Adopting a Surrogate Team for the Post Season

With September now upon us and the Mets’ post-season aspirations all but down the drain, I feel an odd sense of relief in many ways that I will not feel the end of season stress and disappointment that 2007 and 2008 wrought. I have had most of July and all of August to mourn the Mets and now I’m ready to adopt a surrogate team and sit back and watch the Wild Card dogfight in the National and American Leagues.


Traditionally, my top-tier adopted team is always the Red Sox. I can identify with this team because much like the Mets, they historically have been an underdog, and they are usually victimized by the hated Yankees in one way or another. But the truth of the matter is, since winning two World Series the Sox have lost a bit of charm for me. Maybe it is because the Mets haven’t won squat that I am losing my sense of kinship with the formerly beleaguered Sox Nation, but more and more I have been picking true underdog teams – especially those with very low payrolls, to pull out an October miracle. Last year it was the Rays and former Met Scott Kazmir. In 2007 it was the Rockies with their miraculous end of season hot streak, This year I have a lot of good choices but I’m thinking the Texas Rangers just might be the team I’d like to see take the Wildcard. It is doubtful they would get past the Yankees to go to the World Series so let’s just take one thing at a time for now.

My reasoning behind rooting Texas on this year is because with the exception of 2004 when they finished the season 89 – 73, this team has been in or hovering near the basement of the AL West for about 10 years. Their last playoff appearance was 1999 when the won the division. They also won the division in 1996 and 1998. All three times they lost to the Yankees. Through their history they have never played in or obviously won a World Series title. Because of this, I can truly identify with this franchise. I also feel somewhat sad for their fans. It takes a strong person to continuously root for a losing team. As a Mets fan, I know this first hand, but at least the Mets gave us 1969 and 1986 and a smattering of playoff action in between.

You also have to like how the Rangers have improved their farm system over the past couple of years. Just two years ago, Baseball America, ranked the Rangers farm system 28th out of 30 teams. The publication gave the Rangers the largest bump in its history by rating it No. 4 in 2008, and this year it ranked Texas No. 1. Note to Omar Minaya and Jeff Wilpon…maybe take some cues on how this is done and get cracking on a similar plan for the Mets.

Every year one or two teams surprise me by rising out of the ashes to be competitive. While the Rangers have some ground to make up in chasing the Red sox for the Wildcard, I get the impression that the young talent on this team is confident in their abilities like the Rays were last year. The Red Sox, on the other hand, seem to be a little older, a little more beaten up and definitely more mortal than in their championship years. It should be an interesting ride through September to watch these two teams duke it out with Tampa for a playoff slot. And the best part for me is, after a summer of turmoil in Mets land, I can just sit back, relax and take it all in on the sidelines as I wait for spring training 2010.