March 22, 2016
NewYork Mets (7-9-2) vs. New York Yankees (8-9-2)
George M. Steinbrenner Field
Tampa, Florida

I-95 to I-4 “As Queens meets The Bronx”

By: Rocky Julich

It’s Tampa, Florida but the greetings between the Mets and the Yankees has almost the same fan fare as when the two teams play each other in the New York Subway Series. I should know, as I covered both teams for the better part of 30 seasons.

The Florida Spring Training games between the New York teams display a friendly atmosphere. It’s also a time for the media members of both teams to casually meet; print/TV & radio. We all look forward to seeing and chatting with the Mets legendary Vice President, Media Relations Jay Horwitz.
He has been honored with the Thurman Munson Award for outstanding contributions, dedication and hard work for the media community.

It is the second and final game between the New York teams this Spring. The first game was played March 9th to a 4-4 tie at Tradition Field in Port St. Lucie.

The Mets and Yankees play regular MLB season games during four straight days in August; at Citi Field August 1-2 before the Subway Series shifts to Yankee Stadium for August 3-4.

As the Mets head into the final stretch of the Grapfruit League games, here’s a look at what the 2016 Mets Roster may look like for the defending 2015 National League Champions.

STARTING LINE-UP
OF Curtis Granderson
3B David Wright
CF Yoenis Cespedes
1B Lucas Duda
2B Neil Walker
LF Michael Conforto (Questionable)
C Travis d’Arnaud
SS Asdrubal Cabrera

ON THE BENCH
C Kevin Plawecki
OF Juan Lagares (DH during Inter-League games)
OF Alejandro De Aza
INF Wilmer Flores
INF Matt Reynolds
INF Eric Campbell

ROTATION
RHP Matt Harvey
RHP Noah Syndergard
RHP Jacob deGrom
LHP Steven Matz
RHP Bartolo Colon

BULLPEN
RHP Jeurys Familia
RHP Addison Reed
LHP Antonio Bastardo
LHP Jerry Blevins
RHP Hansel Robles (Will start 2016 season under two-game suspension for throwing near the head of Phillies Catcher Cameron Rupp, during a game in September, 2015)
LHP Sean Gilmartin

The Game:
RHP Luis Severino opened the game for the Yankees. He held the Mets scoreless first four innings until the fifth inning when back-up catcher/DH Johnny Monell connected the fourth hit charged to Severino. Ex-Yankee Curtis Granderson hit a double to drive in Monell and that was all for Severino who completed his four innings pitched allowing five hits.

The Yankees followed Severino with five relievers LHP Aroldis Chapman, RHP Dellin Betances, LHP Andrew Miller, LHP Tyler Olson, and non-roster invitee RHP Diego Moreno, who together combined for an additional seven hits by the Mets.

LHP Steven Matz (top Rookie prospect) took the mound for the Mets. The Yankees bottom of the second inning provided Matz his second loss of Spring Training. Ten Yankees batters came to the plate. The first batter C Brian McCann ground out to first base. 3B Chase Headley, 2B Starlin Castro, SS Didi Gregorious, LF Brett Gardner, CF Aaron Hicks, DH Alex Rodriguez all consecutively connect for a total of six hits. With the exception of A-Rod, five recorded runs. To end the inning, 1B Mark Teixeira walks, RF Carlos Beltran hits a sacrifice fly to left field. C Brian McCann who started the second inning took his second at bat and struck out swinging, for the third out.

During the Mets subsequent innings, RHP Hansel Robles, non-roster invitees LHP Duane Below, RHP Zack Thornton and RHP Paul Sewald take the mound in relief, but the win was decided for the Yankees with the five runs in the second inning.

Ex-Yankee (1982) – Ex-Mets outfielder (1976-1981-86-89) Lee Mazzilli, Yankees guest Spring Training instructor was on hand to watch his son, L.J. Mazzilli substitute at second base during the eighth inning. During his one turn at bat he popped out to centerfield. L.J. Mazzilli was the Mets fourth round pick in 2013 from UConn. He plays at Double-AA Binghamton of the Eastern League and was a Mets non-roster invitee during Spring Training.

Game Notes:
Mets used 19 position players, including 5 pitchers – Yankees 24 players, including 6 pitchers.
The Mets connected twelve hits and left 12 men on base.

