Author Commentary:
This is technically considered a magazine, but this Maple Street Press
production is a must-have for Mets fans. It’s broken up into three sections: the
2008 club, the minor leagues, and Mets history. The first two sections underwent
major changes two days before the book was to be printed when Johan Santana was
plucked from the Twin Cities. He was included on the cover before he’d even
signed his landmark contract; an article on the Johan effect opens the book. The
Minor League section had to be totally revised after four of the top five
players headed off to Minnesota as compensation. Also contributing to this
lively publication were names known to the Mets web cognoscenti: Pete Palmer,
Scott Fischthal, Kevin Collazo, Greg W. Prince, Chris Dial, Vince Gennaro, Tara
Krieger, Metswalkoff.blogsport.com, Mike Emeigh, Ted Berg, Dana Brand, and Jon
Springer. There are really cool photos of Shea in its earliest stages and
greatest moments, lots of Citi Field shots, and pictures of the current and
newest Mets regulars, plus Coneheads, Seinfeld, the Beatles, the Who, Pete Rose
getting punched out, young Seaver, Kooz, and Ryan, the Jets, the pope, and Ralph
Kiner in his prime, which he’s been in since he was born some 85 years ago.