Joey's Soapbox: We Need A Screaming Ojeda Bobblehead!

The Mets just completed a homestand in which there were plenty of giveaways.  Over the last week and a half, they gave away three bobbleheads, a set of coasters, sunglasses, Marlon Byrd, John Buck and Matt Harvey’s depressing diagnosis.  But let’s not talk about the Dark Knight, the Word and Bentley’s dad.  Instead, let’s focus on the bobbleheads.

On Friday, a select number of fans received a Jay Horwitz bobblehead.  That was followed by a Tom Seaver bobblehead on Sunday and a Gary, Keith & Ron bobblehead on Tuesday.  Since last year, a number of players from the 1986 World Series champion Mets have received their own bobblehead.  (Earlier this year, Doc Gooden was immortalized in plastic and springs.)  But there is one member of that team I’d like to see in bobblehead form who hasn’t received that honor yet.

I’m Joey Beartran and I’m about to get on my soapbox to talk to you about it.

I've got plenty of bobbleheads, but there's one I don't have that I really want.

We’ve seen this former left-handed starting pitcher rant about everything in the SNY studio after a Mets loss.  He tells it like it is and embodies the spirit of the ’86 team by not caring if you think he’s being too harsh or critical about the current team’s performance.  On Twitter, his post-game diatribes have affectionately earned the hashtag #ScreamingOjedaLive.  That’s right, Mets fans.  I’m talking about the one and only Bob Ojeda.

I would give anything to have a Screaming Ojeda bobblehead (or an S.O.B. for short).  After Ojeda held me for his Wikipedia photo shoot (click here to see me on his Wikipedia page), it would be fitting if I could hold an S.O.B. of my own.

Admit it.  You enjoy watching Bobby O’s head go all over the place as he morphs Incredible Hulk-style before the SNY cameras after a poorly played game.  Now imagine if you could go from watching Bobby O’s screaming head on your TV to playing with your very own screaming Bob O. head at home.  That S.O.B. would be so much fun!

So let’s spread the word to get the Mets to create a Screaming Ojeda bobblehead for a giveaway.  Perhaps we can get Randy Medina of The Apple to come up with a photo of a prototype.  After all, his creations get ripped off all the time so that might be the quickest way to make the S.O.B. a reality.  We can even give the S.O.B. four fingers on its pitching hand as an homage to the infamous hedge clipping incident that ended Ojeda’s 1988 season prematurely.  As my sometimes-colleague on Studious Metsimus (The Coop) would say, “hey Bobby O, gimme a high-four!”

Say it loud and say it proud!  I want my S.O.B.!  It’s a giveaway no Mets fan would want to be without.

                            Oh well.  If I can't have his bobblehead, I guess I'll just have to settle for the real Bobby O.                            (Photo by Sharon Chapman)

 

R.A. Dickey Contest: A Vote For Leyro Is A Vote For Ed

Ed Leyro, your second-favorite Studious Metsimus blogger (after Joey Beartran, of course) has entered a contest.  And believe it or not, he's a finalist in said contest.

The contest, in which entrants show their appreciation of R.A. Dickey through various creative means, is being sponsored by the good folks at The Apple.  Ed entered his piece, a song parody of "All-Star" by Smash Mouth, not expecting anyone to notice.  Well, people have noticed and have voted by the dozens.  But Ed still needs your help.

With your help, Ed can win the New York Mets 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition DVD set, which he will be more than happy to let you watch with him.  (With a psychiatrist's help, Ed can also figure out why he's been referring to himself in the third person in this post.)

Please click here and cast your vote for "All-Star" by Ed Leyro.  Ed's song parody is the first one listed, but as of this writing is currently in 3rd place among the seven finalists.  The contest ends on Wednesday, October 10, so you don't have much to push Ed over the top.

Remember, a vote for Leyro is a vote for Ed (as R.A. Dickey himself is gladly endorsing on his T-shirt below).  Do the right thing.  For America.  For Ed.




                    I'm Ed Leyro and I approve this message.