After the game, the Yankees optioned OF Slade Heathcott to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and reassigned him to minor league camp. The Yankees Players on Camp Roster (44) Pitchers: 21, Catchers 5, Infielders 10, Outfielders 7 DH: 1

Happy 28th Birthday Yankees RHP Dellin Betances (the Gentle 6’8”Giant)

The Mets are celebrating their 30th Anniversary 1986 – 2016

Tuesday, March 22nd, the New York Mets and the New York Yankees agreed with the Players Association to the ban on the use of smokeless tobacco by their players (Agreement awaiting to be signed into law by the Mayor of New York). A notice is pinned on the bulletin board in the Players Clubhouse: “Anyone wanting Nicotine Replacement Therapy Supplies (Gum, Lozenges, or Patches) please see the coach.”

GAME FINAL:
Yankees 6 Mets 3
WP: Luis Severino (2-0)
LP: Steven Matz (0-2)
Save: Diego Moreno (1)
Time: 3:00
Attendance: 11,146 (sell-out)
Official Scorer: Nicholas Flammia

RTFR Radio – Stay Tuned

SHANNON FORDE. WE TAKE A MOMENT TO REMEMBER A BELOVED MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK METS MEDIA RELATIONS DEPARTMENT FOR OVER TWO DECADES. SHANNON PASSED AWAY ON MARCH 4TH AFTER A COURAGES BATTLE WITH CANCER.
SHE WAS A DEAR FRIEND.

This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Yankee Stadium
The Bronx, New York

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Before and After.
In and out of The Bronx. 

Yankee Stadium is like a City within a City.  When you enter the gates of this sports cathederal, it’s as Alice when she went into the tunnel to Wonderland or Dorothy upon walking the yellow brick road.  The City is different in here.  There is lots of color.  A lot of game takes place on the Diamond.  It is magical.  But as with Alice in Wonderland and Dorothy in the Emerald City, we know they both eventually return home.  

YES there was a missed opportunity.  Still, I’ve come full circle.  There is no right way to say goodby to people and a place you love and it has been 30 seasons of in-love for me.  Today is filled with final moments and reflection, en espanol e ingles.  I will indulge a moment to think of what I accomplished, after all it was 30 years.  It was the best of times in Major League Baseball.
We remember the Boss.

 It’s interleague play.  The Subway Series.  Yankees/Mets.  It’s a party of 48,293 fans of New York.   It may be cold in The Bronx but inside the sports cathederal, for me, it’s a beautiful day full of warm rememberance.

 But as like Alice and Dorothy, it is time for Raquel to return home from the Citi.

Resuming the baseball game on the field – top of the 7th inning, the Yankees beat up the Met’s pitchers – 13 players came to bat, Gardner, Jeter, Rodriguez, Cano and Dickerson connected with 6 additional hits, scoring 8 runs.  After 3 hours and 3 minutes of play Yankees 9 – Mets 3       

New York – New York
Stay tuned.

Yankee Stadium
The Bronx, New York

May 21, 2011

The New York Mets Manager said “You never know what you’re going to do offensively against a knuckleballer”.

The Yankees found this to be true from last night’s Mets game starting pitcher R.A.Dickey.  The knuckleball held the Yankees to 1ER in 6.01IP.  The first game of interleague was a win f0r the Mets vs. Yankees 2 – 1.

Game #2 – The Mets scored twice in the 1st inning against the Yankees starting pitcher A.J. Burnett.  The New York Mets fans got excited.  But, the Yankees scored twice in the 2nd inning against the Mets starting pitcher Chris Capuano.  They scored twice in the 3rd inning  and twice in the 6th inning.  Russell Martin,  Mark Teixeira, Curtis Granderson and tonight’s DH Alex Rodriguez connected home runs.  It brought the Yankees total home runs to 70 for the season and leaders in home runs in the American League. 

At the top of the 8th inning, Derek Jeter on his road to 3,000 hit for the 2,973 time of his career.  He then stole 2nd base to tie Rickey Henderson (326) for first place on the Yankees’ all-time stolen bases list.

