A Joey and Iggy Beartran Thanksgiving (2014)

Hello and happy Thanksgiving, Mets fans!  This is Joey Beartran, and I'm here with my sister, Iggy Beartran.  On this special holiday, we're not going to criticize anything the Wilpons have done over the years, or ponder why Chris Young (the batter) was a horrible acquisition last season or why Chris Young (the pitcher) won the Comeback Player of the Year award AFTER he left the Mets.

Iggy and I are thankful for many things that happened to us in 2014 and we'd like to share those things with you on this most American of holidays.  It's not a particularly long list, so you can read it during halftime of the Bears-Lions game or Cowboys-Eagles affair.  At the very least, you can take your time to read it after eating a plate full of stuffing and cranberry sauce.  And by taking your time, I mean enough time so we can come over and help ourselves to your leftovers.

Enjoy your holidays, everyone!

Joey:  I'm thankful for my sister, Iggy.  Without her in my life, going to Mets games - both at home and on the road - wouldn't be nearly as much fun.

Iggy:  You're so sweet, Joey.  I'm thankful for you as well.  I love to going to games with you at Citi Field, but I also enjoy visiting other ballparks with you, so we can sample the delicious ballpark food and drink together.

Chicken tenders and garlic fries.  Now THAT'S something we'd like to see at Citi Field.

Joey:  I'm thankful the Mets are making a sincere attempt to be relevant in 2015.  After six straight seasons of sub-.500 baseball, it's great to know that Michael Cuddyer and hopefully other proven winners are going to be wearing Mets uniforms next year.

Iggy:  I'm also thankful the Mets are trying to win games next year.  Maybe that will make lines at Shake Shack in Citi Field shorter because Mets fans would rather stay in their seats watching games instead of spending several innings waiting to order their tasty burgers.

Michael Cuddyer checks the line at Shake Shack.  If he does well, we might have shorter waits there.

Joey:  I'm very thankful that several Mets killers are no longer in the NL East.  Jason Heyward has moved from Atlanta to St. Louis, while Adam LaRoche has departed from the Nationals to the White Sox, who are not even on the Mets' schedule next year.

Iggy:  I'm more thankful that Cole Hamels in still on the Phillies.  That way the Mets can continue to beat that ugly ass on his ... uh ... ugly ass.

Even Cole Hamels himself thought that was funny.  Just look at those choppers.

Joey:  Finally, I'm thankful that Austin Mahone will not be performing at Citi Field in 2015.  Just having all those screeching young girls drowning me out when I was trying to start a "Let's go Mets" chant was very disenchanting.  They almost made me lose my appetite for those delicious bacon, cheddar and scallion fries from Box Frites.

Iggy:  I'm actually thankful for Austin Mahone fans.  Because anyone that can make Joey lose his appetite at any time just means more fries for me!

Bacon and cheddar and fries, oh my!

That's the end of our special Joey and Iggy Thanksgiving post.  Thanks bunches for taking the time to read what we were thankful for this year.  Feel free to share what you're thankful for in the comments section.  Or if commenting on blog posts aren't your bag, then take another bag and fill it up with your leftover turkey, stuffing and assorted pies.  That's our bag!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!  And thanks so much for your continued support!

LET'S GO METS!!

YA GOTTA BELIEVE!!!

 

Joey's Letter To Sandy Claus (2013)

Dear Sandy Claus,

You're probably quite busy trying to figure out who's been naughty and who's been nice this past year (I've been the latter in case you hadn't gotten up to me yet), but I still hope you have time to read this letter.  I know you've been jetting back and forth recently after attending the Winter Meetings with all your elves, so maybe you can squeeze my letter in while you're in the air.

Anyway, in my letter to you last year, I didn't ask for much - just a new bullpen, a set outfield, a return engagement by Scott Hairston, a healthy Johan Santana, a dependable fifth starter, and patience with the kids in the minor leagues.

