fight to protect this guy the answer is YES!  Like it or not Valdespin is a teammate and a member of your TEAM and you back up your teammate if he is wrong you discuss it after that’s what team chemistry, being on a team, and being a good teammate is all about.  This team is far from winning not because of the lack of talent because that could change in 1 or 2 seasons but because of the lack of leadership currently in this organization and the lack of courage to stand together as one cohesive unit! Terry Collins is not responsible for the lack of talent on this club but he is responsible for building an atmosphere of a team that he has not done.  In fact, Collins and a lot of players on this roster gave the impression to a lot of writers that Valdespin is not professional.  Well neither is Collins or his bosses or this organization so if it is not practiced or taught then guess what the young players will not learn it.  I personally think how Collins and his players handled the situation in the media is unprofessional!  I personally think the New York Mets who constantly lie about attendance is unprofessional!  I personally think when Alderson hints that the Mets don’t buy certain players because of poor revenue which is a result of fans not buying tickets is unprofessional when the product he continually puts out on the field is poor and that of Omar Minaya’s leftovers! I personally think the jokes that Alderson made about Reyes and his box of chocolates and the outfield when it was a sensitive subject with the fans is very unprofessional! In fact I think the New York Mets are a complete joke of a franchise and if I was Bud Selig and MLB I would be embarrassed to have them host my All Star game! In closing I would like for Terry Collins to explain to me how a young player learns to be professional while playing for an organization who literally had a circus in the parking lot! Otherwise he should keep quit and work on pulling this team together because they are probably on their way to one of the worst seasons in team history!

 

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