We lost one of the good guys today. Jeff Innis passed away after a long battle with cancer. https://t.co/xQDczuyEpb
— Jay Horwitz (@Jay_HorwitzPR) January 30, 2022
Rest In Peace Jeff Innis
By Jay Horwitz
We lost one of the good guys today. Jeff Innis passed away after a long battle with cancer that speeded up so quickly since the fall.
Click the twitter article above to read the full story.
We offer our condolences here at TheMediagoon.com to Jeff's family and friends.
I’ve been thinking about the Baseball Hall of Fame since this last vote happened. As a kid I thought this was a place that was almost like a Mecca and only the best of the best got into it. I realized as I grew up and got more and more into a lot of the behind the scenes stuff going on in the business of baseball that it is and isn’t true at same time. I was one of those guys that was annoyed when they were talking about putting the steroid era guys into the HOF. I felt like it would take away from the aura of the HOF. That’s the thing though. The HOF doesn’t have that same aura anymore, at least not to me. I don’t hold it in the same regard as I did as a younger me. I think it’s cool that it honors players that meant something to the game but you know what? I don’t care anymore about who gets in anymore. When I say that it means I personally don’t care anymore about who gets in past the gatekeepers anymore. I don’t get fired up about it anymore. I just feel now it’s a cool place to go visit and not a place with the aura of the greats anymore. Maybe it’s because the changes to the game and the stats that get a player into the HOF and players with lesser numbers were getting in? I really don’t know.
I am sure there are a lot of folks who don’t feel like I do, but we all can feel differently about it. I don’t know when this actually happened to me but I really just have a neutral feeling about the whole thing.
METS & SNY CELEBRATE ICONIC TV ANNOUNCERS
WITH THREE-PIECE GARY, KEITH, RON
COLLECTIBLE BOBBLEHEAD SERIES
JULY 9, AUGUST 13, SEPTEMBER 17
Tickets on Sale Now at Mets.com/Tickets
FLUSHING, N.Y., January 27, 2022 – The New York Mets and SNY today announced a first-of-its-kind, three-piece, connecting bobblehead collector’s series featuring iconic SNY announcers Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, and Ron Darling. The series, presented by Verizon and SNY, will provide fans the opportunity to collect three bobbleheads, each featuring one-third of the trio many consider to be the best booth in baseball. These must-have bobbleheads – which when put together will create one large piece – will be given away this summer to the first 25,000 arriving fans Saturday, July 9, Saturday, August 13, and Saturday, September 17 as part of the Mets 60th Anniversary season. Tickets are on sale now at Mets.com/Tickets.
Cohen, Hernandez, and Darling have been at the microphone for Mets telecasts on SNY since the network’s inception in 2006.
On Saturday, July 9 vs. Miami, the first 25,000 fans in attendance will receive a Keith Hernandez announcer bobblehead. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to pick up a bobblehead before the Mets retire Hernandez’ uniform number 17 in a pre-game ceremony that afternoon. Hernandez is a three-time Emmy Award winner for “Best Sports Analyst” in New York, taking home the award in 2009, 2012 and 2015.
The first 25,000 arriving fans can collect the next piece, a Ron Darling announcer bobblehead, on Saturday, August 13 vs. Philadelphia. Darling, who was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame last summer, is also a three-time recipient of the Emmy Award for “Best Sports Analyst” in New York. He and Hernandez were Mets teammates from 1983-1989.
The Gary Cohen bobblehead, which will complete the set, will be given away to the first 25,000 fans at the Saturday, September 17game vs. Pittsburgh. Cohen is entering his 34th season as a play-by-play announcer for the Mets. Cohen first joined the Mets broadcast team as a radio announcer for WFAN, where he called Mets games for 17 years.
