What We Talk About When We Talk About Luis Castillo
by Matthew Callan on Mar 18, 2011 12:00 PM EDT
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PrintThis morning, Andy Martino of the Daily News wondered aloud if fans' dislike of Luis Castillo has anything to do with race. The piece has already set off a flurry of backlash, if its online comments are any indication. (I don't advise reading said comments, however, unless you can risk losing IQ points or what's left of your faith in humanity.)
I appreciate that Martino wrote about a subject most reporters won't touch with a ten-foot pole. Many people think "politics" (for lack of a better word) have no place in sports, as if they existed in a bubble where human nature played no part, and they get very upset when you dare introduce reality into this realm. So kudos to Martino for sticking his neck out there. I also think that race factors into many fans' perceptions and feelings about certain Mets players, consciously or not. If you doubt me, listen to WFAN for more than five minutes.
However, I think Martino could've chosen a better test case, and not just because he has now become an ex-Met.
In the article, Martino relates Castillo's puzzlement at how he was received by many Mets fans, sharing the pain of being booed on Opening Day last year. Despite Martino's thesis, Castillo does not say he thinks race was a factor in this reception, nor does an unnamed friend in baseball (who basically admits Castillo's main problem is not being very good).
Martino gets points for reminding us of the resentment some Mets fans felt when Omar Minaya was still the GM. While Minaya certainly deserved criticism for many of his moves, the tenor of that criticism occasionally manifested itself in borderline racist comments. WFAN programs seriously debated if Minaya "favored" Latin players when assembling the roster. In Martino's own paper, Bill Madden accused the team of being "only interested in signing low-budget Latin players."
Unfortunately, Martino undermines a valid point by using a weak example. You don't have to look very far to find a Met whose reception is colored by race issues, and Castillo was fairly low on this list.
Carlos Beltran has been maligned time and time again for being selfish and not playing hard enough, a charge made against Latin superstars since the days of Roberto Clemente. Jose Reyes is maligned for displaying the "wrong" kind of enthusiasm, even though other players who are just as demonstrative but not as "foreign" are praised for their "fire." Conversely, the All-American-looking Jeff Francoeur received an enormous amount of slack from the press and many fans, even when he engaged in behavior that would surely have been condemned if committed by his Latin teammates.
I do believe Castillo was unfairly maligned at times. As I wrote here, he was hated out of proportion to his crimes for having the misfortune of owning an overpriced contract similar to that of Oliver Perez. The resentment he attracted was acquired mostly through osmosis. Castillo was not a great player, but he was hardly the disaster Perez is. As The Happy Recap tweeted, "Castillo being cut before Ollie is like firing Bobby V. before Steve Phillips."
I'm a little baffled by the deep and personal nature of some fans' hatred for him, but I honestly don't believe race is a large factor in that hatred. Beltran and Reyes are disliked mostly for how they are perceived, which at times has racial overtones. Castillo was disliked for how he performed, and for his ginormous contract. I didn't hear many fans accuse him of being lazy or disrespectful, as they do with Beltran and Reyes, but I do hear fans sighing and tsking when he fails to turn an easy double play or can't hit the ball out of the infield.
If nothing else, I give Martino an A for effort. The issue of fans' perceptions and race is a story that needs to be written. Castillo's struggles with the fan base also make for an interesting story. However, they're two separate stories.
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Bullshit
Race has nothing to do with performance on the field.
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
by fxcarden on Mar 18, 2011 12:04 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
no
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
by fxcarden on Mar 18, 2011 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Ah, sorry
I first read your comment as meaning that the idea that race has nothing to do with performance on the field is bullshit
by yellomellojello on Mar 21, 2011 7:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Care to expain in what way it does?
"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.
AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 453 posts (10/03/10)
by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Mar 18, 2011 1:09 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Someone with the name yellomellojello would do that?
yeah. I didn’t think so either. haha!
Don't let Martino off the hook.
If nothing else, I give Martino an A for effort.
Martino lazily implied that Castillo’s a victim of systemic racism through nothing more than idle speculation. I agree that the “perception of race” story in sports is a valid one and one worth exploring, but Martino added nothing to the conversation except an unsubstantiated accusation that Casillo’s a victim of backlash against Los Mets and/or Latin players in general.
Martino touched a nerve by saying Castillo’s name and hoped to give his own perspective gravitas through race baiting. He may not have intended it to come out that way (I’m sure he’d backtrack if asked to elaborate or apologize), but that’s why it’s bad writing and extremely unworthy of the “A for effort” designation.
Jagr? Seriously?
by Matthew Artus on Mar 18, 2011 12:13 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Oh, YES.
Additionally, for a piece that spends so much time luxuriating on what the imaginary “fan” thinks, he quotes/reaches out to precious few actual Met fans.
by LeiterMilnerFasterStronger on Mar 18, 2011 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Yup
“We need to think about race” is an old saw for reporters who want to generate more heat than light. Maybe it’s “a story that needs to be written,” but, respectfully, I’d prefer someone either up and do it — WITH the reporting and the careful analysis that would go along with that, and without an axe to grind — or stop talking about how great it would be if someone would do it as a way of preserving their “awareness” card.
I don't think race has ever been a factor for Mets fans, even the WFAN callers
The only time it ever became an issue is when Omar came out and said that that he wanted to sign more Latin American players because it would help with the Mets international recruiting. Supposedly having Pedro Martinez on your team would encourage players from his home country to become Mets fans and want to sign with the Mets when they were of age.
Mets fans were disgusted at Mianay’s supposed “reverse-racism”, but not motivated by their own. It didn’t help that the biggest contracts went to guys like Beltran, Santana, K-Rod, Perez, Castillo, and a trade for Delgado. This had mostly blown over by 2008, but I don’t think Mets fans ever hated Latin American players…they just hated the idea that their GM was giving preferential treatment to them in hopes of scoring some big PR coup. By 2009 though the team was such a joke most people just wanted him gone.
"I only wanted a few things out of life -- a wife, children, to play baseball and to hunt deer." - Turk Wendell
And again, the person who planted that idea that the Mets wanted to make more moves with Latin American players
was Mianaya himself. If he didn’t want people to get the wrong idea, he probably should’ve shut the hell up about where his players come from. Once he opened his mouth, everybody picked through his deals with a fine toothed comb.
