Major League Baseball decreed the Mets couldn’t wear the hats of the First Responders on the 10th anniversary of the attacks of 9/11/01. This started an admirable uproar on twitter among Mets fans, bloggers, and sports journalists alike. The MLB should have granted an exception to their draconian uniform policy for this unique event. Mets player rep Josh Thole (Yes, second-year man Josh Thole is the Mets player rep) said, “I guess they cracked down on it pretty hard. So it’s just something we can’t do. As a group, we think it’s right, and it’s the least we can do. We’re going to wear them for a ceremony we’re having, and then we’re going to have to switch hats for the game.” Thole went on to say they discussed wearing the hats during the game, despite MLB’s objections, but the fines were too much. So who’s to blame for Hatgate? Here are the suspects:
The Mets
Just another typical bonehead move by the Mets, right? I mean, Todd Zeile even said, “they’d have to rip them off of our heads” in 2001 when that version of the Mets defied MLB’s uniform policy in their return to Shea on 9/21/2001. So why don’t the Mets have the courage to do the same now?
Josh Thole
Dude, he’s just a kid. What does he know about player representin’? He said he wasn’t aware that the 2001 team wore the First Responders’ hats against the wishes of MLB. But after being informed by the media, he held a player meeting. He asked the team if they could do the same as the 2001 Mets, and wear the hats anyway. He was informed that the blowback from the league would be severe. Considering the Mets are in dire financial straits, and rely on the league so much, it’s no wonder he was told “no.”
Joe Torre
Torre screwed the Mets pretty well in his first managerial gig between 1977 and 1981 with the boys from Queens. Granted, he had the likes of Butch Benton, Pat Zachry, Jose Morales, and Richie Hebner to work with, but he went to a thin Atlanta Braves team in 1982, and won the division with them. Torre is now the “sergeant-at-arms” in MLB’s heirarchy. He specifically forbade the Mets from wearing the hats of the FDNY, PAPD, and NYPD on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.
Major League Baseball
MLB has been very profitable under Bud Selig. But is that enough for the future of the game? Selig could have resolved this little mess with a simple phone call saying “Yes you can wear the hats tonight, but just this one time.” He didn’t. Many people will point to the fact that Mets hats with a little American flag on the side are being sold for $36 online as the reason why. Ultimately the blame rests on the head of Major League Baseball, Bud Selig.
But Does It Matter?
No. It would have been nice to see the Mets honoring the First Responders by wearing their hats. But as Bobby Valentine and Zeile pointed out, when they wore those hats in 2001, they were from the actual people who performed heroic actions on 9/11. In 2011, it would have been hats from a box.
Tonight’s ceremony from Citi Field was beautiful and stirring. The first pitch from John Franco to Mike Piazza was amazing. Bobby Valentine’s running commentary for ESPN throughout the game was priceless. And seeing Mike Piazza well up while talking about his emotional 9/21/01 home run was a moment as genuine as any you have heard all day.
Should the Mets have worn the First Responders’ hats. Yes. Were the Mets to blame? No. In the grand scheme of things, did it matter? Definitely not. The Mets organization did a tremendous job paying tribute to those who lost their lives on 9/11, and those heroes who saved the lives of so many on that fateful day. Once again, Mets fans should be proud of their team.
14 comments
Peter
9/12/2011-2:55am at 2:55 am (UTC -4)
If this were the Yankees, not only would they be allowed to wear the hats, but there would be a Yankeeography titled “Champions Salute Heros”, the hats would be on sale from Steiner Sports, and HBO would have made a documentary about it
Paul Festa
9/11/2011-11:32pm at 11:32 pm (UTC -4)
How true!
Paul J. Festa
9/12/2011-3:56am at 3:56 am (UTC -4)
Exactly!
MetsFan4Decades
9/12/2011-4:53am at 4:53 am (UTC -4)
I would have really liked the Mets to ‘defy’ them anyway and MLB to come after them. The negative publicity would have been horrendous.
MetsFan4Decades
9/12/2011-4:54am at 4:54 am (UTC -4)
We need a BP. Thought were were going to see a position player brought in next to get those final outs in that last inning.
