I met the New Mets GM last night.

Last night I met new Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen last night. I’ve dealt with agents over the last 20 hrs at work and also running the QBC and I don’t get that “agent vibe” talking to him. I can’t get into why or how I met him last night but it wasn’t  just me that got a few mins with him. Brodie is a very personable guy and when he was talking to us he wasn’t hitting the usual rah rah talking points a GM would use. He wanted to know what we thought on the moves that the Mets have made so far and what we have heard from other fans. I told him about the temperature from Mets fans at QBC this year and what they were thinking about. He was really surprised that the people I was with last night were really into the Ramos deal and he was glad about that. 

I noticed the culture was starting to change a little bit before Brodie got there and it looked like it has  gotten even better since he’s been there. Hopefully this continues to evolve.

Oh and the Mets didn’t bribe me with a steak sandwich and a bottle of water to say this like @metspolice has been accused of accepting and selling out in the past.

Katch and Release this Saturday at Katch

Hey guys. Dennis and I are producing a dating game show this weekend. If you are single and you match up with what our bachelorette is looking for email us. Also ladies we have a pretty cool guy that was on a dating show on SNY earlier this year.

Mets Cano Star Wars Bobble Head and the comments about it.

This made me laugh.

But really, what happens “if”?

Another Mets Tiki? Why?

Add some island flair to your fandom with this New York Mets Tiki figurine. Whether you're throwing a luau-themed watch party, or just hanging out in the fan cave this piece is sure to stand out!

I’ll pass on this. Thanks.

$700 for this Mets Cap?

This has to be a joke right? I mean I get the whole you can ask what you want for something but $700 for a regular St. Paddy's Day cap that wasn't signed or game used? Just a purchase from MLB shop or Lids?

John Ricco moves to newly created position.

NEW YORK -- The Mets are retaining the longest-tenured member of their front office in a newly created position. The team announced Tuesday that assistant general manager John Ricco will shift into the role of senior vice president and senior strategy officer. Ricco will report directly to chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon, rather than general manager Brodie Van Wagenen.

Valued for his administrative skills, Ricco will continue to oversee the baseball operations department's budget and arbitration responsibilities, and he will also take on business duties outside the purview of baseball ops.

"This new role will give me the chance to broaden the scope of my executive experiences, while remaining a contributor to the operations areas I know and enjoy," 

Read more here. 

Seinfeld Night at Citi Field

Friday July 5th. I have no idea what entails but if it’s like Star Wars Night it probably won’t be anything special. Unless they let the guys who run the Cyclones Seinfeld run it for the big team.

@QBConvention 2019: Edgardo Alfonzo

Here is the Edgardo Alfonzo Panel hosted by Dennis Holden. During the panel there was sone "dead spots" where people asked a question without using  s mic. There is nothing wrong with your sound.

Hey @metspolice-Todd Frazier blocks a whole radio station on twitter.

Hey @metspolice, you aren't the only one Todd Frazier is blocking these days. Since he is the WWE bobble head this season, I guess he would be considered a chicken heel.

From the NY POST.

Mets third baseman Todd Frazier and New Jersey radio personality Bill Spadea have been taking swings at each other over the slugger’s public support of a school-improvement referendum that would cost taxpayers money.

“Did you even bother to read the budget before you shilled for the [New Jersey teachers union]?” Spadea tweeted. “I’m sure ‘NO’ voters in Toms River love being dismissed and lectured to by a multi-millionaire athlete. Shame on you. You’d think with your NJ roots and all that talent you’d have more respect.”
Frazier, a proud Jersey boy who led his 1998 Toms River Little League team to the World Championship, has a two-year, $17 million contract with the Mets.

He fired back at the self-described “politically incorrect” conservative Spadea from his @FlavaFraz21 Twitter account: “Really billy boy know 1 cares what you do or think. Honestly, ur on at 6 am for a reason. Don’t be that jealous guy. Stick 2 the radio so no one can see you and hide.”

Read more here.

Keith Hernandez needs back surgery

This is why Keith had to back out of the QBC aka Queens Baseball Convention last week. His back is so bad he needs back surgery next week.

“I’ve blown out my back once again,” he wrote. “This time I ruptured a disc, T11-12, which is my mid back. Surgery is scheduled latter part of next week. I have a terrific surgeon. Arthroscopic entry, which means no cutting through tissue & muscle. He will cut a small portion of bone away on both vertebrae which will enlarge my nerve passageway & relieve my discomfort there. I’m very positive about this. I’ve lived with back pain everyday going back to 1990.”

