This Is What Blue and Orange Playoff Baseball Is Like

For over half a century, the Mets' traditional colors have been blue and orange.  For the past eight seasons, the Mets have not played a postseason game.  For the past six seasons, Citi Field has looked more green (as in the color of empty seats) than it has blue and orange (as in the color of Mets fans hootin' and hollerin' at their favorite team).

For those of you who don't remember how Amazin' it sounded whenever the Mets played deep into October...

For those of you who want to know what a sea of 42,000+ screaming fans clad in blue and orange would look like...

Heck, for those of you who just aren't into empty seats...

This is what Citi Field would look like when (if?) the Mets crash the postseason party.

Kudos to the Royals, Orioles and their fans for putting on a wonderful show during the month of October, a show that has still not ended (blame those pesky Royals for not knowing how to win a game in regulation).  Both fan bases have upped their game during the postseason and have made it a joy for non-Royals and non-Orioles fans to watch each team's push to win their first pennants in approximately three decades.

If only the Mets front office had their TVs tuned to these games, they'd know how beautiful a scene like the ones depicted above could be at Citi Field.  But alas, the front office isn't fond of a blue-and-orange October in Flushing.  They like all things green, as in the money they'd rather keep than spend on quality ballplayers who could lead them on a deep October run.  So until there's a drastic change from the way things have been done in the past, don't expect a sea of blue and orange at Citi Field anytime soon.

Kansas City's payroll in 2014 was $92,185,521, which is almost 150% more than the $38,176,000 the team doled out to players in 2011.  Baltimore's 2014 contractual obligations totaled $107,466,653, the first time in the 21st century the team passed the nine-figure mark in payroll.  Both teams play in small markets.  The Mets do not.  But despite playing in a market that dwarfs that of the Royals and Orioles, New York's 2014 payroll was lower than both Baltimore and Kansas City, as Mets players earned $84,951,365 this past season.

It's a blue October in Kansas City.  It's an orange month in Baltimore.  It's neither color at Citi Field.  Green is the new blue and orange in Flushing, because that's the only color you'll see in the stands in October there.  The empty green seats are far less exciting than the colors at Kauffman Stadium and Camden Yards.

Statue of Limitations

Earlier this week, the Baltimore Orioles announced that in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the opening of their ballpark at Camden Yards, six bronze statues will be unveiled honoring each of the team's Hall of Famers, all of whom have had their numbers retired by the team.

The Orioles are not the first team to honor their greatest players and managers with statues.  In fact, many teams have bestowed that honor to its greatest representatives.  This past August, the Chicago Cubs dedicated a statue to the late Ron Santo, who was recently selected by the Veterans Committee for Hall of Fame enshrinement.  Santo's statue joined the sculptures of other Cub greats outside Wrigley Field such as Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and broadcaster Harry Caray.

Other teams with statues of their greatest players include the Pittsburgh Pirates (Honus Wagner, Willie Stargell, Roberto Clemente), San Francisco Giants (Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Juan Marichal, Orlando Cepeda) and Atlanta Braves (Warren Spahn, Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro).  Those franchises have been in existence far longer than the Mets, but there are other clubs who haven't been in the league as long as the Amazins that have statues of their best players.

For example, the San Diego Padres have a Tony Gwynn statue outside Petco Park while the Milwaukee Brewers have a Robin Yount sculpture welcoming fans to Miller Park.  Both Gwynn and Yount are members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.  The Houston Astros, on the other hand, have statues of Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell outside Minute Maid Park.  As of this writing, neither player has been inducted to Cooperstown.  (Bagwell received 41% of the vote last year and Biggio is not yet eligible.)

All four players mentioned in the previous paragraph played their entire major league career with the teams that immortalized them in bronze.  But some teams have chosen to honor some of its best players with statues despite the fact that these players played less than half of their careers with these teams.  One particular name comes to mind immediately.  Nolan Ryan played five of his 27 seasons with the Texas Rangers, but who's statue stands beyond the center field fence?  Of course, it's the Ryan Express. 

In addition to statues of its best players, some teams have other baseball-related busts.  The Colorado Rockies have a statue outside Coors Field dedicated to "The Player".  In Arizona, a statue of a player with his fans stands outside Chase Field.

So why am I making all this hubbub about statues?  Perhaps it's because the Mets don't have one outside Citi Field.  Of anyone.  Even though there's a certain "Franchise" player who received the greatest percentage of Hall of Fame votes in history.

