The bobbles are coming! The bobbles are coming! And, no, that’s not a fielding forecast for Daniel Murphy playing second base.
The historical bobbleheads we’ve been asking for are really coming to Citi Field this season, marking the Mets’ 50th anniversary like it oughta be.
The lineup:
Tom Seaver: Pretty fair country pitcher, representing the 1960s (and eternity), Sunday, April 22, 1:10 PM, versus the Giants.
Rusty Staub: He could hit some and play some right from 1972 through 1975 (and later), Saturday, May 26, 1:10 PM, versus the Padres.
Keith Hernandez: Mex! From when the world’s most fun analyst was the world’s clutchest player, and the Mets were the 1980s’ best show, Sunday, June 17, 1:10 PM, versus the Reds.
Edgardo Alfonzo: FONZIE! Yeah, I used all upper-case. Didn’t you from 1995 to 2002? Saturday, July 21, 1:10 PM, versus the Dodgers.
Mike Piazza: Cue Hendrix and remember the first part of the 21st century, Saturday, August 25, 1:10 PM, versus the Astros.
Let us not forget the not so Slight Return of Banner Day, Sunday, May 27, prior to the Mets-Padres game at 1:10 PM, and the induction of the New York Mets Hall of Fame‘s 26th member, John Franco, Sunday, June 3, ahead of the 1:10 PM game against the Cardinals. That’s seven well-conceived nods to true Mets fandom, seven promotions that don’t pass off plastic cups as premiums, seven days to support your local baseball team.
The other 74 dates on the home schedule will include Mets baseball, so that’s something to consider, too.
And if you can’t make it out to the ballpark, all games will be broadcast on the New York Mets Radio Network, primarily by Howie Rose and Josh Lewin. We know and love the former. We wish the latter, newly named to his post, all the best with his mic and our ears.
Hey, most of us yearned to be deHaginated, and Wayne has taken leave of Flushing after four seasons of well-intentioned if terminally miscast Met announcing. So the Mets do come around on many things eventually. I’m willing to wager consistent winning will be one of them again someday.
I think the Fonzie bobblehead is a tad premature. What if ends up on the roster later this summer?
Those for Fonz, Mex and Le Grande Orange are tempting enough to buy tickets until realizing one could probably pay a lot to get them on eBay but still that would be far less than the cost of the ticket and added on fees (plus parking)
Where’s Mookie!
Not coaching first anymore.
They did a bobblehead for the Mookster in 2000, the first year the Mets caught onto the already thriving trend — him and Seaver, who’s back in bobble form. Back then it was just for kids (because kids love retired players). Piazza also made a bobble appearance in the distant past. No complaint they’re coming back around for seconds.
Wish they’d do what my bobble-savvy friend notes other teams do: Give away the giveaways but then put more on sale later. Cyclones did that, for goodness sake.