Sep
13
2011

The Last Word On Hat-Gate, Hopefully…

An article by Hojo's Mojo

Angel Pagan

Just a little tidying up on the 9/11 hat controversy as both sides (the Mets and MLB) do some damage control for appearances sake.

New York Post

A red-faced Bud Selig called the Mets on Sunday night, the commissioner of baseball irate that the organization had thrown his office “under the bus” in divulging MLB was responsible for the decision that banned players from wearing caps honoring emergency services workers during the 9/11 game at Citi Field.

“[Selig] got embarrassed by it,” a Mets official said before last night’s 3-2 loss to the Nationals. “The game got moved into prime time because of 9/11, and [MLB] ended up getting embarrassed.”

In an interview with Sirius XM radio, MLB disciplinary czar Joe Torre denied the Mets were threatened with a fine if they didn’t comply with the uniform code. The Mets were allowed to wear the caps honoring first responders during batting practice and the pre-game ceremony, but had to remove them for their game against the Cubs.

“Nothing was ordered,” Torre said. “I think they were sent a memo, but in no way was it heavy-handed. I don’t think money was ever an issue or they were ever threatened with a heavy-fisted fine. If that’s the case, I have no knowledge of it.”

Newsday

Catcher Josh Thole said Monday night that the Mets backed down from wearing caps honoring first responders during Sunday night’s 9/11 game because Major League Baseball had threatened to fine the organization and the individual players “crazy amounts” if they defied a mandate to wear specially designed American flag caps.

“It was coming down from the top that the fine to the ballclub was going to be significant,” Thole said. “That was something that nobody wanted — to overstep the bounds there.”

By the top does Thole mean Alderson or Wilpon?

Journal News

Collins thinks it’s one big distraction.

“What’s the attention been since we walked into the ballpark today? It’s not on who we’re playing, it’s not on who’s pitching. We all want to know which kind of hat we’re going to wear tonight. And that takes away from the game,” Collins said. “It all takes away from their preparation. They’re all being asked questions that they’re afraid to make an answer, they’re afraid to say the wrong thing. We’ve got to start focusing on what the game is, because, when it’s all said and done, that’s all that matters.”

USA Today

Several of the 2001 Mets were on hand Sunday at Citi Field for the remembrance ceremony, and they recalled defying MLB’s orders and wearing the first responders’ hats on Sept. 21 of that year, the first major league game played in New York after the tragedy.

Former Mets reliever John Franco said the current players should have done the same and paid any fine issued by baseball.

Todd Zeile, the team’s player rep in 2001, said the caps held great meaning to the players and MLB “would’ve had to rip the hats off our heads.”

About the Author: Rob Johnson

8 Comments + Add Comment

alex68 September 13, 2011 at 11:53 am

bud selig is a dou-che.. joe torre is covering up what they knew. and i am glad stuff like this comes out, MLB imo has the worst PR of all the 3 major sports (NFL, NBA) and bud selig and his $19 million a year can’t even do a little thank you gesture???
- metsguppy September 14, 2011 at 2:47 am
  
  As Mets fans we often disagree with each other but we can all agree that this was disgraceful of MLB. Selig and Joe Torre are obviously lying. Why would players like Thole and Dickey lie about it? Thats basically what MLB is trying to accuse the Mets of.
86mets September 13, 2011 at 12:06 pm

Selig DESERVES to be embarrassed! Good for the Mets for making a stink over this that causes Ebeneezer Selig embarrassment. Even though I think they should’ve taken it a step further and defied MLB and wore the hats anyway, it’s good to know that MLB is getting negative publicity over this. It’s clear, crystal clear, that the reason they didn’t want the Mets wearing different hats was because New Era, who supplies the league with all their hats, didn’t want to be upstaged by hats they didn’t supply. Since they supplied all 30 teams with hats with flags sewn on the FDNY, NYPD, and other service specific hats would’ve competed with New Era’s own hats.

Bud Selig and Joe Torre are stooges. Period. Torre should know better. Having been a part of the Yankees on 9/11 he should have allowed the hats. That just shows which side his toast is buttered on, doesn’t it? What a shame.
Hodges14 September 13, 2011 at 1:01 pm

Isn’t this the same site that said finally we can put all the embarrassments behind us with Alderson in charge? Back to the drawing board.
- any September 14, 2011 at 9:02 am
  
  MLB is the one embarrased. The Mets come out looking like they took the high road here.
Metstheory22 September 13, 2011 at 1:16 pm

Someone on the team should have said…”I’ll pay the fine…wear them.”
- 86mets September 13, 2011 at 2:47 pm
  
  The Wilpons are broke, remember? LOL
- metsguppy September 14, 2011 at 2:51 am
  
  The Wilpons couldn’t do that, they took a loan from MLB. They were scared that they would be in more trouble over the cap issue and then not be able to borrow more if needed.

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