Author: Shannon Shark @metspolice

Shannon Shark is the founder of MetsPolice.com, tweets as @metspolice, is an avid fan of Lee Mazzilli and Daniel Murphy, hates black uniforms and is the author of "Send The Beer Guy" available at Amazon.com. #imwith28
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Why you should read Wilpon’s Folly

Here’s what I’m reading, it’s called Wilpon’s Folly and it’s only $3 bucks

Product Description (from Amazon)

On December 11, 2008, in the middle of a busy baseball offseason, Bernard Madoff was arrested for orchestrating a massive financial fraud. Among his chief investors was Mets owner Fred Wilpon, who not only lost a major revenue stream as a result, but is now being sued for “fictitious profits” that he now owes to other Madoff victims. To the tune of almost a billion dollars.How did this happen? Where did Wilpon go wrong, and why does a fraud victim suddenly owe money? The truth about these questions has been largely hidden, but in this short book, the whole story is fully revealed. In this tight narrative, Howard Megdal tells the dramatic financial tale and proves a surprising truth: Wilpon’s thirty-year reign as owner of the Mets is about to end. Perhaps the most public victim of the Madoff scandal, Wilpon now faces a long road, and likely a difficult offseason. Here Megdal articulates both Wilpon’s position and those against him. Like Michael Lewis’ The Big Short, this book unravels the world of a major investment scandal through an entertaining and recognizable story.

I’m not smart enough to know if anything said in the product review is accurate, or if Howard is right/wrong/smart/crazy or a mix of all those things.
As a Mets fan though it’s a must-read. Absolutely fascinating and for only $2.99 why not? I blew through about half the book last night while commuting and will probably knock out the rest today. (update – finished it!)

One of my weird quirks is I am often reading multiple books at once. This is one of those times, and the other book I am reading is The Last Icon

You either get Seaver or you don’t (man have I lived so long that such a concept exists?). If you get it then get the book. No brainer. If you don’t get it but have heard old fat guys go on and on about Tom, then get the book.

Two more I will plug are my favorite book of the year, and my favorite Mets book of them all.

And of course don’t forget the Mets Police Holiday store for all your shopping needs.

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Comparing the Mets jerseys: 2009 vs 2012 pinstripes

Here’s two “Mets Police” jerseys.  On the left is the #86 jersey Media Goon got me in 2009 (thanks Media Goon!) which was like a jersey dealer giving me a free taste  Now I have a problem.

On the right is a 2012 Mets Police 12 jersey.  See how the “ivory” is a little darker than the snow-white on the left?

 

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Unrelated, as I type this post Mrs. Mets Police is yelling at Junior for writing the sentence “Dora learned how to wright her name in the sand.” Hahaha.

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A gong show disguised as a baseball team | John Strubel Blog

Here’s today’s must-read (this is from a few days ago but it has been a busy week)…

Cosell was not amused by the antics of Stengel, Marv Thronberry or the 120 losses the team piled up in its first season. Cosell knew he was under contract by WABC, not the New York Mets. The agreement allowed Cosell to rage against the machine. According to Ribowsky, Cosell’s rants aimed at Stengel and the Mets were the “first real mark” he made as a broadcaster.

Cosell blasted Stengel early and often, claiming the bane of the Mets failure was rooted in “the pitiful example the old man (Stengel) was setting for a new generation of New York baseball fans.

via A gong show disguised as a baseball team | John Strubel Blog.

The Cosell part is awesome but here’s a real nugget:  “Some people, who watched the Mets stumble through their first five seasons cracked jokes,” said Seaver. “I didn’t laugh. I wasn’t brought up on the Met legend; I wasn’t part of that losing history. I never did find defeat particularly amusing.”

And that’s reason 8 million why Tom is the man.

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Mets sign free agent RHP Jon Rauch

METS SIGN FREE AGENT RHP JON RAUCH

FLUSHING, N.Y., December 14, 2011 – The New York Mets today announced the club has signed free agent righthanded pitcher Jon Rauch to a one-year contract.

Rauch, 33, appeared in 53 games with the Toronto Blue Jays last season, finishing 5-4 with 11 saves. He compiled a 4.85 ERA (28 earned/52.0 innings) with 36 strikeouts and pitched 1.0 inning or more in 39 of his 53 appearances.

Since 2006, Rauch leads all relievers in wins (31) and has appeared in the second-most number of games (434).

He was 3-1 with 21 saves and a 3.12 ERA (20 earned runs/57.2 innings) in 2010 with the Minnesota Twins.

Over his eight-year major league career, Rauch has also played for Chicago (AL), Montreal/Washington and Arizona. He is 39-31 with 58 saves with a 3.82 ERA (221 earned runs/520.2 innings). Righthanded batters have hit .241 against Rauch for his career, while NL East opponents have batted .230.

The 6-11, 290-pound native of Louisville, KY was drafted by the White Sox in the third round of the 1999 First-Year Player Draft and is currently the tallest player in major league baseball.