The context behind Terry Collins' comments about fans (which really weren't about fans at all)

ST. LOUIS -- Mets manager Terry Collins is getting hammered on sports talk radio today, which is predictable since he ventured into choppy waters by invoking fans in his defense of the way he's handled the Jordany Valdespin situation.

But what can't get lost in the noise is that within the context of the conversation yesterday, it's clear that Collins' main point wasn't to rip fans, but to reinforce the idea that he has a much better sense of what's going on in his own clubhouse.

Here's how it went down toward the end of Collins' media session yesterday. It turns out that I asked the question that provoked the response that has drawn the ire of some fans. I asked it because of an exchange the previous day, when Mets general manager Sandy Alderson appeared on WFAN radio with Mike Francesa:

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With context, you can see that Collins could have replaced the word "fans" with "people" -- as I did in the question. He could have also selected  "sports talk radio hosts", or "bored reporters," or "#MetsTwitter," or "no good meddling kids." It was a tertiary distinction at best.

The primary point, and it's a reasonable one, is that Collins believes he has a better handle than most on how clubhouse business should be conducted. But there is also another element to this story, one that Alderson brought up during his conversation on WFAN on Monday.

Said Alderson: "Well, everything that goes on is not verbalized or overt within the media. There's a lot that goes on within the clubhouse."

Of course, the very nature of the clubhouse makes this true. There are often times, as Collins said, when people may have "no idea what goes on in there." For instance, until recently, perhaps folks had no idea that:

"If we start throwing at people, and beaning people, we're putting other people in danger as well," Buck said. "Baseball has a way of historically monitoring itself so that stuff doesn't get out of hand. This 2013 Mets team isn't going to change that."

Indeed, all of it becomes a bit clearer with some context.