The 'Ropolitans

Mets 2012 Stars & Stripes hat is camouflage

2012-05-21T12:40:00.005-04:00

Gone are the red, white and blues of the past. This year, it's camouflage.

Looks like these hats are going from bad to worse.

I was on TV last night!

2012-05-17T09:07:00.004-04:00

My girlfriend and I went to last night's Mets/Reds game, and ended up on TV a few times. I also caught a T-shirt. It was a banner day for me.

(I'm in the white button down with the blue hat. The girlfriend is next to me in the grey Mets shirt.)

Hat tip to @MetsKevin11 for the screencaps!

And here's some video:

Even Facebook says TRAID DAVID WRONG!

2012-05-12T23:25:00.001-04:00

No.

Just, no.

8,000

2012-05-09T21:41:00.000-04:00

Eight thousand games. 8K games. 100 + 900 x 8 = 8,000 games.

And still, no no-hitters.

Well, still 7,999. Johan Santana takes the mound on Friday for the Mets 8,000th ever game and their 8,000th attempt at pitching a no-no.

Just the Mets and the San Diego Padres have never pitched a no-hitter (and the Washington Nationals, but everyone but the Nationals knows they used to be the Montreal Expos). The Pads, though, have only played about 6,900 games in their lifetime.

Look, in the end, no-hitters don't really matter. They're not worth more wins, or runs, or games in the standings. But they're cool. And the Mets, at nearly 8,000 games don't have one. Roughly two no-nos are tossed a year, with 274 thrown since 1875.

And yet, the Mets don't have one.

Of course, pitchers who pitched for the Mets went on to throw no-hitters (and a perfect game) and pitchers that had completed the feat eventually came to the Mets, but couldn't spin the same yarn while in orange and blue.

So, on Friday when (not if) Santana gives up a hit to a member of the Miami Marlins, all the numbers on the odometer will turn, and the Mets will hit the dubious mark of 8K games without a no-hitter. Nothing will change and the Mets will go for it again in game eight thousand and one.

SOMEBODY LEFT THE GATE OPEN

2012-05-01T21:43:00.002-04:00

The song that has been burned into Mets fans brains since the beginning of the season has been found, in its entirety. Amazingly, it gets worse than what we've heard.

Enjoy it, if you can...

Photos: Mets are cowboys

2012-04-29T21:23:00.002-04:00

Jose Reyes tribute video

2012-04-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

Via friend of TheRopolitans.com, Geoffrey Sorensen.

If you didn't think the Marlins would be a circus this year...

2012-04-20T09:13:00.002-04:00

This video should confirm it for you...

Deadspin: Will You Start Loving Citi Field If It Gets Uglier? - A Mets fan responds

2012-04-16T16:32:00.001-04:00

Deadspin writer John Koblin this teardown of Citi Field minutes ago. I tweeted out a link, and Mets fans are pissed.

I feel the need to respond to a few salient points that Koblin makes.

First, some factual errors...

1. Citi Field never had "forest green" walls. They were a black / dark grey. See here in this photo I took when the stadium first opened. (More photos here, here, here and here.)

Koblin misquoted Dave Howard from this piece. Howard is referring to the seat, not the walls. Except below.

Citi Field’s exterior is a splendid architectural response to the dullness of Shea, while the inner bowl is muted. Shea’s candy-colored plastic seats are gone (along with generations of chipped paint on the handrails) in favor of dark green seats everywhere.

“Dark green is the color of a classic ballpark,” said Dave Howard, the team’s executive vice president for business operations, as he stood ankle deep in snow. “And we thought the other team in town would use blue.”

2. Only the Yankees can have 408 walls? Come on. Please note all the other stadiums that are 408 to CF.

3. Only the Mets put retired numbers on their outfield walls? It's not like they're growing ivy out there. See U.S. Cellular Field, Busch Stadium and :gasp: Shea Stadium!

And now for some more personal viewpoints...

