On March 29, the New York Mets opened the season at Citi Field against the St. Louis Cardinals. Opening day was also the last time we saw the Captain of the Mets, David Wright.
Wright was introduced to the Citi Field crowd during the opening day introductions before first pitch. However, he wasn’t introduced as part of the starting lineup, or anybody on the active roster for that matter, just as the captain.
It was a courtesy to have him on the first base line for the opening day introductions, which he deserved and will deserve for however long he continues to play.
Earlier this week it was reported that Wright hopes to be cleared to begin baseball activity by the end of the month. Wright will be seeing a doctor for one more follow-up, which will determine if he will be cleared to continue his comeback.
Now, I can respect any player that will do whatever it takes to complete a comeback. However, I know when enough is enough, if only Wright knew it as well.
IT IS TIME FOR DAVID WRIGHT TO RETIRE FROM BASEBALL.
As a lifelong fan of the Mets, Wright has always been my favorite player. My first Mets game was in June of 2005 (Wright’s first full year in the league). From that night when I was eight years old all the way to today, Wright has always been a special player to me as well as many other fans of the Mets.
Ever since the rebuild began in 2009, Wright has taken it upon himself to be the veteran leader on the team. From mentoring the young talent, to re-signing for seven years in 2012, to officially becoming the Captain shortly after, Wright has always been the leader, and a productive one at that.
However, ever since 2015, Wright’s career came to a screeching halt.
The 35-year-old third baseman has only played 75 games in the past three seasons and he missed the majority of 2016 and all of 2017 due to constant set backs and injuries. He has not taken the field in 2018.
2015 SEASON: Wright went on the disabled list in April with what we thought was just a hamstring strain, but later was discovered that Wright also had a condition called Spinal Stenosis, which will affect Wright for the rest of his life.
After fans were educated on how serious the condition was, we knew his career was on borrowed time from that point on.
Wright would rehab and he would return to the lineup in August during a series in Philadelphia and brought fans this moment in just the third pitch of his first at bat back in the lineup:
Wright was also a big contributor as a veteran leader in the Mets postseason run which helped them reach the World Series for the first time since 2000.
We knew that there was a condition that Wright and the medical staff had to monitor, but what we didn’t know, was the worst was yet to come.
2016 SEASON: Wright made it through the first two months before being placed on the DL with a herniated disk in his neck, which he had surgery on days after being placed on the DL.
Wright would miss the rest of the 2016 season, including the Wild Card game against the San Francisco Giants, which he watched from the Mets dugout at Citi Field.
2017 SEASON: The 2017 season never got underway for Wright as he missed the entire season due to many issues with his neck, back, and right shoulder. He underwent rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder in September to help correct the issues.
Wright addressed the media following the surgery and said it had to be done to move forward with the road to recovery:
2018 SEASON: It didn’t take a scientist to tell you that Wright wouldn’t be on the opening day roster. The Mets knew this and prepared for it. They also know there is a chance he won’t be on the field at all this year.
Earlier this spring, Wright addressed the media and said he will do everything in his power to complete the comeback, but he also didn’t shy away from the possibility of coming up short on his goal:
From his first game as a Met, fans knew they had a special addition to the organization. His passion for the orange and blue is something us fans will never be able to repay him for.
As fans, our hearts break watching him suffer setback after setback every time he gets close to a return to the active roster. It’s gotten to the point where Mets fans are now used to not seeing him on the field at all.
It would surprise Mets fans if Wright returned to the lineup, because we’re just used to him being hurt.
While we appreciate the passion, we also know that his condition is getting worse, his neck and shoulder seem to be an ongoing issue, and he hasn’t been healthy in the past three seasons.
If Wright were to come back in 2018, he wouldn’t be used every day like he would prefer due to what his road to recovery has been like the last three seasons, especially if they are in a pennant race. The Mets have prepared for this, they were expecting this, and now all that’s left is for Wright to accept the reality that he should never play another game on a diamond again.
That is a decision that Wright needs to make for him and his family so that way he is healthy enough to enjoy the next stages of his life without his condition being worse than it already is.
Knowing the Mets organization, his number will be retired within the next few years, and an induction into the Mets Hall Of Fame is more than likely for the captain.
But when it comes to right here and right now, it’s time to face the reality of the situation, David Wright, we love you and we thank you, but it is in your best interest to retire from the game and step away once and for all.
