Category: mets

Today we leave the Mets Team Store and walk down the right field line…

I didn’t realize the Mets had a Kosher Grill…but they do.  Around first base on whatever the main level is called (what is it called?  I’m not rich.  I sit upstairs behind plexiglass.)

This is cool.  I believe it is new but I may be incorrect.   Today’s lineup is posted above one of the food stands on the first base side of the lower level.  If memory serves, they did this near Gate E late in Shea’s life.

Next (tomorrow) we sample World’s Fare

UPDATE:  JPMP wrote…

According to the company that has the kosher concession (http://www.koshersportsinc.com/Locations.aspx) there are four kosher stands at Citi Field, located near sections 115, 130, 401, and 430 — so it’s very much not located only for the fans in the most expensive seats. However, on my one trip to the park thus far this year, the one at section 401 was not open, but it might have been because it was a weekday day game. The stand at section 430 had a bit of a line. The kosher food is a vast improvement over the kosher food at Shea. 

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Pardon my French, but as I bounce around the internet this morning, everything is doom and gloom…but not “call WFAN and panic” doom and gloom – these are real experts saying tangible things.

Let’s start with the most depressing article I’ve read in years about the state of the franchise, from the News.

One scout who recently watched the Mets’ high-A St. Lucie team told the Daily News: “I cannot, in good conscience, write up anybody here. There’s not a single major-league arm on the pitching staff.” The scout went on to say that Reese Havens, the first-round pick from the University of South Carolina last year, has too long a swing and is out of position at shortstop.

Ouch.  There’s more here in which nothing nice is said about Buffalo’s roster, or the entire system.  If Omar, Tony and Whoever have let the system go this barren it is time for a new regime.

So they can’t throw in the towel and rebuild.

What might that do to the business model?  The Times has that well covered...

“It would really impact their business model,” said Vince Gennaro, the author of “Diamond Dollars: The Economics of Winning in Baseball” who is a consultant to theCleveland Indians and other teams. “It’s not just the perception of the lack of demand for tickets, but also the core problem of 10,000 empty seats that would cost them a fortune in lost revenue. SNY’s ratings would tank, too.”

So…that to me means a winter of signing anyone available (see the Murray/Randolph teams for how that works out.)

“Any talk of overhauling the team is grossly exaggerated at this point,” said (to the Times) Dave Howard, the Mets’ vice president for operations.


Yeah no kidding, because you have nothing to deal.


Y’all will get mad at me, but I think in lieu of making the playoffs, I think the best thing for this team would be for Jose Reyes to come back, have a very strong finish to the season, and then be dealt for multiple players.    Beltran has a no-trade, you can’t replace a Santana (whereas you could find a serviceable shortstop), and trading Wright would be June 15, 1977 all over.    


Check out the below (thanks to MLB Trade rumors)
First basemen
Rich Aurilia (38)
Russell Branyan (34)
Miguel Cairo (36)
Frank Catalanotto (36) – $5MM club option with a $2MM buyout
Tony Clark (38)
Carlos Delgado (38)
Nomar Garciaparra (36)
Ross Gload (34) – $2.6MM club option
Eric Hinske (32)
Nick Johnson (31)
Adam LaRoche (30)
Doug Mientkiewicz (36)
Kevin Millar (38)
Chad Tracy (30) – $7MM option with a $1MM buyout
Daryle Ward (35)
Dmitri Young (36)  -$6MM option vests with 500 PAs in ’09

Anyone there excite you?  Check out the rest of the list of 2010 free agents.  

Finally, Mets Blog has a scary item summarizing the strange power Tony Bernazard has over the organization.  Any time I read about Tony I don’t like what i read, but I don’t know too much about him.   I didn’t know much about Jerry Manuel until he threatened to stab Reyes three pitches into the Manuel-regime and he thus quickly won me over.  However, I’m scared of Tony.

One thing I had about complaining is that complainers should offer solutions.   All the stadium stuff I complain about I think I could fix in a month (with the exception of the obstructed views) if the Mets hired me.   I’d order me up some John Stearns banners this afternoon.   However when it comes to the roster issues – I have not better solution that the Minaya Solution which is sit on your hands and pray…..and think hard about Reyes.   The Red Sox dealt Nomar and then won a World Series.   Before the Reyes-army gets on me for always bashing him (which I admit to doing) go back and re-read this entire piece and let me know of a better solution.   You wanna head into 2010 with three of the core plus Nick Johnson in Delgado’s spot?

We’re effed.

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@metspolice

We haven’t had any new obstructed views in a while…but DyHard set these in from Promenade Section 537.  He says:

The Mets Police continue to encourage you to support the Mets in all ways including buying tickets – but you may want to be careful sitting in the first 3 rows of any section in the Promenade.

You can find more obstructed views here.

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On Monday I write a column for Flushing University. This is this week’s.


Well it sure is a nice sunny day as I type this. I am whistling “Always look on the bright side of life” from Monty Python’s Life of Brian. For those of you that don’t know it, it’s a happy whistling song some folks sing as they are being put to death at the end of the film.I know some Mets fans will be down in the dumps on this Monday, but let’s consider:There are more Mets on the All-Star team than there are Yankees! That makes for some good old fashioned trash talking. It reminds me of when Topps paired Ron Guidry and Craig Swan on the “ERA leaders” card way back in 1978 maybe ’79. That let us Mets fans “prove” that Swan was as good as the guy who won 25 games.Santana pitched a good game. We can all remain calm!Nieve wasn’t awful. If I told you on April 1st that a guy named Nieve would be one of the most important Mets you wouldn’t have believed me. Ditto Sheffield.We’re getting a good look at the kids. Sure we’re finding out that they are all over-matched at the major league level and maybe Dan Murphy isn’t going to be Wade Boggs after all, but we’re getting a look at the kids!No Mets have been busted for steroids! Well except Sheffield but we can overlook that.We have a nice ballpark! Sure it isn’t as nice as the bandbox in Philly, but at least it isn’t a bandbox.Our stadium is nicer than Yankee Stadium! The last time that was true we won the World Series and outdrew the Yanks by a million plus for a good many years.Our announcers are better than the Yankees announcers! Yeah, I’ve mentioned the Yankees three or four times already – what do you want me to do, tell you that Cora is better than The Core?Our “reinforcements” are better than your silly trade deadline deals. We are going to pick up an All-Star centerfielder, an All-star shortstop and two front-line pitchers. I remember 25 years ago waiting for John Stearns to return from the DL. I’m still waiting.It was finally sunny out on the weekend. That has nothing to do with the Mets, but it did make for an enjoyable Sunday afternoon listening to Howie.Words and music by Eric IdleSome things in life are badThey can really make you madOther things just make you swear and curse.When you’re chewing on life’s gristleDon’t grumble, give a whistleAnd this’ll help things turn out for the best…And…always look on the bright side of life… Always look on the light side of life…

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@metspolice

No I don’t hate the Mets, it’s the name of a blog.    They compared this year’s team to Mets of the past – and Lee Mazzilli’s name came up.  Which 2009 Lee Mazzilli?  Not who you might think – click the link:

I Hate the Mets: Who Are These 2009 Mets?

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