Author: Shannon Shark @metspolice

Was talking with a friend today, and as we usually do we drifted back to 1986. From my perspective in the uppers I felt like they actually cared when they lost a game, whether it was in ’86 or ’85 or even ’87.

I felt there were guys like Keith Hernandez who would actually get mad when they lost.

I don’t get that vibe from this team. I want to. I like the comments that came out from Wright, Reyes and Santana…but who is the guy that will be mad when the Mets drop two of three to the Nationals?

To me, the person has to have some combination of tenure and resume. It can’t be a rookie, and it can’t be someone who never plays.

I’m not in the clubhouse so I may have no idea what I’m talking about. Does this team have such a guy? Is one of the core one of that type of guy?

Another link (quiet in Flushing today), this one to an atypical Strawberry interview.

 

Some links of interest:

Eli from Brooklyn tells us about some Shea Cufflinks for sale on Mets Underground.

NY Baseball digest shares with us some stuff from Bill James which suggests Gooden and Cone should be in the HOF. You kids really will never grasp how awesome Gooden was at the start of his career.  He was another level of pitcher I have never seen since.

Wezen Ball has a cool timeline of MLB stadiums although it’s possible it is incorrect.  It doesn’t mention the 50 years the Mets spent at Ebbetts field and it claims that the Mets played at something called “Polo Grounds” and also claims something called “New York Giants” played there.   Has anyone heard of these things?

Oh no, admitted terrorist Zazi is a Mets fan.

Thanks to Moshe who has sent me over a note from the Mets ticket office – looks like there will be a presale for Club Mets members.  That link clearly says “pre-sale opportunities” come with membership; Moshe’s email indicates that an email will go out on March 1st that will tell folks the details.

Which brings me to my next admittedly selfish topic.

I’ve said many times I don’t want this site to devolve into “Mets Enemy” and that I wish nothing but tremendous success for the franchise….but you know that saying “keep your friends close and your enemies closer?”..I wonder why the Mets don’t keep the bloggers closer.

I look at yesterday.  Mets Police had the 4-pack announcement up around noon (after it went up on mets.com) but I had the rumor last week.   You just read the pre-sale news, so that’s out there too.

Why not befriend the blogs and just clue us in?

Last week I applied for the mlb.com pressbox service.  I was denied because “We have evaluated your application and determined that you do not meet the necessary criteria for membership in MLB Pressbox.”   Fair enough. So I asked what these criteria are.  No answer.

All that means is that I have to wait until 15 seconds after releases go live until my Google tracker catches it and then I post it.  Plus there’s a growing network of fans who send things in.  Fans=paying customers.

Back to “bring your frenemies closer” – here’s a story.  Remember when Craig Marino in the ticket office responded to Dan’s letter?  (If you’re a Mets Police newbie it’s the #1 must-read)   During that exchange Dan asked a question related to how the Mets might honor a particular player this year.   Craig asked if we leave that exchange out, so we did.  (It wasn’t a big item nor a bad reason, remain calm.)   Dan & I also let the Mets see our article before we posted it.  Why?  Because we are honorable fellows and are not out to sandbag the franchise.  We didn’t want to unfairly represent anything the Mets said.

So, why not use the “new media” whether it’s this site or others to get information out there, or to even test the temperature of the diehards.

For example – if you see I’ve posted a slightly incorrect story about three packs, why not drop me a note and correct the info.  If you want me to sit on it for two days – that’s cool…but why not get the info out there?   Why not send over a “proposed” retro jersey design.   Coulda nipped that in the bud.  Why not float “the Mets are thinking about switching to a blue fence” later this year?

Specific to this site, we’ve shown that we’re not total jerks…specific to all “new media” it isn’t going away.

What’s the new media strategy?  Is there one?

Let me jump in front of the Cerrone-bashing that I bet will follow:   let’s remember that this guy started on his own, and made the blogger big time.  There’s plenty of small blogs who are content occasionally posting, but there’s plenty of others who wouldn’t mind an SNY relationship and a big Verizon ad, so let’s not be hypocrites.   As I said recently, this site will have a big ESPN ad or whatever in two seconds if someone writes a check – but I’ll still hate black uniforms and love Lee Mazzilli.

I’m [email protected] if anyone is looking for me.