New York Mets

NEW YORK, May 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – New York Mets first baseman Ike Davis and New York Yankees relief pitcher David Robertson are representing their peers and going to bat for Superstorm Sandy victims, when they co-host a Players Trust all-star golf tournament on Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, Long Island onWednesday, July 17.Golfers and baseball fans alike will be able to combine two of America’s greatest passions during an unforgettable day on one of the country’s most famous golf courses – Bethpage Black – while helping Major Leaguers and the Players Trust raise funds to support Superstorm Sandy recovery and rebuilding efforts.  Already scheduled to join Ike and David in their efforts to help Sandy victims are former big leaguers Bobby Bonilla , Aaron Boone , Ron Darling , Ken Griffey Jr. , Al Leiter and Jeff Nelson .  Additional players joining the cause will be announced on an ongoing basis.“I’m looking forward to teaming up with David Robertson , the Players Trust, and members of the fraternity of Major League baseball players, to help raise funds and awareness for Superstorm Sandy victims,” stated Ike.  “This July, New York will become the center of the baseball universe, and it’s only fitting that the baseball-playing community use this as an opportunity to assist the thousands of people in the area impacted by the storm who support our great game on a daily basis.”“As Major League baseball players we’re given a stage to help raise awareness for victims of natural disasters long after the immediate attention subsides,” said David, who, along with his wife, Erin, created the High Socks for Hope foundation to lend support to those suffering in the wake of natural disasters, including Sandy. “I’m looking forward to joining forces with Ike Davis and a who’s-who list of former big leaguers to do our part to help communities still suffering from the effects of such a devastating storm.”The Players Trust all-star golf tournament on Bethpage Black is part of the non-profit’s Disaster Relief programming efforts. In addition to what many players have done individually, Major Leaguers have committed up to $500,000 in aid from the Players Trust to non-profit organizations helping victims of Sandy recover from the destruction.  To date, the Players Trust has directly contributed more than $175,000 to various organizations providing needed assistance to storm victims.  Among those receiving funds are Red Hook Initiative (Brooklyn); Project Hospitality (Staten Island); Rockaway Reach (Rockaway, NY); NJ 2-1-1 (New Jersey); Pitch In for Baseball and Points of Light’s Long Island Recovery Volunteer Center.  A separate$100,000 contribution from the Players Trust to New York State’s Natural Heritage Trust will go toward the removal of hundreds of downed trees and improvements to damaged turf on public golf courses.On November 2, 2012, Major Leaguers joined forces with the Commissioner’s Office in contributing a combined $1 million to the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and Feeding America to assist emergency relief efforts in the most devastated areas along the East Coast affected by Sandy. On May 9, the MLBPA and MLB-operated Baseball Tomorrow Fund joined with the New York Mets Foundation to contribute up to $1 million through a relief grant program for youth baseball and softball organizations that were directly affected by the storm.Golf tournament participation levels begin with the $8,000 Single, which includes one foursome with a celebrity pairing, a unique, gift-filled SWAG bag and photo for each golfer, and four tickets to the post-event dinner, to be held at luxurious Carlyle on the Green. Double, Triple and Home Run sponsorship levels are also available, and each includes tickets to the Trust’s exclusive 2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Game viewing party to be held the night before the golf t

