Last night I was listening to Steve Sommers on WFAN on my way to the gym. I’ve never called into the FAN, but I wanted to in this instance. Steve was going on and on about how fans should boo when they do not see “effort” or the players look like they don’t “care”. I need someone to explain to me how we are supposed to know if players care.

Do we want a team full of Paul O’Neill’s, who would throw bats and break water coolers after every out? Do we want guys to say something to the media? What exactly would it take to show these fans that the players care?

Seriously, do fans really think these guys are happy that they are slumping? Do we really think Carlos Beltran is thinking to himself “Oh, I’m getting $18 million, I don’t care if I strand runners”? Or that Carlos Delgado, by all accounts a prideful man, is happy that he is below the Mendoza line?

Fans are playing amateur psychologist here. They seem to think that since the team isn’t blowing out everyone they play that they do not care. Yes, I realize that I am doing the same thing. Tell me, if I am wrong to do it, doesn’t that mean the fans are as well?

I understand the desire to boo after a bad inning. My problem is when guys are booed as they step to the plate (Delgado), or come in from the bullpen (Heilman). In the case of Heilman, the guy is a notorious slow starter who has come through for the Mets a heck of a lot more times than he has hurt us. I know, he has blown some key games last year and this, but can’t we all remember that EVERY relief pitcher does the same? As for Delgado, the guy gets booed as he comes to the plate, then hits a home run and people get annoyed because he doesn’t take a curtain call. I wonder how many of those same people had problems with players celebrating in blow-out wins? Players aren’t slumping do to lack of effort. We don’t have anyone proclaiming they are in “Operation Shutdown.” We have a bunch of players who are slumping. It is that simple.

Later, I turned on SNY to hear John Heyman wax poetic about the Phillies energy, despite missing Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins. Heyman felt that the fact that the Phillies were playing so well despite missing those two players spoke well for them. He then proceeded to say the Mets don’t play with energy. I’m sorry, what exactly is “playing with energy”? Is it dugout celebrations by Reyes, which many media members wrote showed up other teams and led to losses (see Marlins, Floridain last game of last season)? Is it winning? Well, the Mets, despite missing key pieces of their own were 2 games over 500 going into last nights game, and were 1.5 games back. The last time I checked, divisions were not won in April. Heck, not even late September with a 7 game lead and 17 to play.

It seems that the media likes to find “reasons” for struggling teams, playing amateur psychologist to do so. We hear about lack of chemistry or energy when teams are not meeting expectations, and hear the opposite when they are winning. A portion of the fanbase reads these stories and takes them to heart. They read that the team is going to dominate, and then boo when it does not happen.

Willie is right. The fans and the media need to move past last season. The team is struggling right now. The middle of the lineup is hitting terribly. Some are ready to bury some of the guys. Not me. I remember last year when David Wright had an awful April, yet wound up with numbers that put him in the running for MVP. Soon, Wright and Beltran will heat up. Reyes too. They have too much talent to slump for much longer. At that point, we will all read about how much “energy” the Mets are playing with. And I will laugh. I went to games in the late 70’s and early 80’s, when this team REALLY sucked. I don’t remember the booing to be as bad then as it was now. There is such a thing as homefield advantage. Shea Stadium is a great place to play when the fans are supporting their team. On an unconscious level, the players can feed off the energy the fans provide. That energy is missing today. That energy is needed. You want the players to show energy, do the same thing. Show some POSITIVE energy.