Pretty fitting huh? OK maybe not for some.
About a year ago, TRDM posted it’s last article. Fittingly it was by an amazing hardworking author who had been keeping the site going just with his minor league updates. Gone were the amazing opinion pieces filled with rational thought and statistics that had made TRDM who it was. Gone were the comments of a loyal group of Mets fans that not only was I proud to share a blog with but who had become part of our lives.
When we started TRDM, actually it was TRS86 just a WordPress Blog like this one, there was a need. Metsblog had become a place where you no longer could come and discuss baseball, only fight trolls and defend the Mets you love. Cerrone had allowed the comment section, against our pleading, to become a detraction to his growing blog. So in the early morning hours of May 20th, 2009 I decided I couldn’t take it anymore. I was finding myself rooting for the Mets because I loved them but just as much because I wanted to be able to have a peaceful day interacting and discussing baseball with my fellow Mets fans.
So the first article?
What to do with 1B
Look at the names, Tatis replacing Reed? My how times have changed… or have they?
So what is this all about? I am not sure. I don’t have the time in my life to run a blog. My daughter was 3 when I started TRDM, she’s 10 now. She still talks about my blog. We had a great run, it more than paid for itself. We had press credentials once Sandy arrived, one of our writers got to experience things that would have never been possible without the blog. I got into minor league games, was able to speak to players, it was really a dream come true. But life is hard. I don’t enjoy writing articles very often, they are time consuming if you hold yourself to a high standard. I don’t enjoy fixing web issues, making sure the header looks right, or that the links work.
What do I enjoy? Debating with fellow Mets fans in the comment section. Even when TRDM was barely hanging on, I went to Amazin Avenue or Metsmerized to feed that need. Ultimately that need and lack of desire to continue to search for great authors willing to work for free brought an end to the site we loved. I take full blame for that. Owning a blog with aspirations (we were top 5 in comments and views during our peak) was too time consuming for someone who had a full-time job, coaching job, and a family while also commenting. I do take pride in seeing many of our authors go on to bigger and better things. I maybe irrationally think that I helped a guy like Connor get his foot in the door and now he has became what I believe is the best Mets blogger in the business.
A rambling paragraph ago I asked, what was this all about? Even after two paragraphs, I still don’t know. I feel a little like I did when we started TRDM, however, as a wiser man, I know I have no desire to try to build a site again up to a level of respectability. Also I respect the owners of AA and MMO tremendously and I have no desire to pull viewers away or compete with them in any way. So again, I asked what am I doing here? Maybe I just needed to look back at a better day? I miss my blog family and wish last year during the WS run they were there to celebrate with. I miss the debates over actual baseball topics. I miss the discussions that would make me a better baseball fan, more knowledgeable and accepting. I miss the personal connection that we had with each visitor.
So what’s a man to do? Most of the regulars at TRDM were split between AA and MMO when the site took it’s last breath. So I’ll ask this question to them and send them this link. Not in hopes of getting viewers but a honest discussion of where we are as fans and what our desires are and then from there, we’ll proceed or go off in our own directions.