Can’t believe I stayed up to watch this one.
MetsFan4Decades
9/12/2011-4:56am at 4:56 am (UTC -4)
And to be fair, that game should have been a W in the books long before that BP meltdown. We left 15? 16? on base.
Highlight of this game – aside from the pre game tribute – was DWright wearing his first responder cap in the dugout. Good for you, David. Half a flick off to Torre and MLB.
Anonymous
9/12/2011-11:59am at 11:59 am (UTC -4)
I am starting to side with the “wright is a choker” camp at this point. Early on, he seemed to thrive in big spots, but now, you just don’t expect him to come through with the game on the line.
I still don’t think it will happen, but I am curious to know what they could actually get for him if they trolled him out onto the market.
Might as well, since I really don’t see the Mets offering a long term deal after 2013 when he will already be into his 30s.
MetsFan4Decades
9/12/2011-1:10pm at 1:10 pm (UTC -4)
I’m not going to be surprised by anything this FO does going forward. Contrary to some others, I don’t think Sandy was brought in ‘to lower payroll’. I believe his main goal is to get the franchise back on track and build a perennial winner. Just how he does that, or how long it takes to get back on track – is anyone’s guess.
We all know building up the farm system is one of the priorities. He’s started doing that with his draft picks this year and ‘stealing’ Wheeler away from the Giants for Beltran. Can’t believe the amount of Met fans who truly believe trading KRod and Beltran when ‘we were right in the middle of this race’ was unforgivable. Shaking my head at that mindset.
It sure is going to be interesting to see what happens with Reyes, Wright and a few others going forward. I’m not promising I’ll like all moves but then again, I haven’t like the past 3 seasons eithe – so change is warranted.
Anonymous
9/12/2011-2:27pm at 2:27 pm (UTC -4)
Team over players… it’s tough to have that mindset, for sure, but I guess we root for the front of the jersey, not the back.
I certainly want to see Wright retire a Met sometime in the distant future, but it may well be in the best interest for Sandy to move Wright. If he could bolster the pitching staff and add blue chip prospects, 3B is probably the easiest position (after 1B) to replace with the in-house options the Mets currently have. Much easier than replacing Reyes, anyway.
Now of the teams that are interested, I’ve only really heard of LAA or COL, and I unfortunately do not know what they have to send back to the Mets. I guess that’s something to look into and speculate come the offseason.
Anonymous
9/12/2011-2:27pm at 2:27 pm (UTC -4)
Team over players… it’s tough to have that mindset, for sure, but I guess we root for the front of the jersey, not the back.
I certainly want to see Wright retire a Met sometime in the distant future, but it may well be in the best interest for Sandy to move Wright. If he could bolster the pitching staff and add blue chip prospects, 3B is probably the easiest position (after 1B) to replace with the in-house options the Mets currently have. Much easier than replacing Reyes, anyway.
Now of the teams that are interested, I’ve only really heard of LAA or COL, and I unfortunately do not know what they have to send back to the Mets. I guess that’s something to look into and speculate come the offseason.
Anonymous
9/13/2011-4:45am at 4:45 am (UTC -4)
Sandy was thrust upon the Wilpons by MLB to reconstruct the franchise into what is considered a professionally managed franchise while building the foundation for winning in a financially challenged situation. Thus in the end the Mets become a strong franchise while the Wilpons are able to maintain majority ownership. Indeed, it is a Herculean task for Sandy.
Ceetar
9/12/2011-2:35pm at 2:35 pm (UTC -4)
There is no ‘wright is a choker’ camp. There’s the truth, and the ridiculous things people say to WFAN hosts that think Derek Jeter always comes through in the clutch despite actually failing to do sofrequently.
MetsFan4Decades
9/12/2011-2:37pm at 2:37 pm (UTC -4)
Per Dickey’s twitter on Hat Gate:
‘We had conspired to wear them but we got found out and MLB got involved’.
‘For all those upset that we didn’t wear the hats, I understand your
anger. However, they physically took them from us after the ceremony’.
Yeah, well done Torre and MLB.
Anonymous
9/12/2011-2:38pm at 2:38 pm (UTC -4)
Now had this been the Yankees playing…