With all the fanfare surrounding the cool announcements the Mets made about the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the 1962 Mets this past week, I thought I’d share my interview with an original Met, first baseman Eddie Kranepool.

Eddie of course was an original Met who began his career at the age of 17 in 1962 and played for the Amazins’ until the 1979 season when he retired after 18 seasons with the team at age 34.

Summer is coming to an end unfortunately. However….want to end it with a bang? (I am sure you do!) Well I am making you plans for this weekend!

This Friday thru Sunday, JP Sports is putting on their August White Plains Sports Card Show. Go and meet some of your favorite baseball players!

New York Mets Justin Turner and Dillon Gee will be there signing autographs and meeting fans on Saturday, August 20th, from 10am-12pm!

Also former New York Met Bret Saberhagen (1991-1995) will be there in addition to 6x All Star and Mets Fan Favorite, Rusty Staub will be there on Sunday, August 21, from 1-3 pm!

Besides the Met’s there are still some very amazing athletes attending the event like Ralph Kiner, Lou Pinella, Ozzie Smith, Ernie Banks, Dick “Richie” Allen and many more will be there this weekend! For the full list  click here. 

Go and get some of your favorite athletes signatures and take a photo that will last you a lifetime!

By the way, all of the exclamation points in this post were definitely necessary because it’s emphasizing the need to go.

SO! I better see you all there!

As most of you know, I’ve interviewed past Mets players before. However, last Sunday, In The Game Collectibles brought New York Mets second baseman Justin Turner to Park East and it was a great time for everyone there.

Turner came straight from Citi Field after playing the Philadelphia Phillies, and I was so happy that I got a chance to sit down and talk to him.

He spent the night signing autographs, taking pictures, and even taking time to greet fans who were all so excited to meet him. It was great to hear his thoughts about baseball, and hearing him talk about the Phillies game that he had just played in only a couple of hours earlier. He was so down to earth and just a fun guy to talk to.

“This summer has been pretty awesome. We are playing pretty good right now, trying to get over that 500 hump we are kind of stuck on right now - but hopefully we will make a run for the playoffs really soon.” said Turner.

Run in the playoffs? When I talked to Justin the Mets were 12 games behind 1^st in the division and 8.5 games behind in the wild card. (Now they are 12.5 behind in the division and still 8.5 behind in the wild card). He thinks they can get all the way up there, “That’s the plan! That’s why we are playing right?”. See now that’s the kind of answer that we all want/need to hear!

This is Turners first year on the Mets and he enjoying every moment, ”It’s awesome! I’m loving it. We have lots of fun and everyone enjoys coming to the park.”

When asked about the series with the Phillies, he had some explaining to do. “We beat up on Cole Hamels pretty good”, Turner said. He added ”the two pitchers we were supposed to get lots of hits and runs off of, we didn’t do so well.”

Now onto the stuff that everyone wants to know…pump up songs! “Whatever Jose has playing on his speakers that he has set up in the corner. He has a pretty decent playlist. Hip-Hop and Reggaeton is going pretty good in our club house”, Justin told me.

There were no pranks and shenanigans that went on so far this season, but… Justin as well as the other Mets rookies had to sing in front of everyone on the bus.

After the interview I continued to talk to Justin Turner, and my brother who was there with me told him that if he sees a girl in the stands screaming his name with posters and all that it would be me because I’m his number #1 fan! He said he’s looking forward to it!

What a way to leave it off! hahaha

To hear the rest of the interview see the link below!

Justin Turner is such an amazing athlete and has a great future as a ballplayer, so, everyone beware, he is not going anywhere. He’s here to stay!  Just wait…

Justin Turner Interview!

Now we all have our opinions on how the New York Mets are doing this year. Some say “Wow, what in the world are they doing?” while others are like “Hey, they are trying their best and playing hard”. But overall, half way through the season, I say the Mets are doing just fine! But what does Ron Darling have to say? “Simply put, they are a 500 team,” says Darling.

Lately Reyes has been absolutely phenomenal. He has put a charge into the line-up and just keeps racking up multi-hit games – it’s so amazing to watch him. Carlos Beltran has also surprised everyone and is once again a presence in the heart of the order. Darling had this to say about them, “The Mets have been lucky. Their two best players Beltran and Reyes have played fantastic. It is too bad that David Wright and Ike Davis are out because they could have really made a run.”

Even through the rough and tough patches this season as well as the good and fantastic times, the Mets have pulled it together and play like a team. Darling was telling me that he loves the Mets and is happy to be with them. “I am very proud of them. I think they play hard and I think they play well and they are exciting to watch to me. I do every game (broadcast) so I am happy and honored to be able to do their games. I just hope that when Wright and Davis come that they have a chance to make a run.”

Unfortunately, since I spoke with Ron, the news on Ike Davis looks bleak, but Wright has been cleared to resume baseball activities and will return shortly.

As for improvements, strengths and how the Mets will finish off the season, the video below will tell you all you need to know.

ALSO… did you know one of the “hot topics” that are discussed in the box between Ron Darling, Keith Hernandez and Gary Cohen are reality shows like The Real Housewives of New Jersey and Jersey Shore? Watch the video for more!!

PS: If you are a true Met fan like I am, stayed updated because In The Game Collectibles will be bringing Justin Turner, The New York Mets Future Star, to Park East in Hazlet, New Jersey July 17^th. I know I will be there.

PSS: If you didn’t catch  my first interview with him here is the link!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpjpLHNxkuw&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Check this out. This weekend from April 30 – May 1, MAB Celebrity Services is having their first ever Cover Boys & Cover Girls Show!

This show features many athletes that were featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and will be held at the Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel and Conference Center in East Rutherford, NJ.

You will be able to meet some of your favorite players and get pictures and autographs at this event.

Meet players like Willie Mays a 24 time All-Star player, 12 time Gold Glover, 2 time NL MVP, 1951 NL ROY and MLB All-Century Team who ended his career with the New York Mets, and after that continued to help the team by being the New York Mets hitting instructor.

Also there is 15 time All-Star Selection and 13 time World Series Champion who also played for and Managed the New York Mets, Yogi Berra, who will be attending this event on Saturday.

On Saturday you can also see Bill White, the former National League President too.

It doesn’t matter if you are just a New York Mets fan or not one at all, because this event that MAB is having is one that any baseball or sports fan will enjoy. 

Other baseball players in attendance include Reggie Jackson, Bob Gibson, Dennis Eckersley, Earl Weaver, Jose Canseco, Lou Brock, Vida Blue, Jim Rice, Bucky Dent and so many more.

Even Olympic Gold and Silver Medalist Softball player Jennie Finch will be attending this event on Sunday. It doesn’t stop there; there are even Basketball Players and Triple Crown winning Jockeys attending this weekend’s event too!

I know I am definitely going to be stopping by this event to meet all of these amazing people who were on the cover of Sports Illustrated Magazine this weekend… Let me know if you are going too!

For More information on this event check out MAB Celebrity Services!

Everyone is going around saying what the Mets should or shouldn’t do to get back to where they were. But what should they really do? I’ve had the chance to talk to former New York Mets Players Ron Darling and Ed Kranepool and they explained to me what they believe the Mets should do in order to get back into the game as the well rounded, powerful team they could be.

I had asked Ron Darling if he thinks Terry Collins, the new Mets Manager, will bring his team to a winning season and all Ron could say while laughing was “Yeah, good luck Terry.” He then added that the Mets do have some good things going for them “Carlos Beltron and Jose Reyes are playing for a new contract and when athletes are playing for a new contract they tend to have great years. But who knows what’s going to happen. Philadelphia is such a strong team so they (The New York Mets) are going to have to be at their best and almost have a perfect year.” He also added “I see a bright future for the Mets”.  Now let’s see if Ron Darling’s predictions will come true.

Ed Kranepool had his own opinion on how the Mets will do this year, “I haven’t seen them picking up a lot of trades. They have picked up some players that were injured in the past so they’re hoping for a miracle. But I hope the ball club does better than last year because they struggled. They have to improve their pitching staff and that’s what they are trying to do.” Kranepool then added, “Everyone has to improve their play. They go to spring training hoping to be a better player and that’s what the fun of baseball is all about – being in the World Series.”

Only time will tell if the New York Mets will step up their game this year. I don’t know about you, but I have faith in our Mets. And maybe if all their fans would…They Would!

To see both my interviews with Ron Darling and Ed Kranepool you can click on the links below. 

Interview With Ron Darling – 86 NY Mets World Series Champion

Interview With Ed Kranepool – Entire MLB Career With The New York Mets

On the weekend of the 12th -13th, MAB Celebrity Services had their “Who’s On First Show” at the Sheraton Meadowlands in East Rutherford.

Former Mets on the guest list included Keith Hernandez, Ed Kranepool, Cliff Floyd, Tim Harkness, Willie Montanez, Jesus Alou and Dave Kingman. At this event you were able to go and meet some of your favorite players.

You should have seen some of the things that fans were having signed - anything ranging from pictures to even memorabilia from Shea Stadium were brought in by fans. One fan had everyone sign a home plate. What are some items that you have had signed by your favorite Met players?

It was great to meet Keith Hernandez, Cliff Floyd and Tim Harkness but I got to spend more time with Ed Kranepool who was one of the first New York Mets First Basemen back when the Mets started out.

He had a lot to say about playing on the NY Mets for 18 years and Spring Training and the upcoming season -

“I hope the ballclub does better than last year, they struggled. They’ve got to improve their pitching staff. Everyone has to improve.”

Also I was able to chat to Mollie Bracigliano who is the owner and founder of MAB Celebrity Services. You can hear more from Ed Kranepool and Mollie next Wednesday, March 2nd on Teen Groove On The Move.

Hey, now we know Who’s On First - but stay tuned for What’s On Second and I Don”t Kknnnooooww’sss On Third!