The 2nd game of the 2011 Yankees/Mets interleague series snapped the Yankees season high six-game home losing streak.  The Yankees did not leave a runner on base.  The final score was Yankees 7 – Mets 3.  For 2 hours 44 minutes,  the teams played to a sellout crowd of 48,286 New York fans. 

The world did not end today.

Yankee Stadium
The Bronx, New York

May 20, 2011

There’s nobody here but New Yorkers?

It was 1997.  Fifteen seasons ago, it was the start of Major League Baseball Interleague play.
Before interleague, the Yankees and the Mets played the Big Apple Series, then it was the Mayor’s Challenge and finally the Mayor’s Trophy games.  They awarded a trophy?  During 1997,  Major League Baseball instituted interleague play throughout the Major Leagues.

The teams now play The Subway Series and have shared interleague wins and losses at the old Yankee Stadium, the new Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium and Citi Field, with an overall series record of 108-77-1 tie, in favor of the Yankees.

Fittingly, today the New York Yankees Museum will feature a new exhibit dedicated to honoring the legacy of the late Principle Owner George M. Steinbrenner III.  “The Boss: Remembering George M. Steinbrenner III” aims to capture his dedication to winning, his motivation to take the Yankees to the top of baseball and his quiet generosity.  He loved the game.  

During interleague play, from his Box, the Boss so enjoyed seeing all these New Yorker Mets and Yankees fans in his Yankee Stadium.

And so, tonight, 47,874  fans celebrate New York during interleague play.

CitiField
Flushing, New York

April 24, 2011 

It’s Easter Sunday.  The sun is almost shining, after all the rain of April.
A lot of fans are elsewhere.  A lot of seats are empty at CitiField.

After the 1st four weeks of baseball, the national pastime plays as usual in the Major Leagues. 

Arizona Diamondbacks 8 – 11, The New York Mets 8 – 13.
The Mets playing for a 3 game sweep of the Arizona.

Pitching for the Arizona team is the near perfect Armando Galarraga.  During 2010, an umpire’s bad call cost the Latino pitcher a  perfect game.  He is  nowhere near perfect on this aftern0on’s mound.  By the third inning he had walked 4, the “2011 amazins”  hit him 4 times and scored 6 runs, twice by homeruns.

Thus the New York Mets sweep the Arizona Diamondbacks 3 game series by score of 4-1, 6-4 & 8-4.
The second 3 game sweep in April for the Mets.

This Mets team needs a couple of months of playing good baseball putting together consistant strings of series wins in order to convince their fans that there is something special worth coming to CitiField for.

At the other New York, Alex Rodriguez records his 22 Grand Slam against Baltimore to bring him one shy of Yankees Lou Gehrig.  The Yankees have started the 2011 season 11 – 6.

In the American League  League leader standings, both Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers are 13 – 7.
The National League Philadelphia Phillies and Colorado Rockies are 14 – 6.  Cincinnati Reds are 11 – 10.

In California, the Los Angeles Dodgers managed by Don Mattingly are playing at 11 – 11.  The organization was at one time among the elite of Major League Baseball but recent events have tarnished the Dodger Blue image and tradition.

I’ve celebrated lots of birthdays reporting  baseball.  Like a gift that keeps on giving, I own 30 seasons of Media Guides.  Happy Birthday Carlos Beltran.

Let’s go Cleveland.

Remembering Bill Sannon – Play Ball!

April 14, 2011
CitiField
Flushing , New York

Colorado Rockies vs. New York Mets
The last time the Rockies and Mets played in a doubleheader was July 30, 2009.  It was the first doubleheader in CitiField’s history.

Today, the Mets celebrate a memorable day.  On April 14, 1970, at Shea Stadium the team received their 1969 World Series rings and raised the World Championship banner for the first time in franchise history.

A lot of baseball seasons have come to pass.  A lot of firsts at the “old” ballpark are remembered as the Mets continue recording  firsts at the “new”.

It has been 30 seasons since I first took a seat in the press box of the New York Mets.  My beloved Shea Stadium.  This doubleheader will probably be the last I get to see in my career as a sports reporter.   I will remember the doubleheaders of yesteryear.  They were regularly scheduled “back in the day”.  Now, they are only played due to acts of nature.  I am reminded that so much has evolved in our national pastime, not much having to do with the acts of nature, more due to the acts of man.

