Author: Shannon Shark @metspolice

We all knew that the April 13th home opener versus San Diego was not going to be the first game played at Corporate Field. The Mets have scheduled 2 exhibition games against the Boston Red Sox on Friday, April 3rd and Saturday April 4th.

But wait – it turns out that April 3rd game will not be the first baseball game to be played on the Mets new $632 million field.

Thanks to New Stadium Insider for pointing this out – the St. John’s Red Storm baseball team will christen Corporate Field with a game against the Georgetown Hoyas on Sunday, March 29th. (This according to the St. John’s schedule).

And, if this wasn’t bad enough, Met fans and season ticketholders won’t even get first crack at tickets for the game. According to the post on New Stadium Insider tickets will be offered to St. John’s students (and I presume alumni) for $5.

Meanwhile people are paying $200 for Opening Day tickets on StubHub, in what really will be the 4th game played at Corporate Field.

Seriously, who is advising the Wilpons? Is anyone?

www.metspolice.com

Driving home yesterday I was listening to The Michael Kay Show, and a caller brought up a very interesting question and hypothesis.

Just when did A-Rod know that he had tested positive?

Let’s follow this time line.

2001, A-Rod signed a 10-year deal with the Texas Rangers that would take him through the 2010 baseball season.

2003 – MLB conducts random testing for steroid use. A-Rod tests positive, along with 103 others. The union however does not destroy the results.

2004 – The FBI seizes the 2003 test results in a raid connected with their BALCO investigation. At this point therefore some people know about A-Rod’s positive test.

July 2007 – Jose Canseco says he is writing a new book on steroid use in baseball and says A-Rod will be in the book. Canseco calls A-Rod a “hypocrite.”

October 2007 – A-Rod opts out of the final 3 years of his contract and negotiates a new 10-year deal with the Yankees.

February 2009 – With 9 years remaining on his contract, A-Rod admits to using steroids.

So here is the hypothesis. A-Rod and his agent Scott Boras knew his name was on that list. They also knew that once the FBI got a hold of that list, the names would eventually leak out. There were already rumors about A-Rod, when Canseco, riding the “I Told You So” train added his voice to the mix. The walls were crumbling.

If A-Rod hadn’t opted out of his contract in 2007, next year would have been the final year of his contract. It is extremely unlikely he would have gotten anything close to the deal he did sign with the Yankees – both in terms of dollars and years. By conveniently opting out when he did, he guaranteed his continued baseball career and income well past the point where his steroid use would become known.

Given A-Rod’s disingenous nature, it really wouldn’t shock me if he and Boras were this conniving.

www.metspolice.com

And the blue panels are no more.

The final section of blue came down Monday, leaving just ramps and the shell of 2 sections.

About a dozen people watched as the machines tore away girders, the sound of groaning made it seem like Shea’s final death cry.

I would be shocked if anything was left standing by Wednesday.

Here are the pictures.

Feb 16 Feb 16, 2009 by Mets View Album Play slideshow

www.metspolice.com

Does anyone doubt that A-Rod’s press conference will be a disaster?   He brought in a heavy hitter PR firm, which means this will be the most rehearsed non-honest conference in history.

During the Gammons interview he spoke as if he was trying to remember what else he was supposed to get it – “oh and I was naive.  I was naive and stupid.  And did I work in the word culture?”

Pettitte did it right.  Everyone forgave him in about two seconds.  Giambi too.  

I’m still waiting for an “I never did steroids” from the Captain.

Meanwhile, the commissioner just doesn’t get it.  We need to buy him a “The buck stops here!” sign for his desk.     Check out Newsday today:

“I don’t want to hear the commissioner turned a blind eye to this or he didn’t care about it,” Selig said. “That annoys the you-know-what out of me. You bet I’m sensitive to the criticism. The reason I’m so frustrated is, if you look at our whole body of work, I think we’ve come farther than anyone ever dreamed possible.”

Please.  Y’all got rich on McGwire & Sosa.

The commish will be watching the press conference today:

“Let’s just say I’m going to monitor that situation closely,” he said. “I honestly don’t know how anyone could have done more than we’ve already done.”

www.metspolice.com