I Believe

Sometimes I think we're the Felix and Oscar of baseball fans, Mary and I. She is a diehard Yankee fan, and I a Met fan. She grew up in Columbus, Ohio, following many of today's Yankee stars when they played in the minors for the Columbus Clippers. I grew up in NJ, raised by two Brooklynites who taught me to hate the Yankees as much as I love the Mets. They also taught me the meaning of loyalty and I, like Met fans everywhere, endured one losing season after another until the 1986 Amazins.

Yankee fans will never understand that kind of joy. And now, as the Yankees struggle, she rants and raves right along with Steinbrenner about how there's no excuse for such poor play from men who are paid so well. She marvels at how OK I am with the Mets playing .500 ball. It's because I'm used to struggles like this. I've lived with them all of my life. She's watched the Yankees go to the World Series six times since '95. I hold on to my precious memories of 1986, and try to forget the fall of 2000 and the name Benitez.

This year, I see a big difference between the Mets and the Yankees. Now as I watch the Yankees struggle, I notice something missing in that dugout. Yes, I know that I cannot possibly know what's going on in there, but those guys just don't look happy to me. I'm not seeing any chemistry. I'm just seeing a lot of very talented, well-paid men clocking in, trying to do their jobs, and clocking out.

The Mets dugout is entirely another story. I can't help but smile as I think back to jokesters like Dykstra, Backman, and Roger "Second Spitter" McDowell wearing their hats inside out and giving each other hotfoots. It warmed my heart to watch Pedro jumping up and down on the mound after a great catch by Cliff Floyd. Who didn't laugh watching our boys in the 8th inning the other night, clowning around in the dugout, ribbing Jose Reyes for almost walking for the first time this season? It was clear that Mets fans and players alike were thoroughly enjoying themselves: fans chanted "walk! walk! walk!" as Doug Mientkiewicz smiled and "shushed" his fellow players in the dugout. Alas poor Jose swung at ball four and grounded out, but after a four hit game, no one was complaining. Reyes has since gotten that monkey off his back, drawing his first walk with the bases loaded.

The Mets, with the possible exception of Tom Glavine, are having fun and that's the difference. I watch these New Mets play, and it gives me goosebumps. Will they go to the playoffs this year? They not only have the talent to do it, but they have that little something extra called chemistry. So while the Yankees make changes, and their fans and Steinbrenner rant, I'll be watching my Mets and wearing my hat inside out. Ya gotta believe. I do. I do.