AMAZIN' METS MAGAZINE FINAL

The Amazin’ Mets!

Your 2024 New York Mets, low expectations, less pressure?

David Stearns Q&A: Mets president looks ahead to his first season in Queens April- October 2024

Ever feel left out?

Feel like an underdog?

Have a chip on your shoulder? Well here is a team for you!

A deep dive into Mets history and notable players!

03-05

06-07

STEVEN A. COHEN OWNER, CHAIRMAN AND CEO

• Steve Cohen is the chairman and majority owner of the New York Mets. He bought the team in 2020 and is spearheading a multi-year strategy to revamp the team’s business and baseball operations to turn the club into a perennial World Series contender and provide Mets fans with a best-in-class experience at Citi Field.

•He grew up in Great Neck, NY, where he would take the Long Island Railroad to Mets games and sit in the upper deck.

• Upon purchasing the Mets, Steve set a new course to embrace the history of this iconic team with the return of Old Timers’ Day to Queens for the first time since 1994. In addition, he oversaw the number retirements of several beloved players including Willie Mays, Keith Hernandez, and this season: Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry.

• Under his leadership, in 2022 the Mets won 101 games, the second-most wins in franchise history. That marked the fourth time that the team passed the century mark, joining the 1986 (108), 1988 (100) and 1969 (100) teams.

• Steve has made considerable investments across the organization, including upgrades to the fan experience, notably the largest scoreboard in Major League Baseball, as well as renovated spaces, premium clubs and award-winning dining options.

• In addition, Steve has bolstered the team’s commitment to developing the farm system and investing in technology such as the state-of-the-art pitching lab located at the team’s Spring Training base in Port St. Lucie, FL.

• Steve is the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Point72 Asset Management, a global asset management firm. Over his more than 30-year investment career, Steve has built a reputation as an industry-leader in talent development, innovation and the use of alternative data analytics.

• Mr. Cohen and his wife, Alexandra, founded the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation in 2001. The Foundation is committed to achieving lasting and meaningful change through commitments to children’s health, education, veterans, and the arts. He created Cohen Veterans Network and Cohen Veterans Bioscience in 2015 to improve the mental healthcare, treatment, and quality of life for veterans and their families.

• He serves on the Emeritus Board of the Robin Hood Foundation and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Board of Trustees.

• Mr. Cohen received a B.S. in economics from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. He began his investing career at Gruntal & Co. in New York, where he managed proprietary capital for 14 years before starting his own investment business

ALEXANDRA M. COHEN OWNER & PRESIDENT OF AMAZIN’ METS

FOUNDATION

• Alex Cohen launched the Amazin’ Mets Foundation in the spring of 2021. The Foundation is the official charitable arm of the New York Mets and is dedicated to making a lasting impact – on and off the field – by providing needed services and opportunities to children, families, and underserved groups in the neighborhoods and communities near Citi Field, as well as all Mets affiliated ballparks.

•As of February 2024, the Amazin’ Mets Foundation has funded over $9.8 million in grants and direct program expenses to over 150 organizations in the community.

• Alex is also the President of the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, the non-profit organization that she and her husband co-founded in 2001, which is committed to inspiring philanthropy and community service by creating awareness, offering guidance, and leading by example to show the world what giving can do.

•Over the past two decades, the Cohens have given more than $1 billion in gifts to organizations that improve children’s healthcare and education, serve the underserved, support the arts, protect the environment, and further research in the areas of Lyme and tickborne disease and psychedelic therapies for mental health. Their giving often reflects a personal connection with the causes and communities they support.

•Alex was born in Harlem, NY, and grew up in Washington Heights. After studying communications at New York’s Manhattan College, she worked in the financial industry until she married Steven Cohen in 1992. Since then, Alexandra has been focused on raising her family and driving their family’s philanthropic endeavors. Steven and Alex became owners of the New York Mets franchise in 2020.

•Alex was recognized as one of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Philanthropy by Inside Philanthropy.

MEET YOUR 2024 NEW YORK METS!

What time is the Mets game today?

