Bleacher Report - Articles by Randy Medina

Point of Contention: Mets' Streak of Relevance Quietly Coming To an End

Randy Medina — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:28:47 -0400

As days start to drop off the calendar and the Phillies begin to pull further out of reach, it is becoming painfully obvious that this will be a lost season for the Mets.

But quietly, amidst all the other stories of the 2009 Mets season, there is another streak that looks to be coming to an end this year. A streak that perhaps no one other than myself is aware of...or even cares about.

Because of all their grand collapses and tragic endings, Mets fans may not be aware that the Mets have enjoyed a strange and rare period of, dare I say it, prosperity.

Only once before in the franchise’s history has the team been this competitive for this long a stretch. (644 games in 98-01) I can see some of your eyes rolling even as I type this. Allow me to clarify.

Do you remember the last time you went to the ballpark and the Mets were completely out of the post season hunt? To do this you’d have to go back to September, 2005.

Since opening day 2006, not counting the Pre & Post-Season, the Mets have walked into the clubhouse and suited up with at the very least a chance of going to the playoffs for 577 consecutive games. No Mets team in the history of the franchise can say that.

As fans, when we clicked the turnstiles at Shea and Citi Field for the last four years, we entered the building knowing that the Mets were division champs or had a shot to get into the playoffs. When we flipped on the TV or radio to catch a game, we knew it meant something. Not one game played has been meaningless.

Not even the championship teams of '69 and '86 were that consistently good. The wild card does play a role, but the fact is that as Mets fans, we’ve been spoiled. As spoiled as you can be in Metsville.

I grew up going to a lot, and I mean A LOT of meaningless Mets games in the late '80s and '90s. It will be sad to see those days return.

This is not meant to be a testament to Omar Minaya or the Wilpons. I have plenty of issues with them, but this is not the time for that. I wanted to remind people that despite collapses and other shortcomings, they have spent every game of the last four years in the fight.

For that, I tip my cap to the 2006-2009 New York Mets. You never did quite make it to the mountaintop, but it has been one heck of a ride.

Fred Wilpon: Cheap or Just an Idiot?

Randy Medina — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:25:50 -0400

Last night, in section 534 in the upper de...errr...I mean Promenade at Citi Field, I got into an interesting debate about Mets owner Fred Wilpon. The gentleman sitting in front of me contended that Fred "Coupon" is a cheap owner while I contend that he is not necessarily a cheapskate, just an idiot.

First of all, I just wanted to go on record saying that the whole "Coupon" nickname drives me crazy. It was cute for a while, but now it just sounds childish and silly when I hear fans say it. Plus, every fan that uses it acts like they invented it, but I digress.

Secondly, please understand that I know that Wilpon and his staff are all very intelligent, educated people. The point I am trying to argue is that when it comes to understanding his fanbase, or as Wilpon would prefer, his customer base, he is an idiot.

My counterpart argued that the Met's lack of recent signings is a sign that he is cheap. I disagree. After all, our payroll is still near the top of the list. While there were free agents who the Mets mysteriously passed on, I think that is more a function of money foolishly misallocated by our GM.

I argue that this proves that, relative to running a team, Wilpon is simply an idiot. He hired a GM who could not make proper decisions on contracts and continues to stick by him.

I think the lack of Mets history in the ballpark further proves his idiocy. I don't think that Wilpon maliciously decided to exclude any Mets flavor from the ballpark. I just think no one ever bothered to think about it because when it comes to understanding the wants of their fans, they are simply too idiotic to have someone advising them.

Fred wanted his Ebbets Field, and I respect that, but he needed to have the common sense to hire someone (me perhaps?) to be in his ear saying, "Great, let's do that, but let's also do this."

We continued our debate on our way out of the park as we walked down the stairs. For those who have never had the pleasure, the stairwells at Citi Field are these unfinished ugly things that are screaming for decoration or at the very least a coat of blue and orange paint.

My counterpart once again argued that Wilpon was too cheap and would not spend the money on the paint.

Again, I believe Wilpon would gladly do it if anyone on his staff would have simply explained why. But there is no one there to say, "Hey, let's give these walls some color. Maybe a mural or some great Mets moments?"

Why?

The people he has making these decisions are idiots, directly appointed by the head idiot. These people probably never leave the Acela or Caesars club long enough to ever notice anyway.

What do you think?

Who is right?

Is anyone right?

Maybe Fred Wilpon is the greatest owner in team history, and I am too big of an idiot to notice?

A Riddle Wrapped In An Enigma Wrapped In A Mexican: Why I Love Ollie

Randy Medina — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:08:01 -0400

Oliver Perez is back in the Mets rotation and I couldn’t be happier.

Before we get too far, let’s make a few things clear.

Yes, I realize Oliver Perez is nothing better than a mediocre pitcher.

Yes, I realize he is a walk machine.

Yes, I realize he is overpaid.

But since when has talent been the only reason to root for a guy. I have a long history of rooting for some of the worst Mets so if you’re going to try and convince me to dislike Ollie I wish you good luck.

It will not be easy to convince a guy who has spent the last decade rooting for the likes of Matt Franco, Chris Jones, Jose Vizcaino, Carlos Baerga, Carl Everett & Tsuyoshi Shinjo to name a few.

So how could someone honestly like Oliver Perez? Let me explain:

1) He tries

No matter what Ollie is doing, he is doing it at 400 mph with his hair on fire. Even when he is imploding on the mound he is working hard at imploding. There’s something to be said about that. I’m not sure what that would be but there must be something to be said about that… right?

2) He’s got style

Whether it’s his delivery, his body language or his Mohawk, Ollie has style. When he’s on the mound there is no mistaking him.

