The season is almost over, and all of the media is (rightfully) focused in on David Wright.

Being the uniform guy, however, I received to questions today about the state of the Mets looks, specifically the orange uniform, so I figured I would take a pause from regular programing and talk about it.

In 2013 and 2014, the Mets “Los Mets” uniform was in Mets orange with Blue lettering, and frankly it looked awesome. However, the Mets decided to retire the Fiesta Latina promotion, and the Los Mets Orange went into storage.

So here’s the question: Should the Mets make an Orange jersey for next year’s uniform set? 

Well, to be honest, I’m intrigued.

I think that the Mets have enough uniforms, to be honest. I wasn’t a fan of when we had five uniforms (or six, looking at you, 2014). And, I think that having an odd number of uniforms, is, well, odd. The jersey would probably only be restricted to home games, and it would diminish the amount of times the blue uniforms would be worn.

I would like it if it was worn on Sundays, but I’d kind of prefer to see the blue’s become the Sunday specials.

So, no, readers. I don’t want an Orange uniform right now,  but in the future, I think the Orange has a place in the Mets set.

Come on, Mets.

This is so obvious, so why do you continue to pinch your finances?

Earlier today, it was announced that David Wright had been promoted to Triple-A Las Vegas as he continues his rehab assignment.

The news sounded very promising, and there was a thought that he could be even closer to re-joining the team, perhaps during the west coast road-trip after the Triple-A season concludes.

Then, out of nowhere the good news was sidelined with this tweet from Anthony DiComo:

In other words, if we are going to pay for David Wright out of pocket (instead of the insurance) he better be major league ready.

To me, this is extremely bad optics. The way I see it, this is a “last-hoorah” from David Wright, and to thank him for his dedication over the last decade-plus and the work he’s put in for rehab the last two years, it’s only fitting to promote him, and instead, the Mets are being stingy with the insurance policy.

Are. You. Kidding. Me? 

First, let’s take a look at the graphic provided by UniformLineup.com:

Here is a breakdown of the Mets July uniforms:

• Home White Pinstripes: 10 games out of 24.  Paired with Primary cap.
• Blue Home Alternate: 4 game out of 24. Paired with Home Alternate Cap
• Road Grey: 8 games out of 24.  Paired with Primary cap.
• Road Blue Alternate: 0 games out of 24  paired with Road Alternate cap.
• Holiday: 2 games out of 24 (July 4th)

And here is a breakdown of the Mets July Caps:

• Primary Mets cap: 18 games out of 24
• Home Alternate cap: 4 games out of 24
• Road Alternate cap: 0 game out of 24
• Holiday Cap: 2 games out of 24 (July 4th)

This is very exciting news. Art Shamsky, a member of the 1969 World Series Champion Miracle Mets, author of “The Magnificent Seasons”, and an ambassador of the Israel Association of Baseball has very exciting opportunities for fans and supporters alike that want to learn more about the history and heritage from one of the game’s best players.

Mr.Shamsky is available for many different engagements. From Motivational talks, to baseball clinics, to charity events, to personal appearances (how neat would it be to have the opportunity to take in a game with Art himself?)

A few years ago, I had a chance to interview Art Shamsky, and I understood why he was not only a good player, but also a humanitarian for the sport, which also became apparent after reading his first book, The Magnificent Seasons, which is available here.

More details can be found on ArtShamsky.com, or by emailing info@artshamsky.com.

I constantly get emails from the Mets and their affiliates about their promotions. This morning, in typical fashion, I got one of those MLB.com Shop emails entitled “Start Early On Your Mets Autumn Attire!”, which was interesting to me considering I don’t know who would want to wear Mets gear after this season considering the Mets aren’t exactly in the playoff hunt and there isn’t any fall-specific gear to sell if there isn’t a postseason.

So, I was curious as to what the Mets were selling exactly. The thumbnail images on the email were less than inspiring:

So, the low profile version of the on-field cap is fall attire?

After clicking the link, things only got more inconspicuous. Five out of the first six “items” were winter items like knit caps and “winter” classified jackets. Additionally, all of the supposed new styles have been around for several weeks/months at least,  so it’s hard to call them “new”.

Now, one is probably wondering at this point: What is the importance of this? Who cares about an email that we all get wether we want to or not?

Well, typically I’m in that boat; thinking that the emails are unavoidable and that I should just deal with them. However, I believe if they made the emails of substance and not just click bait to sell merchandise, I would into my email subscription, but this universal trend of mis-leading emails isn’t going to go away any time.