The Amazins are scheduled to face the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday at 1:40 p.m., when Jose Quintana will square off against Freddy Peralta. Gates will open at 11:40 a.m. and parking lots will open at 10:40 a.m. Thursday's game was postponed due to the threat of rain.

According to the weather forecast, Friday will see a high of 53.

What is the Mets starting lineup today?

1. Brandon Nimmo (LF)

2. Francisco Lindor (SS)

3. Pete Alonso (1B)

4. Jeff McNeil (2B)

5. Starling Marte (RF)

6. DJ Stewart (DH)

7. Francisco Alvarez (C)

8. Brett Baty (3B)

9. Harrison Bader (CF)

Even the 1969 Miracle Mets lost their season opener. Since then, the Mets have won 41 of 55 openers, including the first game of their other World Series-winning season in 1986. That amazin' run makes the Mets' Opening Day record the best of any MLB team.

METS HISTORY

POLO GROUNDS

For the first two years of their existence, the Mets played their home games at the historic Polo Grounds while waiting for the finish of the construction of Shea Stadium.

The stadium where the Mets won 56 games during the 1962 and 1963 seasons actually was the fourth venue to carry the name the “Polo Grounds.” The first structure, located between 110th and 112th Streets and Fifth and Sixth Avenues in upper Manhattan, opened its doors in 1876 as a home to polo matches. In 1880, the New York Metropolitans leased the grounds for baseball with the New York Giants following suit three years later.

The second Polo Grounds, sporting a 15,000-seat wooden grandstand, was located on 155th Street and Eighth Avenue with the Giants as the main tenants. Although polo was not played there, the team brought the name of its former home. It was here that the famous quirky dimensions—475 feet to center field and only 258 feet out to right—were first unveiled. After a fire destroyed the stadium in 1911, it was rebuilt later that year with a capacity of 34,000.

In 1913, the Yankees joined the Giants as tenants, but left after an attendance dispute in 1922. Finally, in 1924, the fourth remodeling of the Polo Grounds was finished, complete with seating for 55,987. It was this incarnation that the Mets began calling home in 1962.

The Giants left New York and the Polo Grounds in 1957, leaving the stadium with only the memories of some of the most famous moments in baseball history, such as Bobby Thomson’s game-winning “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” to clinch the 1951 pennant, and Willie Mays’ over-the-shoulder catch in the 1954 World Series.

Without a Major League Baseball team as a regular tenant, the stadium deteriorated to the point where the Mets needed to spend $300,000 to refurbish the ballpark before moving in to start the 1962 season.

With a fresh coat of paint, a new scoreboard, better lighting, more dining options for fans and a complete overhaul of the outfield and infield grass, the Mets played their first home game in the Polo Grounds on April 13, 1962 and lost 4-3 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. New York played 160 more games at their temporary home over the next two seasons and left for good following a 5-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on September 18, 1963. The aging stadium was finally demolished over a period of four months in 1964. A housing development now occupies the famous site

SHEA STADIUM

In 1964, the Mets moved from Manhattan to Queens into their brand-new home, William A. Shea Municipal Stadium. Located on 126th Street and Roosevelt Avenue, Shea would welcome more than 94 million fans and some of the most famous moments in Mets history during its 45 years.

The stadium originally was to be called “Flushing Meadows Stadium.” But in 1962, behind a moment led by department store magnate Bernard Gimbel, the Flushing Meadows Stadium label was dropped in favor of a name that honored the man most responsible for returning National League baseball to New York, prominent attorney Bill Shea. Shea Stadium was born.

Architect John Waterbury drew up the plans for thestadium and the ceremonial ground-breaking took place on October 28, 1961. The designs called for the city to contribute $24.5 million to construct the ballpark, with the Mets to chip in another $6.5 million for office space, restaurants and other amenities. The 55,300-seat stadium was completed and Shea opened to 48,736 fans on April 17, 1964. But in a scene reminiscent of Opening Day at the Polo Grounds two years earlier, the Pirates again beat the Mets, 4-3. In their first season at Shea, the Mets drew 1,732,597 fans and hosted the All-Star Game before baseball handed off the reigns to football and the New York Jets for the winter. Football would be a permanent winter staple in Queens until 1983, when the Jets left for New Jersey.