3) He’s got stuff

Ollie has wicked stuff when he’s not walking the ballpark. Some nights, the hitters have no idea what his pitches are doing. Unfortunately, on many nights, neither does Ollie.

4) He thinks he can hit

Watching Ollie at the plate last night was one of the rare happy moments of the season for me. Watching him stand there all crouched over fidgeting with the bat just brought a smile to my face. This guy wants to succeed. He’s not going to, but he wants to.

So before I head out to Citi field tonight in my #46 jersey, I will leave you with this.

Ollie is flawed.

Ollie is overpaid.

Ollie is over-hyped.

Ollie is the Mets.

But…

Ollie does have talent.

Ollie wants to win.

Ollie will die trying.

Ollie is the Mets.

My name is Randy Medina, and I love Ollie Perez.

Jerry Manuel Scolds Mets About TPS Reports

Randy Medina — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:17:09 -0400

“Ahh, I'm also going to need you to go ahead and come in on Sunday, too. We, uhhh, lost some people this week and we sorta need to play catch-up. Thanks!”

-Bill Lumberg “Office Space”

It’s that time of the season again. It’s time for the super secret closed door meeting where Jerry Manuel locks the clubhouse door and reminds the Mets about why they need to put cover sheets on their TPS reports.

Do these meetings do anything? The Mets won yesterday. Maybe they should have a meeting before every game. What is really said in these meetings? Does the manager have to remind the million dollar ballplayers how to throw, catch and hit a baseball?

If you ask me, they are just using these closed door meetings as an excuse to bring “exotic” entertainers into the clubhouse. I’m sure somebody on the team still has Lenny Harris’ phone number. For all we know they are having a poker tournament in there.

Because we never get to see these meetings we are forced to use our imaginations. I like to imagine Jerry Manuel walking around the clubhouse with his coffee in hand giving Bill Lumberg style pep talks to his players.

“Uhhh yeah listen David. If you could um make sure your throws actually reach the first baseman that would be great.”

“You see Fernando if you could try to just umm…make one or fewer outs when batting instead of the usual two we would really appreciate that.”

“Gary, I'm going to need you to go ahead and play on Sunday too. You see we umm lost some players this week and we need to sort of play catch up.”

“You should always ask yourself; Is this good for the team?”

Whatever went on in the clubhouse, the real winners are sports radio and TV hosts as they should be able to stretch this farce into at least two days of pontification about whether this was the right time to have the meeting. Should it have been sooner?

No championship is ever won in a meeting. If the Mets can turn their season around it will be done on the field and not in a meeting room.

But hey, I guess this is New York and we need something to talk about.

Which reminds me, this Friday will be Hawaiian Shirt Day. So feel free to wear a Hawaiian shirt...and jeans.

New York Mets Fall to Yankees But Defeat Scalpers

Randy Medina — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 14:58:28 -0400

"Will you sign my magazine?"
"Aww, sure thing, sweetie. Who should I make it out to?"
"Well…uh…to eBay?"
"That's a popular name today!"

-From Futurama

New New York Mets Pitcher Turanga Leela meets her fans.

The Amazin’s were no match for the Bronx Bombers last night at Citi Field, but despite the defeat on the field, the Mets won a larger battle at the box office.

The Mets have finally found a way to end ticket scalping as we know it, and all they had to do was price everyone out of the ballpark to do it.

We have often complained that tickets to our favorite teams were too often gobbled up by brokers and scalpers and too difficult to get for a reasonable price.

Well the Mets front office heard our cries and did something about it. By charging scalper prices for every seat in the house, the Mets eliminated the middle man and have assured that any fan can walk up to the box office this weekend and purchase a ticket at the fan-friendly price of just $160 & up.

There is one practical upside to this though. Stubhub and eBay are now THE place to get Mets tickets for non-Subway Series games as people are realizing you can’t even get face value for Mets tickets and selling them off for whatever they can get.

Way to go, Metsies!

You have shown us that when you put your mind to it you can solve a problem that has plagued sports fans for all too long, and all you had to do to achieve it was become worse than the scalpers themselves.

Bravo!

Subway Series: Mets Fans Get Ike'd Again!

Randy Medina — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:04:18 -0400

It's the same thing over and over again.

"They'll change," you say.

"They don't mean to hurt me."

"They love me."

"You just don't know them like I do."

"You'll see."

For a while you are right. Things do get a little better. They're not great, but a little better.

Then suddenly and out of nowhere...POW!!! They do it to you again. You are left crushed & broken into a thousand tiny pieces—left to put yourself back together again.

You'll do it too.

It won't be easy but you'll get up off the floor and start putting the pieces back together. Tougher now. Hardened by the experience, you tell yourself you won't let it happen again. You are sure of this.

Only it does.

You'll go back. Lured in by the promise of bobbleheads or dollar hot dog night, you will go back. And it will happen again, just like it happened on the night of June 12, 2009.

You will make excuses for them, because in some sick twisted way you love them.

"The lights were in his eyes."

"The wind got it."

"It was that damned digital TV switch-over."

And the next night you'll be back in the arms of your abuser. All will be forgiven, until the next time it happens.

You are a Mets fan.

****Disclaimer*****

Despite my lighthearted satire, abuse is no laughing matter. If your team is abusing you, call (718) 507-TIXX to speak to someone right away. Have a credit card ready.

New York Mets: Stop This Train. I Want To Get Off

Randy Medina — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:54:56 -0400

Let’s make one thing clear: I have never been a fan of the Subway Series. Growing up, the Mets were the Mets and the Yankees were the Yankees and never the two shall meet.

Nothing is going to change what these teams are. No amount of Mets victories is ever going to wash away the ***yawn*** “storied” history of the Yankees. The Mets will always be New York’s other team and if that isn’t good enough for you as a Mets fan, you are in for some real disappointment in your life.

