Bring back '86

Last night, MLB Network was airing episodes of "Baseball's Seasons" - so of course, I set a reminder for when the 1986 season was going to be on. Watching this show actually made me sad - not because the Mets won't be winning the World Series this year, but because they are a shadow of what they used to be. You can say what you want about the 1986 team - they were arrogant and hated by all of Major League Baseball - but those guys had a grittiness and "don't mess with us" attitude that I absolutely love. Most of you know that I have a little taste for blood in baseball. For example, I'll never for the life of me understand why Mike Piazza didn't beat the hell out of Roger Clemens. I love it when pitchers send a message with a pitch that's a little too far inside, or when they utilize the retaliation hit-by-pitch. All in all, I love it when baseball gets down and dirty, with a hard-nosed style that basically says, "You can try... but you're not gonna beat us."

And that is what makes me sad. The 2009 New York Mets had none of these qualities, and I'm not very hopeful for the 2010 model. I can see why the 1986 team is loved by Mets fans. Of course, winning the World Series plays a big role, but it goes deeper than that. That team was everything that was simultaneously right and wrong about baseball. The closest we have come to recapturing that feel was in 2006, with Paul LoDuca leading the way. 2006 was a fun year in baseball because we all really believed the Mets were going to win. For me, that's the biggest difference in the last couple of years.

It's hard to describe the feeling surrounding the last few seasons. As a fan, I know that I wasn't as confident in the 2007 team. Maybe it's because we were crushed by a called third strike to end the previous season. Or maybe it's because the Mets had lost their swagger. They were good in 2007, but it's almost as if their hearts weren't in it. That's a dangerous trend in baseball, and it's the thing I envy the most about the current Phillies team. I want to see my players care about winning and to show it. Being level headed and saying all the right things can only take you so far - sometimes, you have to get your hands dirty. For that reason, I hope the 2010 Mets can catch another airing of "Baseball's Seasons: 1986" before Opening Day.