The Mets Police

So here’s what I’m hearing from at least three people….(I’m on the road and haven’t been as on top of things as usual in Flushing).

….The Mets had a lottery for Subway Series tickets. Nobody I knew of and nobody who reads the Mets Police won them.

Then the Mets tried to sell even more Subway Series tickets as part of a 6-pack.

Now, I’m hearing from folks that they won a “second chance lottery” – which suggests that the Mets find themselves with more tickets on hand than even they expect.

I won.
I first got an email saying I DIDNT win.
Then today I got an email that let me buy tickets. I still have two tickets that I can purchase but im not going to , so if anyone
wants to buy tickets maybe we can set up a private ebay auction.
Email : [email protected]

Also

I won too today. It was like a second chance from the first lottery I guess they had unsold tickets from the first lottery but I won. And bought three tickets to the opener on friday im so pumped

Interesting.

Dan jumping in here. I also got the Second Chance Lottery email yesterday. All 3 games were available, and tickets were there for every price level. That’s a LOT of availability for what once was a premier event. A combination of several things probably has contributed to this:

1 – The shine has worn off interleague play. I never liked this “experiment” as it essentially took away the distinctiveness of the 2 leagues (the DH aside). For several years now, outside of the “key” matchups (Mets/Yankees, Dodgers/Angels, Cubs/ChiSox) attendance has been floundering. It was only a matter of time before it caught up to these series as well.

2 – The shine has worn off the new ballparks. We’ve documented here countless times the lack of attendance at games this season. After the first few weeks demand for tickets has plumeted. Go take a look at StubHub and see how many people are selling tickets for every game. The apple may have been brought over but The Magic Is Not Back

3 – It’s the economy stupid. Ticket prices, concessions, novelties, etc. The cost of going to a game here in NYC was always high, even before the new parks. The increased expense at New Shea and George’s Stadium coupled with a sagging economy – well, people would rather eat and pay rent than go to a ballgame.

I really wonder what it will look like next year.

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@metspolice

I may be being punked here.  Maybe I’m an idiot for even giving time to this – but the Mets Police ain’t 60 Minutes – it’s just a blog, it’s just a diversion, and it’s the middle of the night so I’m going to entertain it now that I see a few other people have written it.

A bunch of media outlets, blogs, The Mets Police and others got this email today:

Like I said, I’m not sure I believe it – but since I now think a few media outlets are investigating it, and at least Nj.com has printed it I’m going to share it with you guys.

For a little sake of credibility, I try to have some degree of honor with this stuff – so when I asked the dude who sent it to me for “more” he did send me some stuff that makes me believe at least one of the TV stations is taking it seriously.  

My quick thoughts and then I’m going to bed:
a)  if it is true, who cares.  A jersey doesn’t make Castillo drop a pop-up.
b)  another thing that isn’t original to Flushing.  Can’t we have our own jinx?  Do we have to steal one from the Yankees?

____

Administrative stuff:  I have contacted the TV station to see if they think it’s real.

Some of you have sent me some great stuff for the site at [email protected]    Thanks for sending, and I will process them as soon as I can, busy week.    Ditto on comments that I haven’t responded to yet.   Thanks for following the Mets Police, and double-thanks to those who send stuff in.   To the guy that sent me this story, I mean no disrespect questioning the validity of the story, I just don’t want to throw any old thing up here.

_______

Friday Update:  The TV channel got back to me and they believe it is a prank by some radio personalities.  I’ll let you decide for yourself if you think it was clever.

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@metspolice

Speaking of Centerfield Maz (see the post below) – he is cool enough to let us borrow entire articles form his site.   We share not only our love of the Mets but of remembering the New York Giants.  Unfortunately, this is a sad article:

THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2009

The Passing of New York Giants Dusty Rhodes

Today centerfield maz received the news of the passing of NY Giants Dusty Rhodes’ from Bill at the NY Baseball Giants Nostalgia Society, and a comment from Dusty’s nephew Garrett. I will update the 5/13/09 post.

James Lamar Rhodes was Born May 13, 1927 in the cotton fieldsof Matthews, Alabama. He would make it to the big city, and become a hero playing a seven year career in the 1950s. The carefree young man missed many a curfew, because he loved drinking, night life & the ladies. 

After six years in the minors,he came up to the NY Giants as a backup outfielder in 1952. Playing in only 67 games, he hit 10 HRs with 36 RBIs. He didn’t care if the pitcher was right or left hander, he just wanted to hit. He became a Leo Durocher favorite, ready anytime he was called upon. Rhodes once said “I could get out of a coffin & get base hit”.

