Apparently, the world will end just before the second game of the Subway Series. This would mark the second straight Saturday night Yankee game preceded by an apocalyptic event, following last week's Posada Adventure.
As Squawker Lisa never fails to remind me, the Mets experienced their own form of doomsday during the Subway Series two years ago courtesy of Luis Castillo. That dismal year also included Francisco Rodriguez walking Mariano Rivera with the bases loaded. Unfortunately for me, Lisa and I were at both of those games.
Last year, we were lucky enough to get to sit in Legends seats for a Subway Series game at Yankee Stadium. Here's how long ago that game seems - Mike Pelfrey and Phil Hughes were both 9-1. Pelfrey's loss that day sent him into a weeks-long tailspin. Hughes went into a tailspin in the second half and still hasn't come out of it. And now he's on the DL.
At least Jose Reyes hit two homers that day. But it'll really be doomsday if Reyes is hitting homers next year at Yankee Stadium in a Yankee uniform.
This will be the first Subway Series in years without Castillo and Oliver Perez on the roster. Castillo's time with the Mets wasn't all bad, but in 365 games, his overall OPS was just .691. It's hard to win with that kind of OPS in your lineup.
But Lisa, the Yankees sure seem willing to try, with Derek Jeter (2011 OPS .636) and Jorge Posada (2011 OPS .672) holding down two lineup spots.
And Jeter and Posada are making a total of $28 million this season, which is a lot more than the $18 million the Mets are paying Castillo and Perez for 2011.
Prediction: Mets take one of three. Bleacher Creatures do roll call for potential future Yankees Carlos Beltran and Reyes. Mets GM Sandy Alderson tries to lead them in a chant for K-Rod. Beltran homers and John Sterling has a home run call ready to go: "A belt for Beltran!"
Showing posts with label Yankees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yankees. Show all posts
Friday, May 20, 2011
Monday, December 13, 2010
Twist ending for Met fans: Cliff Lee spurns Yankees, but picks Phillies
Cliff Lee turning down the Yankees should have been the highlight of my postseason. For once, Steinbrenner millions can't buy everything. Now Brian Cashman will have to think for a change instead of just taking out the checkbook. And then I found out where Lee was going.
I didn't believe it when I first heard that the Phillies might be in on Lee. After all, they had gotten Roy Halladay to agree to a three-year deal for $20 million a year, with an option for a fourth year. How could they give Lee a much bigger deal after the year Halladay had?
The story is still unfolding, but whatever Lee ends up getting, I have to think that Halladay, who was the unanimous choice for Cy Young, pitched a perfect game and added only the second no-hitter in postseason history, will get a contract extension real soon.
It appears that Lee took a lot less money than he would have gotten from the Yankees, and less than he would have gotten from Texas as well. Good for Lee for following his heart and not just making a decision based on money, especially when the Players' Association always wants players to take the biggest deal.
But why did Lee's heart have to be in Philadelphia?
I called Squawker Lisa and woke her up to tell her the news, and she was suitably outraged, though it should be pointed out that Lisa has been one of the few to write consistently that the Yankees were not going to get Lee. Once Lisa calmed down, she was able to mutter that Lee was taking his talents to South Street.
Don't worry, Lisa, now the Yankees can trade for Joe Blanton, since the Phillies will probably be looking to move him to cut salary to make room for Lee. And maybe Cashman, who gave Javier Vazquez a second chance, can hope the second time's a charm with the second-best free agent pitcher available this year, a fellow named Pavano.
Or Cashman can mortgage the farm system for Zack Greinke, a great pitcher who isn't likely to be great in New York.
How can I hate Lee when he personally called the Rangers to tell them they were out, while he had his agent call the Yankees?
As for the Mets, well, it's not as if they were going to beat the Phillies next year anyway, but now 2012 and 2013 don't look so great, either.
Not that I expect - or want - Sandy Alderson to suddenly start channeling Omar Minaya, but this latest Phillies blockbuster is going to put more pressure on the Mets to go after big-money players once they have payroll flexibility a year from now.
