If The Mets and Highlanders Are Both Going To Play in NYC On Opening Day Why Play Each Other ?

February 12, 2013 by 1 Comment

For some strange reason MLB has decided to have the Mets and Highlanders open the 2013 season at home on the same day and at the same time.  Ridiculous!  Can you imagine the scene at Grand Central Station with fans crisscrossing to the 4 and 7 trains?  Not to mention the added personnel the City of New York will have to put on in the form of police, EMT’s and traffic agents along with the MTA who will have to keep folks on overtime to work the platforms and dispatch. Both teams playing at 1 PM on April 1st was the ultimate Aprils Fool’s joke perpetrated by MLB on NYC baseball fans.

What infuriates me more about this scheduling faux pas is there was an obvious solution; the Mets and Highlanders should have opened the 2013 season against each other.

I’m not a fan of Inter-League play but starting this season, with the Astros exiled to the American League West, MLB now consists of two balanced leagues of 15 team’s apiece. That means every day, there will be an inter-league game played. No more two fortnights of strictly inter-league play, nope, everyday you’ll see AL vs. NL; in fact the Cincinnati Reds will open up at home on April 1st against the LA Angels.  So much for the “traditional” baseball season opener.

From the looks of the attendance figures I seem to be in the minority when it comes to the annual Mets-Highlanders contests, I’ve felt the novelty has worn off and it’s mostly the casual” I got tickets from my uncles-neighbors-cousin who works for JP Morgan Chase-kind of crowd but I think a Mets-Highlanders opening season series would be fabulous .

Think about an opening day Mets-Highlanders tangle for a moment. Both sets of fans have been hibernating during this stormy fall and winter. Both fan bases stare at their WRIGHT 5 jersey’s and JETER 2 jerseys while putting on long underwear as they head out to shovel snow?  Think about the buildup to this opening day to the point that $63 bucks for Promenade seats would be swooped up in minutes.  You wouldn’t as a Mets fan, venture up to the South Bronx for an opening day showdown with the Highlanders then head back to Citi Field for a Mets opening day? Two opening days in one season? Oh Hell yeah!!!!!

In fact since every day is an Inter-League game is the law of the land, every year should be Mets-Highlanders on opening day. Alternate the opening day game each year between Flushing and the South Bronx. Two games at Citi then two games at Highlanders Stadium and vice versa.  Fold into that fan friendly attractions for both sets of fans around the city to celebrate the return of baseball which is also the return of spring and warm weather, a total rebirth of the spirit of fans and all New Yorkers.

Sure you could have a snow storm on April 1 but you could also have a 75 degree day as well. April weather in NYC is a crap shoot. The average temps are 61 degrees for a high and 44 degrees for a low, which makes night games in April nuts. But four day games spilt between Citi Field and Highlanders Stadium to start the season is perfect.

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Bourn To Be A Met?

January 29, 2013 by 1 Comment

 

So it seems Sandy Alderson and John Ricco took a trip to Houston to have a bite with Michael Bourn and Scott Boras over the weekend. I’m sure Alderson let Bourn and Agent Orange know that, yes I’m interested in making you a Met. No I do not want to lose my spot in line to pick the Next Great Baseball Prospect but if I were to give that pick up I want you on my team at my price and my terms.

Sherman of the Post claims that the Mets could work a deal with BournBoras on multiyear deal with an out clause after one year. Interesting concept and imaginative as well but why would BourneBoras take the risk? Is it because the market for Bourn is more of a gas station mini mart with the Mets and Mariners the only teams mentioned in the running for Bourn’s services rather than the big box store teams like the Highlanders, Red Sox , Cubs or the new and biggest high end store the Rodeo Drive Dodgers?

I’m trying to see where BournBoras have any leverage, we are a mere two weeks from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training and here’s Michael Bourn still on the free agent ho’ stroll.  It seems the only hold up in the Mets making an offer and signing Bourn is the elusive 11th pick in the entry draft. MLB it seems will not help the Metropolitans out with a favorable ruling of allowing the Mets to receive the 10th and protected pick in the draft over the Pittsburgh Pirates who are being rewarded for their incompetent handling of Stanford RHP Mark Appel in last year’s draft.  

I go back and forth on the value of the 11th pick over signing a better than average CF’er. Seems Alderson feels the same way. The shame of it is Bourn and the Mets are a perfect fit both need each other in the worst way but the obstacles in front of them may derail this match made in baseball heaven.

