The Upper Deck

Welcome to The Upper Deck, Baseball America’s daily look at the biggest stories around the game and some lighter fare. If you have videos, GIFs, photos or stories you want us to know about and feature in this space, hit me up on Twitter at @vincelara or email me here.

NEW LOWS

During a 7-1 loss to the Brewers that dropped the Mets to 23-28, beloved—well maybe not by Noah Syndergaard—mascot Mr. Met had taken about all he could. Watch at your own discretion, since the content might not be safe for work (NSFW as the kids say).

The fan who captured the video said he said nothing to provoke the mascot. Technically, Mr. Met wasn’t using his middle finger since he has has just four fingers on each hand. A Mets official told The Associated Press that the person wearing the costume Wednesday will not wear it again.

“We apologize for the inappropriate action of this employee,” the Mets said in a statement. “We do not condone this type of behavior. We are dealing with this matter internally.”

Mr. Met has seen enough 😲 (via @adelucia35) pic.twitter.com/IVdWKuhctF

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 1, 2017

ROMPER ROOM

And now for something completely different. A romper for men is apparently a thing now—or again, depending on whom you ask. Minor league promotion teams have to be ahead of the curve and the State College Spikes are jumping into their rompers leg first.

Josh Norris had the story and photos.

ROCKETS FROM ASTROS

Houston, we have no problems. The Astros hit six homers Wednesday—including two blasts by George Springer—for their seventh straight win, a 17-6 pasting of the Twins. Houston won 22 games in May, tying a franchise best, and scored 40 runs in the three-game washout in Target Field. The Astros are now 38-16, a .704 win percentage that is by far the best in baseball.

PUT IN ON THE BOARD . . . NO!

Longtime White Sox homer, er, broadcaster Ken “Hawk” Harrelson says 2018 will be his final year in the booth for the South Siders. Harrelson, who played nine seasons in the majors and was the White Sox general manager, began his broadcasting career in a different set of Sox with Boston in 1975 but has spent 33 seasons calling games for the Pale Hose.

“There’s not a better organization in baseball than the Chicago White Sox,” Harrelson said before Chicago’s 4-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night. “It’s just that simple. You can tie us but you can’t beat us. To be in the situation I’ve been in, I’ve been blessed to have been in this situation for all these years. Do the math. Go figure.”

IT’S BRAWL OK?
Bryce Harper and Hunter Strickland traded blows (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The Bryce Harper-Hunter Strickland match drew much attention for helmet-slinging techniques and Buster Posey’s pacifism, but it didn’t seem to bother Jake Arrieta or Cubs manager Joe Maddon. Arrieta in fact called the fisticuffs “awesome,” and said sometimes fighting is called for. Maddon, meanwhile, said while he was “disappointed in all that,” that Harper was not unjustified in charging the mound.

ON THIS DATE

On this date 10 years ago, Phil Wellman of the Double-A Mississippi Braves had perhaps the greatest manager meltdowns in the history of manager meltdown.