In case you didn’t receive it, there was a letter sent out by the Mets marketing department. It read:

To True New Yorkers –

The victory you earn is sweeter than the victory you’re given.

When we won in ’69 and ’86, we, the players, didn’t do it on our own.

We made history together — players and fans — through a gritty, even stubborn, belief in this club against all the odds.

When we’ve won, we’ve proved through the way we did it that true New Yorkers are Mets fans.

So today we’re issuing a call to all Mets fans: Show your New York Mets pride — stand up and say you’re a true New Yorker.

As players, we can tell you that what happens in the clubhouse and what happens in the stands — players and fans together, believing in each other — makes a tremendous difference with what happens on the field.

Your support matters; we wouldn’t have won without you. So we’re calling on you to give today’s club the same chance we had.

If you agree that the fans have a role to play in making amazing things happen, add your name to this letter:

Mets.com/TrueNewYorker

One fan — maybe you — will present the signatures on this letter and the messages from fans to the team, before the Mets’ first Subway Series game at Citi Field. If you add your name, it could be you.

We’ll see you there. Let’s Go Mets!

— Keith Hernandez, Ron Darling, Cleon Jones, Ed Charles, Jerry Koosman, and Doc Gooden

What? No signature by Curtis Granderson? What the hey?

No, I’m not making this up — this letter really did go out to fans, and it really did come from the Mets. The idea is that fans sign it for a chance to win two tickets to the upcoming “subway series” vs. the Yankees. Maybe you’ll be getting a copy forwarded to you via email from your Aunt Susie (likely in between her forwarding to you a Mother Teresa Novena chain letter, a forwarded email about the danger of plastic water bottles, and what she thinks is a really funny joke involving a priest and a rabbi visiting a brothel).

So, let’s discuss: what do YOU define as a “true New Yorker”? Is he/she a Mets fan? Why or why not?

Ready … set … go!

We’re nearly at the end of April, and the Mets are in second place in the NL East with a 14-11 record. Are they for real, or is this April foolin’? Continue reading →