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THREE DAYS OF MUSIC, FOOD, ART, AND ENTERTAINMENT
IN NEW YORK CITY AT CITI FIELD
FRIDAY, JUNE 10TH - SUNDAY, JUNE 12TH
TICKETS ON SALE THURSDAY, JANUARY 27TH
AT 12:00 PM EST VIA GOVBALL.COM
CITI® CARDMEMBER PRESALE RUNS FROM
JANUARY 25TH AT 10:00 AM EST TO JANUARY 27TH AT 11:59 AM EST
GOVERNORS BALL TO DONATE $25,000
TO THE BRONX FIRE RELIEF FUND
January 25th, 2022, New York, NY -- Founders Entertainment is thrilled to announce the lineup for the 2022 Governors Ball Music Festival, set to take place Friday, June 10th through Sunday, June 12th at the Citi Field complex in Queens. After celebrating the festival’s 10th anniversary this past fall with an incredibly successful and cathartic experience described by Rolling Stone as “the spiritual healing we all desperately needed,” Governors Ball 2022 will once again serve as the kickoff to summer, returning to the event’s traditional early June dates. And what better way to welcome the season than an incredible lineup of 60+ performing artists including headliners J. Cole, Halsey, and Kid Cudi, all with strong ties to NYC. With J. Cole having attended St. Johns in Queens, and Halsey and Kid Cudi having launched their careers in The Big Apple. They’re joined across the weekend by performers including Flume, Playboi Carti, Roddy Ricch, Glass Animals, Migos, Jack Harlow, Kaytranada, Joji, Louis The Child, Clairo, Jazmine Sullivan, Still Woozy, 100 Gecs, Japanese Breakfast, Becky G, Black Pumas and many more.
A special presale for 3-day and 1-day GA and VIP tickets will be available exclusively for Citi® Cardmembers fromtoday, January 25th at 10:00 AM EST through Thursday, January 27th at 11:59 AM EST. Citi® presale link available HERE.
3-day and 1-day GA and VIP tickets (including payment plan options) will be available to All Ages viaGovBall.com beginning Thursday, January 27th at12:00 PM EST.
Governors Ball’s 10th anniversary in 2021 was a welcome return for music fans hungry for the festival experience after the previous year’s quiet. That emotionally charged energy was palpable both off and on stage, whereasRolling Stone reported, “Caroline Polacheck began to cry during her first song because she was so moved to see people enjoying live music again.” Billie Eilish highlighted her own love for and history with the festival, having gone from a mid-day act to a headliner in just a few years. “I played Gov Ball in 2018 … and it was my favorite thing in the world…. It was my favorite thing I’d ever done, and this might be that, the second time,” she said.
“Gov Ball 2021 was unquestionably a success,” wrote Gothamist of the weekend. “In short, it was a blast,” saidConsequence, while AV Club praised the “genre-diverse lineup that had something for everyone.” Just as was the case with last year’s event, Governors Ball will again work in close consultation with the Mayor's Office and City of New York to create appropriate health guidelines to keep staff, guests, artists and fans safe. The work the Founders Entertainment team put into the 2021 event did not go unnoticed. “Out of the five music festivals we attended, Governors Ball had the best COVID screening,” wroteOkayplayer. The 2022 edition will also feature a signature lineup of the best food NYC has to offer, as well as craft cocktails, beer, surprise pop-up performances from subway and street performers, eye-catching art installations, and more.
Governors Ball Music Festival promoters Founders Entertainment will also be making a $25,000 donation to the New York City Mayor’s Fund’s relief efforts for the victims of the Bronx apartment building fire. The Founders Entertainment team was devastated to learn about the tragedy. As born and bred New Yorkers, the festival co-founders have made giving back to the city Governors Ball calls home a priority throughout the festival’s decade long history. Founders Entertainment has proudly supported the local community through their Gov Ball Gives Back program, and are always ready to step up in times of need as well.
The greater Governors Ball community can show their individual support for the victims as well by donating to the relief effort via the Bronx Fire Relief Fund.
Stay tuned in the coming weeks for further announcements. Follow Governors Ball on socials to be the first to know.
