Category: mets

Next up in the Five Questions series is William, who answered in complete sentences.

1. I first started following the Mets in 1979. My father took me to my first game ever at Shea when I was 5 years old and Lee Mazzilli hit a HR to win the game. I honestly don’t remember who it was against but all I know was from that point on I was hooked.

2.My favorite Mets Memory was sitting in the upper deck with my dad for Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. I will never forget the way that Shea sounded when the ball went between Bill Buckner’s legs. There were people hugging, screaming, and crying, I was only 12 years old but I remember that day like it was yesterday.

3.My worst Mets memory would have to be losing to the Yankee’s in the 2000 World Series. There were many lean years between 1988 and 1999 but I was really proud to be a Mets fan for those 2 years and to lose the World Series to the Yankees almost tarnishes that teams place in Mets history. Had I been old enough to remember it the trading of Tom Seaver..the Franchise… would have made it here. That was the worst move in Mets history.

4.The one off the field thing I would change about the Mets is the front office. I truly believe that everyone there wants to win and is doing their best but for whatever reason it is not working. This includes the “Coupons” Fred and Jeff as well as Omar Minaya. I can’t fault Omar for everything because I for one do not believe he has full autonomylike he claims. I believe that his hands have been tied on a number of occasions and was not able to bring in players he wanted and then he has to take the fall when something goes wrong and I think that this has finally got to him. Just look at that whole spectacle with him accusing Adam Rubin of angling for a job when he had absolutely no reason to say this or proof that it was true. I believe that we have run our course with Omar and the “Coupons”.

5.The first I would change is the minor league scouting system. We have as much if not more resources than any team in baseball and yet our minor league system is in the lower third in baseball. That is unacceptable. Adding the big free agent is great but you cannot build a championship team without first having a strong farm system.

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I’m actually writing this on Saturday about five minutes after learning about the changes at Citi Field and I have to tell you I’m ecstatic…but I wanted the news to stay at the top of the blog through Saturday so I’ve held my comments until now.

I’m happy for the fans.  We win one.  They finally listened to us.

I’m happy for the organization.   The franchise will be better for it.

I’m thankful that maybe in some small way the community we’ve built here at Mets Police may have contributed in some small way to the changes.   It’s more than just one loudmouth popping off, it’s the comments and guest posts that you send.  It’s the answers to the 5 Questions that I’ve been posting and will continue to post (notice how many of the responses talk about franchise history).  That’s you being heard by Flushing, not just one annoying blogger.  For that, I thank you for your participation and thank the bigger sites (Metsblog and Amazin’ Avenue to name two) for sending people over here, especially in the early days.

I’m happy to see someone like Howie Rose on the committee.   Even though he figured out a way to work with the Mets, he’s a fan.  You hear it in his voice.  What a long way we’ve come from the Mets putting a half hour Todd Kalas buffer between the game and Howie….Howie ruffled a few feathers when he hosted Mets Extra.

I’m even happy with David Howard today.  I’ve made him my villain since I’ve started, and not for no reason – that plexiglass is stlll there – but this quote suggests someone who is paying attention to customers:

“These additions amplify our commitment to better recognize our team’s heritage and honor the players and memories our fans cherish,” said Howard. “Ownership is acting upon our fans’ desire to see more Mets around the ballpark. We hear our fans loud and clear and these additions continue the process that started last season.”





Maybe it is possible to have influence from the basement.   Here’s an article from June suggesting the Mets add player baners (albeit inside).  Another from July asking for a prominent Hall of Fame and sharing what Atlanta did with theirs.  Mets Police is far from the only place these ideas were floated but when you spend every day writing about how a team should embrace history…it’s hard not to be excited.

Now maybe Old-Timer’s Day returns.   Banner Day.   Maybe a #17 goes up on that fence.  Mets Police will be here continuing to push for those.

The goal of this site continues to be to to encourage the Mets to win the World Series, with honor, while nicely dressed.  We’ll learn more about that (at least the attire part) by the end of the month.

Thanks to everyone who has been part of this community.  It’s nice to have one less thing to complain about.

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If you are new to the Mets Police, we’re in the middle of a series called “Five Questions For An Average Mets Fan.”  I will continue to sprinkle in 4 or so of these each day until I post everyone’s answers.  I’m not commenting in the posts by design so that other fans can get their voice heard by the folks in Flushing without my color commentary.

The breakfast spot this morning goes to Mike..

1. When did you start following the Mets?

I’ve been a Mets fan my whole life.  My dad was a Dodgers fan, born and raised in Brooklyn, then took on the Mets as his hometown favorite.  The family was with him 100%.  I’ve been attending games since the late 70s, though my first memories are from ’84-’86.

2. What is your favorite Mets memory?

Game 6, baby.  Watching with my high school buddies in my basement. Though my dad couldn’t get us tickets, he did wrangle some Shea dogs from the Diamond Club caterer, who he supplied seafood to at the time.

3. What is your worst Mets memory or experience?

Tim Teufel’s’ pinch hit grand slam.  I was still a teenager, and I was a die-hard Backman fan.

