People like to beat up on the Mets and their fans because the Mets are often bad at baseball and because they exist in juxtaposition with the perennially good Yankees. But being a Mets fan isn’t nearly as bad as some say, and there are at least 16 reasons why.
1. They’ve got the best mascot in sports
(PHOTO: Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports)
Mr. Met is not just a member of the Mascot Hall of Fame — which is an actual thing — he’s also the first mascot in baseball history to exist in human form. Mr. Met has a baseball for a head and it’s incredible. People think the Reds’ mascot, Mr. Redlegs, came before Mr. Met just because the Reds are the oldest franchise in baseball and Mr. Redlegs has a mustache. But Mr. Redlegs is a total knockoff.
2. There’s a Shake Shack in Citi Field
(PHOTO: Peter Foley/Freelance)
Plenty of fans could argue their parks have good food by ballpark standards. The Mets have good food by any standards, highlighted by the presence of what might be the best quick-service cheeseburger in the whole wide world. The lines at the in-stadium location might be too long for the most dedicated fans, but it’s always good to have the option.
3. They have David Wright
(PHOTO: Mark Lennihan/AP Photo)
Wright, who has been called “the nicest superstar in baseball,” grew up a Mets fan and is signed to the team through 2020. He’s also probably a bit underrated: For his career, Wright has been more valuable to his teams than every other player age 30 and younger except Miguel Cabrera. He’s on the disabled list with a strained hamstring now, but he’s rehabbing to return this season because he clearly loves playing baseball.
4. Plenty of good seats are still available
(PHOTO: Anthony Gruppuso/USA TODAY Sports)
Citi Field holds nearly 42,000, but the Mets average just over 27,000 tickets sold per game. Upper deck tickets to the Mets’ Wednesday night matchup with the Phillies start at 10 bucks. That’s cheaper than seeing a movie in New York City.
5. Their general manager is great on Twitter
Sandy Alderson doesn’t tweet often, but every time he does, it’s excellent. Though Alderson’s all business when it comes to running the team, he doesn’t seem to take the perpetual maelstrom of nonsense surrounding the club too seriously. He also sometimes shares photos of his dog, Buddy.
6. They have actually won the World Series
(PHOTO: AP Photo)
Twice, actually. For all the Mets’ woes are lamented, eight franchises have never won a World Series at all. And the Mets have been to the World Series more recently than half the clubs in baseball, including the typically excellent Atlanta Braves.
7. You can get dents repaired while you watch the game
(PHOTO: Mark Lennihan/AP Photo)
The Mets may not play in a bustling, downtown neighborhood surrounded by pre- and post-game entertainment options, but the Willets Point section of Queens offers a very convenient option for anyone too busy watching baseball to bother getting body work done. Sometimes, guys from the auto-body shops will even come out to the street to point at dents in your car and offer to repair them. What service!
8. They boast the funniest fans in baseball
(PHOTO: Bill Kostroun/AP Photo)
Comedians Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock and Jon Stewart are all Mets fans. So is mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner, who is an expert at unintentional comedy.
9. You never lose hope
Even if you’re too young to remember the Mookie Wilson ground ball that got by Bill Buckner to cap one of the most famous postseason comebacks in baseball history in 1986, every Mets fan knows the team’s history of success after all seemed lost. The Yankees are associated with “legacy” and “tradition” and “legends,” but the Mets are known for “miracles” and “magic” and “you gotta believe.”
10. You get to enjoy Keith Hernandez’s exasperated sighs
(PHOTO: Debby Wong/USA TODAY Sports)
Mets games on TV sometimes are at their most entertaining when the team plays poorly, as analyst Keith Hernandez often becomes so disgusted with the club’s performance that he can no longer keep it to himself. The retired first baseman’s audible frustration in sloppy extra-inning contests is more thrilling than any broadcast catchphrase in the game.
11. Faith in the SABRos
(PHOTO: Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP Photo)
When Alderson took the reins after the 2010 season, he hired Paul DePodesta and J.P. Ricciardi, a pair of former GMs known in part for augmenting traditional scouting with advanced stats. As hard as it may sometimes seem to believe, the Mets now appear to be one of the league’s better run franchises, and fans can enjoy some confidence that the club is heading in the right direction.
12. Rides on the “Super Express” train
(PHOTO: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
The New York City subway system has plenty of local trains and plenty of express trains. But Mets fans who hustle out of the ballpark after games have the opportunity to catch the very rare “Super Express” train. Much like Superman, the Super Express train gets to Manhattan faster than the regular train.
13. Juan Lagares’ defense
The Mets’ young center fielder may not hit very well, but in a short time he’s established himself as one of the best defensive outfielders in the game. According to DRS (defensive runs saved), the 24-year-old Lagares has saved the Mets 23 runs over an average center fielder this season. That’s good for second best in baseball, even though Lagares has played only 91 games through Tuesday.
14. You’ve probably met John Franco
(PHOTO: Ed Reinke/AP Photo)
Was John Franco the greatest closer in baseball history? No, but he was very good for a long time. And he might be the game’s most accessible former All-Star. Check this out: A Google search for “I met Mariano Rivera” yields only 1,500 returns, and some of the top results are “I dreamed I met Mariano Rivera” and “I met Mariano Rivera… sorta.” There are 20,500 results for “I met John Franco,” and they include “I met John Franco at work” and “I met John Franco in a men’s room at a restaurant.” The Staten Island-born lefty is pretty much around and down to talk about the Mets whenever.
15. Their ace makes videos like this
Matt Harvey’s injured now and may miss all of the 2014 season, but whenever he returns, he should return to being excellent. Harvey burst into the forefront of the New York sports scene with a breakout 2013, and though some of his modeling decisions proved questionable, he demonstrated impeccable comic timing in the above video for Jimmy Fallon.
16. Their rivals’ ace makes videos like this
Cole Hamels is great, but nothing is as great as rooting against Cole Hamels.
