Mets still on hold for hosting 2013 All Star Game

The Mets will be soon playing in Citi Field in a little more then 2 months. This will be the 4th season in the new ballpark which will have new dimensions to help the park become more neutral and also help David Wright and Jason Bay stop shaking there heads as they round 1st as they see a ball in left center or right center go to die.


Couple of years ago there was talk about the Mets hosting the 2013 game in there new stadium but nothing yet is official.  The 2012 game in KC was announced 2 years in advance. So what is the hold up? 


Of course most might think its the fact the Wilpons are in over there heads with the Madoff mess and that any judgement for the Wilpons against them will be curtains for ownership . The Wilpons have a March date set to find out if they will be on the hook for 83M . 


MLB of course has a different angle. Industry sources said MLB once again is dealing with the complex logistics of staging its midsummer jewel event in the country’s largest market. 
I dont buy it since they did announce the Yankees all star game way ahead of time.  

The Mets have not had the ALL star game in there home park since the opening of She in 1964. Of course now the Wilpons are on the hook for messing this up as well . Not enough that the Mets will be a shell of a team in 2012.  Stay tuned.


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Original Met Choo Choo Coleman,,,The Deleted Version

Earlier this week we posted an article on the original Mets catcher from 1962, Choo Choo Coleman. As with ALL OF OUR POSTS, we gave full credit to our source(s) and in no way tried to pass the article off as ours. We do use quotes and CERTAIN information from articles, but all recollections and opinions are solely those of longislandmetfan and yours truly.

My partner and I have been scribing for this blog, which we are extremely proud of, for almost four years. We blog out of our passion for the NY Mets, and we believe we offer a different spin than most Mets blog sites.We use the entire history of this team, not just the present.

As for our original post, we were asked by the columnist to remove the article. His claim was that we copied the entire article. We didn't. We did use some information and quotes, but did accurately list the writer as the first source via a hyperlink to HIS article. In no way did I nor my partner try and discredit nor plagiarize the work of the originator. In fact, just the opposite.

Out of respect for our fellow Mets bloggers out there and the author of the article, we have removed our post titled: Original Met Choo-Choo Coleman Strolls Down Memory Lane.

We apologize that it had to come to this, but we aren't doing this for fame and fortune. This blog site is our passion, not our occupation.

We look forward to continue providing story's experiences,  and our opinions. We hope you continue to visit.

Respectfully -

metsfan73

Mets interest in Cody Ross? All the Best to the Kid.

Baseball will probably be more near the front of what’s going on in the sports world until we get closer to the Super Bowl in 13 days.  With that being said…(  Omar?  Anyone? )    The Mets still probably need another outfielder to complement the Likes of Mr Torres and Mr Duda .  The Mets are interested in Cody Ross.  Not a bad signing since coming off a down year they probably can get him for cheap .  Other teams are interested as well and I am sure Ross will go with a team that might have some potential to win before giving up hope and signing with the Mets.   

In other free agent news the Mets could have taken a flier on journey man pitcher Kevin Millwood but he signed a deal with the Mariners the other day.  I am not a big fan of Millwood but he couldn’t be much worse then Pelfrey at this point .   

Prince Fielder has not landed with a new yet and there is less then 30 days for pitchers and catchers reporting to camp.  Of course the Mets are not in on him since they have Ike Davis but a division rival is still in the hunt with the Nats looking to score the big guy.  Some other unknown teams are involved as well  He is more suited in a long term deal in the Al since he can move to the Dh spot .  

All our best to the Kid – Gary Carter.  What he is going through has to be incredibly tough.  He was diagnosed with brain cancer and is just so weak from the treatment. He was not able to make it up to NY to receive his award this past weekend.  Carter latest MRi revealed new spots on his brain.

Our hearts go out to the Mets former Catcher.  Who helped bring the Mets over the top when he came to the team in ’85.  

MLB rumors

Gary Carterskids accepting his award

1 month to Pitchers and Catchers …Hello ? Anyone?

Yes it has come to this. An off season that is silent as one can remember. The Mets are only a couple of years into their new home and already you can feel the irrelevance of the 2012 season. Just watch a couple of the SNY hot stoves. Chats with Pelfrey and Gee.. Updates on Santana. Did you nod off yet?

