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The Outage

INT. JERRY’S APARTMENT – DAY

Steve is  looking perplexed and distressed. Jerry is in the kitchen, making a sandwich.

STEVE: (frustrated) I don’t get it, Jerry. Why aren’t any free agents calling me? I’ve got the money, the charm, the… Mets.

JERRY: (casually) Well, who’s your carrier?

STEVE:  (indignant)  Who’s my carrier?

JERRY: (bemused)  There was the AT&T outage today. Did you hear about that?

STEVE: (perking up) Outage? What outage?

JERRY: (walking over with his sandwich) Yeah, massive AT&T outage. No calls going in or out. It’s been chaos.

STEVE: (suddenly hopeful) So, you’re telling me there’s a reason no free agents have been calling? It’s not me; it’s AT&T?

JERRY: (taking a bite of his sandwich) Exactly. It’s not your lack of appeal; it’s the lack of a signal.

Just then, Kramer bursts into the apartment, phone in hand.

KRAMER: (excitedly) You guys won’t believe this! I’ve been trying to call you all day. There’s a huge AT&T outage!

STEVE: (to Jerry) You see? This explains everything!

JERRY: (dryly) Yeah, because the only thing standing between you and a championship team is reliable cell service.

KRAMER: I’m surprised you’re even here.  I heard on F-A-N that Ohtani’s people showed up at Citi Field, I figured you’d be there

STEVE: (anxiously) Ohtani’s people were at Citi Field?  I’ve been trying to get Ohtani’s attention for months!

KRAMER: (helpfully) Maybe you need to upgrade your cell plan.

STEVE: (ignoring Kramer’s suggestion) I have to fix this. Maybe I can still catch them!

JERRY: (chuckling) What are you going to do, Steve? Send a smoke signal from the rooftop?

The scene ends with Steve grabbing his coat and rushing out the door in a panic, determined to salvage the situation, while Kramer mulls over the logistics of training a carrier falcon, and Jerry finds amusement in the chaos of Steve’s predicament.

INT. METS OFFICES – CONFERENCE ROOM – DAY

David, a Mets executive, sits at a large conference table across from Shohei Ohtani’s representatives, a team of impeccably dressed Japanese agents. The atmosphere is tense but hopeful.

DAVID: (trying to dial) Let me just get Steve on the line to finalize the details. He’s thrilled about the possibility of bringing Ohtani to the Mets.

He attempts to call Steve, but after a few seconds, he looks perplexed and tries again. The room is silent, save for the awkward sound of the call failing to connect.

JAPANESE AGENT 1: (concerned) Is there a problem?

DAVID: (embarrassed) It seems there’s a slight issue with our service provider . Let me try one more time.

He dials again, but no luck. The agents exchange glances, clearly unimpressed.

JAPANESE AGENT 2: (disappointed) In Japan, reliability is paramount. It is… troubling that your owner cannot be reached for such an important discussion.

DAVID: (apologetically) I assure you, this is highly unusual. Steve is very eager to speak with you.

JAPANESE AGENT 1: (dryly) It appears his eagerness does not extend to his choice of telecommunications provider.

The agents stand, preparing to leave.

DAVID: (desperately) Please, if you could just give us a moment. We can work this out.

JAPANESE AGENT 2: (politely) We appreciate your time, but we have a schedule to keep. Perhaps when Steve is more… accessible.

EXT. CITI FIELD – ENTRANCE – DAY

Shohei Ohtani’s representatives are calmly walking away from Citi Field when a disheveled and frantic Steve bursts onto the scene, desperately trying to catch their attention.

STEVE: (panting) Please, wait! You have to hear me out!

The representatives stop, turning with a mix of curiosity and impatience as Steve approaches, his tie askew and his demeanor frantic.

JAPANESE AGENT 1: (politely) We were under the impression you were unavailable to meet.

STEVE: (desperate) It was a misunderstanding! An AT&T outage. But I’m here now, and I’m ready to do whatever it takes to bring Ohtani to the Mets.

JAPANESE AGENT 2: (with a polite but cold smile) I’m afraid your… dedication, while admirable, comes a bit too late.

STEVE: (begging) No, please, you don’t understand. I can offer anything—better terms, a better deal, a casino!

The representatives exchange a glance, their decision already made.

JAPANESE AGENT 1: (gently) We appreciate your… enthusiasm. However, we seek a partnership that begins with reliability and trust—qualities today’s events have unfortunately cast into doubt.

STEVE: (pleading) I can fix this. Just give me a chance!

JAPANESE AGENT 2: (bowing slightly) We thank you for your time. We wish the Mets all the best in their future endeavors.

With that, the agents turn and walk away, leaving a defeated Steve standing alone, grappling with the realization that his technological mishap has cost him dearly.

STEVE: (muttering to himself) AT&T…

 

 

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Mookie Wilson bringing food to Cooperstown

APPEARANCE BY METS LEGEND MOOKIE WILSON HIGHLIGHTS FAN EXPERIENCE AT EAST-WEST CLASSIC WEEKEND

(COOPERSTOWN, NY) – Mookie Wilson was at the center of the action in perhaps the most famous moment in New York Mets annals.

