Citi Softball for Heroes

Yesterday Citi and the Mets Alumni Association held a charity softball event at Citi Field in Flushing. To read more about the event please read this article from the Examiner. I only learned about the event on Friday, but the moment I did I rallied the family to organize an early birthday present for my father.

My father grew up in Whitestone, NY and... he grew up a Yankee fan. He was a fan of Yogi Berra and Roger Marris and, like most kids his age... The Mick. Then came the fateful year where George Steinbrenner FIRED Yogi Berra as manager of the Yankees. My father was hurt that his team would ignore a player's legacy like that and conveniently was nearby for the recently created Mets franchise. Plus... the Mets made the decision to give Ole' Yogi a job.
While he wasn't always a Met fan he's been devoted to the Mets since then and raised me a Met fan too. Yesterday my father was able to make his debut at Citi Field, playing in this charity tournament. He got to meet Ed Charles, Ed Kranepool, Darryl Strawberry and John Franco. My father may have been the only participant in the game to have been old enough to watch the '69 series. Charles quipped, "What, were you 2 when you watched the '69 Mets?" He was only 15 years off.
Later, Ed Kranepool wanted to play a little first base for one of the teams. "Anyone have a lefty glove?" he asked. My father was quick to raise his. I told him that night, "That's your glove forever now."
Just the ability to toss a ball in the outfield of a professional stadium had it's impact. You don't really get an idea of how big the field IS until you're on it. My father may not have the best day at the plate (at least not compared to the 30 year olds he was playing with) but he did show off some solid fielding to make the players of our: "Old Fart Softball League" proud.
He also got some great behind the scenes looks into Citi Field, including a picture with Strawberry. (Who is only about a foot and a half taller than him.) All and all it was an amazing experience that my family was able to give my father for his sixtieth birthday and one he should remember for another sixty years.

I'd like to thank Citi and the Mets Alumni Association for organizing this fantastic charity event. Not only does it support a worthy cause, but it provides fans a once in a lifetime chance to get close to the game they love.

P.S.
My father's team won their two games: 9-0 and 6-0.

Cutnpaste: Juan Lagares, Gnats Baseball Cards, John Franco, Lucas Duda, David Einhorn

9-3-11: - http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/09/prospect-pulse-buffalo-2012-help-on-the-way.html   - Juan Lagares - 2011 has been a breakout season for Lagares in the truest sense of the word. After totally demolishing the Florida State League in the first half, with a .338/.380/.494 slash line, he went to Bingo and started hitting even better, to the tune of .376/.397/.523. He is off to the Arizona Fall League after the regular season, and barring a total meltdown, should be starting in LF for the Herd next year. This guy is coming very fast now and has a well-rounded game. It may sound like a broken record, but there is no reason why he can’t break-in at Citi sometime next year too.

The Savannah Sand Gnats are the Mets’ Single-A affiliate in the South Atlantic League. They made the playoffs, though they will be trying to stave off elimination after their defeat last night. Multi Ad Sports produced their 36-card team set, which also includes 35 regular cards as well as a blank-back logo card. The fronts are glossy; the backs are printed in black and white with green highlights. They include a cropped version of the photo from the front, stats and biographical information. The photography in this set is among the best I’ve seen on minor league baseball cards. If you were collecting in the early 1990s, think of Topps Stadium Club vs. everyone else. It’s that good. - http://randombaseballstuff.com/2011/09/08/minor-league-baseball-card-review-2011-savannah-sand-gnats

John Franco wouldn't mind trying to pick up another save for the Mets. The franchise's all-time saves leader yesterday said he would love an opportunity to tutor Bobby Parnell for the remainder of this season and beyond, if the Mets ask Franco to help. The right-handed Parnell has struggled in his audition for the 2012 closer's job. "He's a young kid and he's still figuring things out," Franco told The Post before the Mets beat the Cubs 5-4 last night at Citi Field. "It's like on-the-job training for him. If you go into a season with the mindset 'This is my job,' and you have the right tutoring -- someone like myself can come along and maybe help him out and talk to him day in and day out." - http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/franco_says_he_volunteer_to_tutor_e76txaZOlQy1YRfu9IGXVM?CMP=OTC-rss&FEEDNAME=  

Lucas Duda: I'll come right out and say it: I really like Duda. All of a sudden, the last three weeks of a season are meaningful for a team that will be going nowhere because the Mets have become very cost conscious. Thus, young players can stake a claim for a spot next year. The No. 1 young player performing his way into a starting role next season is right fielder Lucas Duda. The 25-year-old has been given a shot and has been doing what he did in the minor leagues: hit, and hit both lefties and righties. Duda has a .279 average, nine home runs and 46 RBI on the season. Since the All-Star break, he has really found comfort in constant playing time: with a .307/.385/.548 line and all nine of his homers. This is the type of guy the Mets need to excel with their lower-than-normal payroll. His defense may be subpar, but he's got an advanced hitting approach and will come at a cheap price next season. Plus, he's settled in nicely at the No. 3 spot in the order in front of David Wright. - http://newyork.sbnation.com/new-york-mets/2011/9/9/2415542/five-reasons-to-watch-the-new-york-mets-jose-reyes-lucas-duda-johan-santana  

(David) Einhorn won’t invest if he doesn’t believe that the future will benefit him. (He has a good track record, famously shorting Lehman Brothers before the firm went bankrupt in 2008.) What stuck in his craw was an apparent attempt by the Wilpons to get language removed from the agreement which would provide an automatic road for Einhorn to get approval from other major league owners, to allow him to take over the Mets. (Automatic approval itself is prohibited by baseball’s rules.) He explained: “It wouldn’t make sense to invest $200 million into a team and then be denied the ability to exercise a negotiated option [to buy the team] down the road due to the inability to obtain the required vote of other major league owners at that time.” - http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/why-einhorn-jilted-the-mets