This off season and the 2012 season was defined in 1 moment. The minute we Mets fans saw Jose Reyes put on a stupid Fish Jersey and Cap. What excitement will we see in 2012? Some of it will be in the spring when we get to see Mets# 1 pick pitcher Matt Harvey and that outfielder who is making a name for himself named den Decker. Will they see Citi Field? Probably in the fall when the Mets are far out of it and already looking ahead to 2013.

It has been sometime since I have come into the spring with enthusiasm for the season at a bare minimum. It can be reflected in the amount of posts we have had lately. After the Mets made it to the World Series in 2000 the Mets added a couple of bums like Mo Vaughn and a future HOF in Alomar who was done. That was a rough time. When the Mets brought up Wright and Reyes you figure we would be jazzed to watch home grown talent for a long time. Well one is gone and the other we still hope can be the player that he was once was.

As we enter spring the 2012 Mets off season limps along. Hopefully there will be some things to cheer about come summer..

Dickey Enshrined In Vol Hall Of Fame

Mets knuckleballer RA Dickey has been inducted into the Tennessee Vol Baseball Hall Of Fame. Dickey is one of 18 members of the Vol Hall of Fame.

Said the Mets starter:

"I have mixed emotions about (being inducted) because it's real nice to be recognized as a great player at Tennessee, but at the same time, I'm certainly aware that I'm no more than the product of people that poured into me well and loved on me well while I was here, two of them being Bill Mosiello and Dave Serrano. I think whatever level of talent I brought into UT from high school, they cultivated it into this honor. It's as much their award as it is mine."

Dickey, who recently returned from reaching the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and raising over $100,000 for his charity, Bombay Teen Challenge, reminisced about his time at Tennessee and learning how to throw the knuckleball after losing much velocity of his once blazing fastball:

"I think one of the things that I learned (at Tennessee) is that there are more ways to skin a cat than just one, and that has helped me," Dickey said. "Having the aptitude to own the things you don't do well and try to recognize that and get better from them has been a big deal in my career. Self-awareness has been a part in that, being able to realize that being a conventional pitcher no longer was going to work for me, so I really had to embrace the knuckleball completely. To that end, I went and worked with Charlie Hough, Phil Neikro and Tim Wakefield, three of the best knuckleballers to ever walk the planet, and tried to gain any wisdom I could from those guys and they were very generous with it. It's another situation where guys leveraged themselves to help me, and I'm incredibly grateful for that."

While at Tennessee Dickey was the all time leader in wins, innings pitched, appearances and games started. New York’s knuckleballer also holds single season records in wins, innings pitched, and ranks third in strikeouts.

Upon his enshrinement Dickey was presented with a granite plaque, as well as a unique piece of art, created by current Tennessee junior pitcher Samuel Davis, entitled "Through the Years." The drawing featured Dickey's various journeys in baseball, including his time at UT, with Team USA and in professional baseball.

Let’s hope Dickey’s productive off-season will translate in to productive 2012.

Source: WBIR

As Mets Plummet, Dickey Reaches Summit

As the Mets off season appears to be on crash course with obscurity, Mets starting pitcher RA Dickey has reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

In ignoring Mets threats and requests that Dickey cancel his fund-raising trip to Africa, Dickey, Mets bullpen catcher Dave Racainiello, and Rockies pitcher Kevin Slowey reached the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.

The trip was planned last off-season to raise money and awareness for Bombay Teen Challenge, which fights against human trafficking in the red light district in Mumbai.

According to reports, Dickey had to battle fatigue and nausea in the final hours of the ascent. After reaching the top, Dickey exclaimed in a letter to a friend, "God is good!"

Congratulations to Dickey on the accomplishment of this great feat.

Source: NY Daily News

Even Fred Wilpons expectations are low for the Mets in 2012

Nothing like having the owner cashing in his chips on the 2012 season.  We all know as fans that the Mets 2012 season will be tough to stomach at best. No matter how they spin it this team is not ready to compete in the division with the likes of the Phillies and re vamp Nats pitching staff.  Of course you would thing the owner would keep positive not dear 75 year old Fred. When asked about attendance in the upcoming year this is his direct quote.

