Bleacher Report - Articles by William Henry Jones

The Truth About Citi Field

William Henry Jones — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:26:03 -0400

Let’s get one thing straight from the start: Citi Field is a lot nicer than Shea Stadium. But then again, so are most garbage dumps. While some of my greatest memories occurred at Shea Stadium it was time for a new ballpark.

I had high expectations based on the newer ballparks I had already seen and from what I had read about the planned Citi Field. Unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed.

I got off the subway and was going to enter via the nearest entrance, the Jackie Robinson Rotunda. This is the main entrance that was designed to resemble Ebbets Field, the home ballpark of Jackie Robinson and a Dodger team that abandoned New York.

I arrived early so I could look at the statues of all the old Mets and tributes to the two world championship teams. None were to be found. This would have been a great entrance for a new Dodger stadium, not the new home of the New York Mets.

The entrance seemed crowded so I looked for an alternative but the nest closest entrances to the Robinson Rotunda (which is directly behind home plate) was located on either side near the foul poles.

That’s right, from one foul pole to the other, just one entrance. There are three entrances on 126th Street (the outfield) which is accessible to none of the mass transit or most of the parking lots.

When I finally got in I noticed that there was only one escalator to the next level. After getting to the first level, to get to the upper deck (called the Promenade Level), you can either wait for an elevator (and wait, and wait and wait), or you can walk halfway between either third base or first base and the foul pole to the next single escalator, or walk up several flights of stairs.

This results in overcrowding on the lower level as everyone is funneled through this area.

As an alternative, you might as well walk to one of the outfield entrances, since you’re going to wind up there anyway no matter which entrance you use.

I had heard about all the new food options, so I thought I would check it out. For the most part, it’s the same as Shea. There are a few newer options in the outfield, but the lines were so long I didn’t want to be bothered.

Waiting on such a long line for something I can get outside the stadium for much cheaper hardly seemed like a wise investment of time.

One improvement is the pizza. They took a local pizza place and let them have the concession, and it’s probably the best ballpark pizza I have ever had. But at $5.75 a slice, I don’t expect to be eating much of it.

The lines for most of the concession stands are not that long, probably because it’s the same 45 year old menu and people must be tired of the prices and the food.

In the promenade level, there is a very nice food court behind home plate that has benches, restrooms, a team store, and lots of space. They did a very nice job on that part of the stadium. What was omitted from Citi Field is the fresh popcorn that they used to sell at Shea. Now all you can get is the pre-packaged popcorn, which I can live without.

The promenade level has for certain ticket holders the “Promenade Club.” I went in once to check it out. It’s nothing special, some much overpriced deli sandwiches, alcoholic beverages, and pretzels.

What they don’t have is seats. One day when it started raining I thought I would watch the end of the game there, but there was one problem, you can’t see home plate!! Nice planning, Mr. Wilpon.

Also, don’t bother looking for ushers in the promenade level; they don’t have any. I sit in the Promenade Club seats (first four rows) and every time I get up for any reason I have to chase somebody out of my seat when I return. Also, in the Promenade Reserved level, many seats have obstructed views. Just Google Citi Field and you’ll see for yourself.

The scoreboards are just plain horrible. The advertising on the two main scoreboards are excessive, obnoxious and over the top. It seems like someone as an afterthought decided that maybe they would put a scoreboard in the middle of the abundance of outfield billboards. It is so cheap looking it can hardly be described.

The Caesars level is much nicer, if you don’t mind spending between $70 - $250 per game. The Caesars Club is quite nice, but pointless. It has good food, very comfortable couches, very clean bathrooms, carpeting and wide screen HDTV’s.

But why would anyone want to spend that kind of money and spend any time during the game there? I can sit in my living room and get the same amenities for free.

Included with the lower levels is access to the VIP entrance which is located slightly to the left or right of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda. They have short lines so I thought I would try it. I got inside and was directed to an elevator. After waiting for over five minutes I asked if there was an escalator or stair case I could use. I was told no!

The wider seats that the Mets were saying Citi Field would have are probably in the lower level. They certainly are not in the Promenade level. The space between the rows don’t seem to be any bigger than Shea either. And the claim that you can see the game while standing at the concession area is too ridiculous to even talk about.