"I only wanted a few things out of life -- a wife, children, to play baseball and to hunt deer." - Turk Wendell
But then you have people taking Minaya's remark that he wanted to be more active in Latin America
to mean that somehow Minaya – who is of Latin decent – is conspiring with other Latin Americans to remake the Mets in their own image. Being more active in L.A. ≠ favoring Hispanics over USA Americans. That so many people let themselves be convinced that it did speaks to at least an undercurrent of latent racism.
Why does Carlos Beltran have so much negative bullshit attached to him? Because lazy “reporters/radio personalities” who probably have some racial issues of there own spent so much of their columns/airtime convincing people who have a predisposition to believe such things that it was true.
Save Jenrry Mejia!
by Ogre39666 on Mar 19, 2011 4:00 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
The Wilpon's hired him for his Latin American connections and approved every one of
those contracts.Wilpons believed baseball was headed in a Latin player direction not
taking into consideration the rampant availability of PED’s in these countries and their widespread use by young players.
by Putnan Prince on Mar 19, 2011 10:06 PM EDT up reply actions
please don't use the term 'reverse-racism'
if ever there was a meaningless phrase…that is it.
You’re either racist or you’re not.
by Mike Clemente on Mar 18, 2011 1:39 PM EDT up reply actions
yeah it's kind of a silly term
suggesting somehow one kind of racism is different from another because of a perceived majority or minority of a group.
To be fair to Rey-O though, he did use it in quotation marks suggesting it’s not his choice of words, but the general description used by many ignorant fans.
Hey, wait! I'm having one of those things. You know? A headache with pictures?
by KeithsMoustache on Mar 18, 2011 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Do people who aren't paid to write provocative gibberish really dislike Reyes or Beltran?
Aside from like three trolls here at AA, everybody loves them. I’ve never met anybody in the flesh who thinks that they’re not awesome.
Is Santana’s popularity that much more impressive because he’s he’s overcome secret anti-Latino bias or is he just good?
I doubt anybody really hates Reyes too much
But I’ve never liked Beltran and will be glad when he leaves the team. I don’t think that qualifies me as a troll either.
"I only wanted a few things out of life -- a wife, children, to play baseball and to hunt deer." - Turk Wendell
No, it just makes you an idiot
There is no hope.... there is no future....there is only GRISSIONZ
The 2011 Mets- Rock bottom: We haven't reached it yet
by Syler on Mar 18, 2011 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions 7 recs
because i don't like a baseball player? interesting
"I only wanted a few things out of life -- a wife, children, to play baseball and to hunt deer." - Turk Wendell
Considering he was a great player before he signed here,
and was probably our best/2nd best player from 2006-2008, the hate seems unreasonable.
There is no hope.... there is no future....there is only GRISSIONZ
The 2011 Mets- Rock bottom: We haven't reached it yet
not disputing how great his three seasons were
just saying that I don’t like the guy. he didn’t want to come to the mets, and told the yankees and astros that he would accept 20 million dollars less to go to those teams instead. as a fan, that annoyed me.
he came here and blew ass in his first season, and then got annoyed at the fans for booing him. then when he finally broke out of it, he refused to come out for a curtain call because he was still annoyed that people had booed him. i remember being at that game and no one in the stands could believe it. if you recall, julio franco had to argue with him and throw him out there. those things alone made me dislike him more than any thing else. striking out in 2006 was just the icing.
he’s probably the best cf the team has had, but his attitude is shit and he didn’t want to be a met. as far as “liking” a player goes, that pretty much seals the deal for me.
"I only wanted a few things out of life -- a wife, children, to play baseball and to hunt deer." - Turk Wendell
Oh my god, the Mets weren't his first choice, what a terrible person!
I mean, what player wouldn’t want to play for a team that had lost a combined 187 games in 03 and 04…the nerve!
To hold that against him is simply unfair. The Mets were a joke at that point, the Yankees were coming off a trip to the ALCS. I can’t think of a good reason why anyone would’ve chosen Mets over the Yanks at that time.
Also, excuse my language, but how the fuck is his attitude “shit”??? He works his ass off, to the best of my knowledge is a a great teammate, and does a ton of charitable work off the field.
Yeah, he’s not the most outspoken person in the world, but so what? It does not mean he doesn’t care.
There is no hope.... there is no future....there is only GRISSIONZ
The 2011 Mets- Rock bottom: We haven't reached it yet
by Syler on Mar 18, 2011 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions 6 recs
It's pretty funny,
Given that players are usually lauded for wanting to win as opposed to selling out and taking the biggest pile of money. I think it’s usually supposed to mean they really care about what they’re doing, or something.
People will find a way to hate.
I didn't say he was a terrible person
Sarcastically exaggerating my opinion isn’t exactly fair. I said I didn’t like the guy.
If a player says I’ll take 20 million less bucks to play for the Houston Astros than the New York Mets, then as a Mets fan that’s offensive. I don’t hate him for it, but I’m not thrilled with the guy.
If that player than joins the team and plays like shit despite his big contract, and gets offended then fans boo him, then that’s pathetic and he should know better. I don’t hate him for it, but I don’t respect him much.
And if that player finally starts hearing cheers and refuses to come out for a curtain call because he’s pisseed at the fans, then I think he’s a baby. I don’t hate him, I just think it’s pathetic.
That’s a shit attitude imo. I’ve got no other connection to him than his relationship with the fans. Congrats if he does charitable work, I never said the guy was a sadist. I just said as Mets fan, he never ingratiated himself to me, and I don’t really like the guy. Doesn’t make me a racist, or an idiot, or a troll.
"I only wanted a few things out of life -- a wife, children, to play baseball and to hunt deer." - Turk Wendell
A couple of remarks...
If a player says I’ll take 20 million less bucks to play for the Houston Astros than the New York Mets, then as a Mets fan that’s offensive.
But the Astros were a great team in 2004 and made it to the World Series just a year later in 05, after making it to the NLCS with Beltran in 04. He wanted to stay with the team he finished the year with, a team that had a conceivable chance to win the WS and was willing to take a paycut to stay there. Cliff Lee is viewed as a martyr because he took at least 20 million less to go back to the Phillies this offseason…how is this at all different than that?
If that player than joins the team and plays like shit despite his big contract, and gets offended then fans boo him, then that’s pathetic and he should know better. I don’t hate him for it, but I don’t respect him much.
And if that player finally starts hearing cheers and refuses to come out for a curtain call because he’s pisseed at the fans, then I think he’s a baby. I don’t hate him, I just think it’s pathetic.