On today’s #ThePlusInMetsPlus, we take a break from the Baseball to talk about Golf. Not to farfetched, right? Well, what does Golf have to do with Frequent Flyer Miles? Read on to find out!

Baseball is my favorite sport. Aside from Baseball, I like Hockey, Golf and Tennis, and Football when the time is right.

Last year, I went to the Barclays Black Course in Bethpage, and I’ve been intrigued by the PGA Tour ever since.

This year, through the MileagePlus Exclusives program, I got tickets to the Genesis Open, in Santa Monica, CA, but here’s the catch, I didn’t purchase any tickets, my Premier Status allowed me to redeem miles for the United Fairway Club, right in front of the 17th Green.

I simply logged into my MileagePlus account on the official MileagePlus Exclusives page, and everything was processed from there.

Members without Premier Status could bid on these exclusive experiences buy using their MileagePlus award miles.

The VIP treatment started two weeks before the tournament, as I was given the tickets in a huge box via FedEx. The box included the tickets with nice United Airlines lanyards, parking passes, and a separate Calaway Golf “repair kit” with a tee, four golf balls and markers.

This was a pretty awesome gift and a great omen for the trip!

Fast forward to Genesis Sunday, and the aforementioned parking pass really came in hand. The VIP pass gave us access to the valet lot right behind the 18th Clubhouse, which really helped us get in and out in a flash. The walk down the path was beautiful, with the sun starting to come out of the clouds just as the players started teeing off.

The club was next to the AT&T, Bank Of America and Mercedes-Benz tents. I was welcomed by the representative, given a wrist band and we were off.

Upon entering, we were given a golf towel by a friendly check-in representative that made us sign photo release forms. There were outlets, flat screen TV’s, air conditioning, leather couches, a full buffet (more on that later) and those advertised views of the 17th Green.

There were three rows of comfortable seats, all overlooking the green with TV monitors showing the replays overhead. There was rain the day before, so there was pressure to finish play before sunset.

The event lasted from 11am to around 5pm. The catering was pretty good, similar to what you would see at a great airport lounge. There were make-your-own Chicken Sandwiches, Salads, Brisket Mac and Cheese, Toppings, Pickles, breads, all in addition to a fantastic full bar, which served non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages free of charge, I stuck with the cranberry juice, but my parents quite enjoyed the alcoholic selection, which has delivered by the courteous bar tender.

To start, I had some of the brisket mac & cheese, which was extremely tasty, and probably the most memorable food item on the whole buffet due to it’s uniqueness.

When the golfers made there way to the 17th hole, I made myself a delicious Chicken Breast Sandwich, with some toppings, accompanied by a thirst quenching Cranberry Juice.

This truly felt like a VIP experience, and something that should cost way more MileagePlus miles. Comparing it to something that I understand, a suite at Citi Field, which doesn’t come with any food, starts from $5,000 per game, so this was an incredible deal.

Here are some more candids from the day:

We were encouraged to share the experience on social media using #MPExclusives, which I did throughout the day.

Towards the end, I had some of the dessert, thinking the culinary part of the day was over, but no, it was time for the snacks!

This time there was Seasonal Fruit, Chips, Mini Hot Dogs etc. which I continued to enjoy.

We might have just had the luck of the draw, but the weather was fantastic, and the fact that there was an overhang protecting us from direct sun was a huge plus. After the last group of players (Perez, Johnson and Triangle) finished playing, I said goodbye to the staff at the United Fairway Club, who were very nice and super friendly, and even gave us a few more towels before we left.

We then “followed” Johnson up the 18th Green and saw him finishing the tournament off with a great putt.

Overall, this whole event was superb, and United did a great job putting it together. I would highly recommend doing something like this if you have a stash of United MileagePlus Miles that you aren’t utilizing.

Thanks to United Airlines and the Genesis Open for being amazing hosts and offering great hospitality.

This might be the most exciting news of the 2018 season:

Parked in the backlot of Citi Field yesterday was a Mets bullpen cart, similar to the one they used to use at Shea Stadium in the 1970s.

For those that don’t know,  the Mets (and a lot of teams) used to have a bullpen cart back in the golden cart days of the 60’s and 70’s. They were used to transport relief pitchers from the bullpen to the mound, mostly for the amusement of the fans and other players.