I’m sure the lower level seats and the suites are quite nice, but I’ll never know. I’d never spend the kind of money the Wilpons are asking for those seats to find out. And from what I see, it seems that most people aren’t willing to spend that money. Suites and lower level sections are consistently empty.

It doesn’t seem that outside of the suite level and expensive restaurants and clubs, much thought was put into the planning of this stadium. And unfortunately, we’re stuck with it. If this was the best they could do, they might as well left Shea standing. This is New York; the Mets could have and should have done much better.

Should Sean Williams Get a Babysitter?

William Henry Jones — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:44:35 -0400

Maybe the New Jersey Nets should hire a babysitter for Sean Williams.

They should call it something else so he will agree to it. He would not be the first player or the last to have this type of need. For example, Elijah Dukes of the Washington Nationals has one.

For those of you who did not hear, Sean Williams, the very talented 22-year-old backup center for the Nets, was arrested in Denver and missed the game last night against the Nuggets.

According to a published report in the Washington Post, he got into an argument with a salesperson at a cell phone store and tossed a monitor.

I can understand how a person could get very angry dealing with some people at certain retail locations, but throwing a monitor is just a little over the top. Maybe shopping somewhere else or possibly canceling his account with the provider would have been a more appropriate response.

I am not judging Williams. Based on what I have heard and seen of him on television, he seems to be a very nice and respectable young man.

I cannot relate to what it feels like to be thrown into the limelight at such a young age, so I can't say how I would react.

Most players adapt to being in the public eye better than others. I think it is up to the team to see who the potential problems are and work out solutions before the player spends a game in central booking, not after.

Williams had some problems in college and had an incident at Boston College a few weeks ago. The charges were dropped in that case.

I think based on his past history, the Nets now have enough information to suggest that they need to take action.

Each person is responsible for himself, but as a member of the "Nets Family", like any other employer, they should assist those within their organization who need help. I am hoping that Williams gets his act together for his sake, the sake of the Nets, and their fans.

Williams is in his second year with the team and has demonstrated great defensive skills and great potential. I am hoping that any off-court issues he has will not hurt the team in the future, and he is able to resolve these issues.

No one could know for sure if the Nets would have won last night if Williams had been there. With starting point guard Devon Harris injured, the last thing the Nets needed was to be short another player. Williams' presence would have been a big plus last night.

New Jersey Nets' Surprising Turnaround Season Already a Success

William Henry Jones — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:06:40 -0400

Depending on which preseason prediction you read, the New Jersey Nets were expected to be somewhere between out of the playoffs to 30th in the NBA this season.

But here we are in the home stretch, and after playing 63 games the Nets are one game behind the Chicago Bulls for the eighth playoff spot in the in the Eastern Conference.

They are seven games under .500 after beating the New York Knicks Sunday night 106-101 at the Izod Center.

What makes this so extraordinary is that after trading Jefferson during the offseason and Jason Kidd during last season, this was thought to be a rebuilding year. Maybe it was, but somebody forgot to tell head coach Lawrence Frank and the players.

The starting point for this season's success is Nets is All-Star point guard Devin Harris, who is averaging 22.3 points per game and is 10th in the NBA in that category. Completing the highest-scoring backcourt in the NBA is Vince Carter, who with his 20.7 PPG average is 18th in the league.

Harris was obtained from Dallas in a trade last season for Jason Kidd—who at the age of 35 looks as though his best days are behind him, while the 26 year old Harris still has the better part of his career in front of him. The fans showed their gratitude for Dallas owner Marks Cubans last season’s panic move by chanting “thank you Cuban” when Dallas visited the Izod this season.

The center position for the Nets has gotten very strong, When third-year starting center Josh Boone got hurt earlier in the season the Nets turned to their seven-foot first-round pick rookie center Brook Lopez. He is averaging 12.5 points and 8.1 rebounds and has started every game since Boone got hurt. He seems to be gaining confidence every game, and at 20 years old looks like he could develop into one of the league’s premier centers.