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MetsCellaneous

September 25, 2012 by 2 Comments

While I take a break from Tweeting my outrage over scab referees working NFL games and that disgrace last night at the end of the Packers-Seahawks game (forget the clusterfuck TD call where was the flag on Seahawk WR Golden Tate for his two hand shove of a Packers DB in the end zone? I hate going against the former FIGHTING IRISH receiver but it was blatant offensive pass interference and that should have ended the game in the Packers favor) a few observations from last night’s Mets-Pirates game:

I get the distinct feeling the Mets are fatting up Jenry Mejia like a Christmas goose to put on the market this off season along with Jon Niese , Daniel Murphy and maybe David Wright. I can see a blockbuster deal going down around end of December with multiple teams and the Mets as the main dealer. It won’t be of Dodgers-Red Sox magnitude but more of a Highlanders –Orioles June 15th 1976 variety.

I guess it was around the 3rd or 4th inning, both Ike Davis and Daniel Murphy went after a foul ball heading towards the stands, neither player got to the ball but Murphy made a sliding try and ended up getting his foot caught in the revolving signage. My problem? Ike never gave Murph a hand getting undone from the sign. WTF Ike?

If you ever want to know the attendance at Citi Field just log on to Twitter for 5 mins after first pitch. There must have been 100 pictures sent to Twitter with crowd or in this case non-crowd shots. Seems everyone who was in attendance took a pic and tweeted it.

With that goatee, Daniel Murphy looks like Louis CK

Boy oh boy did the Marlins and Pirates come to Flushing at the right time. After that 16-1 crash and burn and the outrage that followed what better antidote than having two don’t give a shit teams come in to remedy what ails the Mets and too show Mets fans that we do not root for the worst team in baseball.

How is it that Fred Lewis spent all season in Buffalo and Andres Torres spent all season in Flushing?

WOW! What has gotten into Gary Cohen lately? Last night he tore into Heath Bell for throwing Ozzie Guillen under the bus for Bell’s statement that there is no communication between the Fish manager and players. GC said that Bell should shut up and pitch and then added that it would be hard to throw Bell under a bus as he wouldn’t fit. Bada Bing!!!!

I’d love to see if Mets could make a deal with Brewers to get Corey Hart and Carlos Gomez. Two-thirds of your outfield problems solved right there.

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Hey, How About Those Mets ? Who?

July 22, 2012 by 3 Comments

These two can knock the Mets right off the back pages and sports talk radio by next week

Well looks like Miguel Batista has thrown his last pitch as a Met out of the strike zone as he was DFA’d this morning and Elvin Ramirez has been asked back to audition for a role in the Mets bullpen. With Batista sent packing the Mets will need two starting pitchers for Wednesday’s matinee against the Nationals and then on Thursday in Phoenix. Word on 126th Street and Roosevelt Avenue is Jeremy Hefner will go against the Nats and Matt Harvey will be called up to face the Snakes the next night.

Seems the Mets need to do something if they want to stay relevant on the NY sports scene. With the Highlanders just about locking up the AL East and the Jets and Giants headed to training camp, the Mets are in danger of falling off the sports map here in NYC.

If you’re a sports editor for any of the fish wraps in town where do you see your space being better utilized on a Mets second half collapse or with the “Techez” QB controversy and Darrelle Revis will he or won’t he report to camp and his contract demands along with the defending Super Bowl champions getting set to make a run at another Lombardi Trophy? Hell, the Mets may have to fight with the Brooklyn Nets for some coverage as they have gone on an all-out public relations blitz to get folks to buy tickets at the Barclay Center; the Brooklyn brand goes a long way.

Here is your NY Mets lineup for today:

Ruben Tejada – SS

Jordany Valdespin – LF

David Wright – 3B

Ike Davis – 1B

Daniel Murphy – 2B

Lucas Duda – RF

Kirk Nieuwenhuis – CF

Josh Thole – C

Jonathon Niese – LHP

Terry Collins needs to play this line up 1-8 for the next two weeks straight and then let’s see where this team stands. I bet you would go no worse that 7-7 in the 14 games with this lineup

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35 Years ???? WOW!

