Lots of interesting, funny, idiotic, and insightful things were said by the Mets—and about them—recently. Here are some of our favorites.
I know you ‘like’ this team, but do you ‘like like’ this team?
"We kind of like our team. If you look at the run differential, we should be a .500 team. We're not. At the same time, it doesn't mean we should throw everyone overboard. We're not happy with our record by any means. We're thinking we have the potential to be better than our record." —Sandy Alderson [NJ.com]
Inspiring stuff.
"We’re not happy. We’re not happy with the record. Not by any sense of the imagination. But I told the guys today: We’ve got -- what? -- 36 games or 35 games left in our division? That’s a lot of games. That’s a lot of games to play. Now what we have to do is go out but, for the most part, play consistent, play smart, play fundamental baseball and we’ll get back in the hunt." —Terry Collins [ESPN]
Hey, look at that, we managed to not set a win goal.
"What we’ve shown the last 10 days is, yes, we can compete. Now, we’ve got 67 more games. We’ve got to go out and do it. We can’t just talk about it. We’ve got to go do it. If we continue to play like this, September is going to be a fun month." —Terry Collins [ESPN]
@Humblebrag.
"[Mejia’s save celebration] doesn’t bother me. If stuff like that bothered you, you’d be fighting every day. Whatever he’s got to do. I’m glad that my closer and my team, when we win games, we just walk off the field. Like we’ve done it." —Fredi Gonzalez [New York Times]
Well that’s one way to put it.
"It’s exciting, we’re playing good baseball. It’s nice to go into the break with your feathers up a little bit." —Daniel Murphy [New York Post]
If only the 2007-2008 Mets had a player with swagger.
"When you have a room full of younger guys, sometimes they can get a little cocky in a good way, where they feel like they can’t lose or they can’t get out, or the opposing team can’t hit them. That can be dangerous. When I was on the veteran teams as a younger player, the teams like the Marlins gave us trouble because they had a bunch of younger players with this certain swagger to them -- like they didn’t care who was on the other side, that they were going to beat you. And those teams gave us problems. So, hopefully, we can be that team that not necessarily sneaks up on people but can go compete with those big guys." —David Wright [ESPN]
I’ll let this one slide.
"Everybody needs a little bit of a rest and a little bit of a blow." —David Wright [New York Post]
I’m going to assume David Wright reads AA’s prospect coverage during the offseason.
"He’s one of guys that was a little under the radar. You heard about the Syndergaards. You heard about the Wheelers. [Steven] Matz has been getting a lot of attention. And Montero. But you never really heard too much about deGrom. And he was actually slated to be in the bullpen when he first got called up and something happened and he got a start and really has seized that opportunity. He’s got a live arm and throws strikes. It’s fun to play defense behind those guys." —David Wright [ESPN]
Wonder if Murph would’ve had the same approach if he became an ‘insurance person.’
"I've always felt that at the point that I don't play the game with my hair on fire. I'm just not physically gifted enough to continue playing at this level. So that's how I've always approached it." —Daniel Murphy [Newsday]
Not exactly sure that last part was necessary.
"[Murphy is] so pumped up [regarding the All Star Selection], and he should be. That’s a tremendous tribute to one of the hardest-working players you’ll ever be around. And a big play for him, but he’s gassed." —Terry Collins [ESPN]
He added, ‘We’re fun. Can’t you see me smiling? Come on, please buy some tickets!’
"That’s what this town could be like if you’re having success," Collins said about Saturday’s atmosphere at Citi Field. "And that’s what we’re hoping for when we come out of the break, that we’re playing well and people want to buy tickets to come see us, because we have not quit all year long. It’s a fun team to be around. It’s a fun team to watch play." —Terry Collins [ESPN]
As much as it hurts, got to agree with Scott Boras on this one.
"The doctors are always telling us 14 to 16 months they’re having the higher success rates than they are the 10- to 12-month period. So is that a definitive measure? The doctors will always tell you they’re unsure. But with elite athletes, high ‘velo’ guys, to err on conservatism and more time I think is the proper course." —Scott Boras [ESPN]
Good save upgrading from ‘pretty good’ to ‘ really good’
"We’ve been eating a whole lot since we got here. We’re Italian, and we’ve had some pretty good Italian food. I mean, really good. Usually you can only get that from family back home." —Michael Conforto [ESPN]
Or GoT
"We’re two of the more stubborn people in the game. Whatever delay occurred had absolutely nothing to do with Michael." —Sandy Alderson [ESPN]
Chris: I’m staying in New York.
"Nobody cares about the past at that moment, especially myself. I don’t care about the game before, the at-bat before. It’s always about living in the moment and playing in the moment. If you’re able to do that for an entire season, normally at the end of the road that pot of gold is there and you’re able to look back and see yourself push through the downs and come back on top by the time the end of the year comes around." —Chris Young [As told by Adam Rubin] [ESPN]