Saturday, January 05, 2008

Angel Pagan: A Metaphor For Life

You probably saw the news that the Mets have re-acquired Angel Pagan from the Cubs for two minor leaguers.

Angel Pagan is not only an inaugural Brooklyn Cyclone, but he possesses the greatest name in the history of professional sports. It is a name that represents the constant struggle ... the dichotomy, if you will, that Met fans live with every day.
"In Omar we trust!"

"Fire Omar!"

"Stop with the Omar bashing!"

"Make a trade!"

"Keep the kids!"

"Spend money!"

"Don't be like the Yankees!"
Angel Pagan, you see, represents the inner battle in all of us. Do we awash in the spoils of youth, or do we subscribe to the theory that is it better to be old and wise than young and stupid? Are we penny (Matt) wise? Or are we pound (Mo Vaughn) foolish? Are we angels? Are we pagans? Angel Pagan arrives to show us to embrace both sides our our Met fan being ... embrace the dichotomy, and show love for every side of the argument whether it be optimistic, or pessimistic. And to remember that sometimes, it's okay to be both. It's okay to want everyone fired and want stability at the same time. It's okay to believe in the kids and to want to gut the farm. Sometimes you feel like a nut, and sometimes you don't. And that's ... okay.

So in your travels, when you can't decide whether to throw your support behind Omar's latest trade or Willie's latest double switch, or whether to cover yourself in Crisco and picket outside of Shea Stadium with a blow torch, look to Angel Pagan ... and know that it's okay to find that gray area that's in all of us.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I used to work for the Binghamton Mets, and believe it or not Angel was their starting centerfielder back in 2004. I was wondering what happened to him, and then last summer, I was at a Nashville Sounds game (I now live in TN) and they were playing the Cubs AAA team, and who is starting for them in CF? That's right Angel Pagan. (Just a note it's pronounced Pugon not Pagan). Yes, me working for the Binghamton Mets in 2004 means I was there during THE trade. I remember walking into the stadium and hearing that he'd been traded, and the BS excuses they were making up. "He's not a nice guy" and crap like that. I was a damn pretzel vendor and I used to talk to the pitchers when they sat up in the stands doing charts. He was an awesome guy to talk to. Sorry for the rant, love the blog. Keep up the good work.

Metstradamus said...

Big Mac,

I say Pagan, you (and the rest of the free world) say Pugon. Who's to say who's right or wrong?

Well, you are right. But that would have messed up the post. And that's no fun.

Don't you love when teams try to come up with excuses to explain an unpopular trade? The Mets aren't the first do to that and they aren't going to be the last. They're just good at it.

Thank you for loving the blog and don't ever apologize for ranting. That's why we're here, so rant all you'd like.

Anonymous said...

reminds me of the great tim teufel (devil in german) - jim gott (god in german)face-offs in the eighties. dont know who ultimately bested who though. while surfing around someone notes that bill james kept a tally of their tete-a-tetes. no wonder james abstracts are considered the baseball bible.

I.M. Forme said...

i always wondered if anyone else covered themselves in crisco before picketing. Now I don't feel so alone.

teufel and gott fought to a draw. then gott was all like "i am your father."

good times.

katherine said...

Did you notice 2 summers ago when the 86 Mets had their reunion, they all looked much older, grayer, fatter, or balder, except Timmy, who looked EXACTLY THE SAME as he did in 1986?

Anonymous said...

At the risk of sounding all Tom Tancredo here, are we really gonna have to pronounce this guy's name the way they were on Mets Hot Stove the othr night? unn-HEL puh-GON?

Boy, can't wait to hear Jon Miller's over-the-top rendition.

katherine said...

Kingmanfan, Since I made a comment about not wanting to acquire Fukudome because of pronouncability issues, I am as guilty of this as anyone (well maybe not as guilty as Tancredo) but, really, it's not so hard to pronounce, is it? I mean, we got used to Jose and Jorge, I think we can adjust to Angel.

Well, actually, I still feel a little embarrassed everytime I say Jorge