Mets Game Notes 7/31/2020

2015 NLDS GAME USED BASE SIGNED BY MATT HARVEY, NOAH SYNDERGAARD, AND JACOB deGROM

2015 NLDS GAME USED BASE SIGNED BY MATT HARVEY, NOAH SYNDERGAARD, AND JACOB deGROM

NLDS 2015 game 3 game used 2nd base from 8th inning. Signed by Harvey deGrom and Syndergaard. Mets won 13-7. Harvey winning pitcher. COA MLB Hologram for the base is on it. Also a Steiner Holo for Syndergaard Auto. Two Steiner COA cards for deGrom and Harvey autos. $700 for the base shipping included. Email Mediagoon@gmail.com I have it up on eBay for $850 right now.

Latest Episode of The Orange and Blue Thing

When does Covid-19 shut down MLB season?

What date do we all think the season gets cancelled? The traveling between states and not having a bubble like the NHL is ridiculous.

From the NY POST

MLB’s coronavirus problem is spreading quickly.

The Brewers-Cardinals game Friday night has been postponed, The Post’s Joel Sherman confirmed. The Cardinals had positive tests and are self-isolating at their hotel. SportsGrid is reporting that it is two positive tests.

The Marlins have had 17 players test positive, while the Phillies have had a coach and staffer test positive. Those teams who started their season against each other will not play at least until next week.

The Phillies, Nationals, Yankees and Blue Jays have had their schedules altered by the Marlins and Phillies cancelations.

With the addition of the Brewers and Cardinals, 20 percent of MLB teams have already needed to postpone games just a week into the season. The Cardinals played the Twins earlier this week and Minnesota started their series against the Indians on Thursday.

Read more here.

Media Goon Still Selling His Autographed Baseballs

I want to move some of my memorabilia. Reasonable offers accepted. Email me at mediagoon@gmail.com

Baseballs

Pete Alonso            JSA       SOLD

RA DICKEY-           Steiner Holo/mlb holo  $50

JOSH THOLE-       Steiner Holo Mlb holo   $25

1 - Tom Glavine -               jsa    SOLD

HOF 2014 Insc

2 - Tom Glavine -               jsa  SOLD

HOF 2014 Insc

Jerry Grote                 psa sticker                 $45

’69 World Series 

Champs Insc

Bobby Valentine    No Cert  signed at QBC   $35

2000 WS Ball

NL Champs Inscr

Ike Davis                    Steiner Holo/mlb holo  $25

Brandon Nimmo

Father’s Day Ball           no Holo. Signed at QBC $45

Syndergaard                    MLB HOLO                   $100

Thor inscription 

Ball Signed by 86              Schwartz Memorabilia $150

Mets. No Keith                         HOLO

Hernandez Various

Inscr

Wilmer Flores                          Steiner/MLB Holos $ 35

Ray Knight                               Steiner/MLB Holos  $35

Turk Wendell                                      JSA                $35

Mets #99 Inscr

Doc Gooden                                   Steiner               $45

20 at 20

8-25-85 inscription

Lenny Dykstra                                 Steiner              $30

Nails

Ed Charles                                       Steiner               $69

Once a Met

Always a Met

inscription

Tim Teufel                                        Steiner           $35

.444 WS AVG

Insc

Eric Campbell                                   Steiner                  $20

Howard Johnson                               Steiner    SOLD

HOJO Inscr

Neil Walker                                        Steiner                 $25

David Wright                                      Steiner     SOLD

Last Year At Shea

Ball

Rusty Staub                                       PSA    SOLD

Le Grande Orange

Insc

Kevin Plawecki                                    Steiner                $30  

1st MLB HR

4/25/15 Insc

Mike Piazza                                         JSA    SOLD

2000 World Series    

Mike Piazza                                        Steiner                    $80              

Bartolo Colon                                     MLB Holo              $80

John Maine                                        MLB Holo               $25

Bobby Parnell                                     MLB Holo             $40

2010 Citi Field Logo

Ball

Ralph Kiner                                      was certified by PSA but       SOLD     

HOF ’75 insc                                      card is missing

Keith Hernandez                                Steiner/MLB Holos        $55

NYM Capt

Darryl Strawberry                                 Steiner                        $50

1986 World Series Ball

Jacob deGrom                                      Steiner/MLB Holos      $100

48 at end of name

Tom Seaver                                           Steiner   SOLD

Daniel Murphy                                     Steiner   SOLD

Last year at Shea Ball     

                                

Matt Harvey 33 at end of auto              Steiner/MLB Holos  SOLD

TJ Rivera                                                  MLB Holo                   $20

Todd Hundley                                      Signed at QBC                $50

1996 ASG Ball

ASG debut insc

Mickey Calloway                                     MLB holo                       $36

Brandon Nimmo                                      MLB Holo                       $65

Travis d’Arnaud                                      Got it signed in person     $50

2015 World Series Ball

Mets Game Notes 7/30/2020

eBay: Noah Syndergaard New York Mets 2016 "THOR" Forever Collectibles Bobblehead

Noah Syndergaard New York Mets 2016 "THOR" Forever Collectibles Bobblehead

I put this up on eBay a few minutes ago. If you are a bobble head and a Syndergaard Fan you are going to want to grab this. There is some shel wear on top of the box.