June 15, 2012 by 1 Comment

I’m heading out to Citi Field today but before I enter the ballpark I will stop at the Seaver entrance for a moment of quite thought and reflection of the worst day in the history of the NY Mets, June 15th 1977 the day Tom Seaver was shipped off to Cincinnati by the Incubus , M. Donald Grant and changed the fortunes of the Mets franchise.  35 years have passed and I still get a pain in my gut over this awful event.

On a much brighter note, today is also the anniversary of Keith Hernandez joining the Mets from the St Louis Cardinals and the 10th anniversary of the Mets-Highlanders and the first hook up of Piazza-Clemens since the infamous 2000 World Series bat tossing incident. Mets fans waited in anticipation for pitcher Shawn Estes’ drilling of Clemens as he stepped to the plate, but to our disappointment Estes gave a half ass attempt and threw behind Clemens ample ass and not his chin, oh well, maybe a jury in D.C. will gives us vindication.

For this and other events that happened on this day check out Chris Jaffe’s column at The Hardball Times.

Murray Chass is an ass. Today, Meshuga Murray is back on the” Mike Piazza is a juicer bandwagon”. Piazza is coming out with a book in February and Chass thinks Piazza is waiting for the results of the Hall of Fame vote to release his tome. For this Chass is on the war path, campaigning for HOF voters to bypass Piazza on their ballot. If Meshuga Murray has the goods on Piazza then why not let the world know? Maybe he’s saving it for a book?

I have a correction for the Tuesday appearances by former Mets Art Shamsky and Ed Charles.  The Glider will be at the Citi Bank branch at 485 1st Ave in Manhattan (just off E 27 St) and Shamsky will be at the Citi Bank branch in Middle Village at 78-09 Metropolitan Ave. Both players will be signing autographs and taking pictures with fans from 12 Noon to 1:30 PM.

Isn’t it crazy how things work, for the next three days we have to root for the Highlanders as they head to D.C. to take on the Nationals. What can you say, that’s baseball Suzyn!

 

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NY Mets Not Interested In Marquis Pitcher

May 23, 2012 by 1 Comment

Looks like the Mets have no interest in signing RHP Jason Marquis which means either of two things; Marquis has nothing left as a pitcher or the Mets have enough faith in Chris Young making a contribution very soon and the young arms in the system are progressing nicely.

I’ve felt that taking on Marquis to a minor league deal could help both the Mets and Marquis who is what I’d call the journeyman’s journeyman and maybe being able to pitch at home here in NYC would recharge him a bit.  Marquis lives on Staten Island and was a star pitcher for Tottenville High School, this past winter his daughter had a mishap on a bicycle that landed her in the hospital and was serious enough of an injury that Marquis was summoned from Twins camp in Florida back home to Staten Island.  Thankfully, his daughter recovered and is doing fine today but you wonder how much of a toll that took on Marquis and what his mindset has been playing in Minnesota while his family is back in SI.

After looking over Marquis page at Baseball-Reference it’s hard to take the Mets to task for not pursuing the 33 year old righty, but I wouldn’t rule out the Highlanders taking a chance on Marquis .

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Happy Opening Day

April 5, 2012 by Leave a Comment

 

 

I’m getting ready to head out to Citi Field for opening day so I really don’t have the time to go into a detailed post but hopefully I will have a nice recap of the day events this evening.

Couple of things though:

Two Boots Pizza will now be severed at Citi Field. This is great news for tow reasons, one, it delicious pizza and two, the owner of Two Boots Phil Hartman is a lifelong Mets fan so it’s nice to see the Mets take care of one of our own,

The Mets players, coaches and Terry Collins will be wearing CARTER 8 BP jersey’s today before the game. The pre-game ceremony will be quite emotional today as Carter’s family will throw out the first pitch. Bring lost of Kleenex.

Seems the Skill Sets were the villains  in the scheduling of the home and home games against the Highlanders to close out spring training. A real stupid and greedy move.

The organization should re-think the selling of tickets for the Party City Deck in left field from group sales to individual tickets. From the feedback I’m getting, if sold for $100 a ticket with all the amenities included would make it the most popular seat in Citi Field.