4. Mets fans haven't been showing up to Citi Field the last few years has absolutely nothing to do with the stadium. I love the stadium. It's beautiful and a huge upgrade over Shea Stadium. (At least to some of us.) I haven't been going to many games because the team stinks. It's not the stadium that makes me not go, it's the team on the field.

5. The whole point of the article is that the Mets seem to be listening to their fans, making the stadium more Mets-ian. Why is that a bad thing? How could that ever be a bad thing?

6. The uniforms. Everyone loves them. If you yearn for the days of black uniforms, you should be buried in the parking lot where Shea Stadium used to stand.

7. This doesn't even address the most obvious point of fan contention with the stadium: The Jackie Robinson Rotunda. He never was a Met!

This article does not reflect any of the thoughts of any Mets fans I've talked to over the years. We all seem absolutely thrilled with all the changes the team has made with the stadium since it opened. How, Mr. Koblin, is that a negative thing?

I don't get what this article was trying to accomplish. I'd love to find out, though.

Want to attend a game? Check out the Mets Citi Field Schedule and judge for yourself.

What number should the Mets retire?

2012-04-16T14:22:00.001-04:00

View the story "Retire __?" on StorifyRetire __?Lots of Mets fans think the Mets should retire some numbers. There are three players who probably should have their numbers retired. 8, 17, 31. Who should they retire first? Here's what Mets fans have to say...Storified by Andrew Vazzano · Mon, Apr 16 2012 14:21:56I'M KEITH HERNANDEZ. Gotta go 17. RT @TheRopolitans If you could only retire one, would you... #Retire8 #Retire17 or #Retire31?Sports Hernia@TheRopolitans The team will retire Piazza's number. Although Kid and Mex were great and beloved, Piazza was of a different caliber.Gerald SchifmanProb #Retire17 RT @TheRopolitans: If you could only retire one, would you... #Retire8 #Retire17 or #Retire31?----- Kev C ----- @TheRopolitans #Retire31JD@TheRopolitans 31, but after he gets into the HOF (hopefully wearing a Mets cap).Mitch R.@TheRopolitans #retire8. Can't #retire31 until Carter's is first.Brian Flatley@TheRopolitans #retire31 definitelyJoey Marrazzo@TheRopolitans Only one? 31 without question.Jon Spina@TheRopolitans #Retire17 then #Retire31Harry C.@TheRopolitans #Retire31 no doubt about it!P. K. @TheRopolitans #Retire31Mike Mulligan

Credit where credit is due (or in defense of Omar Minaya)

2012-04-13T10:28:00.001-04:00

Omar Minaya. Just saying the name will drive Mets fans up a wall. Or to tears. Or both.

But, this is a post that somewhat praises him.

Wait, don't close the page! Stay with me. Just for a few minutes.

A lot of hubbub has been made about the Mets fielding a starting nine, with eight of them being "homegrown" players. The lone man on the outside, Jason Bay, did spend some time in the Mets minor league system in '02.

But, let's look at that starting nine that took the field, all but one of them drafted and signed by the Mets, then groomed in the minors before breaking into the show.

Ruben Tejada, SS
Daniel Murphy, 2B
David Wright, 3B
Ike Davis, 1B
Jason Bay, LF
Lucas Duda, RF
Josh Thole, C
Kirk Nieuwenhuis, CF
Mike Pelfrey, P

Again, all but Bay were signed and/or drafted by the Mets and brought up through the team's minor league system. The curious thing to look at here is when they all came to the team and who was in charge at the time.

Ruben Tejada, SS - Signed in 2006, GM Omar Minaya
Daniel Murphy, 2B - Drafted in 2006, GM Omar Minaya
David Wright, 3B - Drafted in 2001, GM Steve Phillips (Assistant GM Omar Minaya)
Ike Davis, 1B - Drafted in 2008, GM Omar Minaya
~~Jason Bay, LF~~
Lucas Duda, RF - Drafted in 2007, GM Omar Minaya
Josh Thole, C - Drafted in 2005, GM Omar Minaya
Kirk Nieuwenhuis, CF - Drafted in 2008, GM Omar Minaya
Mike Pelfrey, P - Drafted in 2005, GM Omar Minaya.