The Yankees' 60-year head start on the Mets has all but guaranteed that this will always be Yankee country to many. The Mets can rise up and borrow the town from time to time as they did in the '80s but at some point they will always have to hand the keys back over to big brother.

When interleague play came to be, the Mets/Yankees matchups were interesting enough, but as a ticket holding fan, I began to see signs that this wasn’t for me.

It became clear that for many people, these Subway Series games are the only baseball games they attend all year, and the majority of “fans” are there just to get in each others faces in the most obnoxious ways possible.

You end up with two stadiums full of people who have no idea what they are doing at a ballgame and for a grumpy old fan (30 years old in Mets years is like 125 Kansas City Royals years) like myself it can be more than bit annoying.

That being said, it’s just a few games a year and I can let that slide. I began avoiding these games like the plague and selling off tickets whenever possible. When I did go I at least knew what I was in for and so it was easier to deal with.

What has finally pushed me over the edge with this marketing ploy gone awry is what the teams are now doing to fleece their fans. Both the Yankees and Mets are using every dirty trick in the book to sell these tickets.

So much so that it wouldn’t surprise me to find out that some of these sellers on eBay and Stubhub are actually the Mets themselves (I’m looking at you Fregosi62). From lotteries to $1000 “value” packs, we fans are being taken to the cleaners more often then a rental tux.

Let’s face facts:

The Mets don’t care that they are playing the Yankees.

The Yankees don’t care that they are playing the Mets.

The owners don’t care about you either.

Blue and Orange doesn’t matter.

Navy and White doesn’t matter.

The only thing that seems to matter around here is green.

Enjoy the series.

Mets Fans, Are You Not Entertained?

Randy Medina — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:07:40 -0400

Today, I’ll keep things short and sweet.

Remember this day, Mets fans: June 10, 2009.

This was the day you had nothing to complain about. As fans we have spent the last few seasons dissecting this team for flaws and we always find at least one.

To be honest, I am sure if you really go over last night's 6-5 victory over the Phils you will find a few warts, but if you choose to do so, you will be missing the point of last night's win.

The Mets played with fire: Johan and Frankie saw to that.

They played with heart: They blew the lead but fought to get it back.

They played with power: The team brought three home runs to the invincible Citi Field.

They played as a team: They fought to get the win for their ace, who they too often have failed to support.

Last night was everything we’ve been screaming for and more. Heck, even Razor Shines had his best game of the year, learning to throw up the stop sign that has eluded him so often this year.

Last night does not solve the Mets' problems. It does not heal their injuries. It does not mean they are in the clear. There will be plenty more bumps on the road this season. That is why today is so important for Mets fans.

We took on the World Chumps and gave them all they could handle and more. It’s only one game. But what a game!

Stick out your chests today, Mets fans, and be proud of your guys. These kind of days haven’t come around very often lately.

Coming Soon...Mets at the Movies III: The Search for Jose

Randy Medina — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:09:10 -0400

In a world where tendons tear like paper...

Where hamstrings can pop at a moments notice...

Where the next career ending injury is only one slide away...

From the creators of Turn Ahead The Clock Night comes...

METS AT THE MOVIES III: THE SEARCH FOR OUR OPENING DAY ROSTER

Let's be honest, I complain about a lot of things the Mets front office gets wrong in my writings.

Therefore, in the interest of equal time, I should also take a minute to praise something the team has very clearly gotten right. I am speaking, of course, about Mets at the Movies.

Those that know me well know that movies and baseball rank very high among my passions. The Mets have managed to combine the two, and in what may come as a surprise to many: They actually got it right!

To those of you who are unfamiliar with MATM, it is a once—a—season event where the Mets rent out Manhattan's fabulous Ziegfeld Theater and turn it into a mini stadium where a thousand or so fans can watch an away game on the big screen with all the comforts of Shea/Citi Field.

Aramark brings their vendors so you can get beer, peanuts and hot dogs while you watch the game, as well as more traditional movie snacks at the theater snack bar.

The Mets bring their sound effects team so the occasional organ music or signature Let's Go Mets drumbeat will come on during a Mets rally. Batter walk-up music is occasionally played for big at-bats.

There are T-shirt launches, trivia contests, and more. Basically, anything you would find at Citi Field is replicated at the theater, Lazy Mary included.

There is something incredibly sublime about watching a game in a movie theater with 1,000 or so Mets fans that you have to experience to fully grasp. After a while you forget that you are not at a live event.

At my first MATM in 2007, I expected to sit there and quietly and watch the game but by the third inning I was shouting at the screen and I wasn't alone. It's cheesy, corny, and maybe even a little sad, but make no mistake—it is fun.

In between innings, SNY brings out guests for interviews and Q & A sessions. Guests usually include former Mets players and on—air personalities.

It is also fairly cheap. Tickets are $12 a pop—more like $15 after fees—but in past years the Mets have gone out of their way to give you your money's worth before you even step through the door.

In 2007, at the first MATM, the Mets gave out gift bags at the door that included Mets swag and two tickets to a future game at Shea.

At Mets at The Movies 2: Electric Boogaloo in 2008 everyone got a Mets yearbook at the door, which was worth more than the face value of the ticket. Not to mention all the prizes you can win inside.

You actually have a fighting chance in a T-shirt launch when it's just 1000 people in a theater. Last year my fiancee and I left with two yearbooks, two Shea T—shirts, and two fleece blankets.

So, at the risk of sounding like too much of commercial for this event, all I can say is if you have nothing to do on June 17, come on down to the Ziegfeld Theatre in midtown Manhattan and check out Mets At The Movies.

It is a truly different baseball experience that you can only find in the Big Apple and the kind of promotion only the Mets would do.