Almost everyone in the mainstream media predicted that the Yankees would get Lee. One of the reasons why some thought it might not happen was that Lee's wife had complained about some unruly Yankee fans. So the Lees end up turning down the Bronx - for Philadelphia.
I didn't believe it when I first heard that the Phillies might be in on Lee. After all, they had gotten Roy Halladay to agree to a three-year deal for $20 million a year, with an option for a fourth year. How could they give Lee a much bigger deal after the year Halladay had?
The story is still unfolding, but whatever Lee ends up getting, I have to think that Halladay, who was the unanimous choice for Cy Young, pitched a perfect game and added only the second no-hitter in postseason history, will get a contract extension real soon.
It appears that Lee took a lot less money than he would have gotten from the Yankees, and less than he would have gotten from Texas as well. Good for Lee for following his heart and not just making a decision based on money, especially when the Players' Association always wants players to take the biggest deal.
But why did Lee's heart have to be in Philadelphia?
I called Squawker Lisa and woke her up to tell her the news, and she was suitably outraged, though it should be pointed out that Lisa has been one of the few to write consistently that the Yankees were not going to get Lee. Once Lisa calmed down, she was able to mutter that Lee was taking his talents to South Street.
Don't worry, Lisa, now the Yankees can trade for Joe Blanton, since the Phillies will probably be looking to move him to cut salary to make room for Lee. And maybe Cashman, who gave Javier Vazquez a second chance, can hope the second time's a charm with the second-best free agent pitcher available this year, a fellow named Pavano.
Or Cashman can mortgage the farm system for Zack Greinke, a great pitcher who isn't likely to be great in New York.
How can I hate Lee when he personally called the Rangers to tell them they were out, while he had his agent call the Yankees?
As for the Mets, well, it's not as if they were going to beat the Phillies next year anyway, but now 2012 and 2013 don't look so great, either.
Not that I expect - or want - Sandy Alderson to suddenly start channeling Omar Minaya, but this latest Phillies blockbuster is going to put more pressure on the Mets to go after big-money players once they have payroll flexibility a year from now.
Almost everyone in the mainstream media predicted that the Yankees would get Lee. One of the reasons why some thought it might not happen was that Lee's wife had complained about some unruly Yankee fans. So the Lees end up turning down the Bronx - for Philadelphia.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Dreading another Yankees-Phillies World Series
2009 was supposed to be a one-time thing - an annus horribilis in which the Yankees and Phillies reached the World Series while the Mets, decimated by injuries, won only 70 games. Yet here we are a year later, with the healthier Mets still likely to finish well below .500 while the Phillies and Yankees are back on track for a Fall Classic rematch.
The Phillies have won ten in a row and are 17-3 in September. They are six games better than anyone else in the National League. In a short series, nobody will be able to match their starting pitching. Roy Halladay is tied for first in the NL in wins and strikeouts and is third in ERA. Cole Hamels has a 1.89 ERA and 0.93 WHIP since the All-Star break. Roy Oswalt is 7-1 with a 1.96 ERA since joining the Phillies at the end of July.
Despite their own wave of injuries, with Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino all missing time, the Phillies are third in the league in runs scored.
So the Phillies have a great shot at getting back to the World Series for the third year in a row. They are about to win the NL East for the fourth year in a row, which will be only one fewer division title than the Mets have won in their history.
The Yankees have had some ups and downs lately and there are no guarantees in the postseason, but is anyone really prepared at this point to predict Minnesota, Texas or Tampa Bay in the World Series?
And this year, the previous round could also be very unpleasant for Met fans if the NLCS matchup features the Phillies against old Mets nemesis Bobby Cox and the Atlanta Braves.
At least the Mets won't be completely forgotten during the postseason. On October 7, the second day of the playoffs, Francisco Rodriguez is due back in court.
The Phillies have won ten in a row and are 17-3 in September. They are six games better than anyone else in the National League. In a short series, nobody will be able to match their starting pitching. Roy Halladay is tied for first in the NL in wins and strikeouts and is third in ERA. Cole Hamels has a 1.89 ERA and 0.93 WHIP since the All-Star break. Roy Oswalt is 7-1 with a 1.96 ERA since joining the Phillies at the end of July.