Look…in retrospect, he probably should’ve come of for the curtain call on his own. But how would you like it if you were Beltran in that situation? What if you signed with the Mets, struggled through injuries and a poor season in 2005, had fans boo you even after you came back from a nasty collision after just a few weeks and then all of a sudden you do well and they’ve decided that they like you? We know what Mets fans are like but this is a guy who played in KC and Houston his entire career…not the level of NY fans. He was likely miffed that the fans didn’t have his back while he struggled and pissed that they came on like fairweather fans when he finally figured it out in 06. There’s a difference between the fans in NY and the fans in other places. They’re typically more forgiving when you struggle, whereas we don’t.
I’m not going to try to force you to love the guy…obviously you have your opinion. However, I think your reasons seem to be a little misguided based on a few things that really shouldn’t cloud your opinion of him. I’ll admit that it took me a while to warm up to him…2005 was a disappointing year for him. But I think the turning point for me was when he came back from that collision with Cameron, after just 5 days off despite suffering a concussion and a fractured bone in his face. That showed me that the guy was a warrior and his monster 2006 season cemented my love of the guy. Since then, he’s always been a joy to watch, whether it’s that sweet swing or gliding after balls in the gaps and in CF. So many people think the guy’s overrated but I think he’s incredibly underrated in actuality. People expected the 2004 Playoffs Beltran and that just wasn’t ever realistic. However, when all is said and done, the guy’s going to have a potential Hall of Fame bid. I just hope we get to see him have another solid season in blue and orange.
Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!
by Steve Schreiber on Mar 18, 2011 11:48 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
Absolutely.
Take a look at this article from Beyond the Boxscore. Carlos has been worth more than Dave Winfield, a Hall of Famer, through age 33. He’ll likely need to play another 5+ years to continue to accumulate some stats and that ultimately might the downfall in his HOF bid but through this point, Carlos has been the more valuable player. If he can gain some semblance of health in his knees and continue to hit, he’ll absolutely have a shot. Don’t forget that Beltran is likely the best or second best defensive CFer of this generation (depends on whether you like Torii Hunter better). Winfield, if I remember correctly, was a pretty poor defender, no?
Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!
by Steve Schreiber on Mar 19, 2011 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions
while Winfield may have been on his way to the HOF at 33,
he had one of the great late careers of all time… from his age 34 season onward, Winfield tacked on 1,175 hits including 184 HRs to what he had thru age 33. The 7 full seasons Winfield had after 33 were OPS+ of 120, 116, 159, 122, 120, 137 & 105. It’s hard to say he would have made the HOF had his career ended after the ’85 season.
by ThnkGoodnessforHowieRose on Mar 19, 2011 11:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Agreed
That’s why I wrote that he’ll likely need to play at least 5 years longer. The voters always look toward the accumulated stats when deciding on who gets in and his injuries could certainly put that in jeopardy. However, just based on what he’s done thus far in his career, he’s on the HOF path. It’s probably going to be necessary for him to go back to the AL next season if he does want to keep playing, although it’ll be interesting to see how his defense is valued in the argument.
Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!
by Steve Schreiber on Mar 19, 2011 11:48 PM EDT up reply actions
yeah but clearly given the degenerative condition in his knees,
there’s almost no path for him to have a productive late career of any length… or it’s hard to see it w/o the micro-fracture surgery and then we’re talking about him not being good till next season (earliest) at 35…
by ThnkGoodnessforHowieRose on Mar 20, 2011 9:43 AM EDT up reply actions
It's entirely possible that his injuries derail
him there. Winfield played a long time. However, he does have that tiny bit of extra value over Winfield at the moment, though that’s probably not enough to boost him into the HOF. It’ll be an interesting case once he retires. If injuries force him to retire earlier, my guess is that he doesn’t end up getting in just because a lot of people don’t seem to respect his career anyway and it’s not like he has dominated a category of counting stats (like Sandy Koufax racking up strikeouts by age 30, for instance).
Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!
by Steve Schreiber on Mar 20, 2011 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions
unless he has a far better late career than anyone
could project at the moment, he likely won’t get any HOF recognition more b/c his career has more of a Donnie Baseball arc to it and w/o Donnie’s highs frankly…. I mean, Beltran has only had 6 full seasons with an OPS+ of 120 or more.
by ThnkGoodnessforHowieRose on Mar 20, 2011 11:41 AM EDT up reply actions
Dave Winfield was one of the greatest rightfielders to ever
play the game.He won Golden Gloves in both leagues (7 total)
and his throwing arm was a bazooka.
by Putnan Prince on Mar 22, 2011 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't see why not P Prince
if Voltron didn’t crap out his knees and such his trends every year were pretty amazing. except the -rewind delete- in the playoffs that guy carried most of the offense for the 2000s Mets and did what was expected of his huge contract, if not more.
"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"
by feslenraster on Mar 20, 2011 8:37 AM EDT up reply actions
Bacause of his arthritic knees,lack of any awards except
for his Golden Gloves,no championships and lack of any fan
or media support,I just can’t see him in Cooperstown Carlos will just not have the career numbers to join this exclusive club.
by Putnan Prince on Mar 20, 2011 11:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, I actually have to agree w/ PP here.
He doesn’t quite have the counting stats the voters love, even for a CF. He’s never won any MVP awards, has only finished in the top 10 twice, been to ‘only’ 5 ASGs, never won a WS (yet), and most damning (in their eyes), took the last pitch of the 2006 NLCS. The stuff that he does already have (best defensive CF of his generation, best SB% in history), they really don’t care about. I can easily see Beltran being the next Rock Raines, vote-wise. Raines suffers because he had the misfortune of being Rickey’s contemporary. Beltran will suffer because he didn’t schmooze the media and he was so good at his best, they couldn’t understand how good he was.
"And that's why anybody who invested with Lenny Dykstra should really call that number. Lawyers are standing by."
by BobbyV_Incognito on Mar 20, 2011 11:55 PM EDT up reply actions
your like of a player should be directly proportional to the skill of said player
unless he banged your sister or something…
by Mike Clemente on Mar 18, 2011 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions
That's pretty silly
That means no one would like Joe McEwing? Or that everyone should love Barry Bonds? There are tons of reasons to like and dislike players, not all of which have to do with how well that player performs on the field.
"I only wanted a few things out of life -- a wife, children, to play baseball and to hunt deer." - Turk Wendell
i actually coudnt stand joe mcewing as it happens to be
obviously i hated barry bonds a lot more though
metsjetsknicksrangers.............can it get any worse?
meh
i will have beers with exactly zero professional baseball players, so my enjoyment, in terms of watching them play, is unaffected by their personalities
Now style of play is a consideration. Some people like speed demons. Others like big bashers. That is a valid debate, but not personality types, IMO
by Mike Clemente on Mar 18, 2011 6:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Do you not like him as a person or do you not think he's a valuable asset to the team?