As an added bonus, if you find me there, I will be autographing printed copies of my Bleacher Report articles, provided you bring the printed article...and a pen.

So hopefully I'll see you at the movies. Until then, the balcony is closed.

New York Mets Fans: Cherish This Fabulous Disaster

Randy Medina — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 09:53:55 -0400

If I win...

Everybody will say, "Well, of course he won.

He's a top-ranked player."

But if I lose...

You won't lose, Josh.

What if I do?

You won't.

I'm afraid I might.

—From the film Searching for Bobby Fischer

Expectations can be a funny thing. In small healthy doses, they provide goals and motivation. But when expectations begin to get out of control, they pile up until the foundation can no longer support them and the whole thing comes crashing down.

As sports fans we often play a weird kind of psychological Jenga with our team.

We move and shift our hopes and expectations from place to place. What starts at the bottom eventually ends up at the top.

But at some point it gets out of control.

We start to believe we can get away with more than maybe we are ready for and eventually the whole thing ends up on the floor in pieces.

Enter the 2009 New York Mets.

They entered 2009 as a game of Jenga already balancing dangerously on a few shaky pieces and now they are a pile of wooden blocks waiting to be reassembled. Sounds like a disaster, right?

Maybe not.

So why do I feel so good? The simple answer: no more expectations.

All of a sudden I am free to enjoy the game again. I hope they win. I want them to win, but I no longer have the nagging voice in my head saying, “They’d BETTER win.”

As a fan am I taking my eyes off the prize? Maybe a little, but this healthy dose of reality has been liberating. I am enjoying games again and I think others are starting to feel it too.

Fans are throwing words like “battling” and “scrappy” around this team.

In baseball terms, this is how fans pay compliment to teams who they know aren’t really equipped to do any real damage. Kind of like when your female friend tells you how “adorable” or “cute” you are.

Heck we are one more injury away from being “pesky.”

This will not last, of course. Over time players will return, new ones will be imported, and new expectations will form.

So cherish these days Mets fans.

Take a step back off of that ledge and breathe in the feeling of freedom from expectations.

Forget about chasing the Phillies in the standings and the Yankees on the back pages for a few days and try to enjoy the game at its purest form.

Enjoy watching the 20-year-old kid in right make a name for himself before the media turns on him. Enjoy watching our center fielder and third baseman try to become leaders.

Try watching the game without the gorilla sitting on your chest.

Even if it only lasts for a week or so, it has been a long time since we could feel free around here.

Is It Time To Destroy The NY Sports Media?

Randy Medina — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:00:23 -0400

If your dad needs money, go ask Mickey Mantle. See what happens.

Mickey Mantle don’t care about you. Why care about him?

Nobody cares.

-Sonny "A Bronx Tale"

Ah, Sonny. So cynical—yet, so wise. Sonny may have been a murderous gangster, but even he understood the role of sports in society. Remember when sports was fun? Remember when you rooted for the laundry? Remember when you had no idea what a person's contract status was? Neither do I.

Let's face it, times have changed, and there is so much more to being a fan now. But does that mean we have to let go of the reason we started watching games in the first place? No more fun?

To one group in NY, it apparently does mean forgetting the fun. I am speaking of our beloved New York sports media.

I grew up on a healthy diet of "The Fan" here in NY. I used to listen for hours every day. These days, I can only stand a few minutes at a time. The reason? Lately, sports media has gotten so downright negative that it's a turn-off. It almost feels like so many of these "experts" are on a mission to suck all the fun out of enjoying the games.

Every defeat is a disaster, and every win must be dissected to illustrate the areas where the team could have lost. Why do we need such expert analysis? After all, I pay money to sit in a stadium and watch guys run around in a circle for three hours. If anything needs to be analyzed, it is my head.

If a fan wants to believe that his guys are better than the other guys, I say, let him. Logic and sports debate should never meet. The most fun sports debate comes from the weirdest places, and every good NY sports debate should always end with, "Hey, at least we aren't Boston."

Here's an average hour on any NY sports show.

:00 - :10 Host: I don't like Reyes' hair. It's hurting the team.

:10 - :30 Host plays GM for 20 minutes, citing all the 20/20 hindsight moves he would have made.

:30 - :40 Caller 1: I had a cold hot dog at the ballpark. It is a disgrace. Host: Agrees and chastises the team about the Hot Dog situation.

:40 - :50 Caller 2: We should get rid of the following guys. The caller then lists half of the current roster, including several All-Stars.

:50 - :60 Host explains why team will never win a game...ever.

Rinse. Repeat.

I realize it is not all the fault of these hosts. I know that salaries and prices continue to rise. I know that the owners and players continue to alienate fans with their antics. I know that the callers drive the topics, but it just seems like at no point is anyone enjoying themselves anymore. Everyone is angry at somebody.

There are a few good ones out there. Steve Somers jumps to mind. Many of you out there may not enjoy him, but, to me, there is nothing better than when the Mets beat the Nats 2-1, and "The Schmoozer" gets on the air and predicts a world championship. Actually, scratch that. The only thing better than that is when someone who doesn't get his shtick calls in and tries to talk sense into him, not realizing that the man is just HAVING FUN.

Remember fun? It's that thing sports fans used to have.

Re-Imagining Citi Field for 2010: Three Changes to Improve the Ballpark

Randy Medina — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:31:44 -0400

Citi Field has come under a lot of criticism both fairly and unfairly for not doing enough to honor the Mets and their history. In my own trips to Citi Field I have identified a few changes I would like to make to better make the ballpark feel like home. Using my limited photoshop abilities I will attempt to illustrate these ideas for you. So without further ado, here are three things I would like to see at Citi Field in 2010...

Begin Slideshow

Want To See The Subway Series? All You Need Is a Little Bit Of Luck

Randy Medina — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:35:20 -0400

Well, here we go again. In what is my best guess an effort to reduce the amount of ticket scalping going on on the Internet, the upcoming Mets/Yankees subway series tickets are going into a lottery system.

The lottery system has got to be one of the absolute worse atrocities that teams have committed against their fans in recent years. The Mets are not alone in this, as many teams have gone to this system.

What makes the lottery so unfortunate is that, when combined with the Internet, it opens up the system to the entire world.

On the surface, it would seem that you are going into a lottery with 100,000 or so other Mets fans for a shot at a few thousand tickets. which at least gives some glimmer of hope. However, the fact is, you are going against millions of people across the nation who are out to score these at face value so they can flip them for easily double what they are worth if not more.

I have friends who signed up for every MLB lottery so they could flip tickets for teams thousands of miles away. There's something just not right about that.

As a 15-game plan holder with two seats, my $700 investment in the team is worth no more than Joe the Plumber in the eyes of the lottery.

At first glance, it would seem that it is capitalism at it's best, and if we were talking about municipal bonds I might be inclined to agree. However, isn't the end result going to see a ballgame?

Why should a guy in Wyoming with an eBay account at the ready be afforded the same shot at tickets as someone with a Mets ticket account who actually goes to the games. It boggles the mind.

Earlier this year, I wanted to take my fiancee to a Yankees home game. I ended up buying the tickets on-line...FROM A GUY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE!

If the Mets are dead set on the lottery system, let me at least suggest they create their pool of entries from the people who have bought at least one ticket from the Mets over the past year. I don't mind having the same amount of ping pong balls as a dad who takes his kid to one game.

At least then, in theory, the tickets go to a Mets or even a Yankees fan. Even if they flip the tickets, at least the money stays in NY. Failing that, they could always go back the old method of selling these games at the ballpark ticket window only and let people line up when they go on sale in the winter.

If the guy from Wyoming wants to drive to Flushing and get on line, then he deserves his tix.

But all is not lost in the current scenario. At the very least, it teaches us a lesson in probability.

Let's give a low number and say the Mets get two million entries into their lottery. This gives you a one in two million chance of scoring a ticket. (I realize the numbers vary depending on tickets offered but lets just run with this.)

Given those 2,000,000/1 odds, here is a list of things more likely to happen to you:

Dying from being bitten by a dog: 1 in 700,000
Dying in a fireworks accident: 1 in 1,000,000
Dying from a car accident: 1 in 18,585

But don't worry it's not all bad, check these out:

Getting a hole in one: 5,000 to 1
Winning an Academy Award: 11,500 to 1
Writing a New York Times best seller: 220 to 1
Dating a supermodel: 88,000 to 1

So, good luck this week to all of you who entered the Mets lottery. As for myself, I am going to go out to my local golf course, hit a hole in one, write an NY Times best-selling book about it, have that book turned into a movie, win an Oscar for that movie and date a supermodel.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

NY Mets: Average Fans Left Out of the Club...Again

Randy Medina — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:44:36 -0400

I have learned to accept a lot of things as a sports fan.

I accept that the Field Level seats I used to buy for $16 in 1998, somehow now cost $125.

I accept that on Saturday when I drove into a Preferred Lot, the police were called to escort me back to the commoners lot with the rest of the serfs.

What I refuse to accept is being told one thing and then having the rules constantly changed on me. This is what the Citi Field brass seem to be doing this year.

Let's take a moment to flash back to February. The Mets are running these Citi Field infomercials to get people to buy tickets to Citi Field. We get to see Jeff Wilpon in his adorable little hardhat walk us through the park. He makes a big deal about the Promenade Club and how any fan with a Promenade ticket could enjoy it. (By the way, in Citi Field terms "Promenade" is just a big fancy word for upper deck.)

Move ahead to opening day. As I make my way towards the Promenade Club with my ticket in hand, I am greeted by a cheerful woman who kindly tells me that I do not have the right kind of promenade ticket and politely turns me away. In the background I could swear I heard a voice saying "No Dogs Allowed".

For those of you not familiar, the Promenade Club is a small strip of an enclosed bar directly behind home plate. It offers a climate controlled atmosphere, televisions, a fully stocked bar and a terrible view of the ballgame. There are no seats, but there are a few tables you can stand at. Honestly, it wasn't a big loss to not be let in, but I did feel a little lied to.

It probably would have ended there, but a couple of weeks later while at the game, I catch wind of a rumor that they have lifted stipulations for entry. Well I head over to check this out and I am greeted with a hello and welcome to the club. "Wow!", I think to myself, "The Mets actually did the right thing for a change." The gentlemen explains to me that the Mets have changed the policy. My guess is: Would anyone really pay extra for this glorified bar with a mostly obstructed view?

Honestly, the view from the club is so poor, I usually avoid it, but my fiancee loves the idea of climate control on a cold night so she thought it was pretty cool. I am not one to go against the fiancee, so on a cool night last week we headed to the club to warm up. We are stopped at the door and, you guessed it, the club has gone exclusive again. The gentleman at the door says the policy was changed on Monday and he doesn't know why. I'm never one to harass uninformed security personnel, though I do often get a tickle from their blank expressions, so I turn away and slink back to steerage.

I guess what has me mad is not so much there are so many areas of Citi Field where I am not allowed, it's just that they keep changing the rules as they go.

Don't get my hopes up with your little air-conditioned bar and then take it away from me. That's just wrong.

I keep trying to defend the Mets and their constantly fan-unfriendly ways but I am running out of excuses. Throw us a bone, Jeff, give us back the bar you promised us.

What about you guys out there in internet land? Am I off-base here? I would love to hear your stories about what you like or dislike about the new park so click comment and tell me where to get off.