Of the homegrown players, all but one of them came to the team with Minaya as general manager. Wright, the only one who came before Minaya was at the helm, came when he was an assistant GM to Phillips.

But wait, there's more!

Jon Niese ('05), Bobby Parnell ('05) and Dillon Gee ('07) we're also drafted by Minaya's regime.

That means that 10 of the 25 players on the Mets roster right now came from drafts or signings during Omar Minaya's tenure as Mets GM. That's 40 percent!

You also can't forget that Minaya also swung the deal for Johan Santana, for four players who have had little to impact on major league rosters. (He also signed Jason Bay, but this a post showing that he did some good, too!)

So when you're praising the homegrown lineup, you're praising Minaya. Just let that one sink in a bit.

The David Wright Broken Pink(ie)y Injury Update

2012-04-12T17:03:00.000-04:00

David Wright update: "The injury to the little finger on David Wright’s right hand was re-evaluated today by a hand specialist in New York
— New York Mets (@Mets) April 12, 2012

More: "who reiterated that David can return to baseball activity as tolerated.His playing status will be reviewed again tomorrow .,.
— New York Mets (@Mets) April 12, 2012

More: "in Philadelphia prior to the game.”
— New York Mets (@Mets) April 12, 2012

Photo: Citi Field from Sec. 505

2012-04-10T09:28:00.001-04:00

Video: Daniel Murphy's walk-off hit

2012-04-10T09:12:00.002-04:00

Here's the video I shot last night from Sec. 505 with Daniel Murphy singling in Mike Baxter for the 4-3 victory over the Washington Nationals.

Also, with a cameo by Randy's hand and sticker from ReadTheApple.com.

In preparation for Kirk Nieuwenhuis' impending call up...

2012-04-06T09:04:00.002-04:00

Expecting a call up for Kirk Nieuwenhuis to replace Andres Torres on the Mets roster, I had to add Kirk's last name to my iPhone keyboard.

I had to look it up three times just writing this post.

Just remember, "i-before-e-after-n-before-wen-then-h-u-is."

MLB's Gameday updates outfield walls at Citi

2012-04-05T17:00:00.000-04:00

Click for big

Those walls are blue.

Can't confirm if they also removed the drop shadow from the uniforms, but it looks like they may have.

2012 Mets Opening Day lineup

2012-04-05T09:13:00.000-04:00

We guessed at it earlier, but here is the real 2012 Opening Day lineup...

Andres Torres, CF
Daniel Murphy, 2B
David Wright, 3B
Ike Davis, 1B
Jason Bay, LF
Lucas Duda, RF
Ruben Tejada, SS
Josh Thole, C
Johan Santana, P

Video: Should I Pujols or Cano (Ike Davis cameo!)

2012-04-03T13:47:00.003-04:00

Ike Davis gets a cameo, unfortunately wearing a Dallas Cowboys shirt.

Link: Paul DePodesta Q&A

2012-04-03T13:37:00.004-04:00

Q&A with Mets Vice President of Player Development and Amateur Scouting Paul DePodesta on Baseball Prospectus

Looks like we can safely assume the Mets Opening Day lineup now

2012-04-03T09:26:00.001-04:00

With the lineup set for today's game against the Yankees, I think it's pretty safe to assume it's roughly the same lineup that will go into Opening Day for the Mets on Thursday.

Here's the lineup today...

Andres Torres, CF
Daniel Murphy, 2B
David Wright, 3B
Ike Davis, 1B
Jason Bay, LF
Lucas Duda, RF
Scott Hairston, DH
Josh Thole, C
Ruben Tejada, SS

Now, obviously there won't be a DH in Citi Field come Thursday, and we know Johan Santana will be on the mound, so scratch Hairston and add Santana to the bottom and you've got your OD lineup.

Torres, CF
Murphy, 2B
Wright, 3B
Davis, 1B
Bay, LF
Duda, RF
Thole, C
Tejada, SS
Santana, P

Eventually, my thinking is Duda will flip with Bay to protect Davis more. What do you think about this lineup?