The power forward position is still a question mark. Yi Jianlian—in his second year in the NBA—at times seems lost on the court. His 9.7 ppg average is probably less than Coach Frank was hoping for. Earlier in the season he appeared to be gaining momentum, but during the 37th game of the season while on the road in Milwaukee against his former team he was injured and missed 16 games.

This seemed to slow down his progress and the team’s ability to win. The Nets went 6-10 during his absence.

Assuming that he really is only 21 years old there could be a lot of potential in Yi. Either the Nets felt that at the age of 28 Richard Jefferson, whom the Nets traded to get Yi, had peaked and there was more of a future in Yi—or maybe it was a pure salary dump. Like many teams, the Nets are trying to clear cap space for the 2010 LeBron sweepstakes.

Last season them Nets had a very weak bench. This problem was definitely solved this season. Boone, after being demoted to backup center, was demoted again when Sean Williams was released from Coach Frank’s doghouse. Williams has performed very well as the new backup center, especially on defense.

Since Williams was inserted into the rotation, the Nets are 4-3—with the three losses coming to New Orleans, Boston, and Orlando by combined 10 points. Williams is only in his second season and after his recent stint in the D-league appears to be ready for prime time.

Also on the Nets bench are Jarvis Hayes and Keyon Dooling, who are averaging about 18 points between them. When Dooling is in the game very often the Nets move Harris to the two guard and Carter to the small-forward spot, which seems to be very effective.

And Dooling has hit some big three point shots in key situations. The bench is not costing the Nets wins this season.

Rookie Ryan Anderson has definitely made significant contributions as a starter and as a backup. However, his inconsistency, coupled with the return of Yi, has earned him a spot on the bench next to Josh Boone and rookie Chris Douglas-Roberts—who has touched the ball less than the ball boys have. Anderson adds depth to the Nets bench for when he is called upon again.

Putting this all together it appears that the Nets have a great shot at the playoffs. On paper it seems more than likely that if they made the playoffs they would be eliminated in four by whichever of the big three win the Eastern Conference.

But remember,—last season the eighth-seeded Atlanta Hawks took the eventual-champion Boston Celtics to seven games in the first round before losing. And in 2007, Golden State as the eighth seed eliminated number-one Dallas in the first round of the Western Conference in six games. Nothing can be assumed in the playoffs.

While nobody is suggesting that the Nets can or will become the NBA champions this season, they certainly are over achieving based on preseason predictions. Regardless of what happens this season, they have managed to stay competitive, rebuild, clear salary cap space and play exciting basketball.

New Jersey Nets fans can’t ask for more.

New Jersey Nets' Sean Williams: Is He the Answer?

William Henry Jones — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 10:14:19 -0500

These are the games that keep you coming back. These are the games sports enthusiasts live for. A buzzer beater by Devon Harris from almost mid-court with 1.8 seconds on the clock and no timeouts for the Nets remaining gave the Nets a 98-96 victory over the Philadelphia 76’ers.

The home crowd loved it!!

The game didn’t start out so well for the Nets who were trailing by 12 at the end of the first quarter. During the timeout I was pondering where the Nets would wind up in the draft lottery.

After out scoring the 76ers by 12 in the second quarter to tie the game up, I shifted my thoughts to which seed the Nets would get in the post season and how far they could go.

While Harris rightfully got all the attention and credit for yesterdays thrilling victory, it obviously goes much deeper than that. The turning point of the game came with 39 seconds to go in the first quarter when Coach Lawrence Frank inserted Sean Williams into the game for Brook Lopez while Josh Boone sat on the bench.

At the time Williams came in the score was 30-19. When Williams came out of the game with 5:01 left in the second the score was tied at 41. Williams contributed significantly to the Nets tremendous second quarter defense in which they only gave up 20 points.

I saw Boone sitting on the bench smiling through out the game. I’m not really sure what he is smiling about. I’d be pretty worried about my future if I were him. He was the opening day center and seemed to have the job locked up for the season until injury forced him out of the lineup early in the season.

Apparently he did little to impress anyone because when he came he had been demoted backup center.

