“Every one is looking for a jinx and a scapegoat and I think I found it.

“On August 7, Giuseppe Franco took batting practice at Shea Stadium.  The team went 27–10 in their next 37 games.  On September 13, Franco’s fan-favorite Precede ad stopped airing on SNY, and the team went 7–10 in their final 17 games.”

…so there you have it, folks, SNY, your local cable provider and Procede are responsible for the Mets not making the playoffs, because franco was removed from the air…

The next day, Giuseppe e-mailed me saying he had seen my post, he was flattered and so we struck up a phone call.

He told me he would be in New York City and at Shea Stadium for last night’s game.

So, yesterday, SNY.tv’s Ted Berg and I went to Shea Stadium to interview Dan Murphy, Eddie Kunz and Giuseppe.

First, I should note, this was the first time I had ever set foot on the field in Shea Stadium, which, for me, as a fan, was amazing.  Yes, I took time to stop in the dugout, sit on the bench, then walk up the steps, taking pause to lean on one knee like Davey Johnson used to do, before jogging up on to the field, which, I will admit, gave me goose-bumps.

Prior to the game, select fans, media, etc., are allowed to stand on the field, up against the backstop, behind a white, plastic fence, and watch the players take batting practice.

I spotted Giuseppe with his wife and friends standing along the fence watching David Wright and Ryan Church, among others, swinging from home plate. 

Giuseppe had his hair spiked, was wearing all black, a ton of tattoos, and he never once removed his sunglasses and – even with Wright and Church only a few feet away – he was clearly the most popular person on the field.  In fact, he was approached by not only fans, but also coaches and players for handshakes, autographs and pictures. 

For what it’s worth, he is a very nice guy, who is very humble, with a ton of energy, and, most importantly, he has a sense of humor when it comes to his ad for Procede.

Ted broke off to interview Heath Bell and Kunz, while I took a moment to speak with Dan Murphy, all of which I will post later in the day or tomorrow.

By the way, Murphy comes across as a serious dude.  He looks focused and means business, which I like.  He has a look in his eye that says, ‘I’m in the major leagues, and I’m not going back to the minors.’

Later, Ted and I were able to sit down with Giuseppe at his seats in the stands, where we talked about his move to Los Angeles, his salon, and, of course, his ad for Procede, which he doesn’t own – in fact, he doesn’t own anything about it.

To watch our interview with Giuseppe, click play below: