DAVID. ALLEN. WRIGHT.

I have tried to start this post too many times to count. I have turned over different ideas and angles in my head. I have wondered if I should post it as a series of tweets or pitch it to a site with a larger audience. Ultimately, I knew my tribute to David Allen Wright needed to be here, where I grew up as a Mets fan and a writer.

My David Wright origin story begins at a Mets game at Shea Stadium in 2005. I was in the team store with my dad, sister, and brother looking for a Mike Piazza or Cliff Floyd t-shirt. Unfortunately (at the time) they were out of both so I would have to settle for another player. My dad suggested David Wright and even though I did not know anything about him I went with it and got my first ever Mets t-shirt.

My earliest memories of truly being a Mets fan are from 2005. Every time I watch David's barehanded catch I am transported back to my family room floor, sitting too close to the TV, watching it for the first time. I remember falling in love with the player on my shirt and telling people I used to think he was bald because even as an 11-year-old I did not want anybody to think I chose him as my favorite simply for being cute.

Around this time was also when I got my own bedroom for the first time in my life. I quickly outgrew the pink walls and butterfly wallpaper-border and knew I needed to make the room more me. So I plastered the walls with pictures of David Wright and some of my other favorite players. Those pictures are still on my walls and at this point the room would feel foreign without them.

Throughout my teenage years David was simply everything to me. If I wanted a new Mets t-shirt or jersey it meant I wanted a new Wright shirt or jersey. I included a picture of him in my bat mitzvah montage. Even though I was never a third baseman I loved how we both had a habit of sticking out our tongues when concentrating. I unsuccessfully tried out his batting stance and got his A2K DW5 glove for my birthday even though it was too small to use for softball. When one of my camp counselors called me "David Wright" while fielding grounders I was on cloud nine for the rest of the day. I spent these years somewhere between wanting to be David Wright and wanting to marry David Wright, simply thinking about him all the time.

I have countless other David Wright memories - from knowing exactly where I was for the 2006 walk-off against the Yankees and the NL East clincher the same year to actually meeting him just a couple of weeks ago. David has been a part of the Mets for as long as I have been a fan and I honestly cannot imagine the team without him. I probably would not have fallen for baseball the way I did if not for David Wright.

The end of David Wright's career really feels like the closing of the final chapter of my childhood. It makes me want to reflect on other aspects of my life and wonder if my 11-year-old self would be proud of who I am now. It reminds me just how much baseball has shaped me as a person. 

I still cannot believe I will no longer be able to watch the Mets and see the players I grew up with. This happens to every fan eventually, but I never wanted to think about David not playing baseball and admit my childhood might actually be coming to an end. But the reality is my first idol is moving on and I am now an adult.

Congratulations on an amazing career, David. Thank you for being my whole world for a while.

Bring Back The Outrage

This winter fans were angry at the Mets. We were angry about the Mets signing Jose Reyes and guaranteeing a roster spot to a black hole. We were angry about spending most of the miniscule budget on 3 years of Jay Bruce. We were angry about the Mets only addressing their shaky rotation with Jason Vargas.

Then the season started and the Mets played well and we were all so happy just to have actual real baseball back and the outrage went away. All of a sudden people seemed okay with the Mets pissing away the off-season because there was a baseball game on every night and a skeleton lineup of Mets was better than the emptiness of winter.

Well, it is time to bring the outrage back. Actually, the outrage never should have subsided.

On a good day, the current Mets roster will feature a bench of Jose Reyes, Adrian Gonzalez, Jose Bautista, and Tomas Nido. Instead of versatile players like Ty Kelly and Phillip Evans they are carrying multiple players who left their best days in 2011. They do not have a viable backup outfielder and or even one true third baseman during Todd Frazier's DL stint. Ownership has handcuffed Mickey Callaway and guaranteed this season will be forgettable, like most of this decade.

Nothing about the way the Mets are run should sit well with fans. Nobody should be okay with the Mets stunting the growth of Brandon Nimmo or Michael Conforto by limiting their playing time against left-handed pitchers. Nobody should be okay with the Mets wasting a roster spot on Jose Reyes, who cannot hit his way out of a paper bag and is also somehow called a "positive influence" after shoving his wife through a glass door. Nobody should be okay with the Mets ownership constantly filling gaping roster holes with Silly Putty because they refuse to spend money on concrete. Nobody should be okay with watching the best years of Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Michael Conforto, and even Amed Rosario go to waste because the Wilpons are too cheap to surround them with talent.

Mets fans are known for being fiercely loyal and I believe part of such loyalty includes holding the right parties accountable when things are moving in the wrong direction. There has never been a more obvious time to start (or continue) yelling and screaming and letting the sports world know this is not okay.

Mets fans, as well as players and coaches throughout the organization, deserve better.

Benintendi & Betts & Nimmo Oh My

Andrew Benintendi - 3 RBI

Brandon Nimmo - 2 hits, 1 run scored (the game-winning run!)

Mookie Betts - ANOTHER home run

Joe Kelly - Absolutely filthy scoreless 7th inning

Devin Mesoraco - Game-tying home run

The Red Sox won, the Mets win, oh and I got to watch Joe Smith pitch (he did not have the stellar results of those mentioned above, but I enjoy every opportunity to see him).

If baseball were always like today, life would be so easy.

Why Baseball Was Good Today

I need to stay true to my word so I am starting my new activity right away.

Today, baseball has been very good. Not only are the Red Sox winning (6-0 as the 9th inning begins), but I have been able to watch most of the game on MLB Network. As a fan outside of Boston, I do not get as many opportunities as I would like to watch the Red Sox. Yes, they play the Yankees a lot but the combination of rivalry stress and the subpar YES Network broadcasters make me question whether I really need to watch those games. Following games on Twitter or Gameday is okay but it does not compare to actually knowing what happens at the same time as everybody else. It really is nice to see and tweet about a Xander Bogaerts home run when it happens instead of 2 minutes later.

Unexpectedly having the Red Sox on TV, especially when there is no Mets game demanding a share of my attention, is quite a pleasant surprise. The cherry on top is the Sox playing an all-around great game.

Putting My Money Where My Mouth Is

When I let myself get attached to baseball again I wanted to do so without the negative energy and despair that often comes with being a Mets fan and their Groundhog Day-like losing seasons. This year the Mets and Red Sox both got off to great starts so for a little while it was easy to simply enjoy baseball. Unfortunately, the Mets are now ice cold and somehow the Red Sox have not sustained their .890 winning percentage (crazy, I know).

But I still want to be positive. I still want to enjoy baseball as much as possible. I cannot control the outcome of any game so letting them negatively affect my mood is silly.

From now on I am going to pick out one or a few reasons baseball was good each day. Even on days when both the Mets and Red Sox lose, I will think about a Brandon Nimmo or Andrew Benintendi home run, or Amed Rosario getting a few hits to break out of a slump, or Blake Swihart actually getting a start.

This exercise is mostly for myself but if someone else sees it and is able to come up with their own reason to smile about baseball - that'd be pretty cool.

If I have a lot to say I will write on here and if only have a note or two I will probably just use Twitter.

I am going to end this post and start this activity with a picture I found while finally looking through an old memory card. It is from a 2013 Red Sox playoff workout during their World Series run and if David Ortiz grinning from ear to ear does not make you happy then you may be in the wrong place.

A post shared by Helen Elizabeth (@hesilf) on May 16, 2018 at 1:06pm PDT

Mickey Callaway Is Still The Right Man For This Job

I don't know if I can count how many times the Mets have signed the wrong player or brought in the wrong coach under the guise of "veteran leadership." However, this offseason they finally went with a rookie, a wild card, someone young and bright and full of potential when they hired Mickey Callaway to be the manager. He said all the right things during Spring Training - talking about fixing Matt Harvey and getting every ounce of ability out of Steven Matz and Zack Wheeler. He got off to a hot start in April, every pinch hitter seemed to be driving in runs and every reliever was getting big outs. Then May started and the Mets stopped hitting and pitching at the same time. All of sudden pinch hitters were striking out and relievers were blowing leads left and right. People began second-guessing every move Callaway made because, simply put, nothing was working.

In true New York fashion, on May 10th, less than a quarter of the way through the season, people are questioning whether Callaway should have his job. Mickey Callaway absolutely should have his job and the Mets' shortcomings are not his fault.

The fate of this season was never in Mickey Callaway's control. Yet, how the Mets reach the finish line is something he can control. This season should be about keeping the young players on the field as much as possible. Brandon Nimmo should play more than Jay Bruce. Seth Lugo should be in the starting rotation instead of Jason Vargas. P.J. Conlon and Jacob Rhame should be in the bullpen. Ty Kelly should replace Jose Reyes on the bench. Luis Guillorme and Wilmer Flores should get every start while Todd Frazier is out.

