Mets News Heard This Afternoon On ESPN Radio - All Star Game at Citi Field

Schuck and His Lap Dog were doing some Big East basketball thing today, so I swung the tuner over to ESPN Radio.  Just before noon, some crack reporter (can't remember whom) called in with a report after speaking with Jeff Wilpon.  His breaking news update:

 

• Jeff said that an announcement will be made soon about an All Star Game to be played at Citi Field
• When asked about Willie Randolph's job security, Jeff said "he's under contract for the next couple seasons"
• There is some flexibility in the budget to add payroll if the right opportunity comes along
• There is a job waiting for Mike Piazza in the Mets organization, whether in broadcasting or in some capacity, whenever Mike decides to retire.  Jeff said he's waiting for Mike to retire to discuss options with him. 
   

So there you go.

Transplanted Ex-Mets Update: Armando Benitez

Everyone's favorite ex-Mets closer Armando Benitez has signed a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.  I remember going to Photo Day at Shea one year and seeing Armando pout because he wasn't getting a big enough crowd from the fans for pictures.  I never had so much appreciation for John Franco as when I saw Armando struggle so much as closer, despite a ridiculously fast fastball.  It proved that John Franco's save total wasn't just a matter of pitching in the right innings, but that to be a closer requires a certain special kind of mentality that transcends "stuff."  I rarely agree with Schmuck and His Lap Dog, but they are dead-on when they say the Junkees would be much better served grooming Joba to be the closer of the future than trying to re-invent him as a reliever.  Why Russo keeps bringing up one poor start as a college player is beyond me, but you can't expect them to ever make a point without at least one knucklehead comment.

Know what's hilarious?  Here in Central Jersey, I can get SNY on DirecTV, but not the YES network or the Phillies stations.  Meanwhile, down in the baseball wasteland of North Carolina, I was able to get both the Mets and Yankees stations, as well as the Nationals on MASN, and could get Braves games on the radio. 

There's going to be a hockey game at Yankees Stadium next winter, to close out the building.  How do we push a movement to have the Jets play at Shea in November?  After all, the friggin Jets were named after the planes that flew over their heads as they played in Flushing, for crying out loud!

My 7-Pack tickets showed up in the mail this weekend!  As Carlos Baerga once said, "Show Up At Shea," because Abu Dhabi Field seats are gonna be real hard to come by.