With the Mets using the Subway Series Sweep over the Yankees to springboard themselves into a sweep by the Marlins, things are not looking all that great today.
One of the guys who is covering the team for the first time this year and helping tell us the story of the 2013 Mets is Marc Carig of Newsday. Whether he is asking two/three part questions, using hash tags or enjoying both the fans and the job, he is one of the most popular beat writers for the Mets.
I decided that I wanted to know more about the man who says he is a fan of the Stache created #BackToYouGare meme. What is his opinion of the team today and into the future and what does he think about the ever growing power that is #MetsTwitter.
1. This is your first year covering the Mets, what has it been like so far?
I’ve enjoyed the experience so far. I think switching beats can be very difficult because of all the new relationships you’ve got to form. But in that way, I feel like it’s gone well. From the players, coaches, people in the front office and the other reporters in the press box, I’ve enjoyed getting to know people in the time that I’ve been here. Even A. Rubin. Hopefully, getting a better handle on the landscape translates into better, more interesting stories.
2. What have you learned about the team that you didn’t know before you starting covering them?
I think there’s a tremendous value in watching a team play just about every day. It’s much easier to gain an appreciation for a player’s strengths and weaknesses when you have the opportunity to immerse yourself. So what have I learned? David Wright is an outstanding player. Obviously, you don’t have to be around the Mets everyday to realize this, though being around more this season has given me a better understanding about why he’s been a perennial all-star. Wright works extraordinarily hard and has the respect of his teammates. He also seems to do a lot of the little things well. Another player shared a story earlier this year about a day in which Wright was out of the starting lineup. Before the game, Wright intentionally stayed out of the batting cage and out of the trainer’s room. That way, the players who were in the lineup could get in and get their work in. Anyway, Wright pays attention to these types of things, which is a big deal to fellow players. And that’s something I didn’t know until I started covering the Mets.
3. Should we be hopeful or concerned for the immediate future of the franchise?
Probably a bit of both. I’d say hopeful because before the end of the year, Mets fans should get their first glimpse of guys like Zack Wheeler and Travis d’Arnaud. I think that’s pretty exciting, especially since both of them will play a major role going forward. But I’d also say concerned because the Mets still lack that critical mass of talent that’s needed to really turn a franchise around. There’s a clear lack of impact position players in the system. And there should be a healthy dose of skepticism about whether the Mets actually devote the financial resources to improve the team this offseason. Certainly, I can’t blame fans for taking an “I’ll believe it when I see it” type of approach.
4. How do you see the rest of the 2013 season for the Mets going?
At the start of the season, I predicted 95 losses, and I haven’t seen much reason to come off of that. They simply don’t have the players to fare much better. I think they will soon get to a point where the priority will be on evaluating the pieces that they believe might be around for the long haul, such as Jordany Valdespin and Juan Lagares.
5. What has it been like for you interacting with #MetsTwitter and what is your favorite part about it?
I’ve been lucky. The fans have been welcoming and also ridiculously helpful as far as understanding the team’s recent history. I’ve learned so much about the Mets by reading tweets from fans. I think there’s value in getting a sense for how fans react. So, I’ve really enjoyed my interactions with #MetsTwitter. My favorite part by far is just how passionate the fans are about the Mets. They’ve sat through a lot of crap the last couple of years and I know that some folks have a sort of fatigue associated with it. I’m sure some people have checked out. But I also know that there is still a rabid base out there that hasn’t gone anywhere. I get asked a lot whether my job is more fun when the team is successful on the field. My standard answer is that beat writers don’t get paid by the win. For me, what really determines whether or not this job is fun has everything to do with whether people care. And the sense I get from social media is that plenty of people still care about the Mets. It still means a lot to a lot of people. And that’s been my favorite part of interacting with #MetsTwitter so far. That, and clever hash tags. And block parties.
