The Mets Police

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am fully supportive of the All-Star Game being played at Yankee Stadium this year. No other ballpark (or at least site of a ballpark) has had as much history as that building in the Bronx. It deserves it this year.

That said however, how come MLB has completely ignored Shea Stadium over the years? Look, I know Shea has never been the shining star of baseball, but neither have a lot of other places where MLB has hosted the mid-summer classic.

Shea hosted the All-Star Game in the first year of the ballpark, 1964. Since then, 38 ballparks have been used for the game – including six of them TWICE! The list of stadiums selected more than once by MLB is:

Yankee Stadium – 1977 for the reopening and this year. No argument
Anaheim Stadium – 1967 & 1989 – What makes it worse is that the game is going back here for a THIRD time in 2010
The Astrodome – 1968 & 1986 – Twice? Here? I can understand 68 for the opening, but why 86? This place made Shea look like a palace. If anyone can explain to me why this happened I would be very interested to hear.
Riverfront (1970 & 1988)
Three Rivers (1974 & 1994)
Veterans (1976 & 1996) – So three of the four cookie cutters each got in twice. OK, Three Rivers was nice, but the Vet? And the second time was in 1996!

The Mets have often been called the step-child of NY baseball. From MLB’s perspective it would almost seem as if they were baseball’s step-child.

I love the fact that the All-Star Game is coming to NY and even though I am a Mets fan, I think it is completely appropriate that the game be held at Yankee Stadium given the historic significance. (Why Shea has been shafted for many years – another time).

However some of the over-the-top festivities/promotions that MLB and the city have cooked up are just too much.

This past weekend, 42 replica Statue of Liberties (about 6 feet tall) were deposited at significant locations throughout the city. The replicas have the same design as Lady Lberty, but have been painted/overlaid with garish colors and pictures/emblems of the 30 current MLB teams as well as 12 other New York baseball-related themes (the Brooklyn Dodgers and NY Giants count as baseball-related theme apparently).

Aftet the All-Star Game these statues are to be auctioned off for charity. OK, of course I am going to say that is great. But have you seen these things? They look HORRIBLE.

MLB has already started to hear some criticism that by defacing Lady Liberty in such a way is unpatriotic. I disagree. Small replicas of each of the 42 are available for purchase at mlb.com and there is nothing more patriotic than selling a version of a national icon.

But seriously, these things are ugly and do nothing to celebrate the reverence that is supposed to be the All-Star Game. (I actually got through that last part with almost a straight face).

49,789.

That’s the alledged number of people at Shea last night. (Yeah spare me, I know all about “paid attendance.”)

The number in the newspaper is 49,789.

Anyone watching the game last night saw an empty upper deck and an empty mezzanine.

49,789. That’s approximately the number of people who survived the Cylon attack on the colonies.

Even Howie Rose can’t believe that number.

I can’t find any pictures of last night’s game that aren’t closeups, but if you’re reading the Mets Police you probably watched the game and know I’m right.

49,789. Stop insulting us.

>Another great quote.

“It’s fertile ground for a team’s growth and development. Sometimes fertile ground has fertilizer. Fertilizer is a good thing. It’s a good thing. You get the greatest results, get the most beautiful plants, when you put it in that type of fertile soil.”

Some people are saying he’s giving the fans crap. I don’t. I think he’s just saying it’s been a crappy year but there are some building blocks.

This team can go two ways. It’s kind of old. However there are Wright, Maine and OverReyes, and maybe Pelfrey has figured it out…and maybe Perez resigns, and maybe there’s enough to build around if Omar stops giving two year contracts to 44 year olds.

Thunderstorms tonight, and the Mariners come to Shea every 6 years so enjoy sitting there all night. Sure glad there’s no dome at Citi Field.