Despite their own wave of injuries, with Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino all missing time, the Phillies are third in the league in runs scored.
So the Phillies have a great shot at getting back to the World Series for the third year in a row. They are about to win the NL East for the fourth year in a row, which will be only one fewer division title than the Mets have won in their history.
The Yankees have had some ups and downs lately and there are no guarantees in the postseason, but is anyone really prepared at this point to predict Minnesota, Texas or Tampa Bay in the World Series?
And this year, the previous round could also be very unpleasant for Met fans if the NLCS matchup features the Phillies against old Mets nemesis Bobby Cox and the Atlanta Braves.
At least the Mets won't be completely forgotten during the postseason. On October 7, the second day of the playoffs, Francisco Rodriguez is due back in court.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
George Steinbrenner in his prime might have fired Joe Girardi after All-Star Game
George Steinbrenner fired Billy Martin less than a year after Martin managed the Yankees to their first World Series win in 15 years, back in 1977. One of the things that Steinbrenner and Martin clashed over was how to use Reggie Jackson. So what would the Steinbrenner of those days have said about Joe Girardi managing the AL to its first All-Star Game loss in 14 years, blowing home-field advantage for the Yankees if they get to the World Series, with Alex Rodriguez on the bench?
Squawker Lisa and I agreed that Girardi was saving A-Rod for a key moment in the ninth. We both predicted a homer - I just hoped it would be with none on. But then David Ortiz singled to start the bottom of the ninth.
And Girardi, even with the huge All-Star rosters, had no pinch-runner for Ortiz, whose poor baserunning got him thrown out at second on a bloop hit by John Buck.
It came down to two outs, one on, and Ian Kinsler at the plate. Kinsler has been hot lately and is now batting .310, but he only has four homers and 30 RBI in 239 at-bats.
A-Rod is hitting .269, but he has 14 homers and 70 RBI.
After the game, NL manager Charlie Manuel said of A-Rod, "I was definitely looking for him. You know, he's one of the better hitters in the game, if not the best." Manuel was smiling and even laughed as he said this.
Joe Girardi said after the game that he was out of outfielders and if the game had gone into extra innings, A-Rod would probably have been the DH.
That's fine, Joe, but you've got to get to extra innings first.
The last time A-Rod faced Jonathan Broxton, he singled to spark the Yankees' four-run ninth against the Dodgers on June 27. The previous night, Broxton walked A-Rod. These are the only two times A-Rod has faced Broxton.
So Broxton has never gotten A-Rod out, and the last time they faced each other, A-Rod started the rally that resulted in one of the worst blown saves of Broxton's career. This happened only two weeks ago. And it happened on national TV - the ESPN Sunday night game.
Wouldn't you think Girardi would want to make sure that A-Rod faced Broxton one more time?
A-Rod looked annoyed after the game when he was show in the dugout talking animatedly to Robinson Cano. Phil Hughes was probably not too pleased when he was pulled in his hometown after getting only one out and had to watch helplessly as Matt Thornton gave up the bases-clearing double to Brian McCann - saddling Hughes with the loss.
Girardi still has one more ring than Jerry Manuel is likely ever to have. But tonight, Girardi ended up making moves I might expect more from Manuel.
It's unthinkable today that Girardi could lose his job after winning a title just last November. But in 1978, Steinbrenner fired Martin in July after winning the title the previous fall. A few days later, Martin was introduced at Old Timers' Day as the new Yankee manager - for 1980.
The Yankees' 2010 Old Timers' Day is this Saturday. It should be a memorable day after all that has happened this week with the loss of both Steinbrenner and Bob Sheppard. Fortunately for Girardi, his own status does not figure to be part of the story this time around.
Squawker Lisa and I agreed that Girardi was saving A-Rod for a key moment in the ninth. We both predicted a homer - I just hoped it would be with none on. But then David Ortiz singled to start the bottom of the ninth.
And Girardi, even with the huge All-Star rosters, had no pinch-runner for Ortiz, whose poor baserunning got him thrown out at second on a bloop hit by John Buck.