Report: Wilpons look to bring back Omar Minaya and Steve Phillips as Co-GMs

2012-04-01T09:00:00.005-04:00

This is an April Fools post.

Here's how I'm hearing it. It looks like the Wilpons want to bring back Omar Minaya and Steve Phillips as additions to Sandy Alderson.

Against Alderson's wishes, of course.

Possibly the strangest move the Wilpons could do.

Past-GM Minaya was working for the Padres organization, and Phillips was most recently working for ESPN.

Your guess is as good as mine as to why this is going down, and now of all times of the year.

Apparently, the Wilpons realize they have some cash to spend and want to bring in Minaya and Wilpon to make some big signings.

Please tell me how this will work out well for the team.

Really, do they have any common sense at all?!

I truly cannot believe that Alderson, Wilpon and Minaya could work together as a three-team GM squad.

Lots of ways this can get screwed up, and fast.

Frankly, it wouldn't surprise me if Alderson quits in the coming days.

Obviously, he'd be totally in the right to do so.

Once Minaya and Phillips join, how can one GM make any decisions? By putting it to a vote?

Literally, this is the worst news ever.

Seriously.

...

Just kidding!

Happy April Fools.

For previous April Fools posts, here's one from '08 and '09.

The best worst movie ever, Troll 2, has Mets pennants on the walls

2012-03-31T18:28:00.004-04:00

If you've never seen Troll 2 (and the documentary that chronicles it, The Best Worst Move), fire up your Netflix and watch it now.

It is an film so bad it is so good. It has a 0 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It has a 2.4 rating on IMDB and is No. 85 on the Bottom 100 films of all time.

But that's not why I'm writing this post. It is a Mets blog, after all. While I watched it, I noticed in the son's room, there were sports banners all over the walls. A Darryl Strawberry pennant hung near Joshuas's bed and a New York Mets banner over his mirror by the door.

Grandpa Seth, The Grandpa

So, why are there Mets banners on the wall? Why is there an Expos lamp next to Joshua's bed? Cincinnati Reds and Oakland A's pennants hanging above Strawberry's?

Well, the movie was filmed in Utah in the late '80s and was released in 1990. It was written and directed by an Italian couple, with an entirely Italian crew for a just hundreds of thousands of dollars - quite a small amount for a "feature" film.

Diana Waits, The Mom

So, an Italian crew, filming in Utah from 1988-1990, how exactly did all these random sports items find their way into this home and into the film?

I even tweeted to one of the film's actors to ask...

@AndrewVazzano That's a damn good question. No idea
— Jason Steadman (@jasonsteadman) March 31, 2012

We may never know the answer to this question. We may never know how such a terrible movie was made. And we may never know why so many people - including myself - have come to love this film for just how bad it is.

But, please, go watch this movie. It's the best worst thing I've ever seen.

David Lennon leaving Mets beat

2012-03-31T14:17:00.000-04:00

Newsday's Mets beat reporter, David Lennon, is leaving the Mets beat to become Newsday's Major League Baseball columnist.

I've always thought Lennon was one of the best reporters on the beat. He's been the reporter for Newsday for as long as I've been blogging and the only one to stay at the same outlet the whole time. Adam Rubin is the only other reporter to still be on the Mets beat since I've been writing.

Lennon is taking over for Ken Davidoff, who is moving over to the New York Post to be their baseball columnist.

Currently, the new Newsday reporter is "TBD," says Lennon.

I love media movements!

SI: Excerpt from R.A. Dickey's memoir

2012-03-27T09:33:00.000-04:00

R.A. Dickey's book comes out in a few days, but Sports Illustrated has a few excerpts up now.

Dickey covers finding a syringe in the Ranger's clubhouse, being sexually abused as a child by his babysitter and contemplating suicide.

This will be a fascinating read.

Hilarious Taiwanese animation of Wilpon scandal

2012-03-20T16:47:00.001-04:00