It was just three days ago when Andy Martino wrote a very interesting (and poorly worded) article for the NY Daily News regarding the release of 2nd Baseman Luis Castillo from the New York Mets. Lets break down this magical gem of awesomeness, shall we?
Lets examine his headline: “Mets fans have lost patience with second baseman Luis Castillo, and it is hard to ignore race factor”
I, a Mets fan, have indeed lost all of my patience with Luis Castillo and I’m glad he’s been let go. Why? The obvious reason would be that he’s one of a few grim reminders of an Omar Minaya era that failed to bounce back from a 2006 NLCS loss. However, I think that does play a big part in why a large number of Mets fans (not all, as Martino might mistakenly project) wanted to move on from Castillo. On top of that, it’s time to get fresh and give some minor leaguers and new faces a shot at the roster. I, for one, am pleased with the decision to release Luis. I hope he enjoy both his time in Philadelphia and the negative vibes that large portion of Mets fans will throw his way when he visits Shea². Now, is it hard to ignore the race factor? Nope. Not at all. Why? Because of the reasons listed above. Was race a factor when I disliked David Cone for signing with the Yankees? Was race a factor when I disliked Jeff Kent after his departure or before he left? No. Why? Because I’m not racist. I, a Mets fan, am not racist.
Lets fix the headline: “Mets fans have lost patience with second baseman Luis Castillo, close friend doesn’t deny race as a factor”
Why the fix? Martino writes, “A friend of his only partially accepted the premise that Castillo’s troubles were related to his skin color and heritage. “Yeah, sometimes that is tough,” the friend, a fellow Hispanic in baseball, said about Castillo’s experience. “But it’s harder to say that’s the main issue with Castillo, because he hasn’t performed. If you had that same mistreatment of a guy that was performing really well, then it would be more obvious.”
Is Castillo’s friend the ‘median’ for the opinions of Mets fans? Did he get the opinion of a Mets fan? No. He quoted the opinion of a friend of Castillo’s.
Martino continues with, “Yes, he dropped a popup in 2009 that cost the Mets a game against the Yankees, and missed a voluntary visit to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2010. Those events aside, Castillo’s mentoring of Reyes, willingness to play hurt and his cerebral approach at the plate have long earned him praise from teammates. The public’s perception is often different. Castillo is jeered at Citi Field and at the Mets’ spring home, Digital Domain Park, and abused on the Internet.”
This is what struck the biggest chord. Contrary to what Martino might believe, those two “happenings” were extremely important in molding my feelings for Castillo as a baseball player. The missed catch? It’s called fundamentals. The missed “voluntary” visit to Walter Reed Medical Center? Necessary. How much money do these guys make? Making a ‘voluntary’ visit for a little PR should be the least of your worries if you’re bringing in that kind of salary for playing a ‘game’, while public servants continue to make next to nothing for their world-changing work, but that’s for another rant.
Andy Martino, if you had any idea how I, a Mets fan, think and feel about players on this team, you would re-think the way you write your articles. Nothing I have ever read from your column about the Mets has ever made much sense, and this last ‘gem’ proves to me that you are clearly out of touch with even the most ‘casual’ Mets fan.
I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
Thanks to Ray Dice Chan over in the 
J Soul 
The Webestrian’s Opinion