Till then, I'll see you in the Upper Deck—er, I mean Promenade.

Mets Fans, Join M.A.S.C. Today!

Randy Medina — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:23:45 -0400

As a species, man has achieved so much. We have cured disease, explored the cosmos, and created structures that have survived for millennium. Yet, some goals still lie seemingly beyond our reach. Namely, getting the Mets organization to stop trying to force a Sweet Caroline sing-along on their unwilling fans.

I'll stop right here for a moment and say I have nothing against the song or Mr. Diamond himself. In fact, while on line for a beer at Citi Field before Monday's game, Diamond's "America" began to play over the P.A. and a small part of me was hoping the pitchers mound would open up and Neil would rise out of the smoke and treat us to a live rendition. The problem the Mets face with Sweet Caroline is an issue of context.

For years, a sing-along of Sweet Caroline has been a staple of Red Sox games at Fenway Park. The fans love it and sing along heartily. It is their song. To try and import another stadiums culture on that level is just sad. It is no different than the Mets having a Harry Carrey-style seventh inning stretch sing-along or having our grounds crew dance to YMCA. Can sausage races be far behind?

Is Mets management so disappointed in us as fans that they feel the need to replace us or morph us into another teams' fan base? This weekend, even the Mets' TV broadcast team openly questioned why they still try this at Citi Field when so many fans oppose it. Even that didn't stop good ol' Caroline from returning on Monday.

The way I see it this can only go one of two ways. Either they stop with the song already and we move on with the business of creating our own traditions in our new home, or we go to the other extreme and steal from everyone! Hey, at least we would be consistent, then. Mr. Met could slide down a slide and drive a train after homers, we could have sausages race presidents, and then we could all leave in the sixth inning to show our Dodger roots.

If they want to keep Neil alive, why not sing Red Red Wine by UB40? Diamond penned that one for the band and it is just as completely unrelated to baseball as Sweet Caroline. Everyone wins.

I call on you readers to become card carrying members of M.A.S.C. today and write letters, emails, telegraphs, and smoke signals to the Mets front office and beg them to please stop trying to make us over. Let us be Mets fans and let us enjoy our scrappy team of injury replacement players in peaceful, Caroline-Free environment.

Memo to Fans: CATCH THE BALL!

Randy Medina — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:38:24 -0400

With all the talk of new stadiums and owners' greed in the New York area recently, a fast-growing problem is flying under the radar. I am talking about, of course, fans who can't catch.

When Fernando Tatis's home run went to the replay booth Wednesday afternoon, it marked the second time in a month that New York fans found themselves the victim of one of these butterfingered rooters.

For some reason, stadium designers love to give the fans the opportunity to reach out and possibly interfere with the ball.

I understand that owners want to keep the fans close and I do not blame the fans for reaching out because that is instinctual, but for Pete's sake man, catch the ball!

If that guy in the Bronx would have just hauled in Posada's ball, 55,000 fans would have been spared an eight-minute replay delay. Today at Citi Field, a nice catch could have prevented another delay.

The time has come to take action.

Under my proposed plan, all fans with seats directly on the outfield walls have to undergo pre-game catch testing. If your skills are not up to par, you will be relocated to obstructed view seats and someone else will have a chance to take that spot.

Alternatively, the teams could clear out the front rows and install a ringer to patrol the entire row. The Yanks could bring in the Tarasco-taunting Jeffrey Maier while the Mets could hire long-time Shea fixture and foul ball-catcher extraordinaire Zack Hample (Google him if you've never heard of him).

If those two don't work out, perhaps Plaxico Buress can be brought in. I hear he's looking for a contract these days.

What are your suggestions? I'd like to hear how others would solve this problem that threatens to destroy our beloved pastime.

Fan catching-clinics perhaps?

Also, this has nothing to do with the main topic, but I saw this again at the ballpark last night and it needs to be stopped: If you are at a game and over the age of 16 and a foul ball comes to your section, pinballs off of five fans, rolls down a flight of stairs, ends up at your feet and you pick it up, do not celebrate!

Pick it up and give it to your kid or put it in your pocket. It is a terrible insult to the guy bleeding with a lap full of beer eight rows behind you who now has to watch you gesticulate like Hulk Hogan after a cage match.

Stay safe and I'll see you at the ballpark.

Hormones or Happenstance: Will Fans Accuse Any of These Current and Former Mets of Being Among the 103?

Randy Medina — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:22:46 -0500

Thanks to someone's mishandling of the "annonymous" drug testing, baseball has a mess on their hands. Until the first pitch is thrown in anger in April, fans will no doubt entertain themselves by speculating on the other 103. Will any of these current or former Mets be part of that speculation? Let me be very careful here. The following list is not made up of people who I believe used steroids, but of players who I believe people's suspicions may gravitate towards.

Begin Slideshow

The 10 Funniest Moments in 30 Years of Watching Sports

Randy Medina — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 10:43:30 -0500

I've been watching sports for the better part of three decades now and it still amazes me that after all that time I still see new and amazing feats of athleticism and courage. These moments however, contain neither. Some are meant to be funny while others are so tragic they end up being humorous. Either way, sit back relax and enjoy my favorite comical moments and/or personalities.

Begin Slideshow

NY Fans Thrilled With New Ticket Prices

Randy Medina — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:55:16 -0500

Before we get started here, I'd like you to try something. Walk to the mirror.

Look into it and say "You are the reason my tickets are so expensive."

OK, I'll admit the headline is a bit misleading and a bit of a gimmick, but I wanted to take a minute to vent on something that has been bugging me lately.