It came down to two outs, one on, and Ian Kinsler at the plate. Kinsler has been hot lately and is now batting .310, but he only has four homers and 30 RBI in 239 at-bats.
A-Rod is hitting .269, but he has 14 homers and 70 RBI.
After the game, NL manager Charlie Manuel said of A-Rod, "I was definitely looking for him. You know, he's one of the better hitters in the game, if not the best." Manuel was smiling and even laughed as he said this.
Joe Girardi said after the game that he was out of outfielders and if the game had gone into extra innings, A-Rod would probably have been the DH.
That's fine, Joe, but you've got to get to extra innings first.
The last time A-Rod faced Jonathan Broxton, he singled to spark the Yankees' four-run ninth against the Dodgers on June 27. The previous night, Broxton walked A-Rod. These are the only two times A-Rod has faced Broxton.
So Broxton has never gotten A-Rod out, and the last time they faced each other, A-Rod started the rally that resulted in one of the worst blown saves of Broxton's career. This happened only two weeks ago. And it happened on national TV - the ESPN Sunday night game.
Wouldn't you think Girardi would want to make sure that A-Rod faced Broxton one more time?
A-Rod looked annoyed after the game when he was show in the dugout talking animatedly to Robinson Cano. Phil Hughes was probably not too pleased when he was pulled in his hometown after getting only one out and had to watch helplessly as Matt Thornton gave up the bases-clearing double to Brian McCann - saddling Hughes with the loss.
Girardi still has one more ring than Jerry Manuel is likely ever to have. But tonight, Girardi ended up making moves I might expect more from Manuel.
It's unthinkable today that Girardi could lose his job after winning a title just last November. But in 1978, Steinbrenner fired Martin in July after winning the title the previous fall. A few days later, Martin was introduced at Old Timers' Day as the new Yankee manager - for 1980.
The Yankees' 2010 Old Timers' Day is this Saturday. It should be a memorable day after all that has happened this week with the loss of both Steinbrenner and Bob Sheppard. Fortunately for Girardi, his own status does not figure to be part of the story this time around.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
No 'Lost' weekend for Mets
(Warning - this entry contains spoilers from the "Lost" finale.)
The Subway Series and "Lost" both came to an end tonight. In both cases, fans who had invested years of caring about the main characters hoped that they would not come away disappointed.
With the Mets seemingly having the game well in hand, I thought I'd be able to relax and enjoy the final adventures of the passengers of Oceanic Flight 815. But just as "Lost" was reaching its long-awaited conclusion, the Yankees came to life in the ninth like a malevolent Smoke Monster. As Sawyer would say, son of a bitch! I had to pause the finale and put on Howie Rose (ya think I'm stopping "Lost" for Miller and Morgan?).
I haven't enjoyed too many finales in recent years. "The Sopranos," "Battlestar Galactica" and the 2006, 2007 and 2008 Mets all let me down. Now the "Lost" finale, which I thought had been going really well, threatened to be ruined - by the Mets bullpen.
Fortunately, as in the waning moments of "Lost," characters living in an alternate reality suddenly remembered their earlier experiences:
On Friday, I made the following prediction for the Subway Series:
The Mets will get good starting pitching and will have leads in the sixth inning or later in two games, but the Yankees will rally late against the Mets bullpen to complete a sweep of the three-game series.
I was mostly right - the Mets got great starting pitching, allowing only 2 runs in 19 2/2 innings, an ERA of under 1, and did have leads in the sixth inning or later in two games. And the Yankees did rally late against the bullpen, in the seventh inning on Friday, the eighth on Saturday and the ninth on Sunday. The Met bullpen was lit up for 7 runs in 7 1/3 innings, almost a 9 ERA.
What I didn't predict was that the offense would wake up enough to make the Mets leads big enough that the Yankee rallies were not enough to catch up. I certainly wouldn't have guessed that Bay would triple his homer output for the season while going 6-for-6 over the last two games.