Joey's Recap: Sponsored By "R", "A" and "20"

Hi, everyone!  This is Joey Beartran and here is my recap of today's Citi Field finale, a game that featured a number of key moments in Mets history, both inside and outside the ballpark.

Since today was a day game, we headed out to the ballpark early, especially since today was going to be The Apple's Final Mets Tailgate Ever.  So after a few hot dogs (I think I had more hot dogs than Jason Bay has doubles this year - he has two in case you didn't know or can't count past one), we took some photos of friends, tailgaters and bloggers alike before moving on to another historic event - the shaving of Keith Hernandez's iconic mustache.

The crowd that gathered around the Home Run Apple before the stroke of noon for the shaving of the 'stache was quite large.  In fact, I'd wager a hot dog that the number of people with cameras in tow was larger than the attendance at Wednesday night's game.  But then again, this was no ordinary 'stache we were talking about.

Some fans, like Matt Falkenbury of The Daily Stache, were particularly moved by the moment.  After seeing Matt's sign, I couldn't help but be moved as well.

Shortly before noon, the barber began to work his magic.  There was music playing over the speakers, with all the songs having a common "gone" theme.  I was glad they didn't play any songs from "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street", or else Keith might not have stuck around in the barber's chair very long.

But why am I still talking?  I'll just let these exclusive photos tell the story for me.

That was the pre-game show.  Now let's move on to the game itself.  Today's game came on the heels of David Wright's historic hit against the Pirates.  Wright's 1,419th hit in Wednesday's game moved him past Ed Kranepool into the No. 1 spot on the club's all-time list.  R.A. Dickey was also trying to make history today.

With a win, Dickey would become the sixth Mets pitcher to win 20 games in a single season, joining Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Dwight Gooden, David Cone and Frank Viola.  Things didn't start off so well with the Mets' resident knuckleballer, as Rod Barajas drove a long double off him in his first at-bat, followed by a home run his next time up.  Barajas' blast off Dickey gave the Bucs a 3-1 lead over the Mets, giving this bear and my 31,506 human friends in attendance a brief "oh no" moment.  But it was just brief.

An RBI single by Scott Hairston in the bottom of the fourth cut the deficit to one.  Then in the fifth, Daniel Murphy dropkicked a single to center to tie the game, which was followed by a titanic opposite field homer by David Wright.  The three-run blast could not be caught by Pirates' rightfielder Travis Snider, who made an Endy Chavez-like catch earlier in the game on a long drive by Mike Baxter.  And by Endy Chavez catch, I mean he made a highlight-reel catch in a losing effort.

Although Dickey admitted he "felt exasperated" and "was not himself today for the most part", he certainly didn't show it on the mound.  After Barajas' fourth-inning homer, Dickey did not allow another run, striking out a bazillion batters in the process.  Okay, so it was really 13 Ks, but it sure felt like a bazillion.

I guess "bazillion" didn't fit on CitiVision.

Dickey pitched into the eighth inning but with two outs, he walked Travis Snider on his 128th pitch of the game.  That was enough for Terry Collins, who removed Dickey and handed the ball to birthday boy Jon Rauch.  Rauch got the final out of the inning, but then had us all reaching for our Rolaids in the ninth.

A leadoff walk to Jordy Mercer (he of the .196 career batting average entering the game), followed by a two-run homer to Alex Presley (he of the 41 career RBIs in three seasons entering the game) cut the lead to 6-5.  But Rauch beared down (no pun intended) and got out of the inning without allowing another runner to reach base.  When Mike Baxter squeezed the final out into his glove, Dickey became the team's first 20-game winner since Frank Viola in 1990.  Interestingly, Viola also defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates for his 20th victory, as did Tom Seaver , who turned the trick twice.  Seaver picked up his 20th win against the Pirates in both 1972 and 1975.

Congratulations indeed!  What a season by the great R.A. Dickey!