Full Governors Ball 2022 Lineup:
Friday, June 10th:
Kid Cudi
Migos
Jack Harlow
Louis The Child
Black Pumas
Skepta
Quinn XCII
Madeon
JPEGMAFIA
beabadoobee
Coi Leray
Channel Tres
Samia
Blu DeTiger
Aly & AJ
Paris Texas
Julia Wolf
Between Friends
Ultra Q
Plastic Picnic
Saturday, June 11th:
Halsey
Flume
Roddy Ricch
Joji
Still Woozy
ASHNIKKO
YG
Chelsea Cutler
Tove Lo
Denzel Curry
Diesel (Shaquille O’Neal)
Gus Dapperton
Benee
Peach Tree Rascals
The Teskey Brothers
Valley
Almost Monday
Dehd
OCTAVIO the Dweeb
Millington
Sunday, June 12th:
J. Cole
Playboi Carti
Glass Animals
Kaytranada
Clairo
Becky G
Jazmine Sullivan
100 gecs
Japanese Breakfast
J.I.D
COIN
Soccer Mommy
Surf Curse
DUCKWRTH
Del Water Gap
Jax
Ken Car$on
De’Wayne
The Brummies
Kaien Cruz
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FLUSHING, N.Y., January 21, 2022 — The New York Mets today announced their 2022 major league coaching staff. Glenn Sherlock will join the staff as Manager Buck Showalter’s bench coach, Eric Chavez will serve as hitting coach, Wayne Kirby as first base coach and outfield/baserunning instructor and Joey Cora will serve as third base coach and infield instructor. Craig Bjornson joins the staff as the bullpen coach, while Jeremy Barnes has been promoted from Director of Player Initiatives to assistant hitting coach. Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner will return for his third season with the team.
Glenn Sherlock, 61, returns to the Mets coaching staff for the second time in his career. Sherlock served as the team’s third base coach (2017–2018) and first base coach (2019) as well as the club’s catching instructor (2017–2019). Sherlock spent the previous two seasons on the Pirates coaching staff as their game-planning coach and catching instructor. Sherlock’s major league coaching experience began with the New York Yankees where he served as the team’s catching coach under Showalter (1992, 1994–1995). In 1996, Sherlock reunited with Showalter with the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks and was the team’s catching coach from their inaugural season in 1998 until the end of the 2016 season. Sherlock also served as the Diamondbacks bench coach (2003, 2015–2016), third base coach (2004 & 2014), and bullpen coach (1998–2002, 2005–2013) during his 21-year tenure in Arizona. In addition to his Major League coaching experience, Sherlock spent three years as a manager in the Yankees farm system (1990–1991, 1993) and was the D-backs’ minor league catching coordinator from 1996–1997.
Jeremy Hefner, 35, will return for his third season as the Mets pitching coach. Last season, the Mets ranked ninth in the majors with a 3.90 ERA. Previously, Hefner worked in the Twins organization as an advance scout (2017–2018) and served as the team’s assistant pitching coach in 2019. Hefner pitched in two major league seasons (2012–2013) with the Mets and posted a 4.65 career ERA in 50 games (36 starts).
Craig Bjornson, 52, was Boston’s bullpen coach from 2018–2020. Bjornson played an integral part in Boston’s World Series victory in 2018 as Red Sox relief pitchers posted 1.40 ERA (four earned runs/25.2 innings) in the Fall Classic, the fourth lowest bullpen ERA in World Series history (minimum 20.0 IP). In 2019, Red Sox relievers led the majors with a 10.5 SO/9.0 IP. Prior to his three-year stint in Boston, Bjornson served as Houston’s bullpen coach for five seasons (2012, 2014–2017), winning a World Series in 2017. From 2014–2017, Astros relievers led the majors with a 3.17 SO/BB and ranked second with a 9.62 SO/9.0 IP. Bjornson spent 13 years (1999–2011) as a minor league pitching coach in the Montreal/Washington, Kansas City, Los Angeles-NL and Colorado organizations.
Eric Chavez, 44, played 17 major league seasons with Oakland (1998–2010), New York-AL (2011–2012) and Arizona (2013–2014). He won six consecutive American League Gold Glove Awards (2001–2006) at third base with the Athletics. His six Gold Gloves are tied for the fifth-most all-time by a third baseman. He slashed .268/.342/.475 with 816 runs, 318 doubles, 260 homers and 902 RBI in 1,615 major league games. Chavez earned the AL Silver Slugger Award in 2002 when he smashed a career-high 34 homers. From 2016–2018, Chavez worked in the Angels front office as a special assistant to General Manager Billy Eppler. He also served under Eppler and Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman as a special assignment scout for New York-AL in 2015.
Jeremy Barnes, 34, served as the Director of Player Initiatives for the Mets in 2021. From 2019–2020, Barnes was Houston’s minor league hitting coordinator and from 2017–2018, he was the hitting coach with Tri-City, the Astros New York-Penn League affiliate. He played professionally from 2009–2015, reaching the Triple-A level. Following his playing career, Barnes spent two seasons working for ACT Baseball in Canberra, Australia, as manager of player pathway and coaching development.
