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Wilpon a little crazy, a lot right – Metro US

Wilpon a little crazy, a lot right

Sometimes the crazy guy is right. No, not about the Rapture. About things like the Mets. Crazies know the Mets. Yet, most seem to be completely missing the fact Fred Wilpon actually comes across as knowledgeable in the already infamous New Yorker piece.

David Wright is not a superstar. He is essentially baseball’s version of Chris Bosh, which might be a slight disservice to Bosh. And come to think of it, Jose Reyes does come across as self-entitled and more than a little delusional.

If anything Wilpon should be getting props for recognizing the true nature of his team, of his mess.

The Mets are paying superstar money for several players who aren’t close to superstars. That’s how franchises become hot messes. What, Fred Wilpon isn’t allowed to be honest?

If George Steinbrenner made similar observations in his prime, he’d be lauded for trying to motivate his troops. But because Wilpon could turn out to be business evil in a different way than the baseball-banned, soon-to-be Hall of Famer Steinbrenner, it’s not OK for him?

Wilpon’s not telling Wright anything that his six-home-run-hitting self shouldn’t already know. Wright isn’t taking “the high road” by not firing back his indignation. He’s honoring his $14 million salary and respecting the fact that Wilpon’s hand-picked baseball people were dumb enough to overpay him.

Casual New York baseball fans have already been calling one un-superstar player a superstar for years (Derek Jeter). Wilpon deserves praise, not scorn, if he prevents another false legend.

At least Wilpon isn’t fooling himself. It’d be much more damaging if he dwelled in self-denial, said the Mets were close and raved about Wright and Reyes like they were Ted Williams and Rickey Henderson.

How can a Mets fan not be encouraged by Wilpon’s realization of just how pathetic his team is? That’s usually half the battle. More so, in the zany world of Flushing, where up is often down and a reporter is to blame for a VP’s inability to keep his shirt on around a bunch of minor leaguers.

Wilpon may not come across as brilliant in The New Yorker. (It’s no stretch to imagine him blowing the sure cash cow that owning a MLB team provides). But he’s not living in a fantasy land. And with these Mets, that’s a huge win. Their first real one of 2011.

– Chris Baldwin covers the sports media for Metro.

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