Shannon Shark @metspolice – Page 4289

August 29, 2008

Michael Kay Doesn’t Care About You But Was Right About Something

Michael Kay, who has no problem with the Evil Money Grubbing Football Giants From New Jersey and their PSL plan, did make a great point the other day about MLB.

MLB blew it.

The first opponent at Yankee Stadium One was the Boston Red Sox.

Now as Yankee Stadium II closes, the Yankees end their season on the road with Boston.

MLB should have played this week’s series AT Boston and had the NYY’s finish at home vs. the Red Sox.

What Kay didn’t factor in is that the Mets schedule would have needed to be tinkered with too – you don’t want both stadiums closing at the same time (although ESPN has a way of solving that) – but it’s nothing insurmountable.

He probably also chose to ignore that by doing it this way guarantees a sellout against Boston on a Thursday afternoon, plus guarantees a sellout against a lesser Orioles team.

August 28, 2008

Why Is There No Demand for Mets Tickets?

I have Yankees tickets. All season long I have been selling them. Made some nice coin.

I have Mets tickets. You can barely give them away. I jump on stubhub (don’t get mad at me, visit mets.com and they are begging you to post tickets – somebody is getting rich on this) and tickets are going for face.

September 7th vs the Phillies. Sure the child hating ESPN made it a night game, but it’s still a big game. You can get a seat for $10. Ten.

Every day I get emails from the Mets inviting me to get Pennant packs and to Show Up At Shea and whatever else they can think of. Of course I could go all Mushnick here and mention that they bait-and-switch (Mr. Mets dash – oh psyche we moved the game to 8) – but in theory this is a good team and you’d think people would want to go?

Or are there just 40,000 Mets fans and we all have tickets?

August 27, 2008

OK Mr. Ace, What Ya Got?

Memo to Johan Santana:

This is why the Mets got you.

You’ve been pitching well, but just as the Yankees needed A-Rod to get a hit with the bases loaded last night, the Mets need you to win and go as deep as you can.

You don’t want to come to town in first and leave 1.5 back.

You know the bullpen sucks (sucks would be an upgrade at this point) and you know the starting pitcing is you and a not-quite-rookie and some wishful thinking.

These are the games that help determine if you become “Ray Knight” or “Bobby Bonilla” in franchise lore.

August 27, 2008

Why the LPGA is Wrong To Require English

The LPGA will require players to “speak English” beginning in 2009.

Why?

It’s about marketing.

Well let’s switch this argument to baseball. There are plenty of players of all nationalities who don’t speak the King’s English. Whether it’s Yogi Berra or El Duque – what does it matter?

The marketing comes down to charisma and winning. People like Pedro Martinez. I’m not sure he should teach high school English (but he would do better than I would at teaching high school Spanish) – but it doesn’t mean he isn’t charasmatic or marketable or a star.

Short sighted by the LPGA – and likely to create a firestorm of negative publicity that will wind up as the following: Who cares about the LPGA?

August 27, 2008

The Problem With Jericho Scott

In case you missed it, Jericho Scott is a 9 year old with a 40mph fastball.

There has been some controversy this week about him being “banned” from pitching in a local independent youth baseball league (not Little League nor Ripken).

The problem I have isn’t that he throws fast – we all faced that kid that threw “hard” or the scary lefty or “the big kid” – that’s all part of being a kid. My problem was with his usage.

August 9th he pitched 5 innings. The next day he pitched 3 more. On the 13th five more.

That’s a lot. That’s more than Joba could pitch and more than the Mets want Pelfrey to pitch. I know that when we were kids you’d go out and throw a wiffle ball 300 times every single day all summer – but it’s different when you are in a game setting. Too many coaches try to relive their World Seies fantasies (oh say even having a youth tournament televised on ESPN) through kids. They are kids.