Last night when Coach Frank went for his subs, Sean Williams got the call and Boone sat for the entire game. During the course of the season Boone has actually gone from starting center to watching a guy play who a couple weeks ago was facing an arrest warrant in Boston and who a month ago was in the D-league.

Before that, Williams was a permanent resident inside coach Frank's dog house.

I don’t know if this was a one shot deal with Williams being inserted and he is destined to sit the rest of the season on the bench or if this is a trend, but at least for yesterday, it seems to have worked.

The Nets are two games out of the playoffs right now with 25 games to play. The area half game behind the Chicago Bulls who they play at home on Wednesday night. If they should happen to make the playoffs, yesterday could be the game that turned them around.

Where is Omar Minaya's Pink Slip?

William Henry Jones — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:43:02 -0400

In my next life, I want to come back as Omar Minaya.

What a deal he has. He totally screws up the Mets, creates an old and overpaid team, makes crappy trades, and then, instead of getting fired, he fires his manager, Willie Randolph.

I’m not about to sit here and defend Willie Randolph. It didn’t appear that the players were responding to him, and somebody has to answer for last season's collapse. By why now? Why at 3:00 AM? Did Willie tell Omar that he needed 6,000 extra frequent-flier miles?

If Randolph had been fired five minutes after last season ended, nobody would have been surprised, and nobody would have cared. In fact, with anger levels where they were, the move probably would have been applauded.

Had he been fired this season, during one of the many losing streaks this team had, the reaction would have been minimal. But Minaya and the Wilpons, by firing Willie one day into a west-coast trip after a win, have sunk to a new low, even for the Mets. M. Donald Grant couldn’t have done worse.

But the question remains, why fire Willie and leave Minaya in charge? Look at the disaster called the New York Mets that Willie was given to work with.

Starting at first base, they have a 36-year old who doesn’t care about anything more than cashing his paycheck. He dives for nothing, never hustles in the field or out of the batters box, and has become pretty useless offensively.

The outfield is a real mess. Minaya gave Willie a 42-year old who makes Cliff Floyd seem durable. Alou has spent more time on the DL since joining the Mets than he has on the field.

The answer in right field is a guy who gets a concussion every time his head hits his pillow. I can’t blame that on Minaya, but it’s not Randolph's fault either.

And let’s not forget about Omar's youth movement on the pitchers mound. A 39-year old (maybe) El Duque and a 37-year old Pedro, who left his best years in Boston. Maybe Omar would like to pick up Clemens while he’s at it.

The bullpen, as we have seen with such superstars as Aaron Heilman and Scott Schoenweis, is a total train wreck. And let’s not forget Billy Wagner, who likes to point fingers at teammates when he’s not busy blowing saves.

In my opinion, Casey Stengel in his prime couldn’t have managed this team into the postseason. This is the team Omar Minaya built, and he should have been the one held accountable.

Part of the blame has to go to the owner Fred Wilpon and his baseball-challenged son, Jeff. They are the ones who approved these trades; they are the ones who approved trading away young players and bloating the payroll with old players.

I guess they’ve been too busy lately, screwing the taxpayers with their tax-exempt bonds they are using to build luxury boxes, to notice that the team is sinking.

It was rumored that Nelson Doubleday was bought out of his Mets ownership interest because he objected to Wilpon spending his money like a drunken sailor. I find that easy to believe. The Wilpons are clueless. I’m wondering if their next move will be to fire Minaya and replace him with Isiah Thomas.

I think Willie could have done a better job in certain respects, but it is wrong to scapegoat him for this dismal failure of a team. At best, he gets as assist for once again having the worst team that money can buy.

It's Only May: The New York Mets Will Be Fine

William Henry Jones — Sun, 18 May 2008 17:48:25 -0400

It wasn’t exactly a sweep of the Yankees. Friday’s game was rained out, so we’ll have to wait until the third game is played to take out the brooms. But Mets fans can feel good for another reason; they have a great team, that by the time the season is over, will be fine. Forget all this “fire Willie” garbage. He’ll be drinking champagne with the rest of the team in October.

Pitching is the backbone of any great team. Santana speaks for himself. It’s true that Pelfrey lost his last two starts, but he pitched very well, especially in his last start, which could have been a win had Castillo and Wright bothered running the bases. Perez pitched a great game Sunday night against the Yankees, and showed that he could be back to last year's form, when he was a 15-game winner.