What makes the Met outburst that much more satisfying is that it came against Sabathia and Phil Hughes, who looked on his way to becoming an ace this year before his games this week against the Red Sox and Mets.
Some Yankee fans have been crowing this season over the Bombers holding on to Hughes rather than trading him a couple of years ago for Santana. While I do think the Yankees were wise to hold on to Hughes, this weekend showed that he's not quite ready to move ahead of Johan. (What the Yankees should have done was trade overhyped Joba Chamberlain for Santana).
One big difference between the final "Lost" and the Subway Series weekend was in the enthusiasm of the reunions. Most of the interviews I saw with members of the 2000 Mets were underwhelming. Mike Hampton looked like he was just waiting for someone to ask him about the Colorado school system. But the "Lost" characters were thrilled to reconnect with each other (probably none happier than Juliet, Charlie and Penny, thrilled for another chance to do intelligent sci-fi after suffering through "V" and "FlashForward").
In the end, both "Lost" and the Subway Series turned out the same for me. I really enjoyed the "Lost" finale, even if I didn't fully understand it. And I really enjoyed the Subway Series, even if I didn't fully understand how the Mets managed to take two of three from the Yankees.
The Subway Series and "Lost" both came to an end tonight. In both cases, fans who had invested years of caring about the main characters hoped that they would not come away disappointed.
With the Mets seemingly having the game well in hand, I thought I'd be able to relax and enjoy the final adventures of the passengers of Oceanic Flight 815. But just as "Lost" was reaching its long-awaited conclusion, the Yankees came to life in the ninth like a malevolent Smoke Monster. As Sawyer would say, son of a bitch! I had to pause the finale and put on Howie Rose (ya think I'm stopping "Lost" for Miller and Morgan?).
I haven't enjoyed too many finales in recent years. "The Sopranos," "Battlestar Galactica" and the 2006, 2007 and 2008 Mets all let me down. Now the "Lost" finale, which I thought had been going really well, threatened to be ruined - by the Mets bullpen.
Fortunately, as in the waning moments of "Lost," characters living in an alternate reality suddenly remembered their earlier experiences:
- Johan Santana, all too human over the last year, remembered that he's an ace.
- Jason Bay, with one home run on the season, remembered that he's a power hitter and blasted two homers off of one of the best pitchers in baseball, CC Sabathia.
- Alex Rodriguez, who became Mr. Clutch last season, came to bat as the go-ahead run with two outs in the ninth and struck out to end the game.
- The Mets remembered that they were a contending team just two seasons ago, and took a series from the World Champions.
On Friday, I made the following prediction for the Subway Series:
The Mets will get good starting pitching and will have leads in the sixth inning or later in two games, but the Yankees will rally late against the Mets bullpen to complete a sweep of the three-game series.
I was mostly right - the Mets got great starting pitching, allowing only 2 runs in 19 2/2 innings, an ERA of under 1, and did have leads in the sixth inning or later in two games. And the Yankees did rally late against the bullpen, in the seventh inning on Friday, the eighth on Saturday and the ninth on Sunday. The Met bullpen was lit up for 7 runs in 7 1/3 innings, almost a 9 ERA.
What I didn't predict was that the offense would wake up enough to make the Mets leads big enough that the Yankee rallies were not enough to catch up. I certainly wouldn't have guessed that Bay would triple his homer output for the season while going 6-for-6 over the last two games.
What makes the Met outburst that much more satisfying is that it came against Sabathia and Phil Hughes, who looked on his way to becoming an ace this year before his games this week against the Red Sox and Mets.
Some Yankee fans have been crowing this season over the Bombers holding on to Hughes rather than trading him a couple of years ago for Santana. While I do think the Yankees were wise to hold on to Hughes, this weekend showed that he's not quite ready to move ahead of Johan. (What the Yankees should have done was trade overhyped Joba Chamberlain for Santana).
One big difference between the final "Lost" and the Subway Series weekend was in the enthusiasm of the reunions. Most of the interviews I saw with members of the 2000 Mets were underwhelming. Mike Hampton looked like he was just waiting for someone to ask him about the Colorado school system. But the "Lost" characters were thrilled to reconnect with each other (probably none happier than Juliet, Charlie and Penny, thrilled for another chance to do intelligent sci-fi after suffering through "V" and "FlashForward").
