SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — The Mets amazingly missed their chance Sunday to watch the Staten Island Little League team advance to within one win of the US finals, showing up to the stadium minutes after the Mid-Island squad won.
The Phillies, whom the Mets play against in Williamsport later Sunday, showed up well ahead of the New York team and got to catch at least part of the game.
When Mid-Island winning pitcher Gregory Bruno was brought to the ESPN press box for his postgame interview, he was greeted by Philadelphia Phillies ace Jake Arrieta.
A rep with Little League International said the Mets missed the game because of scheduling. A Mets spokesman said the team’s schedule was handled by Major League Baseball.
“The scheduling is done way in advance, and we didn’t know who was going to be playing in that game until earlier this week,” Little League International spokesman Brian McClintock said. “Travel was pre-arranged. So we knew the window was going to be close, and we were hoping they would be here to cheer on their hometown.”
The Mets were scheduled to arrive at the Little League World Series complex at 12:40 p.m., cutting too close to catch any of the 11 a.m. game.
When Mid-Island reliever Chris Bedford punched out the final Post Oak batter to end it, the clock read 12:45 p.m.
The Mets made it to the complex just before 1 p.m.
“It was really close,” McClintock said. “We were talking to everyone and trying to get there as fast as possible but unfortunately missed it by just a few minutes.”
Still, the Mid-Island kids will get to rub elbows with the Mets on Sunday night when the Amazins play the Phillies on national TV at a nearby minor-league stadium.
“There will be time for the players to interact with MLB before the game,” McClintock said. “All the teams will be together on the pregame ceremony, too.”
The Amazin’s third baseman, Todd Frazier, a former Little League World Series star for Toms River, NJ, showed up ahead of both teams and caught the entire game.
“I wanted to get back here as soon as possible,” Frazier said. “It (Sunday’s visit) just brought back a lot of good memories. I was up early so I wanted my kids and my family to see what their father did back in 1998. Hopefully one day we can get back here, either playing or just coming back on our own. It meant a lot to be here early, and see a lot of old faces and new ones as well.”
Additional reporting by David K. Li in New York