Last night I attended the Mets-Phillies game and thanks to StubHub ended up with a seat just a few rows over the Mets dugout. Before the start of the game I looked down, and who was sitting just a few rows in front of me but Mets COO Jeff Wilpon.
I put it out on Twiiter (@dtwohig) asking if anyone had any questions. As I expected the majority of people responding wanted me to ask him about resigning Cespedes or about selling the team. Sure, I could have – but either question is a non-starter. The Wilpons are not selling the team, and Cespedes is a rental.
Then Shannon asked me to ask him about resigning Murphy. Perfect question – and completely unexpected. So around the 2nd inning –
DT: Jeff, can you please resign Murphy?
JW: What? (looking at me wondering where that one came from, then laughing) Sure, OK
OK, we’ve established a rapport and he knows I’m not going to be aggressive. A few innings later I went for the second one –
DT: Jeff, a serious question if you don’t mind.
JW: Sure, go ahead
DT: When are you going to put a statue of Seaver in front of the ballpark?
JW: Oh we hope to have him out soon
(OK, wasn’t my question, but good to know that the Mets are trying to get The Franchise out to NY)
DT: No, I was asking why isn’t there a statue of Tom Seaver outside CitiField? Most other teams have statues to their greats, why not the Mets?
JW: It’s not up to me
DT: Oh come on, of course it is – can you put one up?
JW: Well, no (and he shrugged his shoulders)
OK, well that was a longer exchange than I expected, I was prepared to end it there, but then Media Goon suggested I ask him about coming to the QBC. OK, challenge accepted. I waited to the end of the game and was able to get to him as he was bolting out after the final out. I shook his hand and thanked him for answering my questions, and said I had one more.
DT: Jeff, we’d love to have you come out to the QBC next year. Will you come?
JW: QBC? What’s that?
DT: The Queens Baseball Convention – the Mets fan convention.
JW: Oh ok – get me the details. I’ll see
And then he was gone.
So, in the end, Jeff said:
- He would resign Murph (though I’m not taking him 100% seriously)
- They are trying to get Seaver out for a visit
- There will be no Seaver statue
- He didn’t say no to coming to the QBC
Will he come? I guess it’s an open question now.