Winning is the only brand.

"Jose Reyes has a smile that stretches from home all the way around to third."

Have you independently verified the awesomeness of Jose Reyes's smile, or are you merely citing Kevin Kernan?


"But of all the things to like about the Mets' third baseman, a particular joy is his joy itself."

Kewl!


"The Mets don't just have a team leading the NL East on the last day of May. They have a brand. Whether Milledge sticks this time or the next time, he fits that brand better than 34-year-old Manny Ramirez, who, but for the Mets' reluctance to move a superb prospect, could be stopping in New York on the way to the Hall of Fame."

You know what? The Mets are in first place by four games. Everything is swell at Shea. The Mets might win the World Series and Lastings Milledge might win the World Series MVP.

I'm not saying the Mets need Manny Ramirez. Maybe the Mets wouldn't have picked up Delgado if they'd signed Manny. Whatever.

But you know what else? The Mets are not a freakin' brand.

You can turn down Hall of Fame ballplayers if you want to. Everything boils down to cost-benefit analysis and, despite the highest payroll in the NL, the Mets don't have unlimited resources.

You absolutely don't turn down Hall of Fame ballplayers solely because they don't smile enough.