NEW YORK — With an energetic crowd of 87, 291 combined throughout their last two regular season home games, the largest non-Subway Series crowd on back-to-back games in Citi Field history, the New York Mets wrapped up their final homestand of the year against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The storyline of the Mets’ last homestand of the 2024 season should have been their quest to earn a wild card berth for the upcoming postseason. While that was the major story, an ugly secondary narrative was the media’s preoccupation that the Mets drew in the low 20,000s in attendance for their Monday and Tuesday evening games with the rebuilding Washington Nationals. There seemed to be a collective shaming of Mets fans for not filling up Citi Field. Frankly, this anger was misplaced.
Let’s start with the obvious. Early weeknight games in September against opponents who are not perceived as glamorous are tough draws. There is also the matter of economics. Tickets, parking, and concessions are not easy on the budget.
Division races and wild card hunts down the stretch are all a part of the game – Image Credit: Hector Beauchamp/Latino Sports
From a baseball standpoint, there were ample reasons for skepticism. Wild card hunts lack the glamor of competing for a division title, as the Mets and Braves did in 2022. Major League Baseball scheduled the Mets to have three games with the Braves in Atlanta the final week of the season. It would be completely understandable if Mets fans were having PTSD flashbacks, and therefore did not want to face another Charlie Brown, Lucy Van Pelt, and the football moment. They were also probably humming the Who classic, “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”
Putting the Braves aside, the Mets did not help their ticket sales department, by dropping consecutive games to the Phillies in agonizing form, even by Mets standards, in Philadelphia the preceding weekend.
Francisco Alvarez, Pete Alonso and Luis Severino during a mound visit in Phillies-Mets at Citizens Bank Park – Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
The Mets did draw around 35,000 fans for their Wednesday finale against the Nationals but that was because it was a promotional night as hoodies were given out. Happily, for Mets fans, their Flushing heroes swept the three-game series with the Nats, with the third game being a 10-0 blowout.
Following the game, the hitting hero, Brandon Nimmo, who slugged a three-run homer to break open the game, was the postgame interview guest of SNY Mets field reporter Steve Gelbs. The interview also played over the Citi Field public address system. Nimmo beseeched fans to come out to Citi Field for the final four home games of the season against the Phillies because the team feeds off the fans’ energy.
Nimmo and “Swing Four the Fences”
Nimmo is the spokesman for the New York Lottery’s promotional “Swing Four the Fences” tie-in with the Mets, as many know from his humorous and ubiquitous commercials on SNY Mets telecasts. If a Mets player hits a home run at Citi Field in the fourth inning, a lucky fan will win $15,000. As fate would have it, Nimmo hit his big homer in the fourth inning.
Brandon Nimmo smacks a home run during Nationals-Mets at Citi Field – Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
He said the next day he had forgotten about the ad and was just thrilled to get a big hit. I have a feeling the person who won 15 grand is now a huge Brandon Nimmo fan.
Christian Scott will miss entire 2025 season, recovering from TJ surgery
Francisco Lindor’s back injury obscured the news that Christian Scott, a highly regarded Mets pitching prospect, will miss the entire 2025 season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. This is a big deal because Scott, although he did not get a win in his Mets starts this year, pitched impressively.
Where has the time gone?
As if baby boomers needed yet another reason to feel the passage of time, last Friday marked the centennial of the birth of Mets Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Murphy.
Jesse Winker, the Buffalo native
Jesse Winker, a huge addition for the Mets at the 2024 Trade Deadline – Image Credit: Simon Lindenblatt/Latino Sports
Mets outfielder Jesse Winker is a proud Buffalo native. Buffalo chicken wings were invented in the city’s Anchor Bar sixty years ago. Winker told me prefers the Buffalo wings from a rival tavern, Bar Bill.
CJ Abrams and His Night Out at the Casino
It is not shocking to find players who are on teams playing out the string counting down the days until the season ends. The Washington Nationals, who have been out of contention since late June, surprised the baseball world on Saturday when they demoted their All-Star shortstop, CJ Abrams, to the minor leagues with a mere week left in the season. Abrams was the centerpiece of their 2022 trade with the San Diego Padres in which they dealt current Yankees outfielder Juan Soto.
CJ Abrams, 23-year-old Nationals star shortstop, was the key piece in the Juan Soto trade to San Diego back in the summer of 2022 – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Abrams violated the team’s curfew Friday night in Chicago by frequenting the Bally’s casino in the Windy City until 8AM. The Nationals were scheduled to play the Cubs five hours later. It should be noted the Nationals have a business arrangement with Bet MGM. I wonder if Nationals executives would have been as upset with Abrams had he gambled at an MGM casino!
Brooklyn Nets plan to honor Vince Carter and retire his No. 15
The Brooklyn Nets will retire the #15 jersey of one of the best players in that franchise’s history, Vince Carter, on January 25. Carter played an incredible 20 years in the NBA. Carter is an occasional YES Network analyst on Nets games where his play-by-play partner is Forest Hills native Ian Eagle.
Lionel Messi makes Yankee Stadium debut
When soccer legend Lionel Messi comes to any city, it gets attention which would make Taylor Swift envious. Perhaps because of baseball’s homestretch, and the start of the NFL season, Messi’s Saturday visit to Yankee Stadium, where his Inter-Miami was taking on the New York City Football Club, received scant attention.
Lionel Messi dashes through Yankee Stadium as Inter Miami and NYCFC draw 1-1 on Saturday – Image Credit: Ernesto Diaz/Latino Sports
Nevertheless, nearly 45,000 spectators jammed Yankee Stadium.
Freehold Raceway announces Venerable Harness Track
Long before Bruce Springsteen, it was Freehold Raceway which put that central New Jersey town on the map. Last week, Freehold Raceway officials announced the venerable harness track, which is America’s oldest legal betting locale, will be shutting down on December 28 after 170 years of service.
Image Credit: Raceway Freehold/Twitter (X)
Harness racing has long been the poor relative to the thoroughbreds, and it did not help matters that over the years, the better horses and drivers were going to Yonkers and the Meadowlands. Being situated half-way between New York and Philadelphia was no longer enough to keep it going, especially with the value of the land Freehold Raceway sits on skyrocketing with the population growth explosion in central New Jersey.
Alzheimer’s Foundation of America set to host fundraising event at Eisenhower Park
This Saturday, September 28, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America will have a fundraising event in Westbury’s Eisenhower Park. Mets and Yankees pitching great Dwight “Doc” Gooden will be on hand to sign autographs and take pictures. There will be music, refreshments, and speakers. All are invited to take part in Alzheimer’s Walk in the Park.
You can read more of Lloyd Carroll’s columns posted weekly on The Queens Chronicle.