In 1953,in 76 games he hit 11 HRs with 30 RBIs but only batted .233. In the 1954 World Championship season, Rhodes became a NY Giants legend, batting .341 in 82 games, 15 HRs, 50 RBIs, 7 doubles and 31 runs scored. He was often used as a pinch-hitter for Hall of Famer Monte Irvin, and came through with an incredible number of clutch hits, batting .333 as a pinch hitter. Irvin said Rhodes was the best natural hitter he ever saw. 

Post Season: In the 1954 World Series, his legend grew to Biblical proportions as he almost single-handed led the Giants’ to a sweep of the Indians. Game #1 is known for Willie Mays making “The Catch”, but Rhodes was also a hero in that game. In the 10th inning Mays & Hank Thompson walked. Rhodes came to bat as a pinch hitter against Cleveland pitcher Bob Lemon, and blasted a game winning home run in the right field stands.

The next day he had an encore performance, in the 5th inning he came to bat as a pinch hitter again for Irvin. With Mays on 2nd & Thompson on 1st again, Rhodes singled off Hall of Famer Early Wynn tying the game. Thompson would score on pitcher Johnny Antonelli’s ground out to put New York ahead. Then Rhodes then led off the 7th inning with a home run to the short porch in right field to seal the 3-1 win.

In Game #3 Rhodes once again pinch hit for Monte Irvin, this time as early as the 3rd inning. With the bases loaded Rhodes singled off Mike Garcia scoring two runs as the Giants went on to beat Cleveland 6-2 taking a commanding 3-0 Series lead. After Game #3, Sportswriter Red Smith joked : “There’s talk of calling off the 4th game so that “Dusty” Rhodes can give an exhibition of walking on water.” Overall in the World Series, Rhodes hit .667 (4-for-6) 2 HRs, 7 RBIs, 2 runs scored & a walk. He was the toast of the town and instant celebrity.

In 1955 Rhodes enjoyed his last good season, hitting over .300 in 96 games. In 1956 he played in a career high 111 games but only hit .217 with 8 HRs & 33 RBIs. In 1957, he dropped to .205, and was the final batter in the history of the New York Giants, at the Polo Grounds on Sept. 29, 1957.

Rhodes missed the first season in San Francisco and in 1959 hit only .188 in 48 at bats before calling it quits. He said after Leo Durocher left the Giants, baseball wasn’t much fun anymore. Life time Rhodes played in 576 games, hit .253, 54 HRs, 207 RBIs, 54 doubles,& 146 runs scored.

Retirement: He worked as a Pinkerton Security guard at the 1964 World’s Fair, then as a captain on a friends tug boat for 25 years out of Staten Island.
At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Rhodes, of Greek heritage, coached the Grecian baseball team. In 2007 Rhodes coached the University of North Florida’s baseball team.

Rhodes passed away on June 17th, 2009 in Las Vegas after battling diabetes and emphysema, he was 82. Willie Mays & Monte Irvin both made statements from their homes saying Rhodes was a dear friend & will be very missed.

Please add Centerfield Maz to the list of blogs you check out if you dug this one.

www.metspolice.com
@metspolice

Good stuff from Centerfield Maz as always in response to my question as to whether or not the Mets would have retired 314 had Gil not died.

You have to understand where the Mets were when Gil arrived and where he got them in 1969. It’s taken for granted today but the Mets had absolutley no chance in anyones eyes to compete let alone win the World Series in 1969. Ask any player who played for him and watch the gleam in their eye and the respect they have for the man. Every player on the 1969 team will credit Hodges with them winning. Remember in these media drenched times any team who achieves success is still compared with the 1969 Mets.

Gil is a man who started 5 man pitching rotations, had the first piching coach who was a former catcher, and used a platoon system no matter what or who you were. Most of all he demanded you give 100% and play like a professional. He would not allow any of the errors or base running mistakes the players of today make. No matter how much money they make.

In 1969 Gil walked out to left field & pulled Cleon Jones out of a game because he didn’t hustle after a ball in the rain. The Mets were getting killed in the game and had already lost the 1st game of the double header.Jones was leading the NL htting at the time.

With Gil at the helm they would have won the 1973 World Series & if he pushed the issue the front office may have aquired another bat & had more success.

Centerfield Maz is a great site for retro stuff about the Mets.   Definitely check it out if you know who say John Milner was.

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@metspolice