From BRIAN LEWIS
Even with tonightâs game being rained out, there are plenty of Met subjects to talk about and dissect and argue about. Obviously, many of you still have strong opinions on Carlos Delgado declining Sundayâs curtain call, and Delgado is no stranger to strong opinions himself.
Here are some highlights from a 20-minute marathon interview session that didnât make the paper:
Asked if he was surprised at the talk-show hubbub: No. 1, I donât listen to the radio shows. No. 2, I donât know why you call it a decision. Itâs not a decision.
Whether he was surprised it took on a life of itâs own: In New York? Wouldnât you be surprised if it wasnât?
On whether heâd turned down curtain calls before: When you have 434 home runs, thereâs a couple of times they clap.
Whether any other Mets tried to prod him to accept the curtain call, the way venerable Julio Franco had convinced oft-booed Carlos Beltran early in his Met career: Convince me? No. Julio Francoâs not here.
On whether the booing will convince Delgado — in the last year of his contract, with a $12 million club option for next year with as $4 million buyout — to return for 2009: You will never know about the treatment of the fans until youâre there for a long period of time. Iâm here, this is my third yearâ¦this is the last year of my contract, right? The most important thing is we have a competitive team. If you do good in New York, youâll be on top of the world.
On what he thought of relievers Aaron Heilman and Scott Schoeneweis getting booed almost nightly: Just for throwing Ball One? If it doesnât feel good to me, I always try to be there for my teammates and try to comfort them for what they go through. If I was in their shoes, it wouldnât feel good either. But what can you do? Throw your glove and go and pick a fight with the guys in the stands? You donât do that. All you do is hope they get a 1-2-3 inning and next day come out and get a 1-2-3 inning and they do well. In Schoeneyâs case, heâs pitching pretty decent.
(Hmmm, is it just me or is it conspicuous that he didnât bother to try to claim how decent Heilman was pitching?)
Would he be surprised if his refusal Sunday leads to more boos in the next game: Why do you guys like the word surprised? I get surprised when my kid does something Iâve never seen before. All the other (crap), I can deal with.
On what fans say to him on the streets in New York: I donât walk around the city. I live outside. But people usually are a lot nicer to you when theyâre one-on-one. Then, you get all the psychology stuff, peer pressure, you go in and get a couple of beers and do what the other guy does. But I donât pay. Itâs your money, you pay $10 for a beer, thatâs your money.
And finally, whether this 20-minute interrogation in front of his locker was longer than the interviews he gave on refusing to stand for God Bless America: Itâs definitely been a lot more entertaining.
And it appears — if the fans voting on MetsBlog http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/28/results-supporting-delgados-decision/are any indicator — most Amazin’s fans are backing Delgado’s decision.
Read Tuesday’s edition of The Post for more from Delgado …