If interested grab it here.

Working a “Perfect Game” Conversations with Umpires By Bill Nowlin

You guys ever want to know what it takes to be an Umpire in professional baseball? What it takes to become one? What happened when you do become an Umpire what you have to deal with? The traveling, the hustling, dealing with players, fans, and managers? Well it's here.

From the forward by Larry Gerlach

Questions abound. What motivates someone to become an umpire? How does one become a professional umpire? Why do so many umpires for so many years endure the rigors and low pay in the minor leagues knowing the odds of reaching the major leagues are great? What it is like traveling from city to city during a season that stretches for seven months from February throughSeptember—and beyond in some cases? How does an “on-the- road” job impact their personal and family lives? What are the reactions of witnessing first-hand great players and performances and participating in World Series and All-Star games?

I often wondered about this when I have seen Umps working the games. One of my friends when I was in College wanted to become an Umpire but he ended up becoming a Science teacher/Phys Ed teacher because he couldn't break in.

Here's the intro because I know I can't wordsmith it better than Bill.

Introduction
Working as a major-league umpire is a tough job. You’re on the road almost constantly, hardly ever home. You’re in the spotlight almost constantly, berated or challenged if a call is questioned, but almost unnoticed, overlooked, and forgotten if all your calls are correct. You’re working to enforce the rules of a game in which the minimum wage for players is greater than any amount you can hope to achieve. When the game is over, the players and coaches have a group 30 or more teammates to choose from to socialize with. They are in their home park half the year. Their homestands typically last a full week and sometimes 10 or 11 days. You’ve got three fellow umpires, maybe a friend in town, but twice a week you’ve got a plane to catch to get on to the next city.
There are benefits, though. There is a real camaraderie within the umpiring community, one that includes fellow umpires but alsofamilies and friends. You’ve made it to the top of your profession. You’re part of The Game, a game you’ve come to care deeply about. You get pretty good pay by most standards, and a job that is pretty secure once you make it. Your career can last longer than the typical ballplayer. There are inner rewards, too, satisfaction after a game in knowing that you had positioned yourself properly and made the right calls. For the right person, it’s a good job, even something of a calling.
Becoming a major-league umpire, though, is far from an easy road. It takes years and years of dedicated effort. You’ve got to excel at umpire school and then serve what usually amounts to about an 8-to-10-year apprenticeship, working your way up through the minor leagues, working under more basic conditions, for very little money, with no job security, and being constantly evaluated and graded at every level as you rise in the ranks. Most wash out – even very, very good umpires. Ron Kulpa told me that on his first day of umpire school one of the instructors said, “Look around the classroom. Usually only one person per class makes it to the big leagues.” There were 182 people in the room.
It is probably worth mentioning right off the bat that a minor- league umpire typically earns between $2,000 and $3,900 per month, and for a shorter season than major-league umpires have. Major-league umpires, however, are much better paid – earning range, largely depending on seniority, from $120,000 to $450,000. Benefits such as per diems and vacation are described in the book. In 2019, the minimum major-league salary for a player was $555,000. Salaries for both groups are set through collective bargaining, and will likely change over time.1

Becoming an umpire takes perseverance. It takes grit. Some have been fortunate, and through the timing of retirements and the like, have made it to the majors earlier than others.
Others have had obstacle after obstacle thrown in their way. And some had bad luck with timing.
The goal of it all, veteran major-league umpire Tony Randazzo once told a writer for the Chicago Tribune, is to have a perfect game. He didn’t mean what everyone else thinks of as a perfect game. “I love umpiring because it’s never the same. Every day is different. I couldn’t have a job and sit behind a desk for eight hours. That’s just not for me. Every three days I’m in a different city. I’ve traveled all over the United States and met some great people. Plus, I like the challenge. I want to have a perfect game.”2
Clearly that could be taken more than one way. Asked to explain, he said, “We all strive to get everything right. We want to geteverything right. As far as balls and strikes, safes and outs, all that stuff. We don’t want to miss anything. That’s what I meant by a perfect game.”3
-Bill Nowlin Cambridge, Mass February 2020

Now you have the basic knowledge of what it takes to be an umpire and what they make in the different levels of baseball. Want some very cool stories about what has gone on with an umpire during a game?

Umpire Phil Cuzzi talks about how he likes well pitched games because it keeps you sharp. He also talks about his life before becoming an ump.

Umpire Ed Hickox is a Police Detective in the offseason.

Umpire Ted Barrett Started Umpiring in Little League games at 14.

Bill talks to an Umpire Crew of Ted Barrett, Angel Hernandez, Chris Conroy, and Pat Hoberg about the crew itself and how they handle moving some of the crew members in and out during the season when other crews needed to "beef" up there crews or someone went on vacation.

Okay I am not going to give the whole book away. Bill Nowlin's easy writing style makes the book fly by and makes you feel like you are a part of the interviews/conversations. Just trust me on this and buy this super insightful book. I wish this was something that was around when I was in High School or College because after reading this, I think I might have tried to go to Umpire School and become an Ump.

You can grab it at Amazon, bookshop.org, Barnes and Noble, and other retailers.