In the end, both "Lost" and the Subway Series turned out the same for me. I really enjoyed the "Lost" finale, even if I didn't fully understand it. And I really enjoyed the Subway Series, even if I didn't fully understand how the Mets managed to take two of three from the Yankees.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Subway Series Game 1: At least Javier Vazquez didn't pitch a no-hitter
Considering that last year's first Subway Series game was the Luis Castillo debacle, the Mets are already off to a good start. This time, the crushing error by the second baseman came in the seventh, not the ninth, when Alex Cora threw the ball away, setting up Kevin Russo's game-winning double.
I expected Hisanori Takahashi to pitch well, though not as well as he did. Strange how the Mets got a great start in the Subway Series from an unlikely source for the second year in a row. Remember last year, when an unknown Fernando Nieve shut down the Yankees on the Saturday afternoon following the Castillo game? It was the only Subway Series game the Mets won last year.
I can't complain about Elmer Dessens being in the game - he was brought up specifically to pitch that night because the rest of the bullpen was so overworked. And when Oliver Perez can keep the game from getting out of hand by retiring Mark Teixeira with two on to end the seventh, you've got to feel fortunate.
Just when the game seemed over, the Mets rallied against Mariano Rivera for their only run. Mariano now has a 3.38 career ERA against the Mets, his third worst against any team behind the Angels (3.49) and Brewers (3.45).
As for the bats, at least Javier Vazquez didn't pitch a no-hitter, which looked like a possibility when he took one into the fifth. The Mets were lucky that Vazquez got hurt - his pitch count was so low that he could have pitched into the eighth or even the ninth. While Vazquez got off to a horrendous start, he has pitched well lately and has been a good pitcher for years. I realize Yankee fans think he's a head case, but if you want to see real head cases, Met fans will be happy to send you Perez and John Maine.
I expected Hisanori Takahashi to pitch well, though not as well as he did. Strange how the Mets got a great start in the Subway Series from an unlikely source for the second year in a row. Remember last year, when an unknown Fernando Nieve shut down the Yankees on the Saturday afternoon following the Castillo game? It was the only Subway Series game the Mets won last year.
I can't complain about Elmer Dessens being in the game - he was brought up specifically to pitch that night because the rest of the bullpen was so overworked. And when Oliver Perez can keep the game from getting out of hand by retiring Mark Teixeira with two on to end the seventh, you've got to feel fortunate.
Just when the game seemed over, the Mets rallied against Mariano Rivera for their only run. Mariano now has a 3.38 career ERA against the Mets, his third worst against any team behind the Angels (3.49) and Brewers (3.45).
As for the bats, at least Javier Vazquez didn't pitch a no-hitter, which looked like a possibility when he took one into the fifth. The Mets were lucky that Vazquez got hurt - his pitch count was so low that he could have pitched into the eighth or even the ninth. While Vazquez got off to a horrendous start, he has pitched well lately and has been a good pitcher for years. I realize Yankee fans think he's a head case, but if you want to see real head cases, Met fans will be happy to send you Perez and John Maine.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Squawker Jon's Subway Series Predictions
(from Squawker Jon)
Ike Davis will have a good series, and reader Uncle Mike will say it's because of his Yankee heritage.
Javier Vazquez will pitch well, serving as an audition for him eventually to be traded back to the National League.
Oliver Perez will be used in relief, and will leave the field to cheers - from Yankee fans.
The annoying "Jeter's got an edge" commercial will air even more frequently than usual.
The Mets will get good starting pitching and will have leads in the sixth inning or later in two games, but the Yankees will rally late against the Mets bullpen to complete a sweep of the three-game series.
Ike Davis will have a good series, and reader Uncle Mike will say it's because of his Yankee heritage.
Javier Vazquez will pitch well, serving as an audition for him eventually to be traded back to the National League.
Oliver Perez will be used in relief, and will leave the field to cheers - from Yankee fans.