Mickey Callaway himself is young for his job. He has many years of managing in his future and it could be so much fun to watch the players on the field mature as Callaway matures as a manager. Imagine having a manager who knew exactly which pitchers Michael Conforto was best built to succeed against and which were a better matchup for Juan Lagares or Brandon Nimmo. Imagine having a manager who could spot the first signs of fatigue towards the end of a Steven Matz start. Imagine having a manger who has spent so much time growing with his players that he knows how many games they can play without a day off and which questions to ask to find out if they are banged up.

I spent all winter watching as young Rangers were terrified of making mistakes because even the smallest flub would lead to being benched. It is so refreshing to see something different from the Mets. Just the fact that Mickey Callaway has kept an even keel during a prolonged, frustrating slump is an encouraging sign and I truly cannot wait to see what he does with the rest of the season.

Matt Harvey's Ego Did Not Take Down The Dark Knight

The Mets are going to DFA Matt Harvey tomorrow morning and it will be the official end of an era. Matt Harvey was a superstar, a huge personality in a huge market, and for a little while he had the talent to back it up.

He was dominant when he made his Major League debut in 2012 and fought back from Tommy John surgery to dominate once again. Game 5 of the 2015 World Series was electric for 8 innings. My entire family and I'm sure most of section 131 can still hear "It's a Ha-vey day!" whenever anything remotely Matt Harvey-related pops up. Unfortunately, that game was the last time Harvey would truly be the Dark Knight.

Thoracic outlet syndrome has stolen what almost certainly would have been a long, lucrative career from Matt Harvey. Permanent nerve damage and a resulting lack of velocity, command, and general effectiveness are why he will no longer be a New York Met. It sucks. It sucks that a once promising career has been sabotaged by something out of everybody's control. It must have really sucked for then-26-year-old Matt Harvey to no longer have the ability he had just a few months prior.

To make something abundantly clear, partying and pouting did not steal Harvey's career. Athletes have done way worse things than partying and drinking at those parties and dating models and even showing up late. Harvey would still be on the Mets if he could pitch - whether or not he was engaging in such extracurricular activities.

Matt Harvey as we once knew him is never coming back. Now it is up to him (and his desire to work in the minors) whether any Matt Harvey steps on a Major League Baseball field again.

Minor League Baseball Players Deserve Better

The continued underpayment of minor league baseball players is nearly law. On Page 1,967 of the new omnibus bill is an amendment that exempts minor league players from federal labor law. If Congress passes the bill by Friday, it's official. The language: https://t.co/oNXzB8iud4 pic.twitter.com/102mGFD3Mj

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 22, 2018

The hardest I ever loved baseball was when I fell for the Binghamton Mets in 2010. It breaks my heart thinking back to that team, now understanding how little they were making and how much they were sacrificing for a shot at their dream.

— Helen Silfin (@HESilf) March 22, 2018

It is no secret that most of my favorite baseball players are not superstars. Most of them spent most of their careers in the Minor Leagues. Most of them were on the 2010 Binghamton Mets. Mike Nickeas, Zach Lutz, and Josh Satin are just a few of the players I followed through Binghamton and New Orleans and Buffalo and Las Vegas. In my mind they were superstars, even if they weren't actually top prospects or future MLB stars.

One of the most frustrating parts of growing up is learning all the ways the thing you thought was wonderful and fun and pure is not so wonderful and fun and pure. Minor League Baseball is not exempt from such realizations. I read enough back then to know MiLB life was not glamorous or easy (to say the least) but I didn't realize just how bad it was. It hurts thinking back on some of my most cherished memories and understanding what the people on the field were sacrificing.

The people on Minor League Baseball fields across the country work for less than minimum wage during the season and for absolutely nothing during Spring Training. The people on Minor League Baseball fields live in poverty so Major League Baseball owners can line their own pockets. Those same Major League Baseball owners somehow expect to get peak performance out of people not provided with a living wage for their full-time work. When I made less than minimum wage as a camp counselor and intern I was living at home and it wasn't really necessary for me to be at peak physical fitness. Minor League Baseball players are not teenagers working summer jobs or college students at internships. Minor League Baseball players are professional athletes who are not being provided with the necessary resources for peak productivity.

