After years of speculation, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig made the official announcement on Wednesday, May 16 that the New York Mets will host the 2013 All-Star Game. This is a great way for the city to bring positive publicity to its new ballpark in Queens and welcome visitors from around the country to see their favorite players battle it out for the divisional All-Star title. After several rocky years on the new field, the Mets are hoping that the energy for the All-Star game will drive the team throughout the regular season as well.

The Mets started playing at their new home, Citi Field, in 2009, but they have suffered a heartbreaking losing records for all of their first three years. In addition, the team has had some financial troubles, leading owner Fred Wilpon to go through a long string of negotiations with the MLB over this game. It has been in the works for several years, promised to the city along with the 2008 game at the Yankee Stadium. Now that negotiations are complete, the city can officially start publicizing the game and hopefully create momentum around the Mets this year.

This will be the second time the NY Mets have had a chance to host the All-Star Game, with the first being in 1964. However, New York City has definitely seen its share of games, with the Yankees hosting four times, including 2008, which was their last year in Yankee Stadium. The Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants also hosted the game when they were in the area. And the metro New York area will see the Super Bowl come to the area in 2014, when the big game will take place just across the river at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.

New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg estimates that the game will bring the city $191 million in a combination of ticket sales, hotel revenue, and money from the associated events. According to ESPN, there will be a procession of athletes through Manhattan, a charity run, and a big concert all held that weekend as part of the festivities. In addition, the Fan Fest will be held at the Javits Convention Center. The city will set a record as the only to have hosted the MLB All-Star Game nine times.

Ticket prices for the game are expected to rise close to where they were for the game held at Yankee Stadium, which charged $150 to $725 for each seat. Compare this to the ticket's for this year's game in Kansas City, which are selling for $125 to $450. However, everything in New York is more expensive, so the steep prices are to be expected. For visitors who can't make it to New York for the game, Direct TV is the best place to get not only the game, but also surrounding events and interviews to complete the All-Star experience.

The All-Star game is scheduled for Tuesday, July 16, 2013, which is the latest the game will ever be played. It usually occurs earlier in the month of July. Unlike the NFL's Pro Bowl, the MLB's All-Star Game occurs in the middle of the season, giving players only half of the season to prove themselves worthy of selection to represent their league. However, it also ensures that players from the top teams get to play in the game, which the NFL's Super Bowl schedule does not allow. This encourages fans to attend because they know their favorite players will be there.

It’s not everyday the Mets make the right move or do the right thing but today is not that day. No the Mets didn’t sign a new ace or retain Jose Reyes but they are making changes to Citi Field. First off, not that it will help the team but they are making the fence blue. If the rumors are true and we are going to see less black in the uniform department and now the fence the Mets are actually listening. The Mets colors are blue and orange bottom line. As many great blogs like Mets Police have stated, lets bury the black and remember it as the “Piazza Era.”

Secondly, they have decided to change the fence distance and height. This is a great move, this field has all but killed the careers of David Wright and Jason Bay. Flat out, the designed the park for Jose Reyes to hit triples and ignored David Wright. Now that Reyes is going to leave them high and dry, there is a chance they may be able to resurrect David’s career and keep him happy enough to stay in Queens.

Simple things like the fence and dropping the black may not forge this team to first place but I think as simple as they are they do show signs of improvement. The Mets are listening and under this leadership are making smarter decisions. The Mets have seen that there original plan is not working and the Mets play at home this season forged this move. The field is definitely in batter’s head and something had to be done. Instead of wasting another season, the Mets can at least try to make Citi Field, the home we all have been waiting to make it. Hopefully, in the years to come the team will make us forget Shea and think of Citi as home sweet home.

 It has been quite awhile since I needed to vent here on MetsPundit.com but as with 2007 and 2008, another debacle has me emotional on the last day of the season. The difference this season is that there wasn’t a collapse or tears in my eyes but the similiarity is the Mets remain a joke.

I maybe thirty years old but I consider myself old school. If I had Doc Brown’s time machine, just like Marty McFly I grab some Air Mag’s and a book of sports results to bring to a Vegas casino but first I would love to go watch some baseball, catch Babe Ruth in the 20′s and Willie, Mickey and the Duke in 50′s.

Hearing the story as a kid of how Ted Williams played in a double header and brought his average from .3995 to .406 is legendary and it is a beautiful part of a wonderful game. What Jose Reyes did during his last game of the 2011 season is nothing less then cowardly. It to me is shortcut and I feel the same as if he was caught using performance enhancers. He cheated the game, he cheated himself and he cheated Ryan Braun.

In his last game for the Mets, Reyes got a bunt base hit and pulled himself out of the game to hold on to his lead. How about all the Met fans who only showed up to see Jose off and give him the respect that up until this point he deserved. No thought of anyone else here but himself, not the game, not the fans just Jose.

This is why I feel he is gone, Jose is not all about the team or doing things the right way. How many times has he not run hard, or how can we forget calling out Jerry Manuel in his first ever game managing. Jose is me first, team second and with that philosophy, he is going to run to the money. He can talk all he wants about the Mets and wanting to be here but he would pick playing for the Toledo Mud Hens if it paid more then in Queens.

Jose is what is wrong with sports, cocky, obnoxious, and here for himself. Just wait and see, he is going to chase that money. I think he showed his true colors yesterday and all I can say is good riddance. This is not the type of player I want to build around because just like the last three years, this team has gone nowhere with players like Jose.