There are plenty of good players that I think are jerks. Never met them, but they just rub me the wrong way.
It seems indisputable that it is better to have Beltran on your team than not have him on your team.
he's was amazing in 06,07,08, and underwhelming/terrible in 05,09,10, and probably 11
that said my issues with him aren’t his skill, because he’s still the best CF we’ve ever had. it’s mainly his personality, the fact that he didn’t want to come to the mets and offered the yankees 20 million dollars less to go there, and the fact that he acted as if the fans owed him something once he did come here. he’s agreat player, but not one i could ever get behind.
Reyes on the other hand is a baller
"I only wanted a few things out of life -- a wife, children, to play baseball and to hunt deer." - Turk Wendell
He was underwhelming in 09?
He played exactly half a season and still compiled 3 wins of value. And we have yet to see what will happen in 2011.
I do agree with you in the sense that you don’t have to like a player just because he is very good. I just don’t think the reasons you’ve given for personally disliking him are particularly compelling, but it is a matter of personal taste.
by dcmetsfan on Mar 18, 2011 2:09 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
He didn't act as if the fans owed him something
He just was a little peeved that the fans never gave him a chance. They had sky-freaking-high expectations when he first signed (like Houston playoffs high) and when he struggled they jumped all over him. How would you feel? Combine that with his obviously reserved personality and it’s no wonder he didn’t jump out of the dugout for that curtain call.
Save Jenrry Mejia!
by Ogre39666 on Mar 19, 2011 4:08 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Anyone can not think a player is good, or worth a contract (if that is what he or she thinks is true)
But the word hate (which he didn’t use) should be reserved for a select few, i.e. Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, John Rocker, etc.
If I don’t perform at my job, I’m going to get fired but my co workers will still like me. If I steal money from my job or threaten someone, then they can hate me.
Castillo didn’t perform, so he’s “fired”. Unless he did something truly negative towards another human being or group of people, he shouldn’t be hated.
Praise of Dickey to you all…
Thank you Matt Moulson!
It doesn't hurt being an Islander fan....but it sure hurts playing for them...get well soon, um, everybody....
by CharlieIsles on Mar 18, 2011 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions
yes because you don't like one of the best players this team has ever seen
that indeed makes you an idiot
by Mike Clemente on Mar 18, 2011 1:40 PM EDT up reply actions
I've got zero respect
for someone who calls someone else an idiot for not liking a baseball player. Grow up.
"I only wanted a few things out of life -- a wife, children, to play baseball and to hunt deer." - Turk Wendell
You're telling him to grow up
And yet you’re holding a grudge against a tremendous player and otherwise nice guy for some abstract personal slight.
Yeah.
hardly the same thing
He says I’m an idiot because I don’t like the same baseball player as him. I think liking a ballplayer is a totally subjective thing, and not entirely based on talent. I don’t feel personally slighted by Beltran, and I don’t “hate” him…I just never warmed up to him.
"I only wanted a few things out of life -- a wife, children, to play baseball and to hunt deer." - Turk Wendell
I'll stick up for you here
While I’m a Beltran fan, who you like and dislike is totally subjective, and people shouldn’t act like there’s hard and fast rules to what people’s preferences should be. As long as it’s not for a reason that’s extreme (like race), or based on distortions of the truth, it’s not a crime to dislike a certain player or team (unless it’s the Yankees or Phillies).
It is subjective
but even subjective things should be based in reason – or the holder shouldn’t be insulted when called out for bing irrational (not that anyone is being irrational here). It just seems odd that someone could not like Beltran without buying into the MSM lazy and selfish BS.
Save Jenrry Mejia!
Beltran is awesome
Not only in terms of his ability to play the game, but HOW he plays the game. If you can’t appreciate that (at least when he was in his prime), then that sucks. I’ll leave it at that.
by Mike Clemente on Mar 18, 2011 6:35 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
It doesn't definitely make him an idiot
It’s just really puzzling that a rational Mets fan (read: one who wants the team to win) hates a player who has been really good at helping the team win.
I have friends and family who don’t really care if the Mets win or lose, and they like or dislike players for whatever reasons (facial hair, good looking, made a great play that one time, etc.). That makes sense to me. Now, someone claims they want the team to win and despises one of the best players? Makes absolutely no sense.
by James Kannengieser on Mar 18, 2011 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Idiot was probably too strong of a term
I just don’t understand how someone could hate him, considering he’s never thrown the team under the bus, or said anything overtly offensive.
There is no hope.... there is no future....there is only GRISSIONZ
The 2011 Mets- Rock bottom: We haven't reached it yet
I would've gone with ungrateful motherfucker
What's that about?
by Brian. on Mar 19, 2011 12:49 AM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Game 161, 2008.
Permanent innoculation against “Lazy Latin” infection.
(Plus, he’s, y’know… undeniably good.)
by LeiterMilnerFasterStronger on Mar 18, 2011 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Beltran hates playing baseball
When he doesnt feel like it, and he hates fans
Perez and Castillo are still Mets.
...
There is no hope.... there is no future....there is only GRISSIONZ
The 2011 Mets- Rock bottom: We haven't reached it yet
by Syler on Mar 18, 2011 5:38 PM EDT up reply actions 8 recs
I would rec this
If I was a total square
Perez and Castillo are still Mets.
by Mookes7 on Mar 18, 2011 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
a total "square"? Hey, Mookes...The 1950's called. They want you back.
Who the hell uses the term “square” anymore? wow.
by BrockRocks on Mar 18, 2011 6:25 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
A fat faced scummiest scum who ever scummed, perhaps?
Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!
by Steve Schreiber on Mar 19, 2011 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Happy to rec this
Guess i am a square
by ScottfromPeekskill on Mar 18, 2011 7:53 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
I'm a rectangle
or maybe some sort of parallelogram
Hey, wait! I'm having one of those things. You know? A headache with pictures?
by KeithsMoustache on Mar 19, 2011 11:14 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
An oblique-angled parallelogram with only the opposite sides equal.
Save Jenrry Mejia!
by Ogre39666 on Mar 20, 2011 3:10 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Actually, Ogre
A rhomboid is “a skeletal muscle on the back that connects the scapula with the vertebrae of the spinal column” according to Wikipedia. Otherwise, it is the muscle that Jenrry Mejia injured late last season and inspired this admittedly awful MSPaint by me:
Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!
by Steve Schreiber on Mar 20, 2011 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions
old school
Hey, wait! I'm having one of those things. You know? A headache with pictures?
by KeithsMoustache on Mar 20, 2011 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions
That is a very poor assumption on your part
Unless you’re inside of Beltran’s mind, you really have no right saying that.
Lohaus#54
Lohaus#54
Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!
by Steve Schreiber on Mar 20, 2011 11:08 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Martino is OK in my book
I don’t think Martino’s article was successful because it was only a matter of time before the fans interpreted it as Castillo charging racism. However I appreciate that he raised the question and think he’s onto something.
Seems to me the fan/media habit of assigning character flaws to guys whose performance disappoints is often more acute in the case of black/Latino players. The amount of fan derision and media attention Castillo received was way out of proportion to the crime of being the best second baseman the org could come up with.
by mbtn01 on Mar 18, 2011 12:24 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
The disdain for Slappy comes almost solely from the excessive contract he was handed
Omar’s terrible contract offers have made Castillo a symbol of what was killing the Mets instead of just making him a fairly generic, unoffensive player
Hey, wait! I'm having one of those things. You know? A headache with pictures?
by KeithsMoustache on Mar 18, 2011 12:31 PM EDT reply actions
June 12, 2009
Castillo wasn’t booed opening day 2009. He wasn’t booed opening day 2008. He had a poor 2008, but fans wanted him to succeed and remembered his play from early in his career right up until June 12, 2009. It is an iconic moment in the recent Mets history. It is the equivalent of Tom Glavine’s “I’m not devastated” but worse. Mets fans turn on players who stab us through the heart – Glavine, Benitez, Timo Perez (just run darnit). Beltran is criticized for taking a called third-strike on a great pitch (wrongly). Castillo is criticized for DROPPING AN EASY POP-UP TO BEAT THE HATED YANKEES AND THEN NOT KNOWING TO WHAT BASE TO THROW!
Mets fans are racist only if the definition of racist is that we hate folks who drop pop-ups against the Yankees with 2 outs in the ninth.
ill be honest
that play will forever be the first thing I think about when I remember Castillo. I dont think I have ever been so mad at a player for an error. I understand errors happen, the game is played by humans after all…
but damn. That play still pisses me off.
I dont care if he is black, white, asian, or canadian… but dont “drop pop-ups against the Yankees with 2 outs in the ninth.”
I think it was Bobby V who said: "You are never as good as you are when you are at your best, and you are not as bad as when you are at your worst."
exactly that gbaked. the dropped pop up is one of the worst miscues I've ever seen
I don’t hate Castillo for his race, goodness, I don’t think any of us Mets fans do. we’re all NYers after all, but I hate the fact he is overpaid and his skills are clearly on the downslide. I admire him for trying, yes I do, but it is time to part ways.
it is LOLie I hate as a person more than Luis. Luis seemed like an affable guy.
"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"
by feslenraster on Mar 19, 2011 8:40 AM EDT up reply actions
Lucky for me gbaked
That my hockey team(Penguins) won the Stanley Cup the night Castillo dropped that ball. Honestly, I was more pissed off that A-Rod reacted the way he did.
Yea.
Fuck that guy for having the nerve to make a mistake against a team you happen to despise.
by Eric Simon on Mar 18, 2011 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions 6 recs
sarcasm noted, but disagreed with . . .
People make mistakes all the time. Baseball players make errors all the time. Ground balls go through legs for instance – even in the World Series.
I’d love to find the statistic for dropped pop-flies within 10 feet of where you are positioned. Further, I’d love statistics for how many folks use one hand in that situation. More so, I’d love to have the stat for the 14 yr vet who doesn’t know where to throw the ball in the event he makes that error. It is situational – and it is horrendous.
I dislike Jim Joyce for making that call on Galarraga’s perfect game, not because umps never make bad calls, but at the highest level there is a certain expectation of performance of certain activities in certain situations.
You say it is ok to dislike him because he is bad at baseball, I say a reduced OBP and a completely erased ISO pale in comparison to the carelessness of that moment . . . but they sure don’t help me forget.
So you dislike him more for one particular instance of bad (dropped popup)
than you do for multiple and sustained instances of bad (decreased OBP and laughable low ISO)?
Save Jenrry Mejia!
haha touche Eric S...and noted
true everyone makes mistakes. but the contract and sad loss of what little valuable skills Luis had to begin with bothered me. Luis was the type of player that had three offensive assets: 1) batting average 2) speed 3) walks
on defense: his range and glove were good.
but all he does now is walk.
"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"
by feslenraster on Mar 20, 2011 8:41 AM EDT up reply actions
So I just finished listening to the Martino interview on the FAN with Joe and Evan.
Couple of things:
-He says he brings up the race card because others (namely a few mets fans) have either said explicitly or implictly to him that race was a factor in their personal hatred of Castillo.
-He goes through great lengths throughout the interview to say he was not trying to generalize the entire mets fan base as racist. He was trying to address the “underlying issue” of race that has been present with this team (and baseball in general).
-Baseball-related: He believes that Emaus would be the opening day second baseman. Speculation is fun.
My take is race is dicey issue anyway you slice it. Anyone who brings it up is going to be attacked, whether they are right or wrong. In this case, I agree with Matt that Martino uses a weak example here but this topic should not be taboo only because we just want to put our fingers in our ears and scream “LA LA LA LA LA LA.” whenever we talk about race issues.
Now, kids, being eaten by a crocodile is just like going to sleep; in giant blender.
my problem isnt that it ever gets discusse
its more how its brought up at times. look, bringing up race makes you seem like a jerk even if its true. youre basically accusing fans, many times wrongly, about bad things. that being said, there are many times the issue of race is legitimate. if someone brought in race while discussing minaya (even though i personally dont care at all about the latin issue. i just couldnt stand the collapses and general suckiness) b/c of the obvious perceived latin player issue. guys mentioned that all the time. but if you satart bringing up race any time a minority player is disliked (like lebron and barry bonds claiming theyre hated b/c of race) it just makes you seem like an absolute jerk who’s just trying to draw attention to himself. seriously, he cant find any reasons other than race why met fans hate castillo. he is covering the mets, right??
metsjetsknicksrangers.............can it get any worse?
I don't know what was written in the article
but he did say that his goal was to not generalize the mets fan base as “racist.” In the interview, he said that other reasons on why people hated Castillo were more common BUT he felt he needed to bring out this “underlying issue” of race, as an investigative question I suppose. He didn’t come off great there, but whatever.