"Given how low the expectations are for the team this year, it will be difficult to reverse that trend soon."

Thanks Fred for at least admitting the obvious. Of course the Mets hope that Bay will find his swing,Wright will love the new dimensions and Santana will be pretty to pitch every 5 days.  Fred though for once feels like all us met fans do. Is it 2013 yet?

Source - WSJ

Mets Continue To Break Free From Minaya Regime: FMart Signs With Astros

As we reported three days ago, the Mets put much maligned outfielder Fernando Martinez on waivers, and yesterday FMart was quickly scooped up by the dreadful Houston Astros.

Martinez, who seems to have been around for a dozen years, is actually 23 years old, and has had a very underwhelming career that has been marred by injuries.

When Omar Minaya signed the 16 year old Martinez on July 11, 2005, it was heralded as a tremendous signing. Martinez was alleged to have power, speed, arm, and good baseball instincts. Unfortunately, none of this has proven true. Martinez has been an oft injured huge disappointment. I have likened Martinez to another Mets "can't miss" prospect, Alex Escobar.

Astros GM Jeff Lunhow says about FMart:

"I have been scouting [Martinez] since he was 16 years old before he signed with the Mets as a free agent from the Dominican and watched him extensively over the years,. I was always interested in him, and our scouts here liked him. I was at the Caribbean Series a few years back when he was the MVP. "The kid has some big league tools and he's very young, and I think a change of scenery may be exactly what he needs to blossom into full potential. For a club like ourselves who could take a chance on something like this, it makes sense."

It's a shame the FMart experiment didn't work out, but his fragile body and arthritic knee greatly hindered him. A change of scenery might be exactly what is needed for the "young" outfielder, but the Mets releasing him is a move that should have happened three years ago.

This is yet another move by Elvis to erase the deals and transactions that his predecessor made; making a break from the Mets recent past. Fortunately, unlike Reyes, this move cannot be argued. It needed to be done.

Sources: MLB.com, Baseball Reference

Mets News: FMart To Apply At KMart?

It is being reported that the New York Mets have finally decided to part ways with this generations Alex Escobar.

The Mets reportedly have place Fernando FMart Marinez and Daniel Herrera on waivers. Martinez, signed as a 16 year old out of the Dominican Republic, was highly touted by scouts and former Mets GM Omar Minaya. Unfortunately like Escobar, Martinez has been unable to live up to expectations. The oft injured 23 year old has an arthritic knee that renders him useless even when he isn't injured.

Herrera, whom the Mets acquired from Milwaukee in the Francisco Rodriguez trade, is not highly regarded by Mets brass. The thought is that once the league gets used to Herrera, they will hit him hard.

If either players passes through waivers, they can be returned to the Mets minor league.

Source: Adam Rubin, Baseball Reference

Mets sign Omar : Talk about a snooze fest off season.

If your in the Northeast yesterday and today we get a little dose of what winter is really like with highs in the mid 20’s,  Ok that might be balmy for some from the central plains but for us hey its frigid.  So we see the calendar has reset itself again and we are looking at less then 50 days before pitchers and catchers report down on the farm in St Lucie for the 2012 season.   Remember the slogan the magic is back?  Yeah ok no magic here unless you call it a disappearing act.  This off season has by far been the worst in a long time for the Mutts. 

Even in years when we signed losers like Moe Vaughn and Roberto Alomar at least we had something to chat about.  They were horrible signings yes but this year hey we signed another Omar.  Quintanillala is his name and jumping from the minors to majors is his game. Also of course a 50 game ped supension Ugh.  This off season has nothing to get Met fans excited about.  They signed 2 closers who blew more saves then most teams!

They still need to fill out the team with another outfielder and a pitcher in case Johan isn’t ready.  Even then will it bring excitement?  No of course not. The air left this team the minute the Mets let Jose sign with the freaking Marlins.   

The calendar might have changed to 2012 but most fans probably cant wait until the calendar turns to 2013  . 

Happy New Year