4. If you could change one off-field thing about the franchise what would it be?

Trading Dykstra and McDowell for Juan Samuel.  That was the worst trade ever.  They gave away their heart and soul for a guy who didn’t seem to want to be there.

5. If you owned the team starting tomorrow, what is the first thing you would change?

Communication between players,coaches, medical staff and mgt about injuries and health issues. It’s time to stop running players into the ground and then telling half-truths to the fans about it.

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I’m so excited that I almost typed “Shea.”  “Shea Bridge!” Howie in on the decisions!  Seaver Entrance!

FLUSHING, N.Y. — The New York Mets today announced plans to expand the presence of club history at Citi Field next season in a variety of ways including renaming areas of the ballpark after Casey Stengel, Gil Hodges, Tom Seaver and William A. Shea.

The Mets also have re-formed the Mets Hall of Fame Committee, and will increase the number of visuals commemorating great players and moments both inside and outside the ballpark. The Mets previously announced a 2010 opening of the Mets Hall of Fame & Museum at Citi Field.

RENAMING OF AREAS IN BALLPARK The Mets will rename and visually theme Citi Field’s VIP entrances and outfield bridge after individuals who made an indelible mark on the club. First Base VIP will be named after Hodges to honor the manager who led the Mets to their first World Championship in 1969. Third Base VIP will honor Seaver, the Hall of Fame pitcher and Mets leader in wins, earned run average and strikeouts. Left Field VIP will be named after Stengel, the first manager in Mets history. The outfield bridge will be dedicated as Shea Bridge, honoring the legacy of the man who was the driving force to bring National League baseball back to New York after the departure of the Dodgers and Giants.

METS HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM & HALL OF FAME COMMITTEE The centerpiece for Mets memorabilia will be the Mets Hall of Fame & Museum, located adjacent to the Jackie Robinson Rotunda and accessible from both inside and outside the ballpark. A re-formed Mets Hall of Fame Committee will evaluate potential inductees, and is comprised of a combination of media members with a long-standing connection to the club and Mets front office staff.

Media members on the committee are: Marty Noble, the Mets.com beat writer who is entering his fifth decade covering the team; Gary Cohen, the New York native and voice of the Mets on SNY who has been a Mets broadcaster for 21 years; and Howie Rose, a Queens native and radio voice of the Mets on WFAN who has covered the team for 21 years on radio and television.

The Mets committee members are: Dave Howard, executive vice president, business operations who has been with the organization for 18 years; Jay Horwitz, vice president, media relations who just completed his 30th season with the team; Tina Mannix, senior director, marketing who has been with the Mets for nine years; and former Mets pitcher Al Jackson, a pitching consultant who is entering his sixth decade with the Mets. Chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon serves as ex-officio.

“The re-formation of the Mets Hall of Fame Committee is central to our concerted efforts to better connect our present and future to our past,” said Wilpon. “It reinforces the organization’s and our fans’ shared desire to recognize our greatest players. With our 2010 opening of the Mets Hall of Fame & Museum at Citi Field, now was the time to bring this group together.”

Candidates will be evaluated on their impact on the field while in a Mets uniform, how they represented and affected the organization and their place in Mets history.

The Mets Hall of Fame was established in 1981 with an inaugural class of Joan Payson, the first Mets owner, and Casey Stengel, the first Mets manager. The Mets Hall of Fame has 21 members including former players, managers, front-office executives and broadcasters. Tommie Agee was the last person inducted in 2002.

The following is the list of Hall of Fame members in order of the year they were inducted:

Joan Payson (1981); Casey Stengel (1981); Gil Hodges (1982); George M. Weiss (1982); William A. Shea (1983); Johnny Murphy (1983); Ralph Kiner (1984); Bob Murphy (1984); Lindsey Nelson (1984); Bud Harrelson (1986); Rusty Staub (1986); Tom Seaver (1988); Jerry Koosman (1989); Ed Kranepool (1990); Cleon Jones (1991); Jerry Grote (1992); Tug McGraw (1993); Mookie Wilson (1996); Keith Hernandez (1997); Gary Carter (2001); and Tommie Agee (2002).

The Mets will announce further details about the Mets Hall of Fame &Museum in the coming weeks.

IMAGERY & TEAM COLORS Next season, fans will be greeted by Mets colors as they approach Citi Field with full-color banners of Mets players on Mets Plaza in front of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda. Mets logos will be added on entry points to the parking areas and on the light poles in the parking lots. The addition of team colors will continue inside the ballpark with staircases painted with blue and orange and more Mets logos throughout the ballpark. Flowers in the gardens at Mets Plaza in front of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda will also be blue and orange.

“These additions amplify our commitment to better recognize our team’s heritage and honor the players and memories our fans cherish,” said Howard. “Ownership is acting upon our fans’ desire to see more Mets around the ballpark. We hear our fans loud and clear and these additions continue the process that started last season.”

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Next up here’s Ben.   I like some of his suggestions 😉

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