Apathy or April?

It’s April, and we’re 11 games into the swing of things (well, 12 if you count the start of a doubleheader today).  Personally, I’ve been to three games so far at CitiField, and the highlight besides attending the only win at home this season, has been congregating with fellow fans, followers of the several blog forums I frequent, and commiserating on the Shea Bridge with bloggerati.

And yet, even though there have been some massively frustrating losses this season, I find it tough to muster enough anger to write the obligatory Mets-fan-jumping-off-the-59^th-Street-Bridge post that I was personally good for during 2007 and 2008.  By 2009, I had started my first run with post-traumatic Mets disorder (PTMD), which I am convinced a lot of us still have.  Being hit with numerous injuries and an overall apathetic attitude, I wondered aloud if there was a bit of Kevin McReynolds in all of us: win or lose, it’s a win-win situation as I can still get drunk .

The only problem is, this team’s performance isn’t even doing that anymore, driving me to drink that is.  While I famously used to blame starting the likes of Jose Lima (RIP) for my drinking problem at games, the fact is, if this team doesn’t even give me enough of a reaction to drink anymore…does that mean I don’t care?

Am I apathetic?  Or is it just April?

The record as it stands now is 4-7.  It’s ugly for sure, but then again we’ve said time and again on our Kult of Mets Personalities podcast, it could be worse.  Right now, as fans, we are in a great position.  In 2009, this team was predicted to be World Series Champions.  This year, they are expected to lose 90 games by the lazy journalist beat writer geniuses.  There’s absolutely no pressure on them or us, for that matter.  They could win 100 games and we’ll be thrilled and bouncing off the walls.  They could lose 90 games and say, hey whatever.  And it could be worse (Really?).  Yes, we could be Red Sox fans, rooting for them to win their THIRD GAME of the season.  And talk about a team with high expectations.

Is this going to be an easy season for the Mets?  No.  It’s also a long season and if they are a .500 team like most of us believe, then we’ll have to take the losses in stride.

It doesn’t mean, however, that losing these games in April doesn’t hurt.  Losing to the likes of Roy Halladay and Josh Johnson is one thing.  Deciding to pitch to Troy Tulowitzki with ducks on the pond is another.  Losing to the Nationals whose marquee player is Jayson Werth (who only had 1 RBI prior to coming to CitiField).  And seeing Willie Harris not make catches that were he on the other side of the team WOULD have definitely made to screw the Mets over…

Yes!  It’s frustrating.  But what can you do about it?

The fact is, we at Kiner’s Korner and the Kult of Mets Personalities consider ourselves to be passionate fans with a gift for gab can’t even muster enough sentiment to even care about a losing streak…what does that say?

Is it apathy?  Or is it just April?

I brought up a topic to be discussed on the air about how setting the tone about 13 of 16 games played at home was important.  Then when I started talking about it, I realized something.  Setting the tone for a .500 team is kind of dumb in April.  Sure, I’d like them to win more.  But this team is what it is.  So when I started to talk about it, I wanted them to WIN THE GAME THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO WIN.  Like, sweeping the Nationals or at the very least, taking two out of three.  Losing two to them was frustrating. 

Colorado is one of the hottest teams with a stud shortstop, Troy Tulowitzki, the Brawny man with a bat, Todd Helton and one of the smokingest young players in the game, Carlos Gonzalez.  There is no shame in losing the series to this team or at the most, splitting the series, which is the best they can do at this point with a twin bill today. 

So what does this mean?  Apathy?  April?  It could be very well be a combination of both.  Sure, I’m apathetic.  I have been to three games live this season that hasn’t given me that jump out of my seat moment (well, except for Carlos Beltran’s fiery performance on Saturday night) and I walk out without feeling like “This is the one that got away.”  It’s April, therefore cold, rainy and empty at CitiField.  Hard to generate excitement, especially when a bunch of obnoxious teenagers buy $0.98 seats on Stubhub and decide that they want to make lives miserable to those around them. 

Perhaps I should revisit this question in May, when perhaps we’ll have forgotten about these frustrating losses and they move forward with more of an identity.  Who’s wit’ me?