Now, kids, being eaten by a crocodile is just like going to sleep; in giant blender.
you can find underlying issues of race in anything relating to minorities or ethnicities
the only time i feel it should ever be brought up is when its an obvious issue. sadly, that happens often enough. but when you start bringing it up in instances where it quite likely has no bearing whatsoever, then you come off as a jerk. martino is pathetic. next thing you know he’ll say knick fans hating isiah and marbury were race related. he should grow up
metsjetsknicksrangers.............can it get any worse?
Well meigs
It’s obvious that race is a factor with some players getting the treatment they do, and I applaud you for not wanting to shove it to the back burner, but it is just a way of life.
Rec'd for the Raymond Carver reference in the title.
As to the racism issue, there is no doubt a substantial portion of Mets fans who diparaged every Latin player signed by Minaya; fortunately, few of those hang out here. I still maintain, thought, that the vast majority despised Castillo’s contract, not his ancestry.
Racism exists
Is this anything groundbreaking? If his name were Lou Castellini and he grew up in Flushing & went to St.John’s we’d still have killed him for running like my grandfather, swinging the bat like my little sister & dropping that A-Rod pop-up. So sick of everyone in this world blaming race for everything. sometimes, maybe just once a year, job performance must be held accountable, not race, creed or gender.
Were they saying "Boo" or "Boo-urns?"
@SlayerSantana on Twitter
racism is everywhere and it is pervasive.
but not everybody is a racist. it’s just the blithering idiots.
i actually think that nativism is a greater factor than racism. far greater. it’s just buried a little deeper. but the real problem is that perforance and moral character are inexorably intertwined in the minds of fans. failing in one area (injury or poor performance) is indicative of failing in the other (laziness, nad attitude, etc). and when those concerns are raised, they tend to come across as fitting into some prejudicial bias. sometimes they are, but not always.
if met fans were racist, we would’ve thought mike cameron to be a thug, a lazy punkass gangsta thug. but i don’t think we did.
if we were racist, we’d probably not like that keith hernandez fellow. he’s mexican right? boo mexicans – him and ollie perez alike!
hell, if mets fans were racist, we prolly wouldn’t like that johan fellow. his lack of an american upbringing has clearly led to his tendency towards arm injury.
oh, ok, then it's ok for us to like him.
by metsmarathon on Mar 18, 2011 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions
You should like him on the basis of what type of human he is...
…and not his background.
I was simply correcting your factual error.
as a baseball player,
i like mex for how he played on the field. as a broadcaster, i like mex for the words he uses.
i have no idea what he’s actually like as a person.
i feel my funny is being diluted. boo. it prolly wasn’t very funny.
by metsmarathon on Mar 18, 2011 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions
i'm gonna pretend...
that i was being willfully ignorant of that fact which i already knew for the purposes of making a point. i totally didn’t completely forget it at all. nope, not one bit.
by metsmarathon on Mar 18, 2011 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions
As an editor...
I would have returned your post to you for revisions. It veers fom direct and serious social commentary to sarcasm—-not an optimal way to communicate. But I respect and agree with your overall opinion—-that racism has no place in MLB, and society as a whole.
I Don't Think the Release of Castillo Was About His Latino Background
But I can’t tell you how many times a few fellow Mets fans made me cringe when they said they don’t watch “Los Mets” anymore. [With a heavy emphasis on “Los.”]
The Mets did and do have quite a few Latino players on their roster, but those are players from the countries that are producing major-league talent these days. All things being equal, they’ve earned their spots. If Minaya went out of his way to favor Latino players, I see it as a marketing attempt thrust upon him by the Wilpons—-there are millions of Latinos in NYC, so why should the Yankees capture all that revenue?
The old NL NYC teams never shied away from exploiting new demographics. The Dodgers even gave a Native American player a Jewish last name to try to attract new Jewish immigrants to Brooklyn.
Kudos to the writer for remembering Clemente. In my youth, he was often labeled a “goldbricker,” meaning he copped out of every challenge. It was only after his tragic death did people universally admit he was a HOFer.
hmmmm.......
the wilpons are jewish!! (as am I, as it happens to be) now i know why ike davis is our 1B. its a marketing ploy by the wilpons to lure in the jewish market. of course!
metsjetsknicksrangers.............can it get any worse?
No. It's 2011.
Jews have been long assimilated as baseball consumers, players, front-office wonks, and owners.
The last NYC attempt to market “Jewishness” was in the Shamsky/Blloomberg era (late ’60s/early ’70s).
Please increase your reading comprehension in the future.
Sarcasm comprehension fail
Either you’re missing dabu7’s sarcasm, or I’m missing yours.
by dcmetsfan on Mar 18, 2011 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
dcmetsfan got it
my comment was fully sarcastic
metsjetsknicksrangers.............can it get any worse?
by dabu7 on Mar 18, 2011 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
"Please increase your reading comprehension in the future."
Please increase yours.
You’ve made some good points, but a little levity never hurt anybody.
by SuperT on Mar 18, 2011 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
man you really cant take a joke can you
but guess what, making up conspiracy theories about racism isnt funny either. implying that the wilpons directed minaya to only go after latino players so they can get a few bucks is a little far fetched i think. maybe youre trying to imply that the wilpons are money hungry jews (sarcasm here in case you’d miss it). my point is that trying to say that every decision is based on race is ridiculous. i understand the wilpons are now universally hated (by myself as well) but saying castillo was hated due to race is like saying the wilpons and madoff are hated b/c theyre jewish (even though their were plenty of anti semitic comments after madoff was caught that still doesnt mean that ppl hate him b/c he’s jewish).
metsjetsknicksrangers.............can it get any worse?
by dabu7 on Mar 18, 2011 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
no
You are creating the conspiracy angle. Marketing to ethnic groups is an old baseball tradition. The wilpons did not invent ethnic marketing nor the desire to accumulate wealth and power.
by PoppedItUp! on Mar 18, 2011 10:02 PM EDT up reply actions
It was a joke.
There’s no ‘conspiracy angle’. He was making a joke, that’s all.
"And that's why anybody who invested with Lenny Dykstra should really call that number. Lawyers are standing by."
by BobbyV_Incognito on Mar 19, 2011 3:05 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
PoppedItUp!
As a Jewish Mets fan, do not EVER use Jewish and marketing ploys and all that in the same sentence. It is stereotyping, and a generally unfair comparision/and or assumption.
Was he too cutting edge for you?