The Mets cart(s) from the 1970s popped up here and there in commercials, photographs and most recently in a Sotheby’s auction, where it sold for tens of thousands of dollars.

Earlier this year, the D-Backs brought the bullpen cart back, and when the Mets visited Arizona, Robert Gsellman enjoyed a trip on the cart.

And now, the Mets are apparently bringing the cart back (once they can figure out the logistics of it all — currently, there are no doors big enough to fit the cart between the bullpen and the dugout), either some time this year, or at the start of the new season next year.

As some of you might know from Twitter, I’m an avid fan of Mets uniforms, and there have been plenty of oddities over the years.

However, it’s safe to say that I like the Mets current uniform lineup. The home and road primary jerseys are fantastic, and the blues are a nice touch, especially considering how infrequently they are worn (if they were shoved down our throat every day, I probably wouldn’t like them as much).

Well, after a weekend of wearing the pinstripes against the Dodgers (and getting swept in them) it wasn’t the craziest sight to see the blue uniforms in the locker room before game time.

This continued into the warmups and even the pregame press conference where Mickey is clearly seen wearing the home alternate cap:

I then went to the ballpark, got in my seats, and saw them take the field in their white pinstripes, which Dom modeled for the Mets twitter account:

I’m not upset about this, at all. The pinstripes are a fantastic, clean look, but why change the uniform minutes before game time? Did Lugo decide to make a last minute switch, or did they not have a blue jersey for the new reliever?

Anyone else wish Chase still sponsored the Mets? Just kidding….

Nice to see #42 in a Mets uniform, looks kind of weird, but nice.

One of the most popular questions I get on a daily basis from Mets fans is what to do at Citi Field. While most fans live in New York, a lot of fans live outside of the Metropolitan area or simply do not have the time or the means to visit. So, I decided I would write a small post, a beginner’s guide of sorts, with some brief history, facts & figures, and my personal opinion on the stadium that is turning eight years old this April. 

The first thing I will say about Citi Field is how every fan has a different opinion on the stadium. Some fans hate the stadium, citing a plethora of Dodgers references, and some fans love the stadium, stating that it’s family friendly activities make it a great experience for a Sunday afternoon.

This is a trend among stadiums in the 2000s, starting with Oriole Park in Camden Yards, is the movement of “Retro Modern” stadiums, something Citi Field follows to a tee, where a stadium will look rustic and display heritage on the outside, but look pristine on the inside with all of the modern amenities.

One of the biggest examples of this is the facade, known as the Jackie Robinson Rotunda:

Like the title suggests, this rotunda, designed by POPULOUS (or HOK Sport like many call it), is designed after the history of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Some of Jackie Robinson’s best quotes and pictures are adorned inside a replica of the Dodgers fifth and most popular stadium, Ebbits Field.

So why is this entrance criticized so heavily? Well, Citi Field is the home of the Mets, not the Dodgers. When you walk into Citi Field, a lot of Mets fans would have preferred statues of Tom Seaver and Keith Hernandez, even the press has written about it at length.

And while the Mets haven’t added statues yet, they did listen in 2010, when, one year after the ballpark’s first game, they opened a “Mets Hall of Fame and Museum” with commemorative plaques, jerseys and even the World Series trophy.

Another tactic the Mets have done to try to make the outside more Mets centric is the addition of fanwalk bricks, which is very cool to see in practice, as I’d much rather see quotes from Mets fans than Geico advertisements,  but is very costly for the fan.

Moving inside the stadium, we see another new ballpark trend. Team Stores. Two, to be exact, less than 50 steps from the entrance. This no-frills tactic, where you don’t pay much on a ticket, but are forced to pay a lot for merchandise and concessions is a truly brilliant move. If you are a fan that wants to watch the game and nothing else, you can buy a ticket for $6 dollars, and enjoy the game. If you want to have fun with your family, you can enjoy all of the concessions and fun games at Fan Fest (currently called Send In The Clowns Fan Fest, but that always changes….) like dunk tank, a fast pitch game and event  virtual simulator. Additionally, young fans can run the bases after Sunday Home Games (known as the Mr.Met Dash), which is extremely fun for the little ones, and is another example of how teams are becoming more accessible and interested in “opening up” their stadium. Ten or twenty years ago, when ballparks were considered “sacred” a post game dash would never be allowed.

Another ballpark staple is food, and Citi Field doesn’t disappoint there. The New York Post and other newspapers have often called Citi Field the best stadium in the world as far as eats, and I don’t disagree.