You were able to provide me with the new bullpen.  The new pitchers were definitely an improvement over what we had in 2012, but then again, Charlie Brown would also have been an improvement.  We didn't really have a set outfield at the beginning of the season, but by late June, the outfield of Eric Young, Jr., Juan Lagares and Marlon Byrd were far more productive than anyone could have expected, so you did a good job there.  You also didn't call up Zack Wheeler until mid-June, so your patience with him was appreciated.  Another fine job on that one.

But you weren't perfect. 

Scott Hairston didn't come back.  I know he had a subpar season and bounced around from team to team, but we were best buds.  You could have just used him as a power bat facing lefties off the bench.  Or you could have just signed him so he could play catch with me.  I miss him.

Johan Santana made as many starts for the Mets as I did in 2013.  Because of his inability to stay healthy, we had to endure Aaron Laffey at the start of the season.  I didn't find anything amusing about that.

And about that fifth starter, I have two words for you.  Shaun Marcum.  You should have left him with the Ghost of Christmas Past.

But this letter isn't about complaining.  After all, I don't want to be moved to the naughty list.  This letter is about what I want for Christmas this year.  So why don't I get to that letter before the milk I left for you near the tree gets warm.  There were cookies there as well, but I may have already had one or all of them.  Here goes!

Don't go chasing waterfalls.  Please stick to the smart free-agent signings you're used to.

I would like the Daniel Murphy trade rumors to stop.  He had a wonderful year in 2013, but not so great that he would bring back an elite prospect in a trade.  Murphy had one of the best offensive seasons by a Mets second baseman not named Edgardo Alfonzo this past year, and he became an adequate defensive player as well.  With continued faith in him, there's no reason to think he can't become one of the better players at the position in the league.  I'm with 28 and you should be with him, too.

I'm very happy with the new players that arrived before the holidays.  Chris Young and Curtis Granderson will provide good defense, outstanding power and some much-needed speed on the bases.  But the one player I'd like to discuss is Bartolo Colon.  Please put up a wall in the bullpen area so that when he's warming up before a start, he doesn't smell the food from Shake Shack, Blue Smoke and El Verano Taquería.  I'd like to be able to get food from these places without worrying that they'll all be sold out of food before the first inning.

Staying on the topic of Bartolo the Hutt, I think he should serve as Santa Claus at this year's holiday party.  It would save the team money by not having to add some extra cushioning to his costume since Colon already has plenty of his own.  That savings could turn into another arm in the bullpen or could contribute to the Bring a Quality Shortstop to Citi Field fund.

I would like to donate a dollar to that aforementioned fund, which I have enclosed in my envelope.  Please do not give that to Papa Smirk or Little Jeffy Wilpon.  I know they've been among the needy for the past five years since the Bernie made off with their money.  But Mets fans have been needy, too.  We need a shortstop.  And we need one now.  That dollar could be the one that brings Stephen Drew to Flushing.  Or at the very least, it could be used to buy Ruben Tejada an alarm clock so he can get to Spring Training on time in 2014.

Finally, I'd like Noah Syndergaard and Rafael Montero to be the real deal, just like Matt Harvey was in 2013 and Zack Wheeler appears to be.  The Mets haven't had a dominant young pitching staff since the mid-to-late '80s when Doc Gooden, Ron Darling, Sid Fernandez and others were taking the ball every fifth day.  Those pitchers contributed to two division titles and a World Series championship.  For now, I'd be satisfied if the new blood contributes to a winning season.  We haven't had one of those since the team moved to Citi Field five seasons ago.  We can work on division titles and championships soon enough.  Just give me a winning season in 2014.  And give it to me with the hope of seeing many more in 2015 and beyond.

If I knew I was going to be writing this letter in a snowstorm, I would have taken it to the North Pole myself.

Well, Sandy Claus.  That's all for this year's list.  Did you get all that?  And please do not get it mixed up with Brian Cashman's letter or Ruben Amaro's missive.  I'd like what I asked for this year, not what they asked for, which is probably a couple of overpaid, 30-something, way-too-many-years-on-their-contract players.  (They're so predictable when it comes to their letters.)

Just as a reminder in case there is a mix-up with their letters, I'd like Daniel Murphy to stay and play.  I'd like Bartolo Colon to pitch well and lose his sense of smell.  I also want Bartolo to go ho-ho-ho.  I'd appreciate it if my hundred cents are well spent.  And I want our young hurlers to take this team further.

Thanks so much for reading my letter, Sandy Claus!  I was good all year, so I hope I get what I want under my tree.  Say hi to your little helpers for me.

Love and best wishes for the 2014 season,
Joey Beartran

P.S. Just in case you come across the guy holding me in the photo below, give him whatever he wants for Christmas, too.  He's a good person and deserves to get everything on his wish list as well, regardless of how much it costs.  Thanks!

A Joey and Iggy Beartran Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving, Mets fans!  This is Joey Beartran, along with my sister Iggy Beartran.  Today is not a day to criticize the non-spending habits of the Wilpons or why Sandy Alderson pauses or clears his throat after every other word he utters.  Today is about family, food and all the things we have to be thankful for in our lives.

Iggy and I have many things to be thankful for this holiday season, and we'd like to share those things with you today.  It won't take long to share, so you can read this during halftime of today's various football games or during the ten minutes your Aunt Bea takes at the dinner table to complain about anything and everything when she should really be saying what she's thankful for.  (Here's a tip - next year, skip Aunt Bea when it's her turn to speak at the dinner table.  Turkey doesn't taste as good when it's cold.)

Enjoy your holidays, everyone!

Joey:  I'm thankful to have Iggy in my life.  She's the best game day partner I could ever hope for when I go to Citi Field and can't finish my basket of chicken tenders and fries.

Iggy:  Aw, thanks, Joey.  I'm thankful for you for sharing those chicken tenders and fries.  I'd be more thankful if we got one basket for each of us.  Yelling at Lucas Duda after he butchers another fly ball gives me quite an appetite.

Guess Lucas Duda made an error before this photo was taken.

Joey:  I'm thankful I waited until all those large contracts came off the books so I could see the plethora of wonderful players Sandy Alderson would bring into the fold for the 2014 season.  I'm looking forward to Chris Young's speech when he wins the 2014 National League MVP Award.

Iggy:  I'm thankful for the internet, because without it, I would never have heard of Chris Young or have been able to read why he was being compared to Mario Mendoza.

Thanks to the internet, Iggy now knows who this is.  She just read the name on his bat.

Joey:  I'm thankful for all the extra promotions and concerts the Mets are going to have in 2014, especially on the weekends.  I've been waiting my whole life to relive the 1986 World Series championship by dancing to the music of Huey Lewis & The News.

Iggy:  I second that.  And I love that the Mets made their souvenir collector's cups in the size of my head, so they can double as party hats when I'm shuffling my feet to "Hip To Be Square".

Is Huey Lewis on stage yet?  I've got my party hat on.

Joey:  Finally, I'm thankful for my Mets fan family.  Seeing them on the Shea Bridge always warms up my heart and reminds me just why I became a Mets fan in the first place.

Iggy:  Me, too!  Also, by meeting them on the Shea Bridge, it puts us closer to Shake Shack, Catch of the Day, Blue Smoke, Box Frites, El Verano Taqueria...

When I'm not dressed for Huey Lewis, I've got my sombrero ready for the Taqueria.

That's all for this special Joey and Iggy Beartran Thanksgiving post.  Thanks so much for reading what we're thankful for.  If you'd like, why don't you share what you're thankful for in the comments section?  Just click below where it says "no comments" or "1 comment" or whatever it says at the time and share your Thanksgiving thoughts with us.

From the two of us to all of you in reader land, we'd like to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving, and to all our Jewish readers (we know you're reading this, Ike Davis and Josh Satin), we wish you a wonderful Hanukkah.  Thanks so much for your continued support!  And as always...

LET'S GO METS!

Happy holidays, everyone!  We tip our ski caps to you to thank you for your support.

Joey's Small Bites: We'll Be On The Field Tonight During Batting Practice!