Shea was designed to be a multi-purpose complex it was the first major stadium in the United States to have two movable field box sections and as such held a variety of events. The Beatles gave the firstever concert at Shea Stadium on August 15, 1965, in front of more than 55,000 fainting, crying and screaming fans.

It was, and remains to this day, the most historic concert ever, as it was the first time in history that a sports stadium was used for a rock concert

The groundbreaking Beatles concert at Shea set new attendance records at the time; it was the first largescale, outdoor concert that demonstrated such events could be hugely successful and profitable.

Other unforgettable Shea moments include the historic papal Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II in 1979, plus concerts staged by music legends including Billy Joel, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Bruce Springsteen.The stadium also played host to a wide variety of sporting events, such as soccer, boxing and wrestling matches and college football, along with the normal schedule of baseball and NFL football games.

In 1975, Shea was the center of the New York sports world. The Mets, Yankees, Jets and Giants all called the stadium home, marking the first and only time in professional sports history that two baseball teams and two football teams shared the same facility in the same year. Both the Yankees and Giants needed a temporary home while Yankee Stadium underwent renovations.

Throughout the years, Shea was the site for some of the most memorable moments in Mets history: Cleon Jones catching the clinching out of the 1969 World Series, the amazing comeback in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, and President Bill Clinton joining Jackie Robinson’s widow, Rachel, to retire the Hall of Famers' uniform number 42 on April 15, 1997. Shea finally closed its doors on September 28, 2008 following the Mets’ 4-2 loss to the Florida Marlins.

The demolition of Shea took several months, with the final piece coming down on February 18, 2009 at 11:22 a.m. Citi Field’s Parking Lot D covers the grounds where Shea once stood, with markers commemorating the original locations of the stadium’s home plate, bases and pitching mound.

CITI FIELD

JACKIE ROBINSON ROTUNDA

The iconic main entry to Citi Field honors Jackie Robinson, the great American trailblazer who became the first African-American player to break Major League Baseball’s color barrier with the Dodgers in 1947. Evoking the classic design of Ebbets Field, the Rotunda recognizes and perpetuates the humanitarian ideals of one of our country’s civil rights pioneers. Engraved into the Rotunda’s 160-foot diameter floor and etched into its 70-foot archways are words and larger-than-life images that defined Jackie’s “nine values”: Courage, Excellence, Persistence, Justice, Teamwork, Commitment, Citizenship, Determination, and Integrity. The Rotunda features an eight-foot sculpture of Jackie’s number 42, which was retired in perpetuity throughout Major League Baseball in 1997.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

Inspired by Mets’ National League Heritage. The brick, limestone, granite and cast stone throughout the ballpark closely resembles the masonry used at Ebbets Field, the legendary home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. The dark green seats and soot-colored exposed steel recall the Mets’ first home, the historic Polo Grounds and former home of the New York Giants. Shea Bridge in right-center is named after William A. Shea, extending the legacy of the man who was the driving force behind bringing National League baseball back to New York and for whom Shea Stadium was named.

METS LEGENDS

GILBERT RAYMOND “ G I L” HODGES PLAYER 1962-1963 • MANAGER 1968-1971

INDUCTED 1982

Managed the Miracle Mets to their first World Series Championship in 1969... His leadership transformed the franchise as players adopted his work ethic and were inspired by his dignity and integrity...Became a fan favorite in New York as an eight time All-Star with the Brooklyn Dodgers...An original Met, he hit the first home run in team history...His 14 was the second Mets number to be retired (1973).

GEORGE THOMAS SE AVER

“THE FRANCHISE” PITCHER 1967-1977, 1983 INDUCTED 1988

The three-time Cy Young award winner became the face of the franchise and one of the most dominant pitchers in Major League Baseball history...Ranks first in club history in wins (198), ERA (2.57) and strikeouts (2,541)...Elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992 with 311 career wins and a record (at the time) 98.84% of the vote...His 41 was the third Mets number retired (1988).

