This was supposed to be a “transitional” year for the New York Mets. After giving up on the 2023 season and engaging in a salary dump (of which the Mets are paying a significant chunk this season), 2024 was not expected to be a year the team would compete for a post-season berth. But compete they are. As of today they sit in the final “Wild Card” spot in the National League, a game ahead of the rival Atlanta Braves and a game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks.
There are still almost two weeks left in the season, and — speaking for most Mets fans, I think — no one could have forseen the team would be in the thick of a pennant race in mid-September. And yet, here they are.
The team started the season losing their first five games, and were playing sub-.500 ball though June. But then something happened. The McDonalds character “Grimace” threw out the first pitch at CitiField on June 12th.
June 12 (6/12) is Grimace’s birthday.
It’s hard to pinpoint an exact date that the Mets began to turn their season around, but many folks point to June 12th, when Grimace’s first pitch sparked a 10-4 win over the Marlins, after which the Mets proceeded to go on a seven-game winning streak following the viral first pitch. At the time, the Mets were 29-37 and the season appeared to be heading towards a disappointing end. The seven-game winning streak helped stabilize the team. They’ve been slowly but surely fighting for a playoff spot ever since.
So, to “honor” that first pitch, yesterday the Mets announced that they had installed a commemorative seat at Citi Field in honor of the McDonalds mascot in Section 302.
Now Presenting: The Grimace Seat at Citi Field 🟣 pic.twitter.com/vua3aph8hu
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) September 16, 2024
Specifically, the seat is in Row 6, Seat 12 (for 6/12 — the date of Grimace’s first pitch).
The team has not announced if the seat will be a permanent fixture at the ballpark, or if it will be removed (and presumably sold or auctioned off) at season’s end.
As a Mets fan, I believe the “Grimace moment” was more a function of correlation than causation, but if players and fans — who we know are a superstitious lot — want to believe this moment was a season changer, I am all for that. It’s been a fun summer watching the Mets play a lot better than most expected. They’re far from a lock to make the post-season, but their odds are a lot better now than four months ago. And if the team wants to put a purple seat in the stadium, I say go for it!
They’re 1-0 (defeating the Nats in a walkoff last night) since adding the seat, so maybe it’s working!
Your thoughts?
We need you to take Paul to a game and surprise him with his ticket being for this seat.
Hah! I actually thought about that when I heard about it. The Mets say it’s for sale “when available” but I’d venture there’s no way it’s unsold for the Mets final set of home games.
Very fun little gimmick to commemorate a fun 2024 season
I’ll be annoyed if this becomes a permanent fixture that lasts beyond this season
Brian, would you rethink your stance if the Mets actually make or win the World Series? Probably more improbable than their Amazin’ 1969 Series run, but hey, last year’s Fall Classic offered TWO unlikely teams.
Plastic seats baking in the sun all day can be hot enough, then they add a large metal plaque to the mix. Ouch!
A metal sign with sharp corners. That’s gonna snag someone’s shirt!
I am disappointed no Mets opponents brought out the Hamburlger for the first pitch.
When I was in Little League one year, the ceremonial first game of the season featured Ronald McDonald throwing out thr first lurch while Grimmace meekly swung at it. There were also snow flurries that day – I can’t remember if it was the year I was on the Sentators (I wish I had that shirsey!) or Red Sox (coached by a guy with BRNXNY vanity plates).
Sorry Phil… you asked for our thoughts and I think this is incredibly f-ing stupid! I cannot believe this is what Major League Baseball has come to.
Who is making these decisions? Who is approving these decisions? Oh, shocker. McDonald’s is an official sponsor/advertiser of the Mets.
“Due to the cancellation of the Taylor Swift Fan Club meeting tonight…let’s brainstorm. How can we further bastardize the once proud game of baseball? How low can we go?”
Welcome to Manfred League Baseball.
*The Red Sox have a special red seat to commemorate the location of a monster home run that Ted Williams once hit in Fenway Park.
*The Minnesota Twins have a seat hanging at the MOA to commemorate the exact location of Harmon Killebrew’s titanic shot.
*The Chicago White Sox have two special seats commemorating the landing spot of two crucial home runs that led them to their World Series victory in 2005.
*The New York Mets have a special color seat commemorating a corporate mascot.
“One of these things is not like the others! One of these things just doesn’t belong…”
Big whoop. Coors Field has a whole row of purple seats!
This is the sort of fun thing that should be done more often.
Absolutely.
And more ads on the uniforms, too. Why stop at just one per uniform? The more ads, the more colorful the uniforms can be! Look how cool NASCAR is! Now baseball uniforms can look like that too!
And let’s sponsor the players. “Now batting, Pete Alonso, brought to you by Burger King!”
“Now pitching for the Yankees, Clay Holmes presented by Rolaids, because Rolaids spells relief.”
“Pitching for the Mets in the Nine Lives Ninth Inning is Edwin Diaz, brought to you by Stickum”
There have to be other row 6 locations with 12 seats, how come Grimace got such a lousy seat?
Nothing can kill the Grimace!
I’ve been in Met fan for over 50 years and unfortunately they continue to go for gimmicks instead of consistent high quality baseball and winning. That’s what all fans really want, not gimmicks. I was hoping that Steve Cohen and now David Stearns understood that, but somehow these silly little gimmicks are still part of the Mets culture.
Yeah. Totally agree. It was a fun little gimmick while it lasted. But it’s like Beanie Babies. It’s run its course. Let it die.
Now let’s just focus on the team winning enough games to make the playoffs. But instead next year they’ll be giving out Grimace bobbleheads on McDonalds Happy Meal Night at the ball park.