I wish I knew what I could do to help MiLB players achieve fair wages. (For the record, I also wish interns and really anybody working could make minimum wage.) For now though, I just want to put it out there that MiLB players are awesome. Their families and all of the people rooting for them and supporting them are awesome. It's kind of amazing that anyone chooses to be a baseball player. I know I'm only one person, only one small voice, but I'm incredibly grateful for the MiLB players who I continue to call my favorites and I'm astounded by everything they worked through to play for as long as they did.

Major League Baseball has more than enough money to fairly compensate Minor League Baseball players. It's about time more people joined this fight.

Oh For The Love Of David Wright

It is really hard to root for the Mets when ownership uses the face of the franchise as a scapegoat.

Jeff Wilpon did exactly that when he said the INSURANCE POLICY on David Wright's contract was too expensive and one reason why the payroll is so low.

I cannot believe David Wright is being painted as the enemy. The captain. The guy who took a major hometown discount instead of testing the free agent market. The one player who didn't crumble as the team collapsed around him in 2007 and 2008. The forever-Met who is still fighting to play one more season, one more game, one more inning, even though his body has betrayed him in every way possible.

Mets ownership has now essentially joined the chorus of idiots calling for David Wright to retire. Mets ownership wants Wright to call it a career because they could save some cash. It is all but guaranteed that whatever money saved would not be reinvested in the team, but Jeff Wilpon does not care. He wants to pocket as much money as possible, even if it means throwing his franchise player into the trash.

David Wright should retire when he is ready to retire. He has earned the right to fight for his career. It sucks thinking about 2005 and 2006 and how promising his career looked. I can only imagine how I would spiral if it looked like all my dreams were coming to fruition only to have my own body pull them away. I would like to believe I would fight tooth and nail to get back on track. So, it really is not surprising that David wants to play again before he retires. Yeah, he is a professional athlete, but he is also a human being fighting for his career.

The surprising part of this whole situation is that the Wilpons are now holding David Wright's eternal optimism against the team.

I have heard and read about the ways the Wilpons ruin relationships with past players but seeing it play out before my eyes is infuriating and heartbreaking.

David Wright deserves better. Mets fans deserve better.

I'm really just dumbfounded right now. I know this is not the most eloquent collection of thoughts but I had to get this out. I did not want this to pass without adding my flames to the fire.

About Brandon Nimmo

In my last post I basically said I could've talked for hours about Brandon Nimmo but it just wasn't the right time. Well, now it's the right time.

People so often forget one of the most basic facts about baseball -- it is a game. And guess what? Games are supposed to be fun.

Brandon Nimmo seems to remember that baseball is supposed to be fun. He got most of his playing time after the competitive part of the Mets season was over. Yet, he was still very clearly having fun out there. Win or lose he would find a reason to smile while it looked like others were playing out the string. If he made a diving catch or hit a home run, you could feel his excitement and how thrilled he was to be on a Major League Baseball diamond. 

During one September game, on Sunday Night Baseball no less, Nimmo hit two home runs and was beaming as he rounded the bases a second time. It was at that moment I decided Brandon Nimmo would be the reason I watched the rest of the lost season. His pure joy was a welcome reminder of why I spent so much time playing softball as a kid and watching baseball as both a kid and adult. He was once a kid who dreamed about playing in the Major Leagues and now he is one of the lucky few adults whose dream came true.

One of the biggest disappointments in my college experience was finding out how uninterested theatre majors were in actually talking about theatre. We were all in school, working towards our dream careers in a dream industry, but everybody was seemingly too cool to acknowledge the reason we wanted to do any of this in the first place.

So during that trip around the bases, I realized Brandon Nimmo would have been the person who wanted to talk about Broadway. He would have been the person to "fangirl" over the awesome new play or musical. He would be the one to know that we were working on some truly strange plays now because in a year or two or three or seven, we would be creating the shows that made a new generation of kids excited about theatre.

The world needs more people like Brandon Nimmo. The world needs more people who can celebrate reaching a goal or making their dream come true, whether the dream is in sports or literally anything else.

Every single person who has ever liked baseball, be it for a lifetime or just a couple of weeks, should watch Brandon Nimmo play. They should see how happy he is to be doing what he loves. He might remind them why they loved baseball in the first place. He definitely makes it easier to remember this is all for fun.