Save Jenrry Mejia!
by Ogre39666 on Mar 20, 2011 3:11 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Yes he was Ogre
Seeing how this turned into a racial discussion, and the fact that he seems new(never seen him post before this article), I think he needs to watch what he says. Some things can be hurtful. He should know sarcasm is one’s best friend, although he doesn’t seem too popular, anyway.
I see what you did there.
Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!
by Steve Schreiber on Mar 20, 2011 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions
You're mentally ill
…if you thought my posts were “anti-Semitic.” Cheap ploy. You’re a naive fool if you think baseball isn’t marketed to ethnic bases new to the US, past and present.
by PoppedItUp! on Mar 21, 2011 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions
Um PoppedItUp!
When did I ever say that your comments were anti-semetic? Read the comment properly, please. Being the newest member of the blog means you have to know how each of us comment, cause we have different styles. I tend to say things to either get a rise out of people, or for it to be hard-edge sarcasm, which is what my comment was to you. I tend to not look at ethnicity in marketing(although I don’t look at marketing stuff, anyway). Considering you know i’m Jewish, that comment could have been held back. That’s all.
It would not shock me
that the Wilpons wanted to market the team by signing latino players, hiring Minaya, etc. All other things being equal. I hardly think that makes them evil.
The Mets would have drafted Ron Bloomberg in 1967 but the Yankees took him first.
Whitey Herzog (yes the white rat from St. Louis) was the Mets draft Guru then and with the fifth pick,he chose Jon Matlok.
by Putnan Prince on Mar 19, 2011 10:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Sandy Koufax was a Native American?!
by Loco For Loko on Mar 18, 2011 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
No, Son, but the Brooklyn Dodgers existed...
…long before Sandy Koufax signed with them. Believe it or not, the Brooklyn Dodgers had a history BEFORE Koufax. You can go to this little Web site called “Baseball-Reference” and even see thay had boxscores and uniforms before 1955. /sarcasm/
If you want to partake in an adult discussion on a serious topic, you may want to add adult responses.
apparently nobody is allowed to ever make jokes in "adult discussions"
look, racism and any other bias based on creed, ethnicity or culture is a major major problem, but that doesnt mean you cant have a good time w/ things
metsjetsknicksrangers.............can it get any worse?
by dabu7 on Mar 18, 2011 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
in the current political climate
I would avoid being flippant about race.
by PoppedItUp! on Mar 18, 2011 10:04 PM EDT up reply actions
If you really cared about ''the current political climate''
You wouldn’t bring race into this. Seeing as how you are new here, bad judgement in what you post can be accepted, but be cautioned that this stuff in the future(i.e. talking about race) won’t be received well here.
We're so being played.
But that’s okay, it’s pretty hilarious.
by SuperT on Mar 20, 2011 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
You pathetic illiterate
The article the author wrote about is a reflection on race, not VORP. Grow up. Learn to read and comprehend.
by PoppedItUp! on Mar 21, 2011 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Let's watch the attacks here, shall we?
"And that's why anybody who invested with Lenny Dykstra should really call that number. Lawyers are standing by."
by BobbyV_Incognito on Mar 21, 2011 11:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Yikes.
Welcome to Amazin’ Avenue.
A place where nobody ever jokes about anything ever.
Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!
by Steve Schreiber on Mar 19, 2011 12:02 AM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Are you knew to Amazin' Avenue?
We have this amazing ability to mix serious discussions with joking and levity. It makes for a very unique and engaging atmosphere and community.
Save Jenrry Mejia!
by Ogre39666 on Mar 19, 2011 4:25 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Clemente
I remember him and if he was labeled a goldbricker it was long before that. He was a sure HoF’er before he died. I was a Mets fan but had his picture cut out of a sports illustrated up on my wall (I think this was from early ’71 or ’72, the “lumber company” pirates).
When I think of Castillo, I think of that miffed pop-up.
Since that day, my opinion of him soured severely. And race was never an issue. He was just getting old and getting incapable quickly.
Proud supporter of a New York baseball team and a Boston football team. Yeah, deal with it!
"We don’t listen to the hype. I don’t think we ever have. We really take after our coach and he says ‘When you win, say little. When you lose, say less.'"--Tom Brady
The 2011 New York Mets: At least we don't have Omar and Jerry anymore
Castillo RACE CARD
Seriously cut the crap!
Why does someone always have to pull a race card for someone like this… Castillo never played to his potential! HE NEVER PLAYED TO HIS POTENTIAL!!!
Maybe, he didnt play to his potential cause he was latin! OH… OMG, lets reverse the stupid idiot remark card!
Give me a break! Dude never played good enough! He never represented the Mets in proper fashion, with just his arrogant attitude last year with Labor Day! OH BUT WAIT!!! That is a POSSIBLE RACE CARD DRAW!! Give me a break you SCHM Any piece of crap who doesnt represent America’s Past Time by seeing the America’s bravest is not worthy of an option!
Lets see what this idiot says when Perez gets dropped! Oh but wait!! 5 YEARS AGO when the Mets were LOS METS, where was the race card then!!! OH WAIT, its the MINORITY CARDS THAT ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE MENTIONED OR THROWN IN!!
Grow up PINHEAD! Castillo needed to be dropped FOR NOT DOING HIS JOB!!! NUFF SAID!!!
Arrogant attitude?
This is what we’re talking about. When did he exhibit this “arrogant attitude” and how did I miss it?
The bottom line is that he’s just not good at baseball anymore. He’s aging and he’s got no power and plays poor defense. Some fans may hate Luis and see this decision through the prism of race and to those fans, I’d suggest they take a long look in the mirror. At the end of the day, this decision was all about performance on the field. End of story. Let’s separate these two sides…I don’t dislike Luis Castillo the person. I dislike Luis Castillo the baseball player.
Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!
by Steve Schreiber on Mar 19, 2011 12:06 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
If you don't like him Mookes, that's fine
but name calling is highly unnecessary. It shows a lack of maturity and not respecting the man, rather than the player. We all have issues with Luis, and no one is denying that. However, we have to look at the man, and not just the player. It’s not as though he ever made any remarks that should or would get you down, nor did he ever do steroids, portray the organization in a bad way off the field, or do anything that would make him a bad guy. I have always felt as though you must look at every player as more than just an athlete. Luis the player certainly deserves anything he gets, but Luis the person(which is what Scummy Senor Fatface refers to, not Luis the player) is immature, and highly uncalled for. Poor usage of words on your part.
by lupojohn3 on Mar 20, 2011 2:46 AM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
Wow.
