This Will All Seem A Lot Less Interesting When They’re Underperforming At The All-Star Break

The New Yorker’s Ben McGrath summarizes the Met PR department’s frequently-asked Met questions:

The average Met is just as likely to read Maxim as the Bible, but, to be honest, reading isn’t his strength; his main hobbies are basketball and fishing. Under “Would like to meet,” four Mets name the Pope; one lists Rachel McAdams. Generally speaking, today’s Met seems a little less wild than his predecessors of the late eighties, favoring Chicago, for instance, over Miami by a small margin. He is concerned about young people, whether in this country or internationally, and he does his part to eradicate cancer. His favorite actress, depending on the day, is Sandra Bullock, Angelina Jolie, or Reese Witherspoon.

Some of the lesser-known pitchers are deserving of special mention. Heath Bell, a young reliever, has a hamster named Blossom and a cousin, Drake Bell, who is a TV star (on Nickelodeon), and for quick cash in high school he baked and sold gingerbread houses. Yusaku Iriki, a thirty-three-year-old making his American début this spring, did not start playing baseball until he turned fifteen. (His favorite sport is kickboxing, and he is partial to Bob Marley.) Duaner Sanchez plays the trumpet.

And who knew Steve Trachsel (career: 119-135, 4.23 ERA) enjoyed Scrabble, Wine Spectator and pecan-crusted pork chops? You do now.