Conflicted

The Winter Meetings have come and gone and as the new year approaches, Mets fans have been louder than the actual team. The lack of communication and commitment to a competitive payroll has lead some fans in the direction of a boycott.

Part of me really wants to boycott. That part of me wanted a new Mets t-shirt for Hanukkah but only asked for a Red Sox hat because I've already started moving toward a boycott. That part of me is ready to yell and scream and make sure everybody knows I won't give the organization a cent until the Wilpons either commit to spending enough to field a competitive team or sell the team to someone else who will.

But a big part of me loves baseball and the Mets. I love Brandon Nimmo. I love Michael Conforto. I love Jerry Blevins and Travis d'Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki. I love most of the misfits who put on a Mets uniform. I want to watch them and cheer for them and support them.

I also just spent most of three years without baseball and I don't know if I can lose it again. Baseball is an important escape for me. I can't afford to see Broadway shows all the time and my favorite artists aren't always on tour but for half the year I can watch the Mets on TV.

I know boycotts aren't supposed to be easy but there's so much other crap in the world that I don't know if I can justify taking the one accessible escape out of my life.

I obviously want the Mets to win. I want to root for a good team. If I watch games next season, it won't be because I approve of the ownership or entire organization. I'll watch because the players don't deserve to be abandoned by their fans. I'll watch because I'd be more miserable with no baseball than with bad baseball.

I won't judge anyone for not watching and hopefully nobody will judge me for watching.

What's The Point?

Baseball is supposed to be an escape. Most things in the world suck right now but baseball is supposed to be there to provide a level of happiness and relief from the mess.

Right now though, the Mets are just another source of frustration in my life. The Winter Meetings have barely begun and Sandy Alderson has already made it more than clear the team has no intention of improving in any way. Forget being in the mix for a big bat or starting pitcher because relief pitchers are too expensive for the Mets. Oh and don't get your hopes up about trade acquisitions because the Mets have no prospects to offer.

THE METS TRADED EVERY PLAYER WORTH A DAMN OVER THE SUMMER AND HAVE NEITHER PROSPECTS NOR PAYROLL FLEXIBILITY TO SHOW FOR IT.

The GM all but admitted that they were too broke to even entertain the idea of Giancarlo Stanton. The GM insulted angel of angels Brandon Nimmo in his sarcastic comment about the team's inaction on the reigning NL MVP. Brandon Nimmo somehow manages to find happiness while playing for the bargain bin baseball team from Queens. Brandon Nimmo's endless enthusiasm is just about the only reason I still care about this team. He was just Santa Claus at the team's holiday part for goodness sake. Brandon Nimmo would do anything for this team and he does not deserve to be the punchline of Sandy Alderson's jokes.

I could spend hours writing about Brandon Nimmo and how the world needs more Brandon Nimmos (and maybe eventually I will). But at the moment I am too angry for that kind of positivity.

I am angry at Sandy Alderson for throwing a talented young player under the bus. I am angry at Sandy Alderson for trading half the team last season for a bucket of baseballs. I am even angrier at the Wilpons for giving the Mets a shoestring budget in the biggest market in the league.

I don't know how the Wilpons are allowed to own this team. I don't know how MLB is okay with a team in New York City only being competitive once in a blue moon when everything lines up perfectly. I don't know how Mets fans are supposed to keep investing time and money in this organization.

The current state of the Mets is unacceptable.

A Blazing Hot Take About Rivalries

Last night I found myself scrolling through tweets about Andrew Benintendi, looking for other people who shared my excitement about his status as a finalist for Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately, most of the tweets were from rival fans, criticizing the people who dare celebrate his accomplishments even though he is not going to win the award. I left the search more angry than enthusiastic and I was really just disappointed.

One of my favorite results of my time away from baseball was my newfound ability to watch baseball games without letting them control my mood. The Mets or Red Sox could lose a series or two in a row and I would just be happy to be able to watch the game. Of course, I preferred when they won but losses were no longer the end of the world.

However, I lost that control during every Red Sox - Yankees series. Maybe it was due to the fact that at any given time I can live with up to 2.5 Yankees fans or the crossover of New York Rangers/Yankees fans on my Twitter timeline, but I felt trapped. I could not find a way to enjoy small moments in a Red Sox loss without constantly being reminded that it was a loss and how dare I enjoy a loss?

