Ted Berg wrote, in my opinion, one of his best pieces yesterday when he described the post game “tango” between David Wright and the media. For those that never have been in a clubhouse, it outlined the odd existence that sometimes is covering a baseball team. Essentially, it’s waiting around for a player to make his way towards his personal space and answer questions, often the same one thrown at them in different forms.

Why would this be important? Because you just saw what it’s like to be David Wright at the ballpark. Not 30 minutes after leaving the field he had to explain himself, on a good day, to a hoard of New York reporters. Take this description by Berg and multiply it by 162 and tell me it won’t wear on you, especially if you are having a bad season.

It’s so easy to talk about career norms, regression, and all other statistical precedence as to why David Wright will have a good year. It’s impossible to understand how hard that is until you read Berg’s column. Sure, none of those reporters are there when he is staring at a pitcher 60 feet, 6 inches away, but the responsibilities of his position can create a mental grind that inevitably can take its toll.

The media demands in this city make it impossible for any team to satisfy the notebook of the beat writers, much less the auxiliary members that pop in from time to time. Of course, many of those auxiliary types ask questions that probably have been rehashed about 30 times since pitchers and catchers, making it even more mundane. It’s been said the Mets clubhouse the last few years hasn’t had the breadth of individuals who care to fill those notebooks even with the vanilla responses. It’s been LoDuca, Wagner, Wright, and Delgado with a little Reyes and Beltran sprinkled in. Sure, that night’s pitcher gets his media crush, but that is more an event as they are largely ignored the other days in between starts. If you are David Wright there are no days off.

This franchise is now squarely on his shoulders. This is his side of town and his team. He is the Derek Jeter of the Mets and that will not change until he leaves or retires. Even though Jeff Francoeur and Jason Bay can take the load off his shoulders once in a while, everyone still is going to want to know what he thinks, or get him to say more. This will be doubly true if the good swings we saw Monday fade into an early season slump.

I am not asking you to shed tears for David Wright. He is getting paid $10 million dollars this year and media relations are part of the contract. All I am saying is put yourself in his shoes for a day. It’s hard enough to put up a 30/100/.300 line, imagine doing that with the expectations of a franchise on your shoulder. Might give you some inkling into his struggles in the clutch in 2008 and sub par 2009. The problem is there is no more honeymoon for Wright and he needs to perform at a high level while accepting the burden that comes with being the star of the Mets.

We will learn about David Wright this season. There are no passes for him both on and off the field. Even if he has a great year many will be examining his ability to lead this club during difficult times. When the team slumps is he playing down to their level or elevating his game, as he did in September of 2007. When the pressure cooker turns up will David still handle the intense media presence or will what Berg described eventually force him to need time in the trainer’s room more often. I think we will get an answer in the affirmative. For the Mets sake, and Wright’s New York career, hopefully we do. Essentially, the burden of David Wright can’t be considered such.

Tags: David Wright, New York Mets, Ted Berg