 Strike a pose, Tom.  Perhaps someday this one will be bronzed for all eternity.

As of now, the Mets are one of only five teams without a sculpture of any kind to honor its best players and personnel.  (The others are the Rays, A's, Marlins and Dodgers.)  Why don't the Mets have anything other than the third base VIP entrance dedicated to Tom Seaver?  When fans enter Citi Field, they should be greeted by Tom Terrific in bronze form.  Not only is he the greatest pitcher in franchise history, but he is also the sole Mets player in the Hall of Fame and the only player whose number has been retired by the team (Casey Stengel and Gil Hodges both had their numbers retired for what they accomplished as managers).

The lack of a statue to honor the man known as "The Franchise" when some teams have statues dedicated to non-Hall of Famers and other teams have sculptures for players despite having a shorter history than the Mets is an absolute shame.

The Mets should have a Tom Seaver statue at Citi Field.  In addition, they should also have a statue of Jesse Orosco's iconic pose after striking out Marty Barrett to end the 1986 World Series.  It's time for the Mets to be proud of their history, not hide from it.

We want "The Franchise" at Citi Field.  Not just for an occasional ceremonial first pitch, but forever.  A life-sized bronze statue of Tom Seaver would ensure that.  It took until Citi Field's second season for the Wilpons to make the ballpark look like it belonged to the Mets.  Hopefully, it won't take them much longer to realize that Tom Seaver should be immortalized with a statue at the park they built.  After all, it's their "Franchise", is it not?

Studious Metsimus Survey: New Food Stand Suggestions For Citi Field

Last year, Mets fans raved about all the new food items served at Citi Field. It might have been the only thing worth celebrating at Citi Field in 2009 (other than the reunion of the 1969 World Championship team on August 22). From Shake Shack to Box Frites to Blue Smoke to the various chicken nacho stands (a Studious Metsimus favorite), Citi Field's food choices were a huge upgrade from the fare at Shea Stadium.

However, just like with other things at Citi Field, there is very little mention of Mets history when it comes to food. Baltimore's Camden Yards has Boog's BBQ (named after former Orioles' great Boog Powell). Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park has numerous references to Phillies' legends, such as Bull's BBQ (after Greg "The Bull" Luzinski) and Harry The K's Broadcast Bar and Grille (after the late Harry Kalas).

What do the Mets have? Nothing. Not even a mention of Mets great and restaurateur Rusty Staub or a Tom Seaver winery. Staub would make the most sense to have an eatery named after him at Citi Field. How can the Mets not have a Rusty's Ribs at the ballpark, especially when similar establishments have popped up in Baltimore and Philly?

Therefore, Studious Metsimus would like to conduct a survey. Which eateries should the Mets open up at Citi Field? Be creative and be demonstrative when letting your feelings known. There's got to be a boyfriend of a third cousin's aunt's stepdaughter of a Mets employee reading this. Maybe word will get out and we'll be heard. Or maybe we'll just make ourselves hungry and order some takeout. Have fun with it!

(Here are some suggestions by the Studious Metsimus staff, followed by explanations):

Santana's Smoothies (because 'Han the Man is just soooo smooth)

Angel Food Cake (for Angel Pagan...this could be the main item in the Cake Shack that Studious Metsimus co-blogger Joey wants established.)

Castillo's Quesadillas (and they have to be big enough so that they have to be eaten with TWO HANDS!)

Bobby O's Chicken Fingers (in honor of the infamous hedge clipping accident where Bobby Ojeda severed the tip of his middle finger, fans would be served four and a half chicken fingers per serving.)

Strawberry's Daiquiris (for the lovely ladies in the hizzouse)

Anthony Young's 27 Wonderful Flavors (27 flavors of ice cream to commemorate AY's record-setting 27 consecutive losses)

Turk Wendell's Butcher Shop (with Mr. Wendell himself providing the meat!)

Sid And Benny's Hawaiian Pizza (for the two most famous #50s in Mets history...sorry, Sean Green.)

Koosman's Pub (where 36 beers are on tap, all served with their own Koos-ie)

Ed Charles' Burgers (home of the soon-to-be world-famous Glider's Sliders)

Mazzilli's Fusilli (for the pasta lovers in all of us)

Studious Metsimus can come up with at least one thousand nine hundred and eighty six more suggestions, but we'd like to turn it over to the fans now. Which food/beverage stands would you like to see at Citi Field? (Please, no Brooklyn Dodger references in your suggestions. We already have enough of those.) Enjoy!