Almost 40 years later, Wilson and history will cross paths again – this time in Cooperstown as part of The Hall of Fame East-West Classic on Memorial Day Weekend.

Wilson, whose game-turning at-bat in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series helped the Mets force Game 7 and led to their most recent championship, will bring his Legacy catering business to Doubleday Field as part of the fan experience at The Hall of Fame East-West Classic on May 25 in Cooperstown. Legacy, which features barbeque, sausage and chicken, will be one of several food and beverage options available during what will prove to be a historic afternoon, including local favorites Brewery Ommegang, Gilligan’s Ice Cream, Sarchioto’s Concessions and Ty’s Taco-ria.

“My brothers and I are honored to bring Legacy to The Hall of Fame East-West Classic,” said Wilson, who will join the Classic roster that day as an honorary team member. “The players who made the original East-West Classic such an incredible event paved the way for those of us who followed to the major leagues, and we are grateful to have the opportunity to celebrate this legacy in Cooperstown. Plus, what’s Memorial Day Weekend without a little barbeque, right?”

In addition to food and beverage options, fans at The Hall of Fame East-West Classic will also be treated to music, giveaways, including a commemorative program, and a special appearance by Chicago Cubs voice Jeremiah Paprocki, the team’s first Black public address announcer, who will serve as the guest PA announcer for the Classic.

The Hall of Fame East-West Classic: A Tribute to the Negro Leagues All-Star Game will feature Hall of Famers Harold Baines, Ken Griffey Jr., Fergie Jenkins, Jim Kaat, Fred McGriff, Eddie Murray, Jim Rice, Lee Smith, Ozzie Smith and Dave Winfield as managers and coaches.

Fueled by assistance from Major League Baseball, the East-West Classic rosters will consist of more than two dozen former big leaguers, team captains CC Sabathia and Chris Young along with players Josh Barfield, Tim Beckham, José Contreras, Ian Desmond, Prince Fielder, Dexter Fowler, Curtis Granderson, Tony Gwynn Jr., Jerry Hairston, Scott Hairston, LaTroy Hawkins, Ryan Howard, Edwin Jackson, Jeremy Jeffress, Adam Jones, Howie Kendrick, Russell Martin, Darrell Miller, Melvin Mora, David Price, Tony Sipp, Dee Strange-Gordon, B.J. Upton, Justin Upton and Dontrelle Willis.

Harold Reynolds of MLB Network will join Mookie Wilson as honorary team members.

The game will be part of a weekend celebration as the Museum opens its new exhibit The Souls of the Game: Voices of Black Baseball.

Tickets for the Hall of Fame East-West Classic are on sale now at baseballhall.org/east-west or at 1-888-325-0470 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has teamed up with Sports Travel and Tours to offer baseball fans a one-stop opportunity to purchase Classic Weekend travel packages. For more information or to plan a trip to Cooperstown, please call 1-888-310-HALL (4255). Membership participants receive a 5% discount on all their baseball travel packages.

Located on the Museum’s second floor in the Yawkey Gallery, The Souls of the Game: Voices of Black Baseball will cover stories of early Black baseball, the Negro Leagues era, the complexities of reintegration, Jackie Robinson, post-reintegration progress and retrogress, and calls for change in today’s game while celebrating the newest superstars of the era. Meaningful stories from Black baseball are also being added to other exhibits throughout the Museum.

The exhibit is part of the Hall of Fame’s Black Baseball Initiative that includes additional outreach programs, educational materials and virtual programming and is made possible by the Yawkey Foundation with additional support from Bill Janetschek in honor of his siblings Robert and Ann, the Anthony A. Yoseloff Foundation and the Bisignano Family. The initiative will also enhance Black Baseball stories found throughout the Museum.

The Souls of the Game, a title that pays tribute to W.E.B. Du Bois’s seminal 1903 book “The Souls of Black Folk”, will explore the Black baseball experience of those men, women and children who were and are an integral part of our National Pastime.

Subtitled “Voices of Black Baseball”, the exhibit will highlight first-person accounts by the many individuals whose experiences shaped them, their community, baseball and America at large. Featuring historically significant artifacts, documents and photographs, and utilizing audio, video, and interactive elements, the exhibit will tell a more inclusive story of baseball, shine a light on and correct misconceptions about Black baseball.

For more information about the Museum’s Black Baseball Initiative, please visit baseballhall.org/BBI.

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An apology to the 2003 Mets

Nicholas writes:

I’m writing to you in regards to a correction in regards to your most recent post. You stated that back in 2003, the Mets won 65 games, well in fact, looking at the 2003 Mets Wikipedia page as well as baseball-reference, you’re wrong, they actually won 66 games going 66-95. I doubt you’ll correct it knowing how you roll, but just wanted to clarify something you brought up.

Thank you Nicholas for bringing this to my attention.  At this point I would like to offer a heartfelt apology to the 2003 Mets:

To the  2003 New York Mets Players, Staff, and Fans,

I am reaching out to extend my sincerest apologies for the error I made in a recent statement where I incorrectly cited the 2003 team’s win total as 65 games. After taking another look at the records, I realize that the team actually achieved 66 wins during that season.

