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The Mets confirm Perez, with Elieser Hernandez moved to the big six-oh.

It's pretty bad, they should just put the folding lawn chair behind the plate like we used to do in the wiffle ball era

Scherzer neck spasms, scratched. Peterson to start. Jimmy the Yak to the IL.

Let's hope Max Scherzer's scapula won't deserve its own thread.

David Robertson made his major league debut at Shea Stadium on June 29, 2008, a.fact well-captured on his card.

Vida Blue, the personification of baseball in the summer of 1971, age 73.

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: Wifey Bucket and I will be taking this one in from section 328, third base side. Thoughts and prayers /waving from the party deck Making my Citi Field season debut. Wonder how chilly sitting in the massive scoreboard's shadow will be.

Nimmo CF Marte RF Lindor SS Alonso DH Pham LF Baty 3B Canha 1B Escobar 2B Álvarez C - Megill RHP (3-1, 4.11)

Au revoir to, as Crash Davis framed it, http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2023/05/06/one-of-those-guys/One of Those Guys. [media=youtube]EroyjPcw3sg[/media]

Megill against Gomber, Mets in favor of mental health. FLUSHING, N.Y., May 4, 2023 – In an effort to help end the stigma, the New York Mets will host Mental Health Awareness Day presented by Carelon at Citi Field Saturday, May 6 when they take on the Colorado Rockies at 4:10 p.m. Gates will open to all fans at 2:10 p.m. Mental Health Awareness Day at Citi Field will help bring attention to the importance of mental health and wellness, while providing information and resources throughout the game. Prior to the start of the game, there will be a Mental Health Resource Center in the Bullpen Plaza, providing resources to advance the conversation around mental health and wellness. Carelon will also be activating in Mets Plaza prior to the game, distributing mental health-related information and giveaways to fans approaching the stadium. A ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by Mets alumni, Bill Pulsipher. A former second-round draft pick of the New York Mets in 1991, Pulsipher has spoken publicly about his battle with anxiety and depression. Additionally, the Mets will honor several organizations as their Mental Health Heroes of the game, each representing one of the Mets Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). These organizations are being recognized for the mental health support they provide to their respective communities. In lieu of the traditional 7th inning stretch, the Mets will hold a mindful meditation. The Mets will also be working with their new partner, NewYork-Presbyterian, to continue the conversation about the importance of prioritizing mental health throughout Mental Health Awareness month and the entire season.

Mets Game 33 of 162, vs. COL Friday, May 5, 7:10 p.m. vs RHP Antonio Senzatela (0-0, -.--) Nimmo CF Marte RF Lindor SS Alonso 1B McNeil 2B Baty 3B Pham LF Vogelbach DH Nido C - Senga RHP (3-1, 4.15)