Happy Memorial Day, everyone! This is Joey Beartran, along with my sister Iggy Beartran. We're here to share some great news with you! If you have tickets to tonight's Mets game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, please remember to arrive early, because we're going to be on the field (along with Studious Metsimus colleague and correspondent, Ed Leyro and Taryn Cooper, respectively) during batting practice.

We'll have our gloves ready, as we'll be shagging fly balls hit by all of your fav'rit Mets and all of your fav'rit no-names on the Pirates.

Are you ready for some baseball? We are!

Of course, we won't be allowed to run all over the field. We'll be near the left field corner in front of the Great Wall of Flushing. In fact, there are many rules and regulations we'll have to follow if we want to stay on the field during the entirety of batting practice.

For example, we can bring one sealed water bottle onto the field (20 oz. or less). However, we're not allowed to bring chicken nachos or any other type of food onto the field, even though the chicken nacho stand is literally a few feet away in the left field corner. Hello? We need food to give us the strength to run down fly balls on the warning track. Not only that, what else are we going to wash down our water with? Cotton candy? (Surprisingly enough, I'm not too fond of cotton candy.)

The no food policy is just one of many guidelines we'll have to follow when we're on the field. Below you will see us holding up the sheet of rules and regulations that was sent to us. If that's too small for you to read (after all, you may have the eyesight of umpire Angel Hernandez), then to the right, you can click on the photo to enlarge the sheet with the rules and guidelines.



Now I can understand the fact that we have to sign a waiver before entering the field (Rule #1). After all, if we get hit on the head by a fly ball, we might not remember our names, where we live or where Shake Shack is. But what about the rule where we can't steal dirt from the warning track (Rule #9)? Didn't the Marlins steal dirt from Shea Stadium after they defeated the Mets in the final game of the 2008 season (otherwise known as the "Shea Goodbye" game)? They didn't heed the fans' calls of "off the field" and they did harm to the Mets by defeating them in a game they needed to win to force a one-game playoff against the Milwaukee Brewers for the wild card berth. Why is it okay for the Marlins to steal dirt from the field but not acceptable for the paying customers to do the same?

What about the "no sliding or diving" rule (Rule #4) or the "no feet or bodies on the wall" rule (Rule #7)? Didn't we have to sign a waiver before entering the field? So if we get hurt while sliding or diving, that was our decision. Also, if we bang our heads or get our feet caught on the wall trying to make a play, again, it's our own fault. The Mets wouldn't be held responsible for any of our injuries because of that waiver. Then again, with all the injuries that have befallen the Mets since they moved into Citi Field, perhaps they're just expecting some of us to get hurt. Anyway, I don't need to slide or dive on the field. I already did that last year and didn't get caught. And Iggy is 100% healthy after hanging out (literally) at the 378 foot sign in right field earlier this year.



Um, about Rule #3, the "no spikes or heels" rule. Why would anyone be wearing heels or spikes to a ballgame anyway? Are there kids going to their senior prom after the game? Is Ty Cobb at the game? Probably not. So why would anyone wear either of those on their feet?

Of course, there's always a chance Gene Simmons might show up in full makeup. Perhaps that rule is specifically for him. But could you imagine the blood-spewing bassist for KISS showing up in his battle armor and wearing Chuck Taylor Converse All-Star sneakers? Then again, he could probably get away with wearing Chuck Taylor knee-high sneaker boots...



So that's all I have to get off my chest for today. We'll be at Citi Field at 4:00pm today to take the field for batting practice prior to the Mets game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. We'll be on the field near the left field corner for a few hours before first pitch. If you show up early, feel free to bring your camera to take pictures of us. Just please don't call our names or say "use two paws" as we're getting ready to catch a fly ball. We'd rather not hear the Mets' staff tell us "see, that's why we made you sign the waiver".

Have a great day watching the game, either at Citi Field or in the comfort of your own homes. We'll try to bring back a ball (and a victory) for you!

Pictures Of The More Mets-Centric Citi Field

Greeting and salutations, Mets fans! Today, the Studious Metsimus staff attended the Pre-Season Workout at Citi Field. We were surprised by all the changes at the ballpark and we have the pictures to prove it. Enjoy!

