If David Wright is ever on a team other than the Mets, I have a feeling that is how a lot of fans will feel. David has been a consistent hitter for his entire career and he is also pretty sure-handed at third base. He is the face of a franchise that has struggled recently. So he is the face of struggle, even if he is not struggling himself. This has led some fans to call for him to be traded. And some of those fans do not even think the Mets would be able to get many valuable players for him.
That is completely ridiculous.
Trading the face of the franchise delivers a blow both on and off the field. Since 2005, David Wright has been a key to the Mets offense. He has a career .301 batting average. His offensive production got off to a slow start this year, but that can be clearly attributed to his back injury. Since returning from the disable list on July 22, Wright is hitting .291. He has also hit eight of fourteen home runs since returning from the disabled list. Saying he has lost his offensive ability is plain wrong, as he has put up numbers pretty consistent with the rest of his career when healthy this year. Losing him would mean losing the offensive stability the Mets have had for a while.
Wright has also been a leader off the field since 2007. Ever since the collapse, and even before, David has been ready to answer whatever ridiculous questions the media throws at him. He is willing to talk after every game. Yes, sometimes he goes with the politically-correct-easy-way-out answers, but he is there at least 162 days a year and has every right to do that. Not every player is willing to deal with the media so often and in as civil a way as David has been able to. The New York media is more demanding than any other group in any other city. It is pretty much a necessity for the Mets to have one player that is available after every game and David has been that person for years.
Perhaps some fans don't see him as a leader because they don't see him in the locker-room. They don't see the ways he is helping younger players directly off the diamond. It is unfortunate because David Wright is a great player. He is extraordinarily under-appreciated.
My question:
Would fans think differently if he were the official captain?
Let's Go Mets!
That is completely ridiculous.
Trading the face of the franchise delivers a blow both on and off the field. Since 2005, David Wright has been a key to the Mets offense. He has a career .301 batting average. His offensive production got off to a slow start this year, but that can be clearly attributed to his back injury. Since returning from the disable list on July 22, Wright is hitting .291. He has also hit eight of fourteen home runs since returning from the disabled list. Saying he has lost his offensive ability is plain wrong, as he has put up numbers pretty consistent with the rest of his career when healthy this year. Losing him would mean losing the offensive stability the Mets have had for a while.
Wright has also been a leader off the field since 2007. Ever since the collapse, and even before, David has been ready to answer whatever ridiculous questions the media throws at him. He is willing to talk after every game. Yes, sometimes he goes with the politically-correct-easy-way-out answers, but he is there at least 162 days a year and has every right to do that. Not every player is willing to deal with the media so often and in as civil a way as David has been able to. The New York media is more demanding than any other group in any other city. It is pretty much a necessity for the Mets to have one player that is available after every game and David has been that person for years.
Perhaps some fans don't see him as a leader because they don't see him in the locker-room. They don't see the ways he is helping younger players directly off the diamond. It is unfortunate because David Wright is a great player. He is extraordinarily under-appreciated.
My question:
Would fans think differently if he were the official captain?
Let's Go Mets!
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