Later everyone, LET’S GO METS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

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THE CO-EXISTENCE OF HIGHLANDERS/GIANTS AND METS/GIANTS FANS

February 4, 2012 by 1 Comment

 

 

It’s not unusual to have friends and family members with different sports rooting interest as you, I have many friends and relatives who root for the Highlanders, Knicks and the Jets,  even a couple of Devils, Islanders and Nets fans thrown in the mix as well. This week the Giants fan contingent of my inner circle have been in constant contact about what to expect from our Giants tomorrow as they take on the Patriots in Super Bowl 42 and what is fascinating  is how the dominant fan gene takes hold when we discuss the game.

The Highlander/Giants fans of the group are so super confident that the Giants will win, it has the Mets/Giants fan breaking out in a cold sweat. Highlander/Giants says the Giants front four will dominate and that between Justin Tuck and JPP, Tom Brady will be leaving Indianapolis with a toe tag on his man Uggs. Mets/Giants says “it’s Tom Fuckin’ Brady” and he not only has a score to settle with the Giants for Super Bowl 42 and he also played like shit in the AFC Championship game to where he vowed to Pats owner, Bob Kraft he feels he let him and the organization down. Mets/Giants is nervous because he fears Brady’s A game. Highlander/Giants says “Fuck Brady’s A game”.

Highlander/Giants says “ancient history “ when Mets/Giants brings up the team was 7-7 late in the season and how the  Redskins loss in Week 15 is still on my mind. Highlander/Giants then says “that was the last time the G-Men lost, they are on a 5 game winning streak looking better each time out” That when Mets/Giants says “that’s what worries me, the team is due for a bad game and a loss”, to which Highlander/Giants says “I swear to God I don’t know why I’m friends with you (Highlander/Giants family member give me the old you can pick your friends and not your relatives response)and if that wasn’t enough cruelty, Highlander/Giants pours salt in the wound by adding “and you dwell on negative shit forever, Jimmy Qualls, Mike Scioscia, Yadier Molina, Adam Wainwright….move the fuck on already”

I can’t help it. Fans of multiple sports teams have a dominant sports fan gene, mine happens to be the Mets fan gene.  See the Giants fan gene I have is strong when it comes to history and loyalty with pride in winning as well. The Giants have won 7 Championships (4 pre-Super Bowl NFL Titles and 3 Lombardi Trophies) same with the Boston Celtics gene that also adds arrogance from our late leader the Great Red Auerbach.  The NY Ranger fan gene runs close to the Mets fan gene in that the Ranger fan gene reacts to overpriced free agent flops and overall anger and disappointment with the team and management.

So as I get ready for tomorrows Super Bowl, a Super Bowl I will watch at a GIANTS FANS ONLY party that will feature more Mets/Giants than Highlander/Giants, my hope is that Highlander/Giants doesn’t keep up their rhetoric during the pre-game dinner as I would hate to sit down to a meal with my hands over my ears yelling “I CAN’T HEAR YOU! I CAN’T HEAR YOU! I CAN’T HEAR YOU!!!!

 

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NO CARLOS BELTRAN I WON’T GET OVER 2006, NOR SHOULD I

January 26, 2012 by 4 Comments

Mike Silva at NY Baseball Digest has an outstanding piece on his site this morning on Carlos Beltran and his time as a Met and his comments on Mets fans needing to “get over 2006”.

I have to say it took me a while to appreciate Beltran and his contribution during his tenure. I think the turning point in the relationship came when Beltran went to Colorado to have surgery on his knee after the club, namely Omar Minaya and Tony Bernazzard handled his medical care piss poorly.  Beltran was furious when the club made it seem he went rogue and receive an unauthorized procedure on his knee. When the truth came out it was Minaya and the team who were disingenuous.

What soured me with Beltran at the beginning of his Mets career was the double dealing he did behind the Mets back by offering himself to the Highlanders at a discount after the Mets made their substantial offer. It pissed me off because I saw Bobby Bonilla all over again. Bonilla, after getting the best offer out there from the Mets during his first free agent foray, took that offer to the Phillies to see if they would match it or go higher. By all rights, Bonilla was within his right to find the best deal possible and it was in my right as a Mets fan to call him a greedy prick.

The other problem Beltran had was not wanting to be the out front guy in the clubhouse. Some guys thrive in that spot, some guys, it’s just not their personality.  Beltran to his credit produce as well or better than any position player the Mets ever employed but his personality as seen through the media left something to be desired. But in listening to players in the clubhouse, where the opinions count, Beltran was not just respected but revered.