Today was a day filled with many "lasts".  It was the last tailgate by The Apple (unless if the Mayans were wrong).  It was the last day Keith Hernandez got Tootsie Pop residue stuck in his 'stache.  It was the last home game at Citi Field.  But it was a "first" that became the most memorable part of the day, as R.A. Dickey became the first Mets pitcher to win 20 games in over two decades.

Although the season wasn't exactly great, Citi Field did get to witness three great moments.  In June, the home fans were treated to Johan Santana throwing the first no-hitter in team history.  Then in a span of 24 hours, David Wright became the franchise's all-time hits leader and R.A. Dickey put the cherry on top of his remarkable season (the whipped cream will be added on the day the Cy Young Award winner is announced).

Thanks to everyone who made this season special for me.  I'll miss seeing you all at Citi Field, but it'll just make me look forward to seeing you all again on April 1, 2013, when the Mets play their home opener next year.  I can't wait to see what the Mets have in store for us then.  Toodle-oo!

Joey's Post-Game: Heroes And Zeroes

Greetings and a belated happy Opening Day to everyone!  This is your fav'rit bear blogger, Joey Beartran, welcoming you to a new season of Mets baseball!

Yesterday's home opener was special in many ways.  First, it was special because it was the Mets' 33rd Opening Day victory in the last 43 years.  It was also memorable because it marked the return of Johan Santana.  And our Johan was certainly back in yesterday's game, pitching five scoreless innings in the Mets' 1-0 victory over the Braves.  Finally, it was special because I got to spend the day with a number of Mets bloggers, sharing in their tailgate parties and talking Mets baseball.  In other words, it was a perfect day all around.

We'll start with the tailgate.  It was a beautiful day for food, folks and fun.  (I hope McDonald's doesn't sue me for using their pre-I'm lovin' it slogan.)  At the Chapman tailgate, we met up with a number of acquaintances and even got to enjoy some Mets-colored cookies.

Although we arrived there at around 10:30am, it seemed as if the time flew by while we there.  It definitely went by faster than a Steve Trachsel start.  From there, we moved on to the Apple tailgate.  And no, I'm not talking about a tailgate that served apples.  I'm talking about the Apple, as in readtheapple.com.  Owner, operator and Mets fashionista Randy Medina was kind enough to pose with me for a photo and even allowed me to take a photo with his outstanding Opening Day pants (hence the fashionista part).

From there, we went back to the Chapman shindig, which by then had multiplied to include many other guests, including a certain blogger/author who keeps the faith (with an occasional dash of fear) whenever he's in Flushing.  You know who I'm talking about.  I'm talking about one of my blogging heroes, Greg Prince, from Faith and Fear in Flushing.

Greg was kind enough to take a photo with me and my sister, Iggy, before heading into the stadium.

In case you were wondering, the so-called "Joey Jinx" that has affected many current and former Mets does not apply to Mets fans.  Therefore, I can be photographed with the most die-hard fans and I will not cause them to go on the disabled list, be traded or (dare I say it) switch allegiances to another New York baseball team.  Our blue and orange antibodies are that strong.

After the tailgate action, we wanted some game action, so it was off to Citi Field!  But of course, before going in, I had to take this photo.  Don't worry.  I looked both ways before crouching.

Before the game began, there was a special tribute to the late, great Gary Carter.  Although it has been almost two months since his passing, I still haven't gotten over the loss of our 1986 World Champion catcher.

The Mets did a great job honoring their former catcher, inviting his family to throw out the ceremonial first pitches.  They also unveiled a special oversized "Kid 8" patch on the outfield wall, which was added next to the Mets' 50th anniversary logo in left field.

Although I was able to take photos of the family and the outfield unveiling, I was not able to take a photo of the ceremonial first pitches.  This was due to the fact that a so-called Mets fan decided it was more important to walk in front of us to return to his seat with his pastrami nachos than it was for us to digitally document a once-in-a-lifetime moment.  How did I know it was more important for him to do this?  Because he said (and I quote)...

"My pastrachos are more important."

