Tag Archives: Shea

Jul 14

Today in Mets’ History: Bobby V. wins 1,000th game as manager.

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I never covered him full time, but always recognized Bobby Valentine held a special place with Mets’ fans.

VALENTINE: A fixture in Mets lore.

Maybe it had nothing to do with the fake moustache, but perhaps that act is what endeared him to the Shea partisans. It was spontaneous, funny and above all, human. We all know ejected managers hide in the runway or somehow send messages to the dugout. Valentine was just brash in his approach.

Valentine guided the Mets to the playoffs and World Series in 2000, but his teams ran out of steam and his feud with then general manager Steve Phillips became draining.

On this date in 1971, Valentine registered his 1,000th career victory when Glendon Rusch and Armando Benitez combined to throw a one-hit shutout of the Red Sox, 2-0.

VALENTINE’s CAREER

Valentine managed Texas and the Mets, as well as two stints in Japan. He currently works for ESPN, but is constantly being mentioned when managerial openings occur.

 

Jul 30

Favorite Doc and Straw moment

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Doc Gooden and Darryl Strawberry will be inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame this weekend. Both players brought a certain electricity to Shea Stadium.

Each player had the ability to grab the crowd by the scruff of the neck.

For Strawberry, it was the sense of anticipation with every at-bat. He was one of the few players who kept you riveted every time he came to the plate because there was the prospect of hitting a mammoth home run like the one he hit off the scoreboard clock in St. Louis.

For Gooden, during the summers of 1985 and 1986 there was a buzz at Shea whenever he took the mound. I remember how the crowd would rise and scream whenever he got two strikes on a hitter. Gooden had electric stuff, the kind that made you wonder if this would be the night he’d throw a no-hitter.

Eventually, he did. But, fittingly in the tormented history of this franchise, he did so for the Yankees.

Is there a special Doc or Straw moment for you?

Nov 29

Would you empty the shelves for Miguel Cabrera?

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The name stares at you from the computer screen. Miguel Cabrera.

CABRERA: Should the Mets take his baggage?

CABRERA: Should the Mets take his baggage?


The Detroit Tigers, in a payroll cutting-mode, will listen to offers for the enigmatic first baseman. This guy would fill a lot of holes for the Mets. He’d take care of first base for the next six seasons and provide a potent right-handed bat.

But, he won’t come without a price.

In 2010, Cabrera will be entering the third year of an eight-year, $152.3 million deal. Here’s the breakdown: $20 million the next two seasons; $21 million in 2012 and 2013; and $22 million in 2014 and 2015.
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Sep 22

They said it ….

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“The only difference between the Mets and the Titanic is the Mets had a better organist.” – late sports columnist Jim Murray.

Do you remember Jane Jarvis?

JARVIS: She could tickle the keys and your fancy.

JARVIS: She could tickle the keys and your fancy.


Once a child prodigy, Jarvis’ sounds on the keyboard became the sound track of the Mets for a generation. Unlike the “noise” that goes on at Citi Field these days and went on at Shea after she left, her creativity was welcomed and appreciated by all. Like the sign man, she made a trip to Shea unique and special.

The other day SNY had an inning without announcers. Could we once have a game without being visually and musically assaulted? It would be nice for the Met to go back to when the music was subtle and witty, and at times soothing. There’s just relentless sound now before every hitter and between every inning.

Right, I’m old school, but it is overwhelming with the rap and the Spanish which more than half the crowd doesn’t understand, and the signature songs of every player.

When there is music, it should appeal to the majority, not segment the crowd. It should be soft enough so most of the time you can talk to who you came to the game with. A baseball game shouldn’t be like AM radio where there’s panic with a little dead air.

Do you know what it tells me when the time at the park is like a day at an arcade? With all the distractions on the video board and with the music and with the 900 varieties of food, it tells me ownership doesn’t want you to really pay attention to what is happening on the field.

It’s not just that way with the Mets. It’s like that with the Yankees, too. Hell, the Colorado Rockies sell 17 different varieties of hot dogs. I didn’t know there were that many. Is all that really necessary?

Just play ball.