As for Beltran telling Mets fans to move on from 2006, it shows the major difference in how fans are more of the fabric of a team than the players.  Can I get over Beltran watching a wicked curveball break over home plate for strike three thus curtailing the Mets from getting to the World Series?  No, and I shouldn’t.  I’m a Mets fan, I can’t be traded or released or designated for assignment. I could leave as a free agent but the thought never entered my mind. I’m here for life. Players come and players go but fans are here forever. I still hold a grudge against Yogi Berra for not using George Stone properly in the 1973 World Series, costing the Mets a  championship, what makes Carlos Beltran think he’s  so special to escape my scorn?

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BACK BURNER FOR METS BASEBALL

December 23, 2011 by Leave a Comment

gotta love Hank and the Broadway Hat

Most under-rated athlete in NYC

I’m soooo happy Danny Ainge didn’t my favorite Celtic RAAAAAAJJJJOOOONNN RONDOOOOOOO    

It’s tough to spend time on Mets minutia today with trying to finish up loose ends at work and get ready for what should be one of the best nights Madison Square Garden has seen in quite a while as the Rangers and Flyers meet tonight and the Giants-Jets get together tomorrow and the Knicks-Celtics start the NBA season on Christmas, it’s hard to get worked up over Rob Johnson signing a minor league deal to fight for a backup catcher spot with the Mets .

I am pumped up for tonight’s Rangers-Flyers match up at MSG. Between the way the Rangers have been playing along with all the hype of HBO’s 24/7 (I need to tape Coach Tortorella’s between periods ass ripping of his team against the St Louis Blues last week  “Fucking screw it on straight, screw it on and let’s get ready to go each shift” has become my new mantra I’ve been using it at work all day the non-hockey fans think I’ve lost my mind but then again most of them don’t know what to make of me anyway)  and Winter Classic and first place (though very early in the season ) on the line, I can’t wait to get to the Garden tonight.

For as long as I can remember as a NY Football Giants fan, I have never given the NY Jets much thought. Sure I have friends who are Jets fans but there has never the animosity like I have with buddies and relatives who root for the Bronx Bastards. The Jets were…. Well just the Jets. They played in the other conference and since they played each other, except for every 4 years, only in the preseason there really hasn’t been any reason to have an opinion positive or negative on the Jets. Until now.

It really hurts me to write this but there are four teams in NYC that are sports royalty, The Highlanders, Giants, Knicks and Rangers. The Mets are the closest of the underling teams that could break into the big four, but not these days. For all the bluster that comes from Rex Ryan, the Jets are not close to being in the same stratosphere as the NY Football Giants. I don’t dislike Rex Ryan although he really, really needs to shut the fuck up, I do respect his coaching acumen but it’s too bad he has to take the personality of his dad Buddy because all this hot air he spews sooner or later has to be backed up with something. Sure he has had success as HC of the Jets but he needs to mind his coaching manners.

Head coaches, no matter what always show respect to one and other in public (look at the fall out from the Jim Schwatrz, Jim Haurbugh brew ha ha earlier this season) it’s great that Rex thinks that he is better that Bill Belichick or Tom Coughlin but when you disrespect these men who have accomplished more than you ever had in this game, you come off like a fucking buffoon.

Neither team in this contest has much to crow about this season. Both teams are huge disappointments with flaws a plenty and as much as Tom Coughlin has told his players to let the Jets do the talking and keep their mouths shut, when you have motor mouths like Antrell Rolle and Brandon Jacobs it’s a hard to rein them in.   

Like I say I never gave the Jets much thought but thanks to Rex’s big mouth not only do I want to see the Giants beat the living shit out them, if the Jets make the playoffs, I’ll be rooting hard against them. By the way, all Giants fan should be thanking Rex and his players for doing what Coach Coughlin has had trouble with so far this second half of the season, motivating the Giants players. Rex should have gone with the let sleeping dogs lay but after seeing how the Jets put a picture of a bleeding Eli Manning on the cover of their defensive play book, I hope JPP knocks Mark Sanchez out of the game on the first offensive play from scrimmage.   Oh and Fireman Ed is an asshole.

Celtics-Knicks is a great way to start off Christmas Day and as a fan of the C’s, it’s good to see the Knickerbockers relevant again. I am my Celtics have one more run left in them and a good start would be by beating up the Knicks on Sunday.   

 

 

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