Despite the economy, tickets sales for both the Mets and Yankees seem to be doing great. Yet, it seems everywhere you turn, someone is complaining about ticket prices. Turn on any sports radio show and you're sure to hear some caller demonizing their organization of choice which has put me in a position I hate—having to defend big business.

The simple fact is that if you want to know why your tickets are so expensive you need to look in the mirror. Some of you may not like to hear this, but we the fans play a role in ticket pricing going up every year. Every year, ownership raises prices for tickets, concessions and parking. The response? Every year, opening day sells out in January. When you strip away all the Terrence Mann speeches and Ken Burns documentaries, baseball is a product. And, like any product, the market dictates the cost. If no one shows up, do you think prices will stay that high?

So why don't we boycott?

The answer is simple. It's a combination of addiction and paranoia.

Like a smoker craving that first smoke of the day, some of us simply cannot stay away. We have an itch and we will scratch it at any cost. Others are simply paranoid that they will miss something.

I have been to something like 12 straight Mets opening days and every year I go out of my way to secure my opening day tickets. Why? I have no idea! Would the world end if I watched it on TV or went the next day instead? Probably not, but I can't take the chance.

It is this combination that allows ownership to charge what they charge. This is not to say that there isn't some corporate greed on ownership's part but look at it this way. If you are selling pencils on eBay and customers are willing to keep paying more for your pencils, why wouldn't you keep raising the price?

What about the corporations?

Sure, they buy out luxury boxes but corporations don't fill stadiums. If the real fans stay home, believe me—it wouldn't go unnoticed. Lost concessions, parking and ticket sales would send a pretty strong message, don't you think?

Are the Mets & Yankees innocent?

No.

Are the fans completely to blame?

Of course not.

I am just tired of all the moaning and wailing going on about tickets. Until we as fans—myself included—develop the collective willpower to stay home, it will continue.

This season, I saw my ticket plan balloon from an 8-pack to a 15-pack, but I paid it and frankly found it to be pretty decent value for my money.

Am I thrilled about paying more? Not really, but it is what it is. I'm not saying you can't be mad about it, but the next time you are getting ready to start complaining, I want you to look in the mirror at that man or woman staring back at you and say the following:

"You are the reason my tickets are so expensive."

Feel better?

Me neither.

Bummer in the Citi: What's Next for the Mets and Citicorp?

Randy Medina — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:22:34 -0500

These days the Mets ownership are probably feeling a lot like P. Diddy felt on his 1997 track "Victory" where, after losing his friend B.I.G., he memorably shouts: "What am I supposed to do now, huh? It's all (expletive deleted) now!" What seemed like a simple business deal has turned into a soap opera with Mets ownership, fans, Citicorp, and the U.S. government all involved.

Logic would dictate that if there was ever a sports franchise that would end up getting Congress involved in their business affairs, it would be the Amazin's. The seemingly snake-bitten Mets franchise has suffered through one PR disaster after another in their recent history and now have seen their jewel of a ballpark become the subject of national debate.

I'm sure Fred Wilpon had hoped Citi Field would be making headlines throughout 2009, but I doubt even in his worst nightmares he ever envisioned this.

So what's all the fuss about?

Others have gone into much greater detail on the scenario, so I will summarize briefly. It really is your everyday story of:

Boy Meets Girl.

Boy Sells Naming Rights to Girl.

Girl Files for Billions in Gov't Funds.

Boy Wishes He Never Met Girl.

Somewhere in there you may want to add that the "Girl" brings unnecessary negative media attention on themselves by buying an airplane AFTER THEY TOOK GOV'T MONEY! Surely you can't be serious? But sadly, I am serious...and don't call me Shirley.

To recap the whole sad story a little more professionally, the Mets sold the naming rights to their stadium for the next 20 years to Citicorp for $400 million. All was fine and dandy until the bottom fell out of the economy and Citicorp filed for the ironically named T.A.R.P. (Troubled Asset Relief Program), in which Citicorp has taken in something like $45 billion in federal dollars. Now the poor Mets are left with a T.A.R.P. situation of their own, as in Taxpayer Assisted Relocation Project.

In reality, the situation probably would have flown quietly under the radar except that a week ago Citicorp decided, "Hey, why don't we pick up that Jumbo Jet we've had our eyes on for so long!" Once this got out, the blood was in the water and the political sharks began to circle, and a congressional movement started by Reps. Dennis Kucinich and Ted Poe asked new Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner to intervene and dissolve the partnership. Only in Flushing!

Who Gets Hurt?

One way or another, everyone (around the Mets that is) gets affected by this. It seems to me that in the politicians' quest for perceived justice a lot of people would take a hit. Merchandise is already printed. A hideous arm patch has been unveiled. Giant signage is up all over the park. I've got to imagine someone takes a financial hit if this stuff has to come down to make way for eBay Field, CareerBuilder Stadium, or whatever other hilarious moniker we would end up with.

Aside from monetary concerns, the Mets have already lost. A mere two months away from seeing its first game, the stadium has become part of a national scandal and the butt of everyone's jokes. At a time when we should have been talking about nicer luxury boxes, better concessions, and wider urinals, we are instead talking about gov't bailouts and public relations headaches.

Much like their ball club of late, the Mets have seen their stadium situation come crashing down at the last possible moment.

Believe it or not, the fans actually suffer the least. Outside of having yet another thing for Yankees fans to hold over you, there will still be baseball played in that stadium this year. The Mets will still exist, and you will still be able to enjoy your $9 and boo Luis Castillo. The only uncertainty that remains is what the name of the building you will be booing Castillo in will be called. I can live with that.

Personally though, I take a $30 hit on that special edition Citi Field New Era cap I purchased last month, but I guess it's my own fault for being such a slave to trends. At least I've always got eBay to fall back on. Maybe I can sell it to a Citicorp exec to wear on his jumbo jet?

