The Mets New Mascot Helps Them Taste Victory

-  Troy Turnwald, Contributor

For a team that only has a vague concept as a moniker, the Mets sure do have a lot of mascots. First, there’s Mr Met, the leather-headed Flushing denizen that we all know and love. There’s Mrs Met, who looks strikingly similar to her husband and is built like a Pixar mom. There’s Buddy, the official team rescue dog. That’s not to be confused with Coffee, the unofficial bootleg dog mascot that panhandles outside the stadium and smokes a pipe for some reason. There’s the giant apple that rises in center field in the event of a home run. There was WW2 vet, Seymour Weiner, who encouraged Citi Field to eat dollar hot dogs. Polar Bear mania swept up the borough during Pete Alonso’s early surge to stardom. Then, there’s the dance troupe, a guy with a cowbell, a dude with pins, a rally pimp and an old guy in overalls that generally looks displeased. Mets fans never have to look hard to find something within Citi Field to recognize and (attempt to) view as a good luck charm. It’s human to be superstitious and the Mets are one of the most human franchises in sports. 

And now…they have Grimace.

On an unsuspecting Wednesday night, last Wednesday night to be exact, morale was at an exaggerated low. Although the Mets had won 4 of their last 6, I seemed to be the only person celebrating that fact. The season still had no hope and the paltry 19,803 people that bought tickets had very low expectations on what they were about to see. But those who showed up early were treated with a flicker of joy as a familiar purple blob took the field. One that evoked warm childhood memories and hilarious memes from the year before. It was Grimace, McDonaldland resident and confidant to Ronald McDonald. After his first pitch, the Mets that took the field were the same Mets that were always there. They were the same Mets that spent the last week flying under the radar and quietly winning games. But now, they have a shiny new mascot and the 10-4 shellacking of the Marlins ushered in The Grimace Era. Although short, the era garnered a 7 game winning streak that sadly ended Wednesday night. The offense has been explosive, productive and downright fun to watch. The pitching staff has been lights-out and a familiar face in the bullpen (knocking firmly on my wooden desk) is finally back to his normal self. I would say that it’s a combination of their schedule against struggling teams that are underestimating them, along with a lack of media pressure. But that would make too much sense. Clearly, this was all possible because of Grimace. 

Grimace became a part of McDonalds advertising cannon in 1971. First introduced as “Evil Grimace”, he had 4 arms which he used to steal milkshakes and Cokes. This put a lot of stress on newly appointed Officer Big Mac, as he already had to deal with the Hamburglar and Captain Crook (a pirate who stole Filet-O-Fish sandwiches). It also wasn’t a good look for newly elected Mayor McCheese, as McDonaldland became a hellscape of crime and food theft. In effect, they allegedly removed two of Grimace’s arms and subjected him to an experimental hamburger therapy. Grimace quickly returned to advertisements as a fun-loving, clumsy and doting best friend to Ronald McDonald, life of crime seemingly in the rear view mirror. Although there’s been much speculation as to what Grimace actually is, it was clarified recently that he is, in fact, a taste bud. A humongous, purple taste bud. That makes about as much sense as him using hamburger magic to help the Mets win games, but I’m not a scientist nor a magician. 

The winning streak and accompanying McFlurry rainbow ride was at risk Tuesday night after a disastrous 5th inning in Arlington. Coming in with a 2-1 lead, Luis Severino coughed up 5 runs with two long balls. It seemed that the hamburger wheels had finally fallen off. But what’s that song that Ronald used to sing in commercials? “Do You Believe In Magic”? Well, the Mets did. Instead of taking it lying down, Grimace activated the Met’s tastebuds and one by one, taste sectors of the tongue tasted sweet victory. 

Top of the 6th - 0 on, 0 Outs - Brandon Nimmo home run to right field - Mets 3, Rangers 6

Brandon Nimmo has had a bitter start to his season. First, he lost his spot in center field to the talented Harrison Bader and then he seemingly lost his way at the plate. The guy that was just happy to be there became anxious to be somewhere else. In The Grimace Era, he is slashing .458/.519/1.269. A total return to form plus some bonus power. This was on display as he crushed his solo shot. Just like the bitter part of the tongue warns us about danger, Nimmo knew adjustments needed to be made. 

Top of the 7th - 3 on, 1 Out - Francisco Lindor to 1st on a fielder’s choice - Mets 4, Rangers 6

Sweet things can eventually turn sour and that would be a good way to describe Francisco Lindor’s year. He spent the first two months as an automatic popout. He was too much in his own head, letting his talents spoil. But like a ripe lemon, that can work in opposite ways. Lindor has harnessed his sour energy as of late to make his swing sweet again. Enjoying sour foods is a lot like Lindor’s sacrifice fielder’s choice. While causing an out with the bases loading may make your face cringe, it’s satisfying to get a run in and chip away at the Rangers lead. 

Top of the 8th - 2 on, 2 Outs - Francisco Alvarez double to center field - Mets 6, Rangers 6

Alvarez has every reason to be salty. Once a fledgling prospect, many became disappointed when his power normalized. He still provided good defense and clutch hitting, but many felt that he fell below expectations. After a promising start, Francisco tore a ligament in his thumb and was sidelined for almost 2 months. In The Grimace Era, he is batting a cool .400 with 6 RBIs. He has been the clutch part of the lineup that they needed, like seasoning on a juicy steak. He sprinkled salt into the Ranger’s wound and tied the game up.

Top of the 9th - 2 on, 1 Out - Pete Alonso double to left field - Mets 7, Rangers 6

Of all the players on the team, Pete has the most beef. So of course, he contributed the much-needed umami taste to the tongue. He didn’t need to go yard to be a hero, he just had to hit it where they weren’t. That meat and potatoes hitting is what’s helping Pete mature into a more rounded hitter. He has 8 ribeye steaks in The Grimace Era. 

Bottom of the 9th - 1 on, 2 Out - Leody Taveras flys out to left field - Mets 7, Rangers 6

A tongue can’t fully taste victory without a little sweetness. And nobody is better at providing sweetness than Edwin “Sugar” Díaz. He came off the IL at the beginning of The Grimace Era and nobody has been able to touch him. He’s had 3 scoreless outings with 2 saves and a win. The save tonight resonated with a thundering force. If his bad start is fully behind him, 9th innings just got a whole lot sweeter. 

The patented hamburger magic ran out last night, in a heartbreaking 6-3 loss to the Rangers. After the hot stretch, they are now 35-38, only one game out of a wild card spot. They’re hoping to revive the magic with a weekend appointment at Wrigley Field to face the sliding yet spoiler-happy Cubs. If they can take care of them handily, expect Grimace-fueled insanity in Queens next week when they face the (gulp) Yankees. But let’s not worry about that now. Let’s just have a milkshake and let Grimace get his magic back.