Last season, with an Ike Davis that was as woeful as he is now, the New York Mets were still eight games above .500 on June 8. Here it is, three weeks into May, and the Mets are already ten games below .500. That 2012 team lost 88 games, how many will this year’s version lose? Shockingly, this team, now in the third year of the Sandy Alderson era, is on pace to lose 101 games. I used ESPN’s Attendance Tracker and the team is bleeding not only money – but fans… Average Attendance 2010 – 32,401 2011 – 30,108 2012 – 28,035 2013 – 25,895 The Mets are down an average of 6,905 fans per game since the 2010 season. That equates to over a half-million fans that are unwilling to buy tickets to see the current product on the field. Remember how hot Subway Series tickets used to be? In a recent article by Mark LaMonica of Newsday, he reported that the Mets are so bad and unwatchable, even Subway Series ticket sales, which at one time were sold-out in hours – are very available and selling for less than the exorbitant prices they used to go for. The combined average price for the four-game Subway Series (May 27-30) this year is $133 as of Monday, according to TiqIQ.com, a ticket reseller that aggregates ticket prices across multiple secondary markets. That’s down 13 percent from 2012, 19 percent from 2011 and 34 percent from 2010. Don’t think it’s the on-field performance alone. This team suffers from a severe lack of star power, and I would hate to think how much worse things would be if not for a holdover by the name of Matt Harvey. He alone is hauling in over 5,000 more fans per game than when anyone else starts. Think those fans who opted out of buying tickets are staying home and watching instead? Think again… According to this Daily News article, the SNY viewership numbers are even worse and almost double the percentage of decline in attendance from last season. The Mets on SNY are averaging a household rating of 1.91, down 22% from the same point in 2012. Among men 25-54, the key demographic, the Mets are averaging a 1.05 rating, down 15% from 2012. Things have gotten so bad that most games are now a two-man booth. It’s no longer Gary, Keith and Ron and more like Gary, Keith or Ron. Every minute of each telecast is a non-stop barrage of Cholula Hot Sauce and MetsBlog promos. Even the score bug has drop down ads every half inning. It’s not just the team on the field that is sinking (and stinking)  - it’s everything on down including ticket sales and worst of all, SNY viewership. Everything is being sponsored by someone whether it’s the game broadcast and even the posts on MetsBlog themselves. The Wilpons are trying to squeeze every penny they can and in anyway they can to stay above water. The SNY broadcast and editorial content on their blog network are both working in step with ownership on everything. I think most Met fans are just sick of everything being done on the cheap – so they don’t pay to watch the team play, and many more don’t even bother to tune in and watch either. Except when Matt Harvey is pitching. I don’t know how much longer they can stay in this, ummm, whatever you want to call this mode… But I do know this… It’s starting to feel a lot like 1978 around here. GRANT’S TOMB

The7Line has a cool new  tee.And wearing such a tee, you are going to need an eBook to read. And the eBook is on sale for just $2.99. Clearly you have $3. The post Send The Beer Guy T-Shirts appeared first on The Mets Police.Related posts:MetsBro’s review of my Mets eBook Send The Beer Guy $3.99Send the Beer Guy book excerpt: 8020Send The Beer Guy: April 5, 1983: The Franchise Returns

The Juice returns for season No. 6! It’s almost eligible for free-agency! Stop by daily for news from the action, along with great photos, stats, video highlights and more. Chris Davis’ hot-hitting season continued with four more hits, including his American League leading 14th home run, as the Orioles locked up an important division series with a 6-3 win over the New York Yankees. Davis’ two-run blast in the first inning capped a three-run rally against Hiroki Kuroda. Nick Markakis also homered in the inning. Matt Wieters later added a three-run homer that proved to be the difference. All important hits in a big game, but it was Davis who kept the line moving with productive at-bat after productive at-bat. And as he noted after the game, the series was of utmost importance to the Orioles. And not just because it was their biggest competition within the division. David Ginsburg of the Associated Press tells us more: In the opener Monday night, Baltimore closer Jim Johnson blew a ninth-inning lead and Baltimore absorbed its sixth straight loss. The Orioles rebounded to win in 10 innings on Tuesday night before coasting in the finale. ”Anytime a division rival comes in, you want to try to win the series especially when you’re at home,” Davis said. ”We avoided the snowball effect to some degree and were able to get back on track.” The Yankees have also avoided the snowball effect this season despite numerous injuries. They added another on Wednesday night as Kuroda was forced to leave in the third inning after being struck on the calf by a Manny Machado line drive. At this time it’s not believed to be a serious concern, but one could understand if Yankees fans held their breath a few hours longer. View full post on Yahoo! Sports – MLB – New York Mets News

Matt Harvey has it. So does David Wright. Ike Davis tried to show it Wednesday, but only had warning track power. It is accountability, which is the backbone to admit screwing up. We certainly didn’t see any the past few days from the Knicks, so let’s turn to the Mets. After losing Thursday to the Reds, Harvey was front-and-center about his performance and threw high-heat at himself. “It was a tough day – whether it was the changeup I couldn’t necessarily throw for a strike when I wanted to – and everything just crept over the middle,’’ Harvey told reporters at Citi Field. “It was one of those days. I didn’t execute. I didn’t do a good job. I’ve got to be a lot better than that. Nine hits is unacceptable for me. Obviously I wasn’t happy giving up any runs. We needed a big win, and I wasn’t able to do that.’’ What a reporter wants is for a player to be stand-up, to answer questions when the heat is on. Davis tried, although sometimes it seemed as if the listener would get frequent miles for following along with the answer. I’ve never been enamored with Davis’ approach to hitting and explanations of his approach and thought process. This time, I didn’t care for his defensive explanation, although I appreciated the effort. With runners on the corners in the ninth inning, Brandon Phillips dribbled a ball down the first base line. Davis, who misplayed a similar ball in the seventh that allowed a run to score, seemed confused on how to play the ball. “I couldn’t get the guy at home,’’ Davis said. “[Shin-Soo] Choo runs really fast. And it was really slow to my backhand side. I was trying to get off the bag to get in the hole because it was a right-handed hitter. “They usually don’t hit it down the line like that. The second bounce … I thought it bounced foul. In my head, I can’t turn two. I can’t catch it, touch the bag and then throw it to second and get the guy out, because then it’s a tag play and the guy [Choo] scores anyway. “So, in my head, when I thought I saw it bounce foul, I pulled my glove back, because then we’d be 0-2 on Phillips [if it were foul] and the run wouldn’t score. That was my thought process on that. I still can’t tell if it was foul or fair on replays. But I definitely did think it bounced foul right before I got it. He made the call fair.’’ With no interpreters in the Mets’ clubhouse, let me attempt to boil it down: Davis said he couldn’t get the runner at home or get the 3-6-3 double-play, so he thought his best play was for the ball to go foul. Only, Davis couldn’t tell if it was fair or foul. Given that, Davis’ mistake was letting the ball go and hoping for the right call. As a hitter, Davis wouldn’t stay at the plate and wait for the call, but run the ball out. So, why didn’t he do the same on defense? Why would he let the ball go on such a close play and hope for the best? Maybe he wasn’t asked, but even so, he should have known what to do and admit the mistake of giving up on the play. What we got was a roundabout analysis that sounds like an excuse. Just catch the damn ball. If it is fair and a run scores, so be. Letting it go by opened the door for three to come in. And, let’s cue the violins when he said, “everything that could go wrong for me now is going wrong.’’ Terry Collins is in a rough place, between telling the truth and not throwing his players under the bus. But, when his team is already ten games under .500, I’d like to see him go to the whip a little more. Didn’t he also promise a culture change and emphasis on fundamentals? Where’s the fundamentals when all but two players in the normal starting lineup are on pace to strike out over 100 times? Where’s the emphasis on getting a good pitch to hit? Two walks is a stretch in saying Davis is showing come-out-of-it signs. And, I don’t buy Collins saying Davis is not taking his offense to the field. His fielding has been miserable lately, so how could his offense not be a connection? Collins didn’t get on Jon Niese for letting the first inning

METS TO HOST FIREWORKS NIGHTPRESENTED BY DUANE READE AND BEN AND JERRY’STHIS FRIDAY, MAY 24 AT CITI FIELD Tickets Start at $12 and Are on Sale at Mets.com and (718) 507-TIXX FLUSHING, N.Y., May 22, 2013 – The New York Mets today announced they will host Fireworks Night presented by Duane Reade and Ben & Jerry’s this Friday, May 24 at Citi Field following the conclusion of the 7:10 p.m. Mets-Braves game.  Tickets start at $12 and are on sale at Mets.comand (718) 507-TIXX.The post-game show will feature a soundtrack of artists closely associated with New York. Fireworks will be launched from Citi Field’s roof and the centerfield grass, providing a 360 degree experience for fans throughout the ballpark. In addition, three lasers mounted on the centerfield scoreboard will enhance the presentation. The second Fireworks Night of the season, presented by Duane Reade and AXE, will take place on the eve of Independence Day, Tuesday, July 3 after the 7:10 p.m. Mets-Diamondbacks game at Citi Field. The post Mets Fireworks Night is tomorrow appeared first on The Mets Police.Related posts:Los Mets tomorrow?Mets Yarmulkes tomorrowMets Bro: Star Wars Night is July 23rd

Last Night’s Quick Scores Las Vegas defeated Iowa 9-4. Binghamton beat New Britain, 8-3. St. Lucie dropped Dunedin, 5-3. Savannah lost to Charleston, 4-2. Prospect Pipeline Zack Wheeler was back in action after missing a start due to inflammation of the AC Joint in his throwing shoulder. Wheeler looked a tad rusty from the get-go. He didn’t have great command over his pitches, and in fact, he missed the strike zone wildly a couple of times. He got hit hard throughout his five innings of work, and ended up giving up two home runs and a triple that narrowly missed being a third home run. You can see a full recap of his start at MetsMinors.net. Rafael Montero got sent back to Double-A Binghamton after his fantastic start on Monday with Las Vegas. Montero impressed against Iowa yesterday, going 6.2 innings and allowing two runs on four hits, one walk, and five strikeouts. While it was labeled as a “spot start”, I had a feeling that if he proved himself worthy, he would be staying with Las Vegas. Sandy Alderson squashed those thoughts on SNY, saying that Montero would be heading back to Double-A. he GM did mention he would likely return to the 51s mid-season, and went as far as saying he wouldn’t be surprised if he was in the big leagues by the end of the year. In his first start since earning his second SAL Player of the Week honors, Rainy Lara only lasted 4.2 innings against Charleston last night. He allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. Josh Rodriguez led the B-Mets offense with a 3-for-4 day, including a walk, double, and two RBIs to help Binghamton defeat New Britain. Noah Syndergaard faced his former organization for the first time since the Blue Jays traded him last winter. He took the loss against Dunedin, throwing 5.2 innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. Francisco Pena hit a two-run homer against Iowa yesterday, and Adam Rubin tweeted that we shouldn’t be surprised if he makes his way to Flushing sometime this season. Cory Vaughn continues his strong start to 2013, raising his season average to .302 with another two-hit game last night in New Britain. With the mess that is the current New York Mets outfield, Vaughn could also be making his big league debut sometime this year. XtreemIcon covered the B-Mets in Great Britain on Monday and Tuesday and was able to spend some time with pitching prospect Logan Verrett. He wrote a must-read article about him that includes quotes from Blake Forsythe, Jack Leathersich, pitching coach Glenn Abbott and manager Pedro Lopez. Curious as to how the Mets’ top prospects are performing? Catch up with this week’s Top-10 Tracker. Stat Line of the Day Francisco Pena: 2-for-4, two-run HR, 3 RBI, 1 R Transactions Rafael Montero was transferred from Triple-A Las Vegas back to Double-A Binghamton. RHP Dylan Owen transferred from Las Vegas (AAA) to Binghamton (AA) Quote of the Day  Cory Vaughn on his improved hitting approach: “I think I’m just not panicking as much. I’m just going out there and having fun. Up here, if it’s 3-1, 2-0, they’re not just going to be throwing a ‘cookie’ every time. If they throw me a slider 3-1 and I’m not looking for it, or looking wherever they throw it, I’m going to take it as opposed to just swinging and getting a rollover groundout.” (Photo credit: Michael G. Baron)

Adam Rubin of ESPN New York spoke to some scouts who had this to say about Mets first baseman Ike Davis. “Basically, you can beat him with velocity that’s up, and you can beat him with low-zone, ‘chase,’ softer breaking balls and changeups,” the scout said. “How I describe it is he has ‘in-between’ swings. And with all that excessive hand movement, once you get ahead, all you have to do is continue to pitch off the plate — not in the strike zone — and he’s going to get himself out. There’s no reason to go back and challenge him. So once you get ahead, immediately make sure that nothing is on the plate. If nothing is on the plate, the worst thing he can do is get a base hit. But he can’t hit for power.” “He needs to go down someplace and get it right. It’s a hard place to get it right up here. All these guys are the best. Any flaws or holes are going to be exploited with the better stuff. What I don’t grasp is: How does it not serve him going someplace [in the minors] without that pressure, where he’s forced to make some of those adjustments, which are in his best interest? Forget about the team.” “He would have been better served spending some time down there last year, just for the reality of, ‘OK, whatever it is that I’m doing, I have to change it,’” the scout continued. “The reality is he didn’t change last year. Until you make those changes, you’re just flying by the seat of your pants. You can’t do that up here.” Davis has just one hit in his last 38 at bats and is hitless in his last 25 at-bats with runners in scoring position. He is hitting .147 with four homers and nine RBI this season

Meet the Mets Harvey day was the worst, you guys. In lieu of further thoughts, I will just point you to FAFIF's all-encompassing 2013 Mets game template, or alternatively, Daily Stache's twitter recap. The Mets mercifully have a day off today, but if for some reason you want to read more about the Reds series, Mark Simon has your rather depressing 'met'rics. Brian Costa thinks that Terry Collins deserves better than this Mets team. Him and the rest of us probably, but don't expect the calls for Wally Backman from #MetsTwitter to die down anytime soon. Matt Harvey's postgame interviews are still awesome at least. I know The 7 Line isn't as popular around these parts as others, but I still found this piece on the history of the site quite interesting. Full disclosure: I own a couple of his R.A. Dickey shirts, because I own all the R.A. Dickey shirts. I was really looking forward to rooting for a Queens-based MLS team near Citi, right up until it was announced the Yankees and Man City would be co-owners. Way to go, Wilpons. And Carson Cistulli has two Mets prospects on his Fringe Five this week. For more on the Fringe Five, as well as Wilmer Flores and Rafael Montero, check out my interview with Carson from last week's Amazin' Avenue Audio. Yesterday at AA Rob Castellano wondered if Wilmer Flores is a suitable replacement for the much-maligned Ike Davis at first base. And This Date in Mets History celebrated Mike Piazza Eve, which of course mean today is Mike Piazza Day! Huzzah! Around the NL East The Phillies took the rubber game of their three-game tilt with the Marlins. For more, check out the recaps from The Good Phight and Fish Stripes. The Braves completed a three-game sweep of the hapless Twins. At least the interleague series featured some good trash talk. (check out that bobblehead photo in the linked piece too, want want want) Bryce Harper probably hits a bit better than Rafael Soriano's four-year-old. Just sayin'. Around MLB Here's all of Wednesday's action in one handy scoreboard. Of particular note, Andre Ethier sat again for the Dodgers, so let the Ethier-to-the-Mets rumors begin! And may God have mercy on all our souls. And finally, everyone is having a bad year in Houston, even the vendors.

Some Mets fans and especially vocal ones on social media will try and call you out for criticizing this team. They may say you're not a "true fan" or spout how they love this team regardless of the record. They are well within their rights to do so. But as a fan of this team for the better part of 30 years this is the most faithless I've been in a long time. While the last half decade has been