The Mets Police

Yesterday, the Mets defeated the Washington Nationals, 6-3, in West Palm Beach. RHP Max Kranick made his first Grapefruit League start and retired all six batters he faced. OF Trayce Thompson drove in five of the six runs for the Mets with a grand slam in the third and an RBI single in the fifth. INF Pete Alonso went 2-2 with two doubles, a walk, and a run. INF Luisangel Acuña went 2-3 with a pair of singles. RHP Sean Reid-Foley fanned two in a scoreless inning out of the bullpen. Minor league RHPs Tyler Stuart and Joander Suarez each threw 2.0 scoreless innings in relief.

IT’S GRAPE TO BE BACK: The Mets return to Port St. Lucie for Grapefruit League play. The squad will play a total of 31 Spring Training games from February 24-March 25 before opening up the regular season on March 28 vs. the Milwaukee Brewers.

For you diseased gamblers out there, RHP Adrian Houser will make his first Grapefruit League start today. The 31-year-old was acquired by the Mets from Milwaukee along with OF Tyrone Taylor in exchange for RHP Coleman Crow on December 20, 2023. Last season with the Brewers, Houser went 8-6 with a 4.12 ERA (51 ER/111.1 IP) and 96 strikeouts over 23 games (21 starts). The start of Houser’s 2023 season was delayed due to a groin injury which sidelined him until May. On June 4 at Cincinnati, Houser tossed a season-high 7.0 innings and allowed one run on six hits. Houser matched his career high with 10 strikeouts on July 22 vs. Atlanta. The 6-3 242-pounder’s best season came in 2021 when he went 10-6 with a 3.22 ERA (51 ER/142.1 IP) in 28 outings, including a career-high 26 starts. A native of Tahlequah, OK, Houser was originally drafted by the Houston Astros in the second round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.

Yesterday, the Mets claimed LHP Kolton Ingram off waivers from the Detroit Tigers. The 27-year-old made his major league debut last season with the Los Angeles Angels and will wear #85. In a corresponding move, LHP David Peterson was transferred to the 60-Day IL.

The Mets earned their first Grapefruit League win of the season, defeating the Houston Astros 3-1. RHP José Buttó started and tossed 2.0 scoreless innings, allowed three hits, and struck out one. C Francisco Alvarez launched a two-run homer to right field in the third. CF Tyrone Taylor went 2-3 with two runs and a stolen base. RHPs Austin Adams, Yohan Ramírez, and Cole Sulser each threw 1.0 scoreless inning in relief. Minor league LHP Tyler Jay tossed 2.0 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

Ugly AND $48!

Well, we’ve killed off another winter.  Welcome to SEASON 17 of Mets Police (yikes!).  Here are some FUN FACTS from my friends, the Mets.

The Mets open up Grapefruit League play today at Clover Park against the St. Louis Cardinals. The squad will play a total of 31 Spring Training games from February 24-March 25 before opening up the regular season on March 28 vs. the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field.

Against the Cardinals: Today, the Mets will play their first of six Grapefruit League games against the Cardinals. Last season, the Mets won the season series over St. Louis, 4-3, and outscored the Cardinals 43-26. The Mets will take on the Cardinals from April 26-28 at Citi Field and from May 6-8 at Busch Stadium.

Mendoza Lines: Carlos Mendoza will begin his first season as the 25th manager in franchise history. The 44-year-old spent the previous 15 seasons with the Yankees organization, including the last four as the club’s bench coach. From 2018-2019, Mendoza served as the Yankees’ quality control coach. Prior to joining the big league coaching staff, Mendoza served as a manager and coach in the Yankees farm system. A native of Barquisimeto, Venezuela, Mendoza is the second full-time Venezuelan-born manager in big league history, joining Ozzie Guillén.

Let’s see how long the Mets stay in the podcasting business.  The series description says episodes Monday and Thursday.   February 24th, 2024, is a Saturday.  Also the audio sucks.  Come on guys….

NEW YORK METS LAUNCH OFFICIAL NEW TEAM PODCAST: MEET AT THE APPLE 

The new official team podcast launches on Feb. 24 with an exclusive interview with Howie Rose and Mets Owner Steve Cohen 

FLUSHING, N.Y., Feb. 23, 2024 – The New York Mets announced the launch of a new official team podcast, Meet at the Apple. The podcast drops on February 24, opening with hosts/Mets employees, Jonathan Baron and Vito Calise introducing an interview between Mets broadcaster Howie Rose and Mets owner Steve Cohen. 

“Meet at the Apple is not your average baseball podcast and is very different than anything we’ve ever done at the Mets before,” shared Mets Chief Marketing Officer Andy Goldberg. “This is a twice-weekly, behind-the-scenes look for our fans, providing them unrivaled access to our players, coaches and front office staff. This podcast is meant to stretch far beyond the stats and scores and take a deeper cultural look at what the Mets mean to our fans, the community of Queens and more.” 

Some consistent content fans can look forward to on the two-times-a-week Meet at the Apple podcast include:  

·       Exclusive regular appearances and interviews with Mets manager Carlos Mendoza. 

·       Regular appearances by Mets players.  

·       Fan insights on what our players do with their spare time. 

·       Discussions on what’s new each homestand at Citi Field – from new food vendors to promotions and specials – this is an inside look at the excitement of what’s coming to the ballpark.  

·       Recurring segments with Mets players, including Francisco Lindor and Edwin Díaz. 

“It’s all about the experience of being a Mets fan,” said podcast host Vito Calise. “Podcast listeners will not only learn about baseball updates, but it goes deeper, exploring the players’ and coaches’ opinions on just about everything – from fashion to food and music – it’s understanding the Mets on a whole new level.” Hosts Jonathan Baron and Vito Calise are not only Mets employees but grew up as lifelong Mets fans as well.  

Fans can listen to the inaugural episode of Meet at the Apple on February 24, which will feature an exclusive interview between Howie Rose and Mets owner Steve Cohen. During the interview, Steve talks to Howie about the offseason, Pete Alonso, his deep connection to the Mets fanbase and what he’s most looking forward to this coming season – including new features being added to Citi Field. Follow “Meet at the Apple” NOW and get notified the second the full episode and premiere is released! Fans can listen to the podcast here or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever they get their podcasts.