Maine has pitched consistently well all season, and then of course, there’s Pedro. He should be back in a few weeks. If he can last the rest of the season, then the Mets have one of the best starting five in baseball.

The trade with the Nationals, the one that everyone in New York hated, now appears to be a steal for the Mets. Milledge is doing nothing for Washington, while Church is lighting it up in New York with nine home runs, 32 RBI, and a .307 batting average.

Schneider is batting .297 and playing excellent defense. Delgado is a reason to be concerned, but he seems to be hitting better of late. And of course they’ll take what ever they can get out of Alou while he’s still healthy.

While the Mets have had some problems with middle relief, if the starters can start eating more innings like Perez did on Sunday, that should solve some of the bullpen problems. A lot of their problems were from being used too much. Wagner has been just about perfect as a closer.

Chemistry looks like it may be a problem. Wagner needs to count to 10 before he talks. Nothing is solved when he opens his big mouth. I shouldn’t know that he’s upset with a pitcher not lasting two innings, or that he’s upset with players not answering to the vicious New York media.

That should be taken care of internally. Randolph has to learn how to shut him up. But I do appreciate what Wagner was saying, it’s not fun to answer to the media, but he’s right, it shouldn’t fall on one player’s shoulders.

The Mets look like 25 guys who are at work, not like 25 guys out there having fun. It also seems like the attitude has spilled into the stands. I don’t have any official stats to back this up, but it seems like the Mets are leading the league in no-shows. The weather hasn’t been great, but there are days where it seems like there are more no-shows than fans.

It also seems pretty quiet out there. I can actually hear my cell phone ringing during the games, except when the PA systems blasts out an “everybody clap your hands” (I’m really learning to hate that guy), or if “Cowbell man” is in my section banging away.

The knee jerk reaction is to fire Willie, but what would that serve? The rumor mill had him gone if the Mets did poorly against the Yankees. Is it his laid back style that has everyone so upset? What would be solved by bringing in a Lou Pinella-type, to kick dirt and bust up a few water coolers? A busted cooler or a tossed out manager won’t solve Delgado’s hitting problems, and it won’t make Heilman pitch better. A little more fan support probably wouldn’t hurt Heilman.

The bottom line is that the Mets have not played great baseball. There is plenty of room for improvement. And with all the problems they’ve had, they are only one game out of first, and they are tied in the loss column. On paper, they have a great team. Now all they have to do is transfer some of the great onto the field.

Phillies-Mets: Jose Reyes Collides with Chase Utley

William Henry Jones — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:35:21 -0400

During the third inning of last Fridays night's game between the Phillies and the Mets, Jose Reyes was shaken up after diving head first into second base and jamming his head into Chase Utley's knee. He walked it off and was OK, this time.

Why do players insist on diving into a base when a traditional feet first slide would suffice? I'm sure Utley wasn't complaining. Given the choice I'm quite sure he would prefer Reyes head plowing into his knee than one of Reyes' spikes.

It has been documented time and again that a head first dive does not increase ones chances of being safe. But we do know that it increases the chance of injury. Players have been told this but they continue to dive every chance they get. Perhaps it's the "Sports Center" effect? I'll admit, a dive looks a lot cooler than a feet first slide. But is the game about self promotion or about winning championships?

When a player gets himself hurt diving into a bag, the team and the fans are the ones who suffer when the player is not available to play. Also, to a certain extent the networks who underwrite our national pastime lose when a start player is injured during a premier national telecast.

The solution to this problem is easy. During the next collective bargaining negotiation, put a clause in the contract that says that a player injured while diving head first into a base will not be paid for any games missed during his his injury. If that were the case, watch how quick Jose Reyes calls up one of the players from the 60's and hires him to coach him on a feet first slide. Which player making 12 million a year will dive into a bag knowing that stunt will cost him about $370,000? Is 5 seconds on Sports Center worth $74k per second???

Players like Reyes are more than happy to take a chance when they have nothing to lose. Let them chance their own money and see if the still want to dive.