What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets were off on Thursday - they will open the second chapter of the Subway Series against the Yankees in the Bronx tonight
Phillies manager Don Mattingly has emerged as an intriguing option for the Mets’ managerial search (NY Post)
The Just Mets Podcast 🎙️
In the latest midweek edition of The Just Mets Podcast, Rich MacLeod reacts to the Mets sweep vs. the Marlins, likely ending Miami’s playoff hopes and delivering some much needed payback for 2007, 2008 and 2025...
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Links to Read 📖
This season has been quite a disaster for David Stearns but does he owe the fans an apology? (Newsday)
It’s the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks and the 2001 Mets shared their memories of playing in front of a grief-stricken city (Daily News)
The Mets have taken “Never Forget” to heart by continuing to vist firehouses around the anniversary of September 11 (The Athletic)
There is a Mets shirt tied to a 9/11 Memorial in Ireland that honors the firefighters who lost their lives that terrible day (MLB.com)
The Yankees are October bound but the Mets are coming off a big sweep of the Marlins so who has the edge in the latest installment of the Subway Series (NY Post)
The great Howie Rose’s time in the radio booth is coming to an end. Those who have shared the booth with him shared what they learned working with the voice of the Mets (The Athletic)
Down on the Farm 🌾
RHP Jack Wenninger (No. 8 prospect, Triple-A): 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
LF Ryan Clifford (No. 15 prospect, Triple-A): 2-for-4, R, 2 2B, RBI, 2 K
2B Émilien Pitre (No. 10 prospect, Triple-A): 2-for-4, R, 2B, BB
SS Mitch Voit (No. 4 prospect, Double-A): 2-for-5, R, RBI, SB, K
BOX SCORES
Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (68-78) vs. Yankees (84-62)
Where: Yankee Stadium - Bronx, NY
Starters: RHP Nolan McLean (11-8, 3.06 ERA) vs. LHP Carlos Rodón (5-3, 3.09 ERA)
When: 7:05 PM EDT
Where to Watch: WPIX
25 years - Never Forget 🇺🇸
It’s hard to believe that 25 years have passed since that awful day on September 11, 2001.
For most of us, we can remember exactly where we were when it happened. I know for me, I could still walk you through my entire day and the images that forever left their imprint on my 14-year-old self.
Mike Piazza’s home run on September 21, 2001 left its own kind of memory. It gave New York a reason to smile, even for just a moment, after so much grief and heartbreak that felt unbearable. With that home run, the Mets are forever tied to the history of that day. But it wasn’t just Mike Piazza that helped New York heal.
In 2018, the Mets were presented with a sapling from the Survivor Tree. The Survivor Tree was a Callery pear tree on the site of the World Trade Center that was badly damaged in the attacks but survived and regrew. Saplings from the tree are sent around the world to others who have been affected by tragedy as a symbol of hope.
The Mets have their own symbol of hope due to the tireless efforts of Rusty Staub.
Staub first founded The N.Y. Police and Fire Widows’ & Children’s Benefit Fund – now also known as Answer the Call – in 1985. After 9/11 the charity became all the more important to give back to the families of all of those who lost their lives in the line of duty that day. He helped raise millions of dollars and would host an annual picnic at both Shea Stadium and Citi Field for the families to come together and enjoy a ballgame. In the days following the attacks, he helped orchestrate efforts to help feed the rescue workers at Ground Zero as they searched for survivors.
Staub’s tireless efforts behind the scenes are perhaps not as flashy as Piazza’s memorable home run, but his impact and efforts are no less important.
As the Subway Series is about to begin, in a lost season for the Mets, it’s easy for emotions to take over. I have been guilty of it myself. But on this 25th anniversary of September 11 it’s also important to remember it is still a game and there are some things that are bigger than baseball. We can learn from the lessons from that time where baseball can be a tool used to find joy and a semblance of normalcy even in the darkest of times, or follow in the steps of Rusty Staub and use it as a way to build a community around to help others. Never Forget is not just a slogan. It is a calling to those who remember that day. Every year when the Mets take the field with first responder caps on, it is a part of remembering and honoring those who were lost. But there are also those still suffering, and we cannot forget about them either. We can follow the path of Rusty Staub and try to be of service to others as another way to make sure we never forget.
September 11 is a sad day, but it’s also a day where so many others showed the best of humanity, and that is what we should also remember. So be kind, do good, and never forget.
Around the League 🚩
RHP Jacob deGrom had a very deGrom start where he allowed one hit in six innings and struck out 12 but earned a no decision in the Rangers 4-3 loss to the Mariners
RHP Zack Wheeler gave the Phillies seven innings of one-run ball, but their offense was shutdown as they were edged by the Astros 2-1
SS Anthony Volpe hit a grand slam in the Yankees 10-3 win over the Rockies
The Brewers sent former Met prospect RHP Brandon Sproat to the minors after struggling in his latest appearance against the Cubs (ESPN)