Joey Soapbox: Revisiting The Joey Jinx (With Apologies To Eddie Kunz and Jason Bay)

A few months ago, I wrote a piece about an accidental jinx I may have started. You see, while performing my Studious Metsimus roving reporter duties, I have met numerous Mets players and had them take a photograph with me. For example, last year I had the pleasure of meeting players such as Pedro Feliciano and Chris Carter, but in addition to meeting them, I also posed for pictures with them.

Less than a year later, both players are no longer on the Mets, with Feliciano moving on to the Yankees and Carter going south to Tampa. In addition, Perpetual Pedro is about to be placed on the disabled list for the first time in his career with muscle soreness in his left shoulder.

So as legend has it, anytime I take a photo with a Mets player, he either gets injured or traded (or sometimes both). It's getting to the point where I almost expect the Mystery Machine to pull up to the Studious Metsimus offices so that the Scooby Gang can investigate "The Case of the Joey Jinx". (If those meddling kids don't bring Scooby Snacks, I'm not cooperating!)

I was going to dismiss this jinx as being nothing but a co-inky-dink. After all, many people take their pictures with athletes and many of those athletes get injured and/or traded. But after today's events, it appears my dismissal of the Joey Jinx may have been premature.

Photo of Eddie Kunz and I taken by Sharon Chapman. Photo of Jason Bay, my colleague and I taken by Taryn Cooper.

Earlier today, the Mets traded Eddie Kunz to the San Diego Padres for minor league first baseman Allan Dykstra. (Hopefully, he will never be referred to as "the wrong Dykstra", like Victor "the wrong Zambrano" and Kaz "the wrong Matsui".) Of course, last year, Eddie and I had a good time together posing for this photo (see above, left) during a spring training break in Port St. Lucie.

As if Kunz's trade wasn't enough, later today it was revealed that Mets' starting leftfielder Jason Bay might have to start the season on the disabled list after feeling discomfort in his ribcage. Bay reported back to Port St. Lucie for further examination hoping for the best, but since he was photographed with me (and my Studious Metsimus colleague) last December (see above, right), the news does not bode well for the slugger.

Is there really a Joey Jinx? Nothing has been proven scientifically, but judging by the trades and injuries that have befallen numerous Mets and ex-Mets, it's something that might have to be looked at.

Personally, I don't believe I have the power to influence Mets transactions. I barely have the power to get a full night's sleep. You see, I've been having nightmares about Mr. Met falling down the dugout steps after finding out that he'd been traded for the Phillie Phanatic. Why would I ever dream of something as ridiculous as that?