So another word about tickets. They did finally announce single-game tickets were going on sale, but only for games though June. It’s not enough to keep season plans limited to those requiring fans to buy more tickets than they can use, feeding the secondary markets which the Mets also get a cut of, but “make-your-own-plan” fans like me who’ve reliably occupied seats for decades, all on the hope that a good first half can what last year’s entire season couldn’t, and that’s drive actual demand for Mets tickets.
Anyway, I tried what Stu suggested and bought a few games in the secondary market, and the rest we can try to buy (through June anyway) when the window opens on Thursday. I paid a few bucks above face value on these tickets and part of that goes right back to the Mets who essentially get to sell the same ticket twice, depending on demand.
Oh, and they’re having a presale this weekend on single-game tickets, but only if you have a Citi credit card. I went and applied for one, got approved in like 5 seconds but they won’t release the account number and code until the card gets here in a few business days. Too late.
I also saw where they raised parking fees for non-season ticket holders to $50. I’m OK with that–surface parking is a terrible waste of parkland and I use public transport as all good people should–but it’s another middle finger to people who just want to go to a game. And like number retirements, nothing can be done to stop it.
When we finally get to the ballpark we’ll see Luis Robert wearing No. 88 and playing center, Freddy Peralta wearing No. 51 and probably pitching on opening day and maybe even Craig Kimbrel in the bullpen. As noted in the comments the roster shows Devin Williams taking over 38 but Tylor Megill still hanging in there fighting for it. Tobias Myers, acquired along with Peralta, is listed as 32. Brandon Sproat’s abandoned 40 appears yet to be reissued so maybe Megill winds up there. Kimbrel is a non-roster guy for the moment but has rarely been seen without wearing 46.
There remain several guys on the 40 who still need number assignments: Pitchers Luis Garcia and Joey Gerber; infielder Vidal Brujan and outfielder Nick Morabito. They also signed outfielder MJ Melendez, a one-time hot prospect from the Royals who’s now a fringy guy, or an everyday player in Syracuse.
In a season without a lot of pleasant surprises you gotta be pleasantly surprised at how awesome Nolan McLean‘s been through three starts. Steve Cohen in fact has already decreed to retire No. 26 in a ceremony next season. But before that, we’re getting a potentially better young pitcher in Jonah Tong, whose motion recalls Tim Lincecum and who’ll be wearing No. 21.
I ran into friend of MBTN