The annoying "Jeter's got an edge" commercial will air even more frequently than usual.
The Mets will get good starting pitching and will have leads in the sixth inning or later in two games, but the Yankees will rally late against the Mets bullpen to complete a sweep of the three-game series.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Are Mets willing to fill Citi Field with Yankee fans?
Citi Field - featuring Dodgers history, Giants colors and Yankee fans?
From SI's Jon Heyman:
[Mets] attendance is down 17 percent, which is the third biggest drop in baseball (behind only Toronto and Cleveland), and it's to the point where they are handing over Subway Series tickets to the Yankees to fill the stands for games that are normally sold out immediately.
It was bad enough when I was at the Luis Castillo game amid Squawker Lisa and tens of thousands of celebrating Yankee fans. But that was at the other team's stadium.
It was bad enough when Yankee fans' cheers filled Citi Field when Francisco Rodriguez walked Mariano Rivera with the bases loaded and Mariano then got his 500th save, but it was the end of the game and many Met fans had gone home in disgust.
Having a big Yankee presence at Citi Field is part of the fun of the Subway Series, just as it's fun to walk around Yankee Stadium in Met gear and see thousands of others Met fans. But a big presence is something like 20%. Not 50%. Or more.
Thanks to outlets like StubHub, the marketplace can determine who ends up going to the game. It certainly wouldn't be surprising for Yankee fans to have more interest in these games than Met fans. But Met management shouldn't be helping them along.
On Opening Day in Washington, the ballpark was filled with fans of the visiting Phillies. Nationals' management, eager to sell seats, apparently reached out to the opposition. From the Washington Post:
The Nationals did not discourage Phillies fans from coming in droves. If anything, the team may have encouraged them.
Phillies fans in the ballpark said it felt like a "home game," while Nationals fans felt that Opening Day had been "completely ruined."
When this story broke in April, the Nationals looked like a pathetic last-place franchise desperate to fill seats.
Now the Nationals have beaten the Mets five out of seven and are looking down on them in the standings. And Stephen Strasburg is on the way.
Meanwhile, the listless Mets are in last place and increasingly desperate to move tickets.
Next week, the Phillies come to town. Will Met management sink to the level of the Nationals and start promoting the games to Phillies fans?
From SI's Jon Heyman:
[Mets] attendance is down 17 percent, which is the third biggest drop in baseball (behind only Toronto and Cleveland), and it's to the point where they are handing over Subway Series tickets to the Yankees to fill the stands for games that are normally sold out immediately.
It was bad enough when I was at the Luis Castillo game amid Squawker Lisa and tens of thousands of celebrating Yankee fans. But that was at the other team's stadium.
It was bad enough when Yankee fans' cheers filled Citi Field when Francisco Rodriguez walked Mariano Rivera with the bases loaded and Mariano then got his 500th save, but it was the end of the game and many Met fans had gone home in disgust.
Having a big Yankee presence at Citi Field is part of the fun of the Subway Series, just as it's fun to walk around Yankee Stadium in Met gear and see thousands of others Met fans. But a big presence is something like 20%. Not 50%. Or more.
Thanks to outlets like StubHub, the marketplace can determine who ends up going to the game. It certainly wouldn't be surprising for Yankee fans to have more interest in these games than Met fans. But Met management shouldn't be helping them along.
On Opening Day in Washington, the ballpark was filled with fans of the visiting Phillies. Nationals' management, eager to sell seats, apparently reached out to the opposition. From the Washington Post:
The Nationals did not discourage Phillies fans from coming in droves. If anything, the team may have encouraged them.
Phillies fans in the ballpark said it felt like a "home game," while Nationals fans felt that Opening Day had been "completely ruined."
When this story broke in April, the Nationals looked like a pathetic last-place franchise desperate to fill seats.
Now the Nationals have beaten the Mets five out of seven and are looking down on them in the standings. And Stephen Strasburg is on the way.
Meanwhile, the listless Mets are in last place and increasingly desperate to move tickets.
Next week, the Phillies come to town. Will Met management sink to the level of the Nationals and start promoting the games to Phillies fans?
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