It’s probably for the best that Keith Hernandez wasn’t in the