The Mets Police

Happy thanksgiving all.

This is a re-write of today's earlier post that I rushed during the family gathering.

Bob Sheppard has officially retired....well he doesn't like that word....


"I have no plans of coming back," Sheppard said on Wednesday in a telephone interview. "Time has passed me by, I think. I had a good run for it. I enjoyed doing what I did. I don't think, at my age, I'm going to suddenly regain the stamina that is really needed if you do the job and do it well."




At 99 years old and having been away for two seasons this isn't shocking, and in a new building that now has a ring (what's that like?) the Shep era suddenly seems a long time ago.

Bob you had a fan in me, I wish you well in whatever your current plans are, and you are missed.

"I pray. I thank God for giving me ninety-nine years," Sheppard said. "Ninety-nine years. Wow. Can you envision that? If you dream of living long, I would recommend it to you."

Full story on yankees.com

Googling God has some good insight into Bob Sheppard-Gate with some (alleged) insights into Bob's health.  While I can't verify the accuracy of the story, I know the author of the blog and his Sheppard info has always been correct in the past.

GG says:

Bob's been sick for a long time and is 98 and needs to get his weight up to about 155 pounds or so and has struggled to do that. He may be there now but is still very feeble. One source said that they'd find is "surprising if he can even stay awake for nine innings never mind announce 9 innings." 


As I said, unconfirmed, but GG hasn't been wrong about Shep in the past.

As for why Bob can't just do the games from home....he's 98 and has pneumonia.  I assume he just can't.

Bob we all wish you well, hope you get another 100 years, and hope you have another game in you.

I still think the Times screwed up and published a story that wasn't meant to go until today...and now everyone is covering.   See my story yesterday where I noticed that the permalink was coded "April 2."

(Damn, the Mets Police got suckered into Yankee talk yet again.   Jerry Manuel need to stab someone.  Where's Willie when I need him?)



www.metspolice.com

River Avenue Blues is a really solid Yankees blog and has a few things over there caught my eye.

I was excited to hear Bob Sheppard was coming back...but unfortunately RAB now says:

Last night, we jumped the gun a bit in reporting that Bob Sheppard would be in the booth for the Yankees’ home opener. According to his wife Mary, speaking to Newsday today, Sheppard does not yet have his doctor’s permission to rejoin the Yankees. The 98-year-old is recovering from a bad bout of pneumonia, and his family and doctor do not want to risk his health. He may rejoin the Yankees when the weather in the city is warmer.

Rats.   Jim Hall is fine, but it would have been cool to have Shep.  I doubt he'll ever do another game.

They also crow about the study that showed the Yankees are more popular than the Mets.  Didn't everyone know that?  The Mets were the #1 team in the city for about a year in half around summer 1986, and about 5 years from Miracle to Ya Gotta Believe.   This is Yankee town.  We all know it.  Whatever.

The reason I bring it up is that someone wrote this great comment:

No one disputes Jackie Robinson’s historical importance, but what about Tom Seaver. This guy was the greatest starting pitcher in the history of New York, and he is secondary to Jackie Robinson in his team’s home park?

We're the Dodgers.  Never forget that.



www.metspolice.com

he batter ripped a line-drive double to tie the score. In his tiny booth adjacent to the press box, Sheppard didn't realize his microphone was live.
"That's relief pitching for you, boy!" he said. And the whole stadium heard him.



That's one of the great stories in today's Daily News Article about Bob Sheppard.  Sorry to hear you can't make it tonight Bob.

The Daily News reports Bob Sheppard has told a friend he won't make the final game at Yankee Stadium.

That nails 2008 as the bizarro year. One too many in the old park. It would have been more poetic to wrap up with George and Torre and Shep and the playoffs.

Instead 2008 will always be more akin to a year in the place without the ghosts. 4th place, Hank, Girardi, Jim Hall - it's all imitation Yankees down to the new retrofacade

I'm very sorry to hear Bob won't make it and I wish him the best of health.

As for the taped Jeter intro - cool idea but it just doesn't work in real life. Leave that on the south side of 161st with the ghosts.

Someone read the blog and emailed me to tell me Jim Hall (Yankees PA announcer) had a wedding.   That explains his absence.   (Note to the Halls - Bob Sheppard is 96, don't schedule weddings on Old Timers Weekend).

Now we all love Shep, but he's 96, so he'll probably only be doing this another 15 years - so the Yankees need a much better plan the Ed Randall to backup Jim Hall.  

Just about anybody can do a halfway decent Sheppard impression.  It's the sound of the stadium.  Please no more excited DJ types saying "welcome ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls."  Awful.

I don't know what caused the Yankees to have Ed Randall do the PA announcer job this weekend, but if you heard any of it, it needs to stop.  Now.

Maybe Jim Hall has a cold or he's on vacation. 

If you heard even a second of Ed Randall, he's totally wrong for the Stadium.   If that's what they want, then they might as well and go ahead and put names on the back and wear red jerseys on Sundays.

I'm sure Mr. Randall is a nice man, but he's wrong for this job.

Get Hall (or Shep) back in there, now.

What a hideous blown save that was last night.  It was like the opposite of the playoff game where two runners for tagged out at home.  If the bullpen is going to blow games night after night, well then you're going to finish third.   It's not time for panic however, I was actually angrier about OverReyes wearing his hat sideways walking off the field.

I really hope Yankee's PA announcer Jim Hall is ok.  Because if anyone in their right mind thought it was a good idea to have Ed Randall be the stadium announcer for Old Timer's Day, then the ghosts won't be coming across River Avenue in 2009.    I'm going to choose to believe that Jim had sudden food poisoning and Ed Randall jumped in with 5 seconds notice.

And of course we wish Bob Sheppard well.

The Yankees had an awful lot of nobodies at old-timers day.    It was very cool to see Paulie O get the ovation he did (time to hang the 21 on the wall).  

Why can't the Mets have Old-Timers Day?   Maybe 15 years ago it was kind of lame, but now there's plenty of 86 Mets, heck even some 2000 Mets.    Surely we could welcome back our old friend Lee Mazzilli. 

Mets Old-Timers Day would be a nice occassion to retire #17.  Maybe The Former Franchise could be bothered to come by, if he hasn't planted any new vineyards.  At this point I'd just as soon not invite him.

Willie Randolph looked quite at home at Yankee Stadium as he should.  It's where he belongs.   As I've stated over and over, let the Yankees (and Dodgers) have their own history, and the Mets should acknowledge their own. 

The Olympics are sneaking up kinda quietly.   The Opening Ceremonies are Friday.   It looks like NBC's coverage will be pretty cool.  My cable system has added a few bonus Olympics channels,plus the website looks pretty beefy.    I'll be rooting for Misty May-Treanor if you know what I mean.

I'm really glad Manny is a Dodger because it means he's not a Met.   If he showed up at Shea and asked for #99 I think I'd lose my mind.

How about The Rays with a 3 game lead at the start of August.  Unbelievable.   Baseball's got a shot at the playoff teams being LAD, LAA, NYY, NYM, CHC and CHW with two others.  I hope the TAMs are there - it would be a nice story.

Mets Police is still taking suggestions for "Dopiest Moment In Shea Stadium History."  If you have any suggestions please click comments.

Nice touch mentioning Bob Sheppard last night.  

With all this talk of putting George in the hall...how about Bob!

Very sad to see that Bob Sheppard has told the Yankees he will not be able to return for the All Star Game. Best wishes to you Mr. Sheppard.

Fake mustaches? Really? If the Mets had done something like that I'd have 50 posts about it. Next time someone brings up 'tradition' remind them of this.

Mets are rocking. I worry today would be a loss they'd be ok with. Weekday day game, been playing well, it's just one game. Don't go there - the formerly NY Giants are the walking dead, it's time to go on a big run. Show up today gangstas.

The folks at bustedhalo.com tell me they have posted audio of their interview with Bob Sheppard.

http://www.bustedhalo.com/bustedblog/?cat=69

Bob Sheppard was interviewed by BustedHalo.com and dropped this great news!

My target date to be back is July 1. There is an All Star Game to be played at Yankee Stadium on July 15th and one of my goals is to be there and announce it. I did one years and years ago at Yankee Stadium but I can’t recall it. So now this would be something to remember. I do want to be there next year when we open a new Stadium. And I’d like to be the one who says, “Good Afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen…Welcome to the NEW…Yankee Stadium.”

Halo worked hard on this one - so check out the full read here:

http://www.bustedhalo.com/features/BobSheppardInterview.htm

If Peter Gammons is in the Baseball Hall of Fame why isn't Bob Sheppard? The iconic voice of baseball stadiums for over 50 years. Honor him while he's still around to appreciate the honor.