I never thought I’d do this, but lupojohn gets a rec from me. Well-said.
"And that's why anybody who invested with Lenny Dykstra should really call that number. Lawyers are standing by."
by BobbyV_Incognito on Mar 20, 2011 3:24 AM EDT up reply actions
is this real life?
I’m greening it.
Hey, wait! I'm having one of those things. You know? A headache with pictures?
by KeithsMoustache on Mar 20, 2011 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions
LULZ.
Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!
by Steve Schreiber on Mar 20, 2011 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions
Scummy Senor Fatface
I do not respect him as a player or a man. I hate both. I have given the reasons several times. Congratulations on the rec’s.
Omar Minaya exists. Walter Reed, We will never forget.
Your reasons are irrational and ridiculous.
The fact that lupojohn, far from the most popular poster here, actually got 5 recs for calling you on your crap should tell you what we think of your reasoning.
"And that's why anybody who invested with Lenny Dykstra should really call that number. Lawyers are standing by."
by BobbyV_Incognito on Mar 26, 2011 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions
believe me
i never ever thought for a second that this was a race issue. it just happens to be that a guy that we payed a lot of money that flunked last name was castilo. in the early 200’s no one was saying mo vaughn was released because he was black, it was because his legs didn’t work. i just think that if we paid francoer a lot of money, we would have booed him too. what do beltran, castilo and ollie all have in common? players who haven’t lived up too there contracts. no one was blaming beltran when he was hitting. also, many players didn’t want to go to certain teams. jim kelly cried when he got drafted by buffalo, but believe me, he was thankful later.
"it's not easy being green"-kermit the frog
"we the mets are an improved ball club, now we lose in extra innings"-casy stengal
i cant spell a nosebleed
it's baseball season, and i hate you oliver perez!!!
And Beltran hasn't exactly not lived up to his contract.
He’s been worth $105.4M so far while wearing a Mets jersey (using the 1 WAR = $4M model).
Save Jenrry Mejia!
ment 2000's
"it's not easy being green"-kermit the frog
"we the mets are an improved ball club, now we lose in extra innings"-casy stengal
i cant spell a nosebleed
it's baseball season, and i hate you oliver perez!!!
ment their also and god knows how to spell francoer
"it's not easy being green"-kermit the frog
"we the mets are an improved ball club, now we lose in extra innings"-casy stengal
i cant spell a nosebleed
it's baseball season, and i hate you oliver perez!!!
Who, us?
What Mr Callan has chosen to overlook (and what Messrs Martino, John Harper, Kevin Kernan, Joel Sherman, and other writers for the NY rags refuse to take responsibility for) is their continual ripping of Castillo over the past several years. These hacks have been attacking Castillo regularly, and now they’re shocked—shocked!—that he has been kicked to the curb: “My, oh, my, why do the fans dislike him so? They must be racists!”
The NY Post criticized Omar Minaya for the “over-Latinization” of the roster long before the fans picked up on it. In fact, before the Mets acquired Carlos Delgado, the Post opined that Delgado would never play for the Mets due to what the Post described as Minaya’s condescending attitude toward Latins.
By the way, the Post has been touting Reyes’ “immaturity” since he broke in, and it looks like they may finally run Jose out of town, too. Rest assured, they’ll be singing another tune if Jose goes on to star on another club.
don't take the post seriously, ok
they try to make a fuss over little things and try to blow stuff out of paportion. believe me the new york post is not the reason for castillo being released is the fact that he did not play very well these past years. the post took pot shots at burnitz and vaughn in 02 and 03 also. i remember the back section cover was .215, burnitz batting avg.
"it's not easy being green"-kermit the frog
"we the mets are an improved ball club, now we lose in extra innings"-casy stengal
i cant spell a nosebleed
it's baseball season, and i hate you oliver perez!!!
how is Castillo puzzled at being booed?
and this article is full of shit. Why even bring this “journalist” up is beyond me.
Luis, when you perform like crap ALL athletes and celebrities get booed.
"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"
Not all guys, though.
Francoeur was a black hole of offense, yet most of the fans loved him anyway. David Eckstein hits like Castillo, and doesn’t field much better, but sportswriters love the hell out of that guy. My guess is that some of the Castillo hate is fueled by his ethnicity, but like Matthew says, Martino could have chosen a much better test case than a guy whom we had legitimate reasons to boo.
"And that's why anybody who invested with Lenny Dykstra should really call that number. Lawyers are standing by."
by BobbyV_Incognito on Mar 19, 2011 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions
not sure which francouer you watched
but the one i watched was pretty much hated by everyone by the time he left and fans were begging to get him out of here. they only started off liking him b/c he’s a likeable guy who played well when he first started here. once he started really sucking it up, the fan base turned on him
metsjetsknicksrangers.............can it get any worse?
There were soooo many people who liked him
and they had no idea how bad he was. All they saw was a guy who smiled, had a really good arm, and tried hard.
Save Jenrry Mejia!
Well Ogre
It’s not always the results that matter. I often say that trying is good enough, no matter what the results. I’d rather have a guy who tries hard, and is not always productive, rather than a more talented player who is lazy, and tries when he feels like it. Effort, not results, is always the most important factor, and it is not disputable. In my opinion, you should be more clear in your remarks.
Oh I think good process should be applauded.
But Francoeur did not have good process. Hacking at everything and everything – and refusing to change when it should be obvious that your approach isn’t working – is not good process
And I’ll take the lazy guy who puts up a 4 WAR season over a gritty player who tries his hardest but only puts up 1 WAR.
Save Jenrry Mejia!
and neither did Luis Castillo the last two years
but partially the fault belonged to Mr. Bunt Tactic; and not Luis.
"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"
by feslenraster on Mar 20, 2011 8:45 AM EDT up reply actions
I think
that’s because Eckstein looks like he tries hard and gives a shit and castillo doesn’t. One handing a pop up, generally acting in spring training like he doesn’t want to be in a competition for his job, as though his play the last few years warrants a gimme. Folks didn’t like Cora because he sucked, not because he wasn’t a gamer. With castillo, it’s a little of both.
Most of you are too young, but folks hated Kevin McReynolds for about the same reason. He was pretty good at times for the Mets. But he seemed like he didn’t care. He was aloof. Being white didn’t salvage it. The race factor is overplayed.
and I mean Martino, not Callan
Martino is clearly trying to drum up interest his newspaper/whatever. thank goodness I didn’t read all of it or sports journalists in general.
"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"
by feslenraster on Mar 19, 2011 8:43 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
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