Joey Cora, 57, has spent the past five seasons as the third base coach and infield coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates (2017–2021). In 2012, he was the bench coach in Miami under Ozzie Guillén. Cora spent eight seasons as a member of the Chicago White Sox coaching staff where he was the third base coach (2004–2006) and bench coach (2007–2011), winning a World Series title in 2005. He managed the Mets rookie-level Appalachian League Kingsport affiliate in 2001–2002 and managed Washington’s South Atlantic League minor league team in 2003. Cora began his coaching career in 2000 with Daytona in the Florida State League. Cora owned a career batting average of .277 in 1,119 career games with San Diego (1987, 1989–1990), Chicago-AL (1991–1994), Seattle (1995–1998), and Cleveland (1998). In 1997, he was selected to the American League All-Star team. His younger brother, Alex, manages the Boston Red Sox. A native of Caguas, Puerto Rico, Cora served as the General Manager for Caguas of the Puerto Rican Winter League for three seasons (1999–2001), winning the championship in 2001.
Wayne Kirby, 57, previously served as the Orioles’ first base coach under Showalter from 2011–2018. Most recently, Kirby served in the same role with the Padres from 2020–2021. Kirby served as the Texas Rangers minor league outfield and baserunning coordinator from 2006–2010. He spent four years as a hitting coach in the minors, all with Cleveland’s farm system from 2002–2005. Kirby appeared in 516 games as an outfielder during parts of an eight-year Major League career with Cleveland (1991–1996), the Dodgers (1996–1997) and the Mets (1998). With the Mets, Kirby appeared in 26 games and scored five runs. Kirby led AL outfielders with 19 assists in 1993.
From the NY POST
Edgardo Alfonzo will be working from a New York dugout this season, just not in The Bronx or Queens as he would prefer.
The popular former Mets infielder will be named manager of the Staten Island FerryHawks, a team from the independent Atlantic League, an industry source confirmed Thursday, as first reported by MLB Network.
Read more here.
Good for Fonzie. I still don't know what happened between the Mets and Fonzie and why they didn't bring him back into the organization. But I wish him good luck with this new team.
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METS ANNOUNCE INTERNATIONAL SIGNINGS
FLUSHING, N.Y., January 15, 2022 – The New York Mets today announced that the club has signed 21 international players.
“It’s an exciting day for the New York Mets to congratulate and welcome these talented young men to our organization,” said Vice President of Amateur and International Scouting, Tommy Tanous. “This is the first step in realizing their dreams of becoming major leaguers. I want to thank everyone from the family of the players to our incredible scouting staff for their hard work in this process.”
“Today is another step in establishing and achieving sustained success,” said General Manager Billy Eppler. “We are excited for these players to get started on their path to Queens. We also want to thank Tommy, Steve Barningham, and our entire international scouting department as well as everyone in the baseball operations department who worked tirelessly to make this day possible.”
The class is highlighted by Simon Juan, an outfielder from the Dominican Republic. The 6-2, 195-pounder is ranked at the 14th-best international prospect according to Baseball America and as the 16th-best prospect on MLB Pipeline’s Top 50 Internationals Prospect List. An additional notable signing includes Willy Fañas, a dynamic five tool center fielder from the Dominican Republic.
The full list of players is below:
METS ANNOUNCE INTERNATIONAL SIGNINGS
FLUSHING, N.Y., January 15, 2022 – The New York Mets today announced that the club has signed 21 international players.
“It’s an exciting day for the New York Mets to congratulate and welcome these talented young men to our organization,” said Vice President of Amateur and International Scouting, Tommy Tanous. “This is the first step in realizing their dreams of becoming major leaguers. I want to thank everyone from the family of the players to our incredible scouting staff for their hard work in this process.”
“Today is another step in establishing and achieving sustained success,” said General Manager Billy Eppler. “We are excited for these players to get started on their path to Queens. We also want to thank Tommy, Steve Barningham, and our entire international scouting department as well as everyone in the baseball operations department who worked tirelessly to make this day possible.”
The class is highlighted by Simon Juan, an outfielder from the Dominican Republic. The 6-2, 195-pounder is ranked at the 14th-best international prospect according to Baseball America and as the 16th-best prospect on MLB Pipeline’s Top 50 Internationals Prospect List. An additional notable signing includes Willy Fañas, a dynamic five tool center fielder from the Dominican Republic.
The full list of players is below:
