MLB Commissioner Bud Selig yesterday during a press conference at Citi Field "grew agitated, argumentative and downright fiery during a highly entertaining question-and-answer session," as the "majority of the questions concerned the Mets’ on-the-field struggles and off-the-field confirmed parsimony and alleged hijinks," according to Ken Davidoff of the N.Y. POST. Selig said of former Mets Senior VP/Ticket Sales Leigh Castergine's discrimination lawsuit against the team and COO Jeff Wilpon, "I monitor everything closely. But that’s employment litigation. There were a lot of charges there. Jeff denies them vigorously. I think in this particular case, they’re going to court, and we’re just going to have to see how it plays out." Davidoff writes Selig and Commissioner-elect Rob Manfred "must ensure that no workplace environment is or was uninviting to women." The discrimination lawsuit "resonated with Mets fans because of their more global complaint, that a New York team should be spending more than $83’ish million on major-league payroll." But Selig tried to make his case that the Mets’ "unwillingness to spend more does not equate to gross incompetence" (N.Y. POST, 9/17). In N.Y., Andy Martino wrote, "No one knows the exact state of the Mets’ finances, or to what extent they have recovered since a favorable settlement in the Bernie Madoff case in 2012 allowed them to keep the team." Selig yesterday insisted the Mets are in "solid shape." Still, Martino wrote it "wouldn't hurt to boost payroll" over $100M, and "quiet the doubters." Those "beaten-down cynics were quick to interpret recent comments" by GM Sandy Alderson as "evidence that the team was once again preparing for a winter of thrift" (NYDAILYNEWS.com, 9/16).
NEW YORK STATE OF MIND: The POST's Davidoff wrote with "four years nearly in the books, we finally know" Alderson’s and manager Terry Collins’ "strengths and weaknesses." Therefore the Mets "should know how both men need to improve for this franchise to make its much-desired leap to bona fide contention." For Alderson, it is about "filling out the roster and sweeping away the silliness." For Collins, it is about "maximizing that roster and embracing Citi Field" (N.Y. POST, 9/16).
BUILDING CODES: ESPN's Keith Olbermann railed against the Mets last night for changing their logo that features the "NY" and the N.Y. skyline. The far right of the old logo featured the U.N. building but that was "replaced by what real New Yorkers call Citicorp" building. Olbermann said, "Citicorp, as in Citi Field, as in Citi Bank, the Mets sponsor who also brought you part of a 2008 fiscal collapse. Punchline: Only the Mets. The bank sold that building 13 years ago" ("Olbermann," ESPNews, 9/17).
