Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Marlon Byrd is quite possibly the second-best player on the New York Mets‘ mediocre squad and has been there for just over a season. The 35-year-old outfielder is leading the team in home runs and RBI with 21 and 71, respectively, while hitting a cool .285 with a .330 on-base percentage.
Sure, he’s a solid player with a decent following, but he is sure to be more popular after what happened today. Byrd was traded this afternoon to the Pittsburgh Pirates and they are looking to make a huge push in the upcoming month or two in the NL Central.
Why is this such a big deal? Well, tonight was supposed to be Marlon Byrd t-shirt night at Citi Field in New York. Fans who bought a special ‘t-shirt ticket’ for the game were set to receive a snazzy Byrd t-shirt.
Check out the gem right here:
via Mets’ MLB website
The t-shirt had good intentions, honoring a guy who has hit them 21 homers and 71 RBI with a solid average, but the outfielder was traded and surely the front office overlooked the t-shirt night. The Mets have had a couple rough days in a row, losing starting pitcher Matt Harvey to a devastating elbow injury and now this.
Byrd is clearly excited about going to a playoff contender and ditching the lowly Mets for the surging Pirates, but he might have to take a cool shirt before he leaves town.
I’m sure there will be some disappointed fans tonight and some people looking for their favorite Met — hopefully he was no one — to take the field.
The front office should have just waited one more day.
Connor Muldowney is a columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Connormuldowney, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google. You can also reach him at .
