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It’s way too late to nip the latest New York Mets brouhaha in the bud. Or the Bud. When the team wanted to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, at Sunday’s game against the Chicago Cubs by wearing special caps during the contest, commissioner Bud Selig just said no.
There's always room for Victoria's Secret model Candice Swanepoel around here -- even in a Yankees cap.
And because word of his decision became public, Selig reportedly became upset to the extent that he reportedly was irate and telephoned the Mets front office to voice his displeasure at being thrown ”under the bus.”
“We wanted to,” Mets player representative Josh Thole said of wearing caps to honor the New York Police and Fire Departments. “It was the right thing to do and unfortunately, we were pretty much reprimanded not to do it. We had to follow the rules.”
MLB folks reportedly said the team and players could face fines of undisclosed sums for violating the dress code the league imposes.
”Certainly it’s not a lack of respect,” Joe Torre, MLB’s executive vice president of baseball operations and former New York Yankees manager, said. “We just felt all the Major Leagues are honoring the same way with the American flag on the uniform and the cap. This is a unanimity thing. I certainly understood what they wanted to do in regards to wearing the hats. I used my history with the fact that we were in the World Series 10 years ago.”
In 2001, the Mets wore non-conforming caps after the terrorist attacks despite being told by the league not to. No fines were issued then.
The Washington Nationals wanted to wear special caps this season to honor the Navy SEALS killed in a helicopter attack in Afghanistan. MLB said no.
“Nothing was ordered,” Torre told Sirius XM radio of the Mets cap controversy. “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.”
The simplest thing in the world for a business like MLB is conformity. Mainly because that mindset tends to keep decision-making to a minimum. Yes, 9/11 was honored at ballparks around the country. No, it wouldn’t have hurt for the Mets to have worn commemorative caps.
As for the photo accompanying this item, that’s Victoria’s Secret model Candice Swanepoel. Hat’s off to her — even in a Yankees cap.
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