As someone who prides themselves on accuracy and thoroughness, I am disappointed that I misstated such an important fact. Each win in a season is hard-earned and a testament to the team’s effort and skill. Misrepresenting that achievement, even by one game, is something I take seriously.

I wish to apologize to manager Art Howe, and his family.

I did not mean to slight first baseman Jason Phillips, who batted .298 in 119 games for an OPS of .815, a number not that far off from Pete Alonso’s 2023 OPS of .821.  Perhaps Phillips deserved a lifetime contract from the Wilpons. We will never know.

Or left fielder Cliff Floyd, and his .894 OPS, in a time when Millennials were just infants, and didn’t yet talk about OPS, otherwise Floyd too might have been given a lifetime deal as it’s obvious Floyd was way better than Pete Alonso has ever been, other than Pete’s 2019 season, a season which this blogger has said Pete will never again match, and has so far been right. Cliff, thank you for your contribution in the 108 games you were part of.

Let us never forget Mets Hall of Famer Al Leiter, who went 15-9, cementing his status as one of the great All Time Mets, nor Captain John Franco’s two saves.

Let us remember that David Cone came back to us to contribute one win, and let us remember the 68 games that Mike Piazza rallied to play, contributing 11 home runs.

Thank you to Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar, for making that a magical summer where fans delighted in watching your march to Cooperstown.

I also want to apologize to the booth of Fox Sports New York, where Howie Rose worked hard to carry Ted Robinson and Matt Loughlin, and of course acknowledge the contributions of WPIX’s Tom Seaver in describing the great plays on the field.

I apologize to the Wilpons, who tried their best to win the World Series, a task that even the richest of the rich cannot pull off in Queens.

Please accept my heartfelt apology for this oversight. I have the utmost respect for the dedication and hard work that the Mets organization and its players put into every game, every season. I assure you that I will make every effort to ensure such an error does not happen again.

With respect and admiration for your commitment to the great game of baseball, and all 66 of the wins. You were not terrible. 65 wins is terrible.  66 is fan-tastic.

Your #1 fan,

Shannon.

 

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Mets add new promotion items – include Assets in media package!!!

Looks like someone in Queens is still mentioning Mets Police.  Hi  guys.

I had recently mentioned that it was annoying that the Mets never include “assets” such as a photo of the player they are promoting.  Today’s release had this handy dandy graphic.  Thanks Mets!

NEW YORK METS REVEAL ADDITIONAL 2024 PROMOTIONAL ITEMS, INCLUDING DWIGHT GOODEN AND DARRYL STRAWBERRY BOBBLEHEADS 

Amazin’ Mets Foundation also launches first ever in-stadium 50/50 Raffle Program 

FLUSHING, N.Y., February 20, 2024 – The New York Mets today announced four additional items for the 2024 promotional schedule at Citi Field. Individual tickets for all home games at Citi Field are currently on sale and can be purchased online at Mets.com/Tickets or by calling 718-507-TIXX. The first 15,000 fans will receive these additional promotional items. 

As the team prepares to honor Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry with jersey retirement ceremonies on Sunday, April 14 and Saturday, June 1, respectively, the team is excited to extend the celebration of each with bobbleheads. On Saturday, April 13 the Mets will give away a Dwight Gooden moving arm bobblehead presented by Cadillac. Additionally, the Mets will give away a Darryl Strawberry baseball card bobblehead on Sunday, June 2. 

Additionally, the Mets will continue to build upon the newly announced artist series in 2024 with the addition of Sarah Sze, who will create a limited-edition baseball hat to be distributed to fans on Tuesday, September 3. Sze joins Joel Mesler and Rashid Johnson as part of this inaugural series. 

The Amazin’ Mets Foundation will launch its first-ever 50/50 Raffle Program at Citi Field in the upcoming 2024 season. The raffle gives fans an opportunity to win cash prizes while supporting the community-focused work of the Foundation in the neighborhoods surrounding Citi Field and affiliate teams.  

  

“The Amazin’ Mets Foundation is committed to supporting our neighbors in Queens and the areas where our affiliate teams play,” said Alex Cohen, Owner of the New York Mets and President of the Amazin’ Mets Foundation. “We are excited to offer additional support for nonprofit organizations through our new in-stadium 50/50 Raffle Program. Each home game will be a unique opportunity for fans to take home prizes and have a direct impact on our community.” 

  

At each Mets home game, one lucky fan with the winning 50/50 ticket number will win half of the net raffle proceeds for that game. The other half of the net raffle proceeds will benefit the Amazin’ Mets Foundation’s community programs and local nonprofits. More details will be announced closer to the launch of the raffle. 

Lastly, returning this season is another fan-favorite in the Mets sports jersey nights with the hockey jersey presented by Hyundai on Saturday, September 7. 

Promotion dates, items and distribution are subject to change and/or cancellation. 

….

So as for why it’s so important for the Mets to send assets….if they don’t, I am forced to create my own, and well, let me share this.  As you can see, the logo on the cap is wrong.