So what would you do, Mr. Smart Guy?

Since you asked, this is what I would do. First, let me preface this by saying I am not a financial whiz, nor am I close enough to the situation to fully understand, so please take this with several grains of salt.

First you have to deal with the naming rights. Now, in my opinion it is far too late in the process for anything to be done about this season. So for that reason I would leave that Citi Field logo right where it is. I know the Astros did a last minute change on Enron Field, but that was a special case, and Citicorp hasn't hit that level of evil...yet.

If the Mets buy back the rights now they are left with two months to negotiate a new deal with a new company, and that just isn't a lot of time. Unfortunately for them they have to spend '09 with this cloud hanging over them, but at least there is a chance you may not see it through the "choke" cloud that is already hanging over them.

Now I am sure you romantics out there would love to see Shea II, Bob Murphy Field, Jackie Robinson Stadium, or, my personal favorite, The Sisk Dome, but let's be realistic. This is a business, and the Mets can and will get top dollar for those naming rights.

So what I would do is revoke the following 19 years on the deal, which would leave Citicorp on the hook for only $20 million while giving the Mets the ability to shop the naming rights all year and would give them an entire offseason to change the signage if need be come 2010. Hopefully they would then sell them to Chase and we would get "Chase Stadium." (Say it quickly out loud and you'll see what I'm getting at.)

That's just my opinion; I am sure there are plenty of you who feel differently. However you feel about it, we're in for a bumpy ride over the next two months. Perhaps the late great Bob Murphy said it best: "Fasten your seat belts."

New Jersey Devils Mid-Season Look

Randy Medina — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:29:20 -0500

It has been a strange and interesting year for the New Jersey Devils. Forced to play most of the season without their Hall of Fame goalie, many expected the Devils to struggle mightily, but the Devils commitment to defense and some inspired performances have kept the team right near the top of the Atlantic Division. As of January 14th, the Devils find themselves in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, and only 3 points behind the first place Rangers in the Atlantic with two games in hand. Let's take a look at some of the individual performers responsible for the Devils success and hand out a few mid-season awards:

Most Valuable Player

Zach Parise—Named to his first All-Star game, Parise continues to mature as a player and emerge as a star in this league. Parise is halfway to having the first ever 50 goal season for a Devil, and at the very least is on pace to challenge the team record of 48 goals set by Brian Gionta in 05-06. One record Parise won't be able to break this season will be the Parise family record of two All-Star appearances, which is still held by Zach's dad J.P. Parise. If the younger Parise continues to raise his level of play the way he has, something tells me J.P. will only be able to claim that title for one more year.

Most Valuable Defensive Player

Scott Clemmensen—If someone would have told you back when the season started, that Clemmensen would be your everyday goalie, you would have told them they were crazy. With Brodeur out, the Devils could have panicked and went after a more established goalie like Nikolai Khabibulin. Instead the team turned to former Devil Scott Clemmensen and have never looked back since. Admittedly, Clemmensen has been helped by the team's "defense first" philosophy, but you cannot discount the role he has played in keeping this team right in the thick of the Eastern Conference race. Clemmensen was not asked to replace Marty Brodeur; there are only a few goalies in the history of the game who could do that. He was simply asked to keep the team above water until Marty returns and he has done that, going 16-9-1 with a respectable 91.8% save percentage. Not All-Star numbers by anyone's imagination but enough to get the job done.

Biggest Disappointment

Martin Brodeur—What was supposed to be a year of milestones and records for Marty has turned into a frustrating year of injury. Still in search of the 14 wins and 7 Shutouts needed to pass Patrick Roy and Terry Sawchuk respectively, Brodeur's focus has become simply getting healthy and back on the ice. One wonders whether there was some bad karma from changing his helmet design to MB30 this season. While I personally don't buy into these kinds of things, in a world where fans talk of "Sports Illustrated cover jinxes" and "Madden curses," sometimes maybe it's a good idea not to tempt the sports gods.

The "Most Consistently Underrated" Award

Patrik Elias—If the NY Metro area gave out awards for guys you won't realize how good they were until they are gone, Patrik would finish second only to NY Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran. Producing a typically solid Elias first half, Patrik has put up 19 goals and 31 assists which ties him with Zach Parise for the team lead in points with 50. Patrik has also been snubbed by the NHL this year, being left off the All-Star roster. Keep your head up Patty; someone out there still appreciates you.

The "Golden Gloves" Award

David Clarkson—Having to fill the enforcer shoes on this Devils team, David Clarkson has been involved this season in what seems like some of the longest hockey fights in recent memory. His 83 penalty minutes give him the slight edge over fellow Devils pugilist Mike Rupp for the team lead, but the real story has been the quality of some of these fights. One wonders if a possible matchup with Manny Pacquiao is in his future.

The "Retro" Award

Lou Lamoriello—Going retro seems to be the theme for the Devils in '08-'09. Brian Rolston, Bobby Holik and Scott Clemmensen all made returns to their old team this year, and now everyone's favorite oompa loompa has gone a step further and brought back sniper extraordinaire Brendan Shanahan back to Jersey. At age 40, can Shanahan really contribute to this Devils team? That is yet to be seen, but one thing that can be said is that Lou understands the Devils small but knowledgeable fan base, and their passion for the teams history. In the end, who doesn't want a GM that actually understands the fans?

What To Watch In The Second Half

With my beloved NY football Giants eliminated, I can now turn my full attention to my most anticipated sports moment of the winter: The Return of Marty Brodeur! Without Marty, the Devils have improved their defense and even given their offensive playmakers a little more freedom to create. If they get a healthy Marty back, and continue their progress defensively, the Devils are poised to become a dangerous team going into the playoffs.

And that my friends, will indeed be something to watch.