Clearly this was someone who was too intrigued by the combination of cured meat and chips to care about the on-field events.  Either that or he was secretly a Phillies fan who had lost a bet with a Cardinals booster on the outcome of last year's NLDS and was forced to attend an Opening Day game at Citi Field while dressed in Mets apparel.  That's okay.  At least our first baseman was able to make his 2012 debut on Opening Day.

Fortunately, yet another Mets blogger who attended the game, Denise Winter (owner and operator of Metscellaneous), was able to snap a photo of the Carter clan throwing out their ceremonial first pitches, as shown below.

No pastrami nachos were harmed during this photo, but someone holding them almost was.

 

It was then time for the other important first pitch, the one thrown by Johan Santana to Braves' leadoff hitter Michael Bourn.  Santana retired Bourn before giving up a single to Martin Prado.  He then proceeded to retire the next 12 batters, before loading the bases on a double and two walks (including a walk to the opposing pitcher, Tommy Hanson).  But Santana remained smooth on the mound, showing his supremacy to Bourn once again, this time retiring the speedster on a comebacker to the mound.

That would be Santana's last pitch of the game, as he had already thrown 84 pitches through five shutout innings.  Although he wanted the ball for the sixth inning, manager Terry Collins told Santana his job was done for the day and he was handing the keys over to the bullpen.

After Ramon Ramirez pitched a scoreless top of the sixth inning, David Wright's RBI single plated Andres Torres in the bottom of the sixth.  Although Torres was not around to see the end of the game, as he re-injured the calf that kept him out of action for most of spring training, his run held up.  The new bullpen of Ramirez, Jon Rauch and Frank Francisco (with a little help from the Hulkamaniac, Tim Byrdak) kept the Braves off the scoreboard over the final four innings and the Mets had their 33rd Opening Day victory, defeating the Braves, 1-0.

Other than the impatient pastracho aficionado, the day was perfect in every way.  The tailgating was wonderful and I got to see old friends while making new ones.  The food was excellent, although I did notice that the chicken nachos will now set my colleague back an extra four bits, going from $9.25 last year to $9.75 this year.  And of course, Johan Santana made a triumphant return to the mound, pitching five solid innings.  Although he didn't get credit for the victory (that honor went to Ramon Ramirez), Santana reminded us of what we missed in 2011.  It's great to have him back on the mound.

Oh, yeah.  I forgot one last thing from Opening Day.  If you were at the game, you wouldn't have seen it.  But if you were watching the game at home and kept SNY on for the post-game show, you might have seen this...

SNY Screenshot by Bryan Thompson

That's right.  Your fav'rit bear blogger showed off his photogenic chops during the SNY post-game show, repeatedly attracting the camera.  It was my first time on a post-game show but it certainly won't be my last.

I also went over to Bobby Ojeda and reminded him that I'm on his Wikipedia page, as he held me for that classic shot in Port St. Lucie two years ago.  Surprisingly, he remembered me, saying "so you're the bear on my Wikipedia page".  Memories...

So that's all for this special post-game report.  We hope you enjoyed it, as well as the Mets Opening Day victory.  Before I go, I'll leave you with one more photo, because I have to give a shout-out to more of my fav'rit Mets bloggers.  Some have already been mentioned here, while some others have not. From left to right, we have Denise Winter (Metscellaneous) holding yours truly, Taryn Cooper ( from A Gal For All Seasons and Kiner's Korner), John Coppinger (Metstradamus) and some random guy dressed in Mets gear who wanted to hold my sister, Iggy.  If anyone can identify him, feel free to let me know.  (Oh, and lest I forget, the photo was taken by another Mets blogger, Richard Sparago, whose work you can find at Random Mets Thoughts.)

Photo by Richard Sparago/Random Mets Thoughts

One game down, 161 to go.  If the Mets can have more games like yesterday's opener, the season might produce more smiles like the ones in the photo above.

Opening Day was a day in which I met my blogging heroes, celebrated the life and accomplishments of a fallen '86 hero and saw five Mets pitchers combine to put nine zeroes on the board.  Ain't baseball grand?