Last summer, MLB sent me to Citi Field to do a “Culinary Citi” feature. (Well, two actually…. I like ballpark food) And, I completely understand why people feel this way.

From Blue Smoke to Fuku to PRESSED, to Taqueria to Shake Shack (where people will miss 3 innings of a game just to get a milkshake) there are nearly infinite options for dining. Fans that want an elevated dining experience can dine at the Porsche Grille with excellent stadium views or the Pat La Frieda Chop House (again, it’s officially called the Pat La Frieda Chop House presented by Delta Airlines, but, I fly United, so I don’t mention that.)

While the food at Pat La Frieda’s looks good, I kind of question the idea of an indoor steakhouse at a Baseball field, but, I digress.

The actual baseball field has evolved as well (and yes, it’s very ironic that we have made it so far in a ballpark review without actually talking about the field), in 2009 the left field wall and parts of the right field walls was 16 feet high, which is double the size of a standard fence, eight feet high. Another criticism in the wall was the color of the wall.

The above picture was taken in 2009. The black wall, a reversal from the Blue wall from the Mets previous home, Shea Stadium, was met with a lot of condemnation. In fact, the only similarity between the fields were the orange flag poles, something unique to the Mets.  Because of that, the Mets have changed the dimensions of Citi Field three times, in 2010, 2012 and in 2015.

Today, the wall is Blue, and has two interesting areas in the space between the old fences and the new fences, both of which offer un-parralled views of the stadium, come with free food and drinks, and come with a hefty price tag.

Another thing that Citi Field improved on with the new fences was their capacity, which is technically 41,922, but is actually over 42,000 when you consider club level seating. The record attendance was the sole All-Star Game that the Mets hosted in 2013. In that mid-summer classic, 45,186 went through the turnstiles, which included a lot of standing room tickets, something the ballpark was meant to include.

Another feature of the stadium that is ultra fan-friendly (and great for fans like me that still keep score in a old fashioned scorebook) are these new ginormous Daktronics boards:

These boards feature all of the statistics one could ever want, from batting average to WAR+, and yes, that is a baseball term.

Off the field, Citi Field hosts a lot of events through their Metropolitan Hospitality Division. A corporation that is owned by the Mets, and one that I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with in the past.

Some of these events include Tours, the Bacon + Beer Classic, The Color Run, various concerts and most notably the Meadows Concert, which, while it might have been fun for spectators, created quite a problem for the Queens Ballpark Company, which is the  company that owns Citi Field; and my hunch is the Meadows will be canned or re-located after this upcoming year.

Simply put, Metropolitan Hospitality does everything, from a birthday party to a lacrosse tournament, which, while un-conventional for a baseball stadium, is better than having the stadium stay closed all winter.

So, we’ve touched on all the elements of Citi Field. Most everything is positive, and all of the negatives have been rectified, but here’s the interesting thing. I personally wish Citi Field wasn’t built. 

I know, I know, that’s crazy, but I’ll explain.

Citi Field is infamous for being funded with $615 Million Dollars in Public Subsidies, and is privately owned. Furthermore, New Yorkers don’t have any attachment to something that they payed for, something that is very different from a lot of privately owned stadiums.

Citi Field was made without the fans input, and the owners paid for that. Attendance was very low the first few years, despite good transportation options with un-limited parking, the New York City Subway and the Long Island Rail Road. Many people were outraged by the lack of “Mets” in the ballpark, instead featuring nods to the Brooklyn Dodgers, the favorite team of Mets owner Fred Wilpon when he was a child.

Additionally, many people took objection to the naming rights deal, which was given to CitiCorp for $20 million dollars per year, the first major sports team in New York to have such a deal. T-Shirts were made reading “I’m Calling It Shea!”, and were worn by popular figures, like Jonathan Lethem, during occupy Wall Street.

Yes, Citi Field has grown on me, and has grown on many other fans, and I do realize that some children, teenagers and even adults need alternate forms of entertainment during a baseball game, citing the game is too slow, but there was something nice about Shea Stadium, a classic ballpark and a real marvel of it’s time.

It was no beauty, but with a renovation, I think it could have been a better solution. At the end of the day, however, Citi Field is a beautiful ballpark, and, you don’t even have to like baseball to attend a game, but wether or not that’s a good thing is something that has been bothering me ever since I walked into Citi Field for the first time in April of 2009. Unfortunately for me, owners have a different question nowadays: Wether or not an amenity is profitable.