The Mets Police

Good morning!

Big love to Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports for linking to the story from the other day about trying to get Mets fans united to be loud and whiny in an attempt to get Opening Night changed to a 1:05 (or I guess 1:10) start.  Maybe even 4:05?  Come on Padres, don’t be bastards.  Just play the day game.

Hopefully today will be the day that the Post writes about the cause.   We were interviewed for an article but I guess between NCAA’s and a new stadium it never made the cut.  Help us Obi Wan Kenobi, you’re our only hope.

Anyway, I know we’ll never win, but the first game at Citi should be a day game don’t you think?

Meanwhile my man Zeus who let me down by not raining out the St. John’s game is now messing with me for Friday’s Bosox visit to not-Shea.   The forecast is for rain.   Come on Z, don’t rain Friday.

Ok everyone head on over to Big League Stew and return the love.

www.metspolice.com

One more before I head to bed.  Mets Today had some good snarky comments about the kids mini Citi Field or whatever it’s called.

This whole nomenclature things is hard…I still say “uppers” and “Shea.”

Anyways. head on over to Mets Today , they had tons of pics.

www.metspolice.com

My buddy Centerfield Maz wrote this great piece of Lee Mazzilli.  I love that third pic down, what a riot.  Ah, the 70s.

With CFMaz’s permission here’s what he wrote last week:

TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2009

Former Met of the Day : Lee Mazzilli

Lee was born in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, March 25, 1955. Mazzilli’s grandfather was from Bari, Italy, came to NY and worked in the piano business. His father Libero was a former welterweight boxer & lived in the same 3 1/2 -room apartment until his passing in 2007. Mazzili won eight national speed-skating championships, but chose baseball when the Mets drafted him first round in 1973.

At Visalia in the California League, he stole seven bases in a seven-inning game in 1975. He was brought up to the Mets, in 1976 and was promoted as a star prospect. The hometown boy with matinee idol looks drove the ladies crazy, and became a sex symbol. He broke into the majors with a bang in September 1976, pinch hitting a three-run homer off the Cubs’ Darold Knowles, then two weeks later a two run game winner off Kent Tekulve with two out in the ninth. Overall in 24 games he only hit .195.

Quotes: Lee on his debut “I remember walking into that tiny locker room. I was in total awe of the players. Seaver, Koosman, Matlack, Harrelson. Joe Torre took me under his wing “You sit by me today at the end of the dugout.”

With speed and a good batting eye, Mazzilli was thrown right into the everyday lineup in 1977. He would have been a better leadoff man but the ’77 Mets had no offense and he was needed as an RBI guy. The front office promoted him as the next Willie Mays because of his talent and the basket style catches he made, ala Mays. In 159 games he hit .250 with 6 HRs, 24 doubles, 24 stolen bases and 46 RBIs. Certainly no Mays, but the best player on a poor team.

In 1978 he had a better year hitting .273, with 16 HRs, 28 doubles, 66 RBIs, 5 triples, and 20 steals. He became the first Met to hit home runs from both sides of the plate. His best season came in 1979, when he had a 19-game hitting streak and hit .303 with 15 HRs, 34 doubles, 79 RBIs and stole 34 bases. He was named to the All Star Game and became the NL hero. Lee tied the score in the eighth inning with a two-run homer off Cleveland’s Jim Kern. Then in the ninth, he walked & was credited with the game winning RBI off none other than Ron Guidry.

Mazzilli played a lot of first base in 1980, and lead the team with 162 hits, 31 doubles, 16 HRs, 76 RBI, 82 runs, and 41 stolen bases. In 1981 injuries held him back to a .228 average, 6 HRs, and 36 RBIs. That winter he was traded to Texas for Ron Darling & Walt Terrell. At the time it was a very unpopular trade with Met fans but proved to be a good one.

He was hurt most of the season in Texas, got traded to the Yankees for Bucky Dent then was passed on to the Pirates. In 1985, in Pittsburgh, he led NL pinch hitters with 72 plate and hit .286 with a .437 on-base %.

Post Season: The Mets reacquired him for their pennant drive in 1986, he hit .276 and was warmly welcomed back to Shea. In the NLCS he set a record with 5 pinch hit at bats, but only got one hit. In the 1986 World Series he appeared in four games getting two key hits and scoring two big runs. He led off the 8th inning of Game #6 with a pinch hit single off Cal Schiraldi and scored the tying run. In Game #7 with the Mets down 3-0 he again started a tying rally with a sixth-inning pinch hit single off Bruce Hurst, scoring on Keith Hernandez single.

In 1987 Mazzilli tied for the NL lead with 17 pinch hits, batting .306. By 1988 he dropped to .147, appeared in the 1988 NLCS with two plate appearances getting a hit & was hit by a pitch. He was put on waivers and retired with Toronto in 1989. After 14 years, he ranked in the top ten in most Mets offensive categories.

Retirement: A good friend, actor Dan Lauria, (the father in The Wonder Years) suggested acting, and “The Italian Stallion” got the part with actress Sharon Angela ( The Sopranos) in the off-Broadway production of Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding (1992-1993). After that he went into the restaurant business, as a partner in Lee Mazzillis Sports Café located in Manhattan at 70th St & Amsterdam Ave. He then managed the Orioles from 2004- 2005, and was first base & bench coach for Joe Torre from 2000 to 2003.
then was the SNY studio anatyst in 2007-2008.

Honors: Maz was honored by the Brooklyn Cyclones on “Lee Mazzilli Bobble Head Night” in 2007. He was at the closing ceremonies of Shea Stadium in 2008.

Do the right thing and give Centerfield Maz (the website, not Lee) some hits.

www.metspolice.com

More pics from yesterday, this time from The ‘Ropolitans.

See some concessions, the escalators, and some shots of the left field seats with the scoreboard overhang.

Meanwhile in the Bronx, New Stadium Insdier tells of Tours at the New Stadium.

www.metspolice.com

From last week (been busy around here!) here’s a thorough rundown of food at the new places.  I excerpt and you go read the full thing here on Gothamist.

Since we’re trying to detox from Yankee stuff (A-Rod, pics of the new place, ticket bitching) I’ll just excerpt on Flushing.

Citi Field’s food choices will include venerated returning players Mama’s of Corona and Gabila’sknishes. Daruma of Tokyo will sell sushi, and Nathan’s Famous is the official hot dog of the stadium. Union Square Hospitality Group will operate what they’re calling Taste of the City: a pavilion/food court that includes Shake Shack (ShackBurgers at Citi Field will cost one dollar more), Blue Smoke (the bbq will be made in Manhattan and trucked to Queens), Box Frites (Belgian style French fries with one million dipping sauces) andVerano Taquería, where Tabla’s Floyd Cardoz will oversee Baja-style taco production. The long rumored(going back to 2007) Untitled Dave Pasternack Seafood Project was invoked in a tweet from Gourmet’s Ruth Reichl earlier this month, fueling speculation that some project from the Esca chef will in fact be unveiled next Tuesday at the official press preview.

If you want to know about the Brooklyn Brewery (Fred Wilpon will be happy) or the food in the Bronx, the rest is here in Gothamist

www.metspolice.com