NY Mets Last Game at Shea Stadium Ticket

I bought this off eBay last week. It's a ticket from the last game at Shea and the stadium In-Focus paper that highlights the greatest moments in Shea history.

I'm trying to figure out what to do with my Shea items. I have this newspaper, the ticket, a brick from Shea and dirt from Shea stadium. I have to make something out of these pieces, but I haven't figured it out yet.

Any suggestions?

T206 Card Auction - Rare Joe Doyle

Here's a T206 Auction that's making news and it doesn't involve Honus Wagner. "Doyle, along with Wagner, Eddie Plank and the Sherry Magee misspelling are the most sought after cards in the T206 series."

Here are a couple of links to the auction information and the T206 Museum.

- thanks to Baseball Think Factory for posting the story -

You Too Can Sound Like an ESPN Fool

-credit to Awful Announcing Blog for this one-

It's the ESPN Sportscaster Microphone! I haven't read the back of the box, but I'm pretty sure it says something like this:

• Learn to make sentences without a subject or predicate like Emmitt Smith.
• Voice over your own "Coors Lite 6-Pack of Questions" and other corporate sponsor announcements.
• Tell tired jokes like Chris Berman.
• Pretend to know the game of football like Pam Ward.
• This can all be your for $19.99!

OK, what did I miss?

My Arguement with NY Mets Roger McDowell

This the only picture I took of Roger McDowell at the MAB Mets fest on Saturday because he bugged the crap out of me.

I was a big fan of Roger McDowell and I still say the Mets traded their heart away when they sent he and Lenny Dykstra to the Phightin' Phils for Juan Samuel!

On Saturday, I asked Roger for two autographs: 1) On a baseball sweetspot with "86 World Champs" inscribed, and 2) On my 1986 team signed World Series baseball.

Roger took this as opportunity to inspect the baseball and question why Davey Johnson's signature wasn't on the sweet spot. The exchange went like this:

Roger: "Did you tell Davey to sign his name there instead of on the sweet spot?"
James: "Yes, I asked him to sign it exactly where he wrote his name."
Roger: "Why didn't you get the manager to sign the sweet spot? He's the manager."
James: "Because I'm holding that spot for the World Series MVP, Ray Knight."
Roger: "But Ray doesn't hit the home run if Davey doesn't put him in the line-up."
James: "And you're not a World Champion if Knight doesn't hit the home run in Game 7."
Roger: Nodding his head in agreement, McDowell signs the baseball, hands it back and says, "protocol - that's all I'm saying."
James: "Thanks Roger."

Unreal . . . Roger McDowell questioning what I'm doing with my collection. Has this happened to anyone else?

Maybe I should have asked Roger:
"Hey Roger why did you give up that September, 9th inning home run to dead-center field at Shea to Terry Pendleton in 1987? If you hold the lead, get the save, and we win that game, the Mets are 1 game out of first place with Doc Gooden pitching the next day. Instead you gave the Cardinals a 3 game lead and pretty much handed them the 1987 NL East Division Title. Pendelton hit 12 home runs all season and you served him the biggest one."

Or perhaps I could have asked Roger:
"Hey Roger, how did you give up nearly as many earned runs in 1987 as you did in 1986, but pitched in 40 fewer innings? Maybe your protocol should brought you to the knee of Mel Stottlemyre for a little more pitching help that season. His expert tutelage could have served you well against Terry Pendelton in September."

Maybe I should have just asked:
"Hey Roger, are you worried that Terry Pendleton will eventually talk to his old friend Bobby Cox about your crap pitching technique. How does a sinker-ball pitcher give up a home run in one of the deepest centerfields in baseball to a hitter that only hit 11 previous home runs all season during the biggest series of the 1987 season? Maybe TP will tell Bobby to bring Leo Mazzone back to Atlanta and take your job since you seem to be giving it a crapbag effort down there?"

I could have referenced his pathetic, washed up routine on MTV Rock-n-Jock Softball games by asking:
"Hey Roger, why were you a better pitcher against the Baldwin brothers in MTV Rock-n-Jock Softball games than you were against Terry Pendleton in 1987?"

Instead, I made my point and said "thanks." But I do feel better after writing that.

Jerry Koosman Snot Ball Autograph

Jerry Koosman signed autographs at the MAB Mets Autograph session last weekend. I asked him to sign a baseball with "69 W.S. Champs" inscribed on the sweet spot.

Jerry was very nice and gave a great signature.

I had no idea that in the two seconds to follow, I would forever change my perception of Jerry Koosman, the autographed baseball, and the under-appreciation our society has for a good handkerchief.

I grabbed the baseball with my left hand and extended my right arm to shake his hand and say "thank you."

During the baseball exchange, Jerry, in slow motion, wiped his nose with his right hand and immediately afterwards shook my hand! It was a scene as dramatic, intense and slow as the "Ooooohhhhhhh Ffffffuuuuudge" exchange during the movie, "A Christmas Story."

UGH! I think I threw-up in my mouth again just typing this.

I tried to play it cool, and not disrespect him. I mean, this is Jerry Koosman! He played forever, was a world champion, and gave up Pete Rose's 4,000th career hit. I moved over to the side, put the baseball back in the box, snatched the Purell Hand Sanitizer from my backpack and proceeded to dump 1.5 of the 2 fluid ounce germ killer into my Koosman snot-riddled hands.

The stench of alcohol from my Purell soaked hands may have nearly been enough for all of the former Mets at the autograph tables to pass out. Think about that for a second, the smell of alcohol was nearly too strong for former baseball players to absorb. Nothing against baseball players, but they aren't exactly known to be the prohibition type (especially a group that includes the '86 Mets).

Like a doctor on his way to delivery a baby, I walked out of the autograph area with my hands held chest-high and palms facing me. I casually walked like this out of the exhibition area and into the restroom. Here, I spent the next 10 minutes rinsing, washing, rinsing, washing, and rinsing my hands of the Koosman snot, potential bacteria, and remnants of the Purell.

I've been home a few days, but I haven't removed the baseball from the box I dumped it in after witnessing Jerry Koosman's need for a cold remedy. I'll try to get the courage this week to move the baseball once doomed by Koosman's sinus situation.

Trevor Hoffman to the NY Mets?

Could Trevor Hoffman be the closer the Mets are looking for?

New York, in desperate need for a closer with Billy Wagner injured, may find the all-time saves leader waiting for Omar to throw him a towel in this year's free agent pool.

It appears the Padres have pulled their $4 million dollar offer from the table before Hoffman could get the cellophane wrapper off the autograph pen.

Wagner's contract is not insured, so the Mets are probably not going to pay all of Wagner's contract and another top free agent closer contract in the same season. (K-Rod are you listening?) Hoffman gives the Mets some stability in the 9th and some time to develop closer from the farm system (Eddie Kunz).

Eddie Kunz NY Mets - Mail Call from Padographs

Thanks to Padographs for this Eddie Kunz Metsograph! (credit Padographs)

This is a signed 2008 Bowman Chrome card of future Mets closer Eddie Kunz! Well, I hope he can turn into their closer. Kunz (along with half of Queens) was given a brief chance last year to take the closer job but control problems sent him to back Binghampton.

Kunz has great stuff and seems like the ideal candidate to land a key bullpen role once he finds more command.

Thanks again!

Mookie Wilson and Preston Wilson - 1983 Confirmed Photo

Mookie confirmed at the MAB show that this was a picture of him and Preston Wilson from 1983. Last month, I posted the story of this photo.

Mookie was pretty surprised to see the picture when I set it in front of him. He said it was "definitely Preston" and that "he's a little bigger now."