The first thing we noticed when we approached the Jackie Robinson Rotunda was the new placement of the Shea Stadium Home Run Apple. Doesn't it look so much better under a blue sky with the sun shining on it?


The Mets changed the names of the VIP entrances to reflect the three numbers retired by the franchise. The first base VIP entrance was renamed "Hodges". The third base VIP entrance was renamed "Seaver" and the left field VIP entrance was renamed "Stengel". Below is the former left field entrance with Casey Stengel proudly displayed over his name on the entrance.

The new bricks along the fanwalk feature the greatest moments in Mets history. Here are some of those bricks, including the infamous Game 7 of the 1986 World Series brick, which incorrectly credited Sid Fernandez with the Game 7 win before it was changed to the brick shown below.

We took pictures of all the new banners outside the ballpark as well, but we don't want to spoil everything for you. Besides, wouldn't you rather see what the new Mets Hall of Fame and Museum looks like?

The Studious Metsimus staff was quite impressed with the exhibit. Joey even appeared in some of the photos although I think he was trying to end the museum tour and sample the new food additions (which you will see later). Here is a small sample of the Mets Hall of Fame and Museum.








Now it's time to move on to the new additions on our near the field of play. From the Shea Bridge to the new script "Mets" on the CitiVision, there was no shortage of changes to make Citi Field look more Mets-friendly than it was in 2009. Of course, Joey still found a Brooklyn Dodgers reference, but I don't think fans would complain about this one.




There were some cosmetic changes to the field as well. The Mets lowered the centerfield fence in front of the home run apple from 16 feet to 8 feet. They also reconfigured the bullpens so that the visitor's bullpen was not hidden behind the Mets bullpen. Now the two bullpens are side-by-side and both teams can view the events taking place on the field without any obstructions blocking their views.

Finally, as promised, here are the food selections sampled by Joey. Let's give the keyboard over to our culinary expert, Joey, as he takes you through the news food selections and prices.

Thank you, esteemed Studious Metsimus colleague. This is Joey Child, who may or may not be related to your Studious Metsimus correspondent, Joey Beartran. Family trees for bears are far more complicated than human ones. I decided to sample the new additions at Box Frites and I must say, I was quite impressed. They now offer poutine. (although they refer to it as "disco fries". There is no truth to the rumor that I was humming "Macho Man" by the Village People as I was sampling these delicious frites.) Below is a picture of the poorly-named, but rich tasting "disco fries", followed by the new garlic-parmesan fries, followed by my lunch break.

Now it's time to reveal the new prices for food at Citi Field. The petty cash tin at Studious Metsimus will be emptier sooner than later, but for these great selections, it's worth it. If you remember some of the food prices from last year, you'll notice that most items went up in price anywher from a quarter to a dollar. Here are our exclusive photos of the new prices at various food stands. You may also notice new choices (like Goya beef empanadas at the Hot Dog stand and cheese fries at Shake Shack) which we will sample at a later date.



For those who want to know why there are no pictures of McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon, that's because when we went down there, it didn't appear to be finished. The Studious Metsimus gossip reporters (betcha didn't know we had gossip reporters, didya?) overheard two Citi Field employees saying that it wouldn't be finished until the second homestand, which begins April 19 against the Chicago Cubs. Whether or not this is true, we'll find out when we go to Opening Day.

So Citi Field is finally looking more like a Mets ballpark. With the addition of the Mets Hall of Fame and Museum, the new entrances and bricks outside the stadium and the new and improved food choices, Mets fans will finally feel like they have a home again. Whether or not those fans will help give the Mets a home field advantage is yet to be determined. One thing for sure is that the Mets finally tried and succeeded in making Citi Field less of an Ebbets Field-lite and more of a worthy successor to Shea Stadium. Now it's up to the players to keep the fans in their seats with good play on the field. Regardless of how the team performs on the field, Mets fans will surely enjoy their experience at Citi Field in 2010.

As the slogan for 2010 goes, "We Believe In Comebacks". For the staff of Studious Metsimus, we approve of the improvements at Citi Field and we believe in coming back to Citi Field this year. Hope to see you there!