The Mets are dead set on playing themselves out of a postseason appearance. I can’t bear to look at the record so there is no Laundry Lines update this week. Today is the New York Mets Alumni Classic, where we’ll watch over 40 former Mets play in a special Citi Field vs Shea Stadium exhibition. In today’s edition of Mets Laundry, I’ll be revealing the Mets jerseys I wish I had in my collection. If you’ve got a beat on any of these, let me know!
R.A. Dickey: 2012 Road Gray Jersey
Watching R.A. Dickey's 2012 Cy Young campaign was the most fun I have ever had watching baseball. Period. We’re talking about a journeyman knuckleballer pitching to a 20-6 record with a 2.73 ERA while setting the franchise scoreless inning record (32.2). Just like the knuckleball itself, R.A. Dickey’s season was mesmerizing, exciting, and baffling all at once. The Mets’ road gray jerseys are perfect and I sincerely believe they should be reserved for legendary players. R.A. Dickey1 is an absolutely legendary Met.
Curtis Granderson: 2015 Pinstripe Home Jersey
Curtis Granderson is in the top 1% of the classiest players to ever lace ‘em up. The Grandyman was an incredibly important part in the Mets’ 2015 World Series run. I don’t know what else to say besides I am so grateful that he was a New York Met and his jersey is one I am bummed I didn’t buy.
David Wright: 2013 All-Star Game Jersey
In the summer of 2013, I was a recent(ish) college grad. The Mets were hosting the Midsummer Classic and it was an easy choice for us to get tickets to some portion of the festivities. With All-Star Game and Home Run Derby tickets well out of our price range, we were still able to make it to Fanfest at the Javits Center and the Futures Game/Celebrity Softball Game at Citi Field. What proved to be a more difficult choice for me was if I should spend the last $100 in my bank account on a David Wright All-Star Game Jersey…or Gathering of the Vibes tickets. Not getting the jersey might be the biggest regret of my baseball life.
Wilmer Flores: 2015 Pinstripe Home OR Alternate Home Blue Jersey
The Wilmer Flores “Crying Game” was one of the most beautiful displays of team loyalty I’ve ever seen. Wilmer signed with the Mets as a 16-year-old from Venezuela and literally grew up in the organization. Every fan knew how much he loved being a New York Met. I still keep tabs on Wilmer and have even considered buying a San Francisco Giants Flores jersey. But as a Mets diehard, I bleed blue and orange, not black and orange.
Bartolo Colón: 2016 Road Gray Jersey
During the 2016 season, Bartolo Colón was 42-years-old(!!!!!). In his third season with the Mets, he put up some ridiculous numbers2: 34 starts, 192.2 innings, 192 strikeouts, 15 wins. OH, and he became the oldest player in the MLB to hit his first career home run3. I already mentioned that road grays are for legends, Big Sexy fits the criteria.
Seth Lugo: 2018 Little League Classic Jersey
The last two editions of the Little League Classic featured toned down jerseys, and it’s been kind of a bummer. In 2018, Seth Lugo paid tribute to his 25% of his familial roots by wearing a jersey adorned with the nickname, Quarterrican. I am BEGGING the MLB to bring back the wackiness and personality of the earlier Little League Classic games. As a white dude who is exactly zero percent Puerto Rican, I would feel awkward wearing this in public, but this jersey is incredible and I need to own it.