From the Chronicle in SF on the eve of No. 24 turning 92. SAY HEY! GIANTS' WILLIE MAYS TURNING 92: ‘I JUST ENJOY MYSELF. I ENJOY OTHERS' John Shea May 5, 2023 Updated: May 5, 2023 10 a.m. The subjects turn as rapidly as he ran the bases, and the messages resonate as powerfully as he hit the ball. Willie Mays still talks like he's in his prime and can effortlessly and energetically take you back to various points of his life and career and spin a yarn like it happened yesterday. “I didn't like to complain,” Mays said. “How many people have the things that I have from playing ball? I just enjoy myself. I enjoy others. I think I was lucky. I don't brag, but I felt comfortable doing whatever I wanted on a ballfield.” In a recent visit I was fortunate to make with the greatest ballplayer who ever lived, he chatted about everyone from Joe Louis and Casey Stengel to Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. to Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. From Bill Greason of the Birmingham Black Barons to Leo Durocher of the New York Giants to Willie McCovey of the San Francisco Giants to Tom Seaver of the New York Mets, touching on legendary colleagues from all four of his big-league stops. That Mays is without the mobility and eyesight from his younger days doesn't mean he's not still extremely active. He turns 92 on Saturday and remains busy orchestrating business deals, overseeing his Say Hey Foundation, honoring the Willie Mays Scholars and entertaining old friends. Since his last birthday, Mays was featured in an HBO documentary (“Say Hey, Willie Mays!”), had his number 24 retired by the Mets, had youth fields in Richmond dedicated to him, cut new deals with baseball card and video game companies, was seen in a cool commercial for a self-driving car called Cruise, paid a memorable visit to Oracle Park in September and congratulated Dusty Baker for winning his first World Series as a manager. Mays' relevance as an American icon never wavered despite a hip surgery last spring that slowed him down physically but not mentally. He relies on long-time relationships with assistant Rene Anderson and attorneys Jeff Bleich and Malcolm Heinicke, all of whom are close friends, a Stanford medical team including Dr. Carla Pugh and a slew of buddies who have his back – and whose backs he has. “Willie remains ever-present in the baseball psyche of America,” Heinicke said, “not only for his past accomplishments and records on the field but also through the release of the documentary as well as video games and baseball cards that allow modern-day fans of all ages to enjoy his greatness all over again.” Mays retired 50 years ago after playing in the World Series for the 1973 Mets – “I had a good time with those guys, a bunch of good guys.” The Mets lost in seven games to the A's, and I wondered in my visit with Willie what would have happened had Mets manager Yogi Berra used him as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning of Game 7. The Mets trailed 5-2 with two outs and two runners aboard. When A's lefty Darold Knowles replaced Rollie Fingers, Berra stuck with a left-handed batter, Wayne Garrett, who popped out to end the Series. Imagine if Yogi had taken a chance on the 42-year-old Mays. “I was waiting for him to call my name. He never did call,” Mays said. “I never did say anything out of the way to anybody. I didn't want to show him up. That wasn't my thing. I showed respect. You never know. I had my bat. I had my helmet.” When Mays transitioned to his post-playing career, Joan Payson, then the Mets' owner, approached with a proposition. “She asked me, ‘You want to manage?' No ma'am. I want to play golf.” Around that time, Payson told Mays the Mets would retire his number at some point, but she died two years later. Fast-forward to August 2022, the Mets finally acknowledged Payson's wish and retired No. 24 in an on-field ceremony, thanks to owner Steve Cohen and Jay Horwitz, the longtime team PR man whose idol growing up was Mays. “That was special what the Mets did. I called Larry to get his approval,” said Mays, who has a lifetime contract with the Giants and was referring to Giants CEO Larry Baer, who of course gave his blessing. When the conversation turned to McCovey, Mays shared the story of why he didn't try to steal more bases. “I wanted Mac to hit,” said Mays. An open base would prompt pitchers to pitch around the cleanup hitter. “His locker was right next to mine. He listened very carefully. He was the guy.” Mays thinks a lot about Greason, who's 98 and still living in Birmingham, and his other Black Barons teammates who introduced him to the Negro Leagues and taught him valuable life lessons. Like Mays, Greason was a rookie on the 1948 team that played in the final Negro Leagues World Series. “Greason's always been good to me, man, hung around with me all the time, especially when we were on the road,” Mays said. “We traveled by bus. I was in the back seat. Lot of those guys played cards. They wouldn't let me in. ‘Put your money in your pocket, Junior.' They called me Junior. They took care of me. I had a good time when I was coming up.” Mays remains prominent in the baseball card industry with his image on new Topps and Panini cards, and he's also featured in two video games – MLB The Show 23, which launched in March, and Super Mega Baseball 4, which comes out next month. Mays continues to make contributions and accept donations through his foundation, which benefits needy youth, and his Willie Mays Scholars program is paying dividends by offering college preparation and scholarships to Black youth in San Francisco. The partnership with the Giants Community Fund was unveiled on his birthday two years ago. Three of the recipients have committed to universities next fall, including UCLA-bound Jazmine Keel, who was going to get accepted to many colleges anyway, but she said the Willie Mays Scholars program provided great support during the application process, helped her network and included valuable life lessons most recently from an Alive & Well class taught by Dr. Joseph Marshall Jr. “I learned that respect comes from within and someone can't disrespect you if you respect yourself so I basically took on a new perspective with dealing with others who impact me in a negative way,” said Keel, adding she watched a Giants game from an Oracle Park suite and got to meet players on the field. “It isn't academic, but it's still cool and something not a lot of people get to do and potential scholars could look forward to.” When Mays visited the Giants' clubhouse on Sept. 28, in his wheelchair and accompanied by Dr. Pugh and others, including longtime clubhouse manager Mike Murphy, several players paid their respects and shared stories and laughs. The Giants were riding a five-game win streak and went on to win seven of 10 to finish the season at .500. Mays hopes to return to the ballpark again. “Mr. Mays is excited to see the kids, the players. His love of the game helps to keep him motivated to get out and support the players and see the fans,” Pugh said. “He has been pushing himself and wants to be active. With the pandemic, just knowing he couldn't go to the ballpark was really difficult for him. But he's inspired to get back, and that has helped him in his continued rehab.” https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/giants/article/willie-mays-san-francisco-18076268.php#photo-23782511https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/giants/article/willie-mays-san-francisco-18076268.php#photo-23782511 Reach John Shea: jshea@sfchronicle.com; Twitter: @JohnSheaHey

Ten years removed from his perfect game flirtation and five years removed from his designation for assignment, Matt Harvey has announced his retirement. Because time marches on, the Mets will play a baseball game anyway. Senga for us. Senzatela for the Rockies. Both sound like pharmaceuticals advertised on channels that show very old reruns. Hopefully this will not be a rerun of the Tiger series. 7:10 at Citi Field.

Time's flight continues. https://twitter.com/TalkinBaseball_/status/1654476154193993729

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I thought he was referring to Springsteen. “The Boss said something about being born to run, so I thought I was supposed to try to steal second,” Nimmo said about being thrown out at second in the ninth.

Muckenhirn, Curtiss (and 27th Man Butto) are down to make room for the famous Justin Verlander and out of nowhere veteran Dominic Leone.

She said, Dominic you've been added to the Mets' roster.

She said, Dominic you've been added to the Mets' roster.

1,198. Justin Verlander

Mets go ga-ga for a little unexpected something.

Slide the Oakland Coliseum back into the column of the righteous. Oakland Coliseum as of April 1 has “axed its branding as RingCentral Coliseum and is now officially called the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum,” according to Barreira & Leuty of the S.F. BUSINESS TIMES. The deal appears to have been “terminated two years early” after it “began a 36-month naming rights agreement in April 2022.” RingCentral did not respond to questions about the "circumstances that led to the dissolution of the deal” or “how much money it would save from the early exit.” The company was to pay about $1.1M per year as “part of the rights purchase made in Jan. 2021," and also “agreed to a prepayment of $450,000 to be amortized over the duration of the three-year term.” For the FY ending in June 2022, the Coliseum Authority recorded $517,500 “in revenue attributed to ‘naming allowance.'” The A's finished last in attendance of all 30 MLB teams in 2022, with an “average home crowd of 9,973 across 81 games at the 63,000-seat stadium.” In spite of this, the Coliseum also “achieved its ‘highest grossing event in Coliseum history'” over the summer at a “sold-out Bad Bunny concert that had more than 40,000 in attendance" (S.F. BUSINESS TIMES, 4/13). https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2023/04/14/Facilities/oakland-coliseum-ringcentral.aspxhttps://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2023/04/14/Facilities/oakland-coliseum-ringcentral.aspx

Mets Game 30 of 162, @ DET Tuesday, May 2, 6:40 p.m. vs RHP Michael Lorenzen (0-1, 7.07) Nimmo CF Marte RF Lindor SS Alonso 1B McNeil 2B Vogelbach DH Canha LF Baty 3B Álvarez C - Lucchesi LHP (1-0, 2.19)

5 other major leaguers who have died this year: Jesus Alou https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/12/sports/baseball/jesus-alou-dead.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/12/sports/baseball/jesus-alou-dead.html Thanks for the completism. Respects to departed Mets can be found in their own threads, like https://phpbb3.leaptoad.com/mets/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=32171&p=119811&hilit=Jesus+Alou#p119570that for Alou.