Read more here at the NY POST.

Get well soon Keith....

MLB: Mega Year contracts done?

 

From the NY Post. Read more here.

That 10 ye, mega dollar deal always seemed silly to me.  It’s great that the players could make a ton of money but the 10 yr contract was always too long. The worst thing about this is that the reason this all started was because of the owner of the Rangers giving ARos that ridiculous contract back in the day. Are the teams going to put the genie back in the bottle? I don’t know. Is it going to be  that they pay a higher per year contract for less years? I have no idea.

New Dating Game at @katchastoria looking for Bachelors.

Katch and Release Dating Game Show coming to Katch on Feb 2, 2019

Dennis Holden aka dennishasapodcast.com aka the host of the QBC aka The Host of Bingo at Katch is going to host this show.
Here are some traits our bachelorette is looking for in a potential bachelor..

In no particular order:

Someone who is driven.

Loves to enjoy all kinds of food, wine and spirits. 

Someone who likes to be physically active. 

Likes to watch sports. 

Appreciation for rock, punk and alternative music as well as theatre a plus but not necessary. 

Someone who loves travel and adventure.

Someone who is kind, considerate, and just fun to be around.


If this sounds like you please send us an email with your:

Name, height, interests, your traits, and what you are looking in for a potential date.

Email us at: ASTORIAKATCHANDRELEASE@GMAIL.COM

Please email us before this upcoming Wednesday January 30th.

Katch is located at
31-19 NEWTOWN AVE
ASTORIA, NY 11102

How the hell is Fanatics still involved with MLB Jerseys?

I thought we were safe...

Under the 10-year deal’s terms, Nike will manufacture MLB uniforms, outerwear and training apparel for all 30 teams, replacing the league’s previous supplier, Majestic Athletic. E-commerce outlet Fanatics will serve as the league’s official merchandise partner, managing the manufacture and distribution of Nike’s MLB uniforms and apparel for public sale.

Read more here from Fox Business.

And how is this news? This was announced a while ago when Under Armour had the license then lost it.

Mets Free Shirt Friday Shirts Revealed

Let's take a look at these shall we?

                  LAME                Not Horrible but meh.      I like this one.          White tees are bad looking

        Another bad look.                I like this.                       These are fun.                Should be gray.

   This game on/game over

    sucks

No comment yet.                  Could be good if in blue    Should be orange shirt      Horrible

Come on Mets. You can have two $30 million dollar players.

How hard is it to fathom that Cespedes isn’t coming back this season? I have no faith that he’ll be back. Mets, do something that you never do. Get the last piece to put you over the top.
From the NY Post.

“I don’t know how many teams have two $30 million players,” Wilpon said at a luncheon with the Mets beat reporters at Citi Field. “That’s a bit of the answer. We went into this offseason and Brodie [Van Wagenen, general manager] knows exactly where the target is for payroll.”

Want to make money Mets? Spend money and folks will flock to the ball park.

Soccer Stadium at Willets Point

I bet the stadium gets built....

The city has released the findings of a  task force put together last year to help create a framework for the development of large portion of Willets Point.

The community task force, chaired by Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and Council Member Francisco Moya, has put forward two possible plans for 17 acres of the 62-acre industrial area.

One scenario would bring a 25,000-seat soccer stadium to the area, with parking shared with Citi Field. This plan, put forward in very general terms, would also include retail space, open space, public services and residential buildings–offered at a range of affordability levels. Public services would include a fire station, police substation and a free-standing high school.

The alternative plan calls for the creation a high-density, mixed-use district. The plan would focus primarily on residential development, with some land set aside for retail, open space and public facilities. Public facilities include a fire station, police substation and a free-standing high school.

The task force’s findings come after a number of community workshops were held last year to determine how 17 of the 23 acres set aside for Phase 1 should be developed. The group–comprised of local officials and representatives of Community Boards 3, 4 and 7–came together after the city announced in February 2018 that 1,100 units of affordable housing would be built on 6 acres as part of Phase 1.

Read more at the Flushing Post.

This is what should be built.

New York Mets JEFF INNIS Game Used Worn 1992 St. Patrick Day FULL UNIFORM

This is pretty cool

New York Mets JEFF INNIS Game Used Worn 1992 St. Patrick Day FULL UNIFORM

Jeff Innis New York Mets 1992 Game Worn St. Patrick's Day Full Uniform (Jersey, Pants, 2 in 1 Stirrup Socks and Belt).   Comes with Dave Miedema Letter of Authenticity 

Jersey and Pants:

This is a Rawlings knit pull-over Green St. Patrick's Day jersey.  You have "METS" sewn across the chest on the front of this jersey in orange tackle twill, with matching Jeff Innis number "40" sewn below left breast.  Back of the jersey you have Jeff Innis number "40" sewn on in orange and white tackle twill.  On the right sleeve you have the Rawlings embroidered in white.  You also have Orange, White and Green Stretch Elastic from shoulder area going down the sleeves.

