NY Media's Inexplicable Love Affair WIth Roger Cedeno Continues



Perhaps The NY Times' Lee Jenkins thought the World Series was another prime occasion to let drunk-driving, payroll-parasite former Met Roger Cedeño enthuse about the rejuvenating powers of playing for nice midwesterners.

Cedeño describes his feelings about his former team only by talking about his current one. The differences are obvious enough. He is cheered instead of jeered. His family can attend the games instead of sitting at home. He can swing with confidence instead of with fear. Everything has progressed the way he projected seven months ago.

Back then, when his future looked bleak and the World Series was more of a fantasy than a goal, Cedeño said: "I'm always going to smile. I'm a naturally happy person. I love what I do. I enjoy my life. And nobody is going to change that. No way."

These days, however, he does not have to force his grin and he does not have to pretend that he is deaf to insults. He is in the World Series and, finally, he has something genuine to be joyful about.

I'm sorry to say that Jenkins, usually a fine writer, shouldn't leave Roger's agent minding the laptop. I'm bored to death reading how the fans at Busch Stadium give their players floral arrangements and backrubs the first time they go 0-5, and equally tired of the one-sided accounts of Cedeño's persecution in Flushing. Does Jenkins think the good people of St. Louis would be nearly as tolerant if Cedeño were their starting right fielder rather than a utility player whose salary is mostly being paid by another club? Did any of the columnists who have penned feel- good stories about Roger Cedeño landing on his feet, ever actually watch him play with the Mets? The fly balls that landed 30 feet behind him? The pitches in the dirt (or over his head) that he'd chase? The once-accomplished basestealer who aside from getting slower and heavier, never quite managed to steal first base?

Posted: Sun - October 24, 2004 at 10:57 AM      

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