It is a different time.  Where have you gone Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente?  Hideki Irabu?  We have witnessed players white, black, latino, asian.  The American  game has survived in spite of gambling, wars, money, drugs, media, women in baseball.   Thanks for the memories.  Major League Baseball to be continued healthy, always in transition.

Yo Me voy, Pero Un Dia Volvere.

April 9, 2010
Washington Nationals vs. New York Mets
Citi Field – Flushing, New York

This week the New York Mets opened their second season in their new ballpark Citi Field.

2009 was disappointing for the “Amazins” as they completed the season with 70 wins – 92 losses.  Injuries plagued the team and their dynamic lead off hitter shortstop Jose Reyes was a missing key.

2010 promises to be a new beginning for the Mets with changes on the field and pitching.  The Mets have 5 rookies on the team, the most in the majors.  20 year old rookies, infielder from Panama Ruben Tejada and Dominican pitcher Jenrry  Mejia are the youngest players in the Major Leagues.

The New York Mets have the most foreign-born players on their opening day roster; to include Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

Let the games begin.
After winning their home opener vs. the Florida Marlins on April 5^th with their Venezuelan ace, Johan Santana, the Mets lost the next two.

Prior to the three game series vs. Washington Nationals, the Mets held a press conference to report shortstop Jose Reyes would be joining the team on the field on Saturday.  After an eleven month absence due to a thyroid condition, Jose Reyes exclaimed “I’m finally going to be in New York again.  It was a tough year.  It’s an exciting day for me.”

Starting their 1st game of the season, Mike Pelfrey pitched for the Mets while Garrett Mock took the mound for the Nationals.

In the 2nd inning, the Washington Nationals took a 2 run lead when shortstop Ian Desmond hit a triple to left field scoring Adam Dunn and veteran catcher Ivan “pudge” Rodriguez.

The Mets rightfielder Jeff Francouer home run in the 2nd inning and a home run by catcher Rod Barajas in the 4th tied the game 2 – 2.

The cold wind blowing at Citi Field, pieces of paper in circular motion on the field.

After 3-1/3 innings of play, a call to the bullpen brings Miguel Batista to pitch for Washington.

Catcher Rod Barajas connected for his 2nd home run of the game giving the Mets the lead 3 -2.

With the wind playing games on this night, David Wright hits a long ball to left field, first thought to be a home run.  David Wright at 2nd base, Fernando Tatis hitting for Mike Jacobs drives Wright home and the Mets are 4 -2.   A Pitching change for Washington puts Tyler Walker on the mound who promptly serves Jeff Francoeur his 2nd home run of the game, scoring Fernando Tatis.  Mets 6 – Nationals 2.

The last time the Mets had multiple home runs by two players was 2006 in Arizona by Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado.

Bottom of the 8th inning, rookie shortstop Ruben Tejada gets his first Major League Baseball hit and the ball is promptly retired for him. It was a memorable game for the rookie, 2nd youngest player in the Major Leagues Ruben Tejada.  Yet, tonight he shuffles off to Buffalo.  Under his bet, his 1st hit, 1st run scored, 1st walk and he assists in making the final out of the game by throwing out Nationals Willie Taveras.  After the game we spoke to Ruben Tejada who spoke in Spanish “muy contento por la oportunidad.  Feliz por el equipo en la llegada de Jose Reyes.  Tranquilo con la decisión de seguir jugando en Buffalo (AAA), con el deseo de jugar mas fuerte.

Tomorrow #7, shortstop Jose Reyes will be in the New York Mets line-up.

Final score New York Mets 8 – Washington Nationals 2.
Winning Pitcher Mike Pelfrey (1-0)
Losing Pitcher Miguel Batista  (0-1)

Time of game:  3:06

Baseball.  It’s all a blog.  Yankee Stadium one day and then I cross the River and arrive at Mets Citi Field.  The ball parks are as different as  night and day, really.

While the Yankees players are 9 game ahead of Boston Red Sox in the standings anticipating post season games, the Mets are struggling to complete the season, with their ownership contemplating how to correct the “crash” of the 2009 season.

Both teams opened the season in brand new ballparks.  Both teams began play with questionable players.  So, what made the difference that one team achieved success and the other suffered injury after injury.

In this web site, we shall continue with this subect as the Major League Baseball season come to an end.