The Pants are also Rawlings knit White with Green Pinstriped St. Patrick's Day pants.  You have Green and Orange Elastic Stretch going down on both sides of the pants.  

It also comes with green and white "2-in-1 Stirrup Socks" and "Green Belt".  The 2-in-1 Stirrup Socks have Dirt/Stains on them.

Jersey Shows Normal Game Use and Seems to Be In 100% Original Condition as Worn by Jeff Innis on St. Patricks Day During the 1992 Spring Training.  Small Green Stain on the Front of Pants Waist Area as Seen in Photo and Full Uniform is Still in Excellent Condition.

Tags on Jersey:

The standard Rawlings Tag (Size 42) is sewn on the front bottom left tail area, with an additional Rawlings Tag sewn on the interior of the neck area.  

Tags on Pants:

The standard Rawlings Tag (Size 32) is sewn on the inside back waist area, with an additional Strip Tag sewn to the left with the following information embroidered in green: "40 INNIS 32 28 92R" (Indicating Jersey Number, Waist Size, Length, Year 1992 Regular Cut).  There is an additional "Set 1 1992" (Indicating Set Number, Year) Tag sewn to the left of the Strip Tag.

Authentication:  Dave Miedema Letter of Authenticity (See Photo)

JEFF INNIS TEAM PLAYED FOR

·         New York Mets (1987–1993)

Real work and I got nothing today.

I am still recovering from that great QBC on Saturday but alas my real job is getting in my way of posting today. I’ll try to do something later but for now peruse my last few days of posts to see what you missed.
 

@QBConvention 2019: Baseball Night in New York with @DougWilliamsSNY, @Sal_Licata, @martinonyc, and @Todd_Zeile

SNY brings a live Mets Centric version of Baseball Night in New York to the Queens Baseball Convention, Featuring Doug Williams, Sal Licata, Andy Martino, and Todd Zeile come to Astoria, Queens. All you have to do is click play!

@QBConvention 2019: Ed Kranepool Panel

Miss the Queens Baseball Convention this weekend? You are in luck. Here is NY1's Roger Clark interviewing Mets Legend, Ed Kranepool

@QBConvention 2019: Meet the Mets Execs

QBC 2019: Meet the Mets Execs from Media Goon aka Keith Blacknick on Vimeo.

Thank you to Shannon Shark for hosting. Also thank you to Mark Fine, Will Carafello, and Kenny Koperda of the Mets for coming out to the Queens Baseball Convention.

@QBConvention 2019: State of the Mets Panel

Here is the State of the Mets Panel from the Queens Baseball Convention. The State of the Mets discusses what the team looks like going into the 2019 season.Mark Healey hosts Joe DeMayo(@PsltoFlushing) Tim Healey(@Timbhealey0 Newsday, and Danielle McCarten(@CoachMcCarten)WFAN.

@QBConvention got a nice shoutout from Mets GM

This was cool and we appreciate the acknowledgement. More then welcome to stop by next year Brodie..

@QBConvention: Darryl Strawberry Panel

Missed out on the QBC this weekend? Well here is Darryl Strawberry being interviewed by Radio Personality PeteMcCarthy.

@QBConvention 2019 Thoughts

Hey everyone!!! So who had a good time at the QBC this year? Me, Dan and all the volunteers are exhausted from Saturday but it's a good exhaustion. We are trying to recover( I was in bed all day yesterday).

That seemed like a success. SNY's Shea Anything an BBNY panels were fun. Ed Kranepool, Edgardo Alfonzo, and Darryl Strawberry had some great stories and were great with the crowds. Todd Zeile was a great addition to the signing alley. I had a great convo with him sitting in the booth while we were waiting for the line to fill up and it did. The vendors had some great stuff(sorry about the chill in the air in the tent). Dennis Holden had some great trivia and prizes. Shannon Shark brought it with the Meet the Mets Execs and the Uniform Panel (you guys got to see some of my collection).Oh yeah that David Wright fella got the Gil Hodges Unforgettable Fire award and even had a video message for everyone.

Again thanks to everyone for making this a great event!!!