As someone who grew up just as the Mets were finally able to exact some revenge on the once-mighty Braves, I get why rivalries can be fun. My favorite Mets wins used to be the ones when they embarrassed Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and the Phillies. But as someone who was burnt out by caring too much about everything happening on a baseball field, I find them more stressful than fun. I cannot control if the team I root for wins on any given day. Why is it fun to yell at friends/strangers/anyone because years ago they decided to root for one team and you decided to root for another?

This year has been about me learning how I can be a baseball fan without burning out again. So far that means doing whatever I can to enjoy as many moments as possible no matter the opponent or outcome of a game. It means I want to be able to enjoy an Andrew Benintendi home run without a million Yankees fans screaming about how Aaron Judge hit one further. It means I want to be able to watch Benintendi make a diving catch or cut down a runner at home plate without someone bringing up the 450-foot home run Judge hit a week ago.

Two completely different players who are going to have vastly different careers are constantly mentioned in the same breath because they are on rival teams. If one of them were on the White Sox the comparisons would not happen.

Yes, I know Andrew Benintendi is not going to win Rookie of the Year.  No, I am not going to stop celebrating a damn good season because someone else had a flashier year.

Since U Been Gone

Here I am writing again. Following baseball again.

In September 2013 I was still writing here, as well as for another Mets blog and my university's newspaper. I was in my school's College of Communication and my road to being my version of professional journalist was clear and open. But I was overwhelmed. For the first time ever I did not want to write. At all. Everything from writing about the Mets to writing research papers stressed me out. It was the hardest semester of my life.

I stopped writing and instead found my escape in music. First in the bands and artists I loved and, once I was home for winter break, then in musical theatre. For the first time since middle school, the baseball-music balance in my life shifted back to music.

That is where I have been for the past four years. I switched my Journalism major to a Psychology major and Theatre Arts minor. I took dance classes, I did a musical theatre intensive in New York City, I was in a few plays and musicals, I started learning how to play guitar and write songs. And as of last week, I went to my first real New York somewhat-kinda-sorta Equity audition (even though it was somewhat-kinda-sorta unintentional).

During the years I spent immersed in everything music, theatre, and musical theatre, the Mets fluctuated between really bad and really good. For the most part, I watched from afar. I needed to separate myself from baseball. I needed to remember who I was apart from the Mets. I will forever remember the World Series Harvey Day I experienced in person in 2015. But besides that game, I probably only went to a handful of games from 2014-2016.

This season I went to games and watched games on TV and found a way to love baseball without letting it control my emotions and well-being.

Now I have found my way back here. I do not know how much I am going to write here. I do not know what I am going to write about when I do write here. I have no idea if everything on here will be writing or if I am going to do something completely different. I just think I am ready to talk about the Mets and Red Sox and baseball again in more than 140 characters at a time.

It's That Time Of Year Again

Yes, it is time for the Mets to unofficially officially welcome their rookies to Major League Baseball.  The Mets theme this year is weddings, as so many of them are getting married after this season, and Zack Wheeler is playing the bride.  I will keep updating this post with pictures as they come in on twitter, instagram, and elsewhere.

The first picture of Zack's wedding gown

Now it's time to get dressed! Guess who is wearing this? pic.twitter.com/7LtXKO1a9G
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 22, 2013

He looks beautiful

Here's our bride! pic.twitter.com/0SF1QebJ7C
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 22, 2013

The first glimpse of the rest of the party with Wilmer Flores as maid of honor


And the stunning Travis d'Arnaud

My goodness...

The bridal party. #metsrookies pic.twitter.com/4L3bqhJOAA
— Kristie Ackert (@AckertNYDN) September 22, 2013

A more formal picture of the party

The wedding party... #rookies pic.twitter.com/OakLsBewbD
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 22, 2013

Doesn't get much better than a #Mets sweep in Philly, & rookie dress up day! pic.twitter.com/hLWxvxElVd
— Jim Malone (@JMaloneStrength) September 22, 2013

And some individual pictures

Some more bridesmaids... pic.twitter.com/GtzDmwLIHO
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 22, 2013

Wilfredo Tovar and Gonzalez Germen #mets pic.twitter.com/ro8PE35NZV
— Adam Rubin (@AdamRubinESPN) September 22, 2013

Matt den Dekker #mets pic.twitter.com/WjUPKxnYSM
— Adam Rubin (@AdamRubinESPN) September 22, 2013

The maid of honor... #Rookies pic.twitter.com/K59h6DUoGk
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 22, 2013

Vic Black after getting out of an 8th inning jam in #mets 4-3 win. pic.twitter.com/gt3OeRKlnT
— Kristie Ackert (@AckertNYDN) September 22, 2013

Dillon Gee is not impressed

Worst looking bridal party ever!! pic.twitter.com/1GpgA7DQpR
— Dillon Gee (@DillonGee35) September 22, 2013

Juan Centeno, for his friends in Puerto Rico. #mets pic.twitter.com/6aatxKgTZv
— Adam Rubin (@AdamRubinESPN) September 22, 2013

Wow

The plane is decorated for the wedding party. #Rookies pic.twitter.com/73vzNNrfKK
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 22, 2013

Zachary Craig Lutz. My favorite. I'm crying.

More bridesmaids... #Rookies pic.twitter.com/gDki8D2QTq
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 22, 2013

Just more insanity

Nice flowers! #Rookies pic.twitter.com/5GkUkelD5U
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 22, 2013

JOSH SATIN

Our last bridesmaid... #Rookies pic.twitter.com/7L1pnbsy2l
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 22, 2013

Your reward for looking at the entire post is a video from LaTroy Hawkins

S/O to @bumblelina1 and Our team MOM for putting things together and making it ALL happen. #mets we love you 2!!!! #Rookies2013BridalParty

— LaTroy Hawkins (@LaTroyHawkins32) September 22, 2013

An the final picture for the night s/o to the best Delta flight crew in the game #mets #delta pic.twitter.com/KXJD3UIeRh

— LaTroy Hawkins (@LaTroyHawkins32) September 23, 2013

My Favorite September Call Up

Mike Nickeas is a Major League Baseball player again.

For real.

Thank you, Blue Jays for giving him more time in the majors.
Thank you, Mike for being so awesome.

He has not had a great season by any means, but he played in 58 games for the Bisons, more than any other catcher.  He caught all but one of Ricky Romero's Bisons starts.  His one home run of the season was of the walk-off variety and 41% of his hits for the season were doubles.  Mike also won Most Inspirational Player, as voted on by his Bisons teammates.

I do not expect him to play much this month.  Hopefully he will get an at-bat here or there and maybe even catch one of R.A. Dickey's starts.

All that matters to me is that Mike Nickeas and Josh Thole are teammates again.


Oh and the Blue Jays are coming to Boston in a few weeks.

Actual Breaking News

Rob Carson and Matt den Dekker seem to be joining the Mets. Jack Leathersich, who was sent back to AA Binghamton on Monday, will now stay in AAA with the Las Vegas 51s. 

Matt Harvey to the DL opens up one roster spot but the second move isn't as obvious. 

Stay tuned for the official move later. 

BREAKING NEWS

Mike Nickeas hit a walk-off home run for the Buffalo Bisons tonight. 

I am still regaining consciousness because this is a pretty shocking occurrence. The home run was his first of the season, and according to Mike it was the first walk-off home run of his life. 

Congratulations, Mike! Enjoy this moment, you deserve it!

This Will Be Interesting

The Las Vegas 51s and Sacramento River Cats started a game on May 6 that they will finish tonight.

Carlos Torres was set to take the mound for the 51s but he never got the chance.  He is now set to start today's Mets game as a Major League pitcher.  Sonny Gray started the game for the River Cats and with MLB experience under his belt he can continue his effort and leave his two walk performance in the past.

The two players walked by Gray were Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Collin Cowgill.  Nieuwenhuis has also spent time in the big leagues since the game started, and Cowgill is now on the Angels.

Reese Havens is in the lineup, playing 2nd base, but he will be replaced as he has now found himself on the disabled list mid-game.

Josh Satin will need a replacement at first base and Omar Quintanilla will need a replacement at shortstop because they, too, are playing for the Mets today.

I wish you luck if you choose to keep score during this game.  As Keith Hernandez might say, get your highlighters ready.

He's Always The Best

There is nothing like coming home from a long day of work orientation to some good baseball news. The Mets won but that wasn't even the best part. 

Mike Nickeas doubled in the 14th inning and scored the only run of the game in the Bisons 1-0 walk off win. I enjoy when Mike does well more than anything else in baseball. He plays better when he plays more often so hopefully he'll get more consistent playing time. 

Thanks for the great game, Mike!