Strawberry Fields New Hope For New York Mets

The New York Mets finally ended the whole debacle that occurred when Darryl Strawberry, a respected former Met, visited the team in the visitor's clubhouse in Washington on May 20, to give them an unexpected pep talk-type speech that rubbed some of the current players the wrong way.

Apparently at the time, certain members of the Mets (according to various reports, veteran sluggers Jason Bay and Jeff Francouer) didn’t appreciate Strawberry's supposed scolding tone in the speech, and didn't feel so good about the whole situation.

Now Francouer and other players are reaching out to Strawberry to let him know that there are no hard feelings, and that Strawberry would be welcomed back anytime.

If I were the rest of the Mets, I would go along with Francouer.

Maybe it is just a coincidence, but since Strawberry’s visit, the Mets are 6-1 which includes two wins over the reigning World Series champs in the New York Yankees, as well as a sweep over the division leaders and reigning NL Champs, the Philadelphia Phillies. In fact, the Mets actually blanked the Phils for the entire series.

I know it is still early in the season, but after Strawberry’s visit, the talks of manager Jerry Manuel being fired have slowly drifted away, and the Mets are now just two games out of first in the NL East.

With the success the Mets have been having, they should theoretically have no problem walking all over Milwaukee in the next series, and all of a sudden the Mets may be considered “a playoff contender.”

Welcome back to New York "Citi," Darryl.

–Mark Elliot Wishnia