NOLAN RYAN

“THE RYAN EXPRESS” PITCHER 1966-1971

The ’69 season, of course, ended on a happy note for both Ryan and his club. Ryan got the win to clinch the first National League Championship Series with seven innings of relief in Game Three against the Atlanta Braves at Shea Stadium. Fellow Texan Jerry Grote, whom Ryan would later name as a key influence in his Hall of Fame speech, rushed into Ryan’s arms as the Mets became the first expansion team to ever win a pennant. Ryan followed that with what would prove to be the only World Series appearance of his career, helping the Amazin’ Mets win a championship over the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles by saving Game Three with 2 1/3 innings of shutout relief pitching.

KEITH HERNANDEZ

FIRST BASEMAN 1983-1989 INDUCTED 1997

The Mets captain’s leadership, clutch hitting and defense helped turn around the fortunes of the franchise, culminating with the 1986 World Series Championship...Had three RBI in Game 7 of the Series...Ranks among the Mets all-time leaders in RBI (468), batting average (.297) and hits (939)...Slick-fielding defense at first base earned him 11 straight Gold Glove Awards...The 1979 National League Co-MVP... He is the sixth Met to have his number retired (2022).

GARY EDMUND CARTER

“KID” • CATCHER 1985-1989 INDUCTED 2001

His acquisition for the 1985 season provided the final piece for the Mets Championship the following year...The veteran catcher belted two home runs in a crucial victory in Game 4 of the World Series and ignited the 10th inning rally in Game 6...Finished his career with 324 home runs...An 11-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner... Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.

DARRYL STRAWBERRY

“STRAW” • OUTFIELDER 1983-1990 INDUCTED 2010

Known for his booming home runs that bounced off scoreboards and stadium roofs... His arrival in New York re-energized the franchise...A seven-time All-Star with the Mets and number one overall draft pick...Won National League Rookie of The Year in 1983...The Mets leader in home runs (252), extra-base hits (469), RBI (733) and runs (662)...Won the National League home run crown (39) in 1988

RON DARLING

PITCHER 1983-1991

INDUCTED 2021

One of the backbones of the Mets pitching rotation in the 1980s...Ranks fourth in team history in wins with 99...Also in the Top 10 in club history in complete games, innings, strikeouts and shutouts...A member of the 1986 World Champions, he won Game 4 of the World Series to even the series...Was an All-Star in 1985 and earned a Gold Glove Award in 1989.

PIAZZA

CATCHER 1998-2005

INDUCTED 2013

The greatest home run-hitting catcher of all-time invigorated the franchise when he was acquired on May 22, 1998...A seven-time Mets All-Star...When baseball resumed after the 9/11 attacks, his game-winning home run against the Braves lifted the spirits of our city...Hit 220 home runs and had 655 RBI during his Mets career...Ranks first in team history with a .542 slugging percentage.

MIKE

Meet Mr. Met!

Born: April 11, 1962 (date of the first Mets game)

ML Debut: April 17, 1964

Hometown: Flushing, NY

Height: 6'10" (A stitch taller than a standard doorway)

Weight: Top Heavy

Throws: *T-shirts, Cracker Jack, and great parties

Bats: Sleep upside down

Twitter: @MrMet

Mr. Met Fun Facts

Mr. Met leads all active Major League mascots in high fours. Early in his career, Mr. Met lost his voice root, root, rooting for the home team. He may be quiet now, but can gesture in 12 different languages.

Mr. Met's head is the only earthbound orb with its own gravitational pull, explaining why fans are so drawn to him.

Mr. Met's image debuted in 1963 when it graced the covers of the official Mets yearbook and scorecard.

In '64, Mr. Met earned rookie-of-the-year honors as Major League Baseball's first modern live-action mascot.

Though Mr. Met has never been seen in the same place as Super Met, there is absolutely no truth to the rumor that they are one and the same.

On Opening Day 2000, Mr. Met became the first Major League mascot to entertain fans overseas as the Mets played their first regular season game in Japan's Tokyo Dome.

In 2012, Mr. Met was named America's Favorite Mascot. Mr. Met moved into a new home, Citi Field, in 2009. Joined Twitter in 2014. Following him @MrMet

David Stearns Q&A: Mets president looks ahead to his first season in Queens

The Athletic: You’re running your childhood baseball team. It’s a dream job, but it could lead to two very different extremes: “Be careful what you wish for,” or, “Happily ever after.” Was there any reservation

David Stearns: When the challenge appeared, I wanted the challenge. This was not a situation where my entire career I had been thinking about one day having the opportunity to lead the Mets — because that seems just ridiculous to think about. It’s tough enough to get an opportunity to lead any professional sports organization. It seems nuts to shoot your sights on the team that you grew up rooting for. So I didn’t give it real thought until the opportunity became potentially available. And then I felt like I had to do it. There is more meaning to this job than there would be in any other job in baseball for me, because I grew up a Mets fan, because my family were Mets fans, because a lot of my friends are Mets fans, because I think I understand how much winning here would actually mean to everyone involved with the organization. I think that adds a sense of purpose. And sure, does it add a sense of challenge and responsibility? Absolutely. But that’s part of it, and I’ve kind of got to lean into this to do it well.

The Athletic: You grew up with a Mets championship, in 1986, just recently in their past — those guys were still around, it was still in the air, but ever since it’s been just out of the Mets’ grasp. How does that guide you now, and how does it align you with Steve Cohen?

Stearns: I think we both understand the impact this can have if we are able to collectively lead the organization successfully, both in terms of the joy we can bring millions and millions of Mets fans, but also just the impact that the institution of the Mets can have on the community and the city. I think Steve and Alex (Cohen) are very focused on that. In my day to day, I can’t really let myself think about that. I have to focus on: What do we need to do today? How can we get better today?

The Athletic: You can’t run it as a fan, in other words, because a fan tends to be more focused on today.

Stearns: Yes. At my core, I am a fan. I think we all are in this business or else we wouldn’t get into this business. But I have a responsibility to lead the organization, in what I deem the best way possible, to consistently win and win at a high level.

The Athletic: Every GM in baseball talks about building a sustainable winner. It’s a universal goal. But when you look at the Dodgers, it’s like sustainability-plus. They took all the wisdom of a consistent, small-market winner, Tampa Bay, added it to the muscle that the Dodgers have — and they’re a behe-

Stearns: What the Dodgers have accomplished, I think, is very admirable and impressive. I hesitate to say that any other team should be our model. I think we need to create our own identity. I think we need to create our own way of doing things. If we were to say we want to do what another team is doing, I think we would fail because we don’t know exactly what they’re doing. So I believe we need to focus on creating our own competitive advantages, creating our own identity. And if we can do that, and if we can incrementally get better along the way, we should end up in a place where other organizations look at us and say, “Their success is really admirable. That’s really impressive.”

In terms of combining the lessons of building teams in a small market with the financial power that we have in New York, I do think there are some lessons we can take. I also think it’s important for me to realize that this is a fundamentally different job that I’m doing right now — primarily, although not exclusively, because of the resources that are available. Every avenue of player procurement is available to us, and that is not the case in a place like Milwaukee. So that is something that is an adjustment, and ultimately should be an advantage for us.

The Athletic: That’s true. But when you have more options, there’s more risk. And one thing that seems to make some of these smaller-market teams successful is that they don’t have to take risks on big moves. Your offseason has been good in the sense that you’ve tried to thread the needle: $10 million here, $14 million there, but it’s all short-term stuff. How are you going to balance being careful, like a small-market team, and taking the risks that we see in big markets?

Stearns: At some point we’ve got to take our shots — and we will. This organization has done it under Steve previously, and we will again. But they need to be very well thought out. They need to be well calculated. And we have to understand we can’t do it all the time. So I don’t think there is a magic formula to that, but you’re right: One of the inherent advantages of the smaller markets and running a smaller market is that you can only get yourself into so much trouble, right? Because you can’t afford the truly big mistakes. You’re not even fishing in those waters. Where big-market clubs historically have gotten themselves into long-term trouble is by making repeated big mistakes in the luxury aisle of the supermarket. So we’re going to shop in that aisle, but we have to do so intelligently, and we have to do so when it makes sense for the overall direction of our franchise.

The Athletic: The Mets took some of those shots last year, and when it didn’t work, they pivoted to younger players. How does that set you up to get to a position where you can make those risky moves and have them make sense?

Stearns: We have to be able to develop our own core players — that’s true for any market in baseball — and I think we are on our way to doing that. I do think we have a system that is greatly improved from where it was a year ago. That’s both because of the additions that this organization made last year and through the natural development, progression and growth of the prospects who are already here. And so I do think we have an emergence of talent that is progressing towards the big leagues. We need to continue that, and we need to continuously add to that. It’s never a finished product. And that part is never going to end.

The Athletic: You’re 39 years old, so you could be in here for the long haul. The Mets have had a lot of turnover, for various reasons, at manager and GM over the last several years. How will it help this franchise if you’re able to finally have some kind of stability at the top?

Stearns: Stability and organizational alignment, I think, are the key attributes to successful organizations. If we look at the truly great organizations that have won over long periods of time in any sport, there is organizational alignment between the owner, the front office, the manager/head coach and the clubhouse. I think the best organizations in baseball have that. I certainly think we can build it. It takes time. It doesn’t happen overnight. But we need to. That is a must for us, to have the stability that allows us to consistently be rolling in the same direction.

The Athletic: You had that in Milwaukee — the same owner, GM and manager for many years, and the team won.

Stearns: And Cleveland and Tampa. With Tampa — obviously Andrew (Friedman) and Chaim (Bloom) left, but that’s basically been the same group, the same core philosophies since 2006, when Andrew took over. We’re talking about 20 years of alignment. Same with the Guardians: close to 20 years of alignment there. (Brian Cashman) with the Yankees, we’re talking (more than) 20 years of a philosophy there. That type of stability and continuity helps a lot.

The Athletic: One last thing — tell me one really fun, really cool thing you’ve done so far that 10-yearold David Stearns would never believe.

Stearns: I had breakfast with Darryl Strawberry over the winter in Manhattan. You know, it’s Darryl Strawberry. He was one of the people that, when I was growing up, was that larger-than-life figure. I remember going to Shea Stadium in the late ’80s with a posterboard sign and a strawberry on it. That’s the type of interaction that I couldn’t get, with the same meaning, working for any other team.

$399.99

We first got a look at Francisco Lindor’s trusty REV1X model glove from Rawlings during the 2020 Spring Training season. Since then, he has debuted several unique designs, like the Jackie Robinson tribute glove from last year and the “Flor De Maga” from 2021. This season, Lindor is keeping that floral theme that we see so often on his gear, but with a different pattern and sky blue leather that wraps around the entire back shell.

Looking at this glove is like looking at a painting. The light purple and white flowers pop off the sky blue leather beautifully. It is giving such a spring vibe, which I’m sure we are all here for.

There’s also an interesting new feature that Lindor decided to include in this year’s REV1X. Usually, this model is lined with Heart of the Hide leather, but this one is lined with Pittards sheepskin. You typically only see this with Pro Preferred gloves. Other than that, it is the same as his previous ones; a split single post, platinum labels, and 11.5″ in length.

Rawlings.com has a few different REV1X designs and sizes on their website for $400. DicksSportingGoods. com has an even better selection, with more options available for the same price.

$50.00

Instead of a classic elbow guard, Pete Alonso wears a padded sleeve to protect his left arm at the plate and even in the field. We’ve seen guys like Juan Soto wear something similar, but this one takes it to a new level.

Alonso’s has thick foam pads on the elbow, forearm, and upper arm that help absorb impact and provide maximum coverage. It’s called the Nike Pro Hyperstrong Padded Arm Sleeve 3.0 and you can get it in black or white at DicksSportingGoods.com for $50.

The Amazin’ Mets!