Hey Mets and Major League Baseball, soon it will be the anniversary of the attacks of September 11th, 2001. This year that anniversary will fall on the vey predictable date of September 11th.
That brings up an annual discussion of how the Mets should were First Responder caps.
Jessie pointed out this interesting tidbit he saw on Uni Watch.
UW: Do you have to get MLB’s permission for all of these patch-sharing situations, or do you just go ahead and do it? (If you do have to get permission, have you ever asked to do a patch share that they decided not to allow?)
KT: We get MLB approval for any and all changes to uniforms, including these patch situations. They have never denied us an opportunity to wear a patch.
Now a patch is not a cap, but it’s a start. Never denied? Interesting.
So I have been told first-hand from Mets Insiders that the Mets have wanted to wear the caps but certain MLB employees you have heard of told them not to.
Ask again.
And when they say no…wear them anyway.
What is MLB gonna do? Is MLB really going to fine the Mets? Does baseball really want to have that battle? I know there’s the conspiracy theory that behind the scenes maybe Cap Wearing would lmake MLB take a closer look at the Wilpons debt load…
…but putting that aside, Wear The Caps.
Here’s the Mets dugout on any given day….
Players are already in violation of official uniform policy left and right so would it matter if Dom Smith had an FDNY hat on? What’s baseball really gonna do?
All Players, including those who are not playing (e.g., on the bench or in the bullpen), are required to wear uniforms, including the uniform top, during games. (per the CBA)
Could that rule be any more clear? ALL players INCLUDING THOSE NOT PLAYING…..ON THE BENCH……INCLUDING THE UNIFORM TOP. Is that what you see on an nightly basis?
I’ve actually looked into this and according my interpretation of the CBA (I remind you I am not a lawyer) – here’s how it should go….
- Pete Alonso takes the field dressed as a Polar Bear, and on his Polar Bear costume it says 9-11 Never Forget, FDNY (or his choice of first responders, I am not trying to diminish any other organization’s sacrifice).
- Per page 217 of the CBA, the umpires on the field should enforce the rules. Mr. Alonso, we need you to change. Pete would then have to change or be removed from the game.
- The next step is a WARNING from from The Chief Baseball Officer, one Mr. Joe Torre, seen here in uniform wearing a first responder cap. OK fine, so Pete gets a warning to stop dressing as a Polar Bear. Pete, don’t wear your first responder Polar Bear costume on 9/12. Cut it out.
- Should Pete run Torre’s stop sign he is subject to a fine of……
ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
Really, that’s it. It’s right there on page 218 of the CBA. A $1000 fine for the SECOND OFFENSE. Hell he could do it a third time for $5000. On the 4th violation MLB gets serious – it’s a 10K fine plus they kick you out of the playoffs. OK Pete, don’t do that, maybe just three days in a row. Or you know once on 9/11. And don’t dress like a Polar Bear, just “accidentally” wear the “wrong” cap.
If you get a little deeper (p. 219) there does seem to be some sort of language giving baseball the ability to give harsher penalties for “flagrant” violations, but I will let the lawyers argue that point while ESPN covers the story of MLB vs 9-11 day after day after day while the appeal drags out. Have fun with that baseball.
So lets play it out. The its take the field in first responder caps. MAYBE the umpires make them change. Spectacle. Then PROBABLY Torre fires off a warning letter. Spectacle. Or maybe Torre plays the Flagrant Card and sends Alonso to Pete Rose Island. I’m sure the union wont just nod. Baseball gets pulled into a story they will want no part of, right before their showcase events. How do you think Trump responds? Do you think baseball wants that fight? No way.
I think the Mets would – and I hate to use this term – get away with it.
So Wear The Caps Mets. Most of the league is violating the CBA night after night and Torre apparently does nothing about it, and the umpires clearly do not. Let them pick the fight with you. Wear The Caps. Work out something from the licensing side – the Astros somehow did an Apollo 11 cap..surely you can work something out one of these years. Maybe it’s too late this year so let me give you the heads up on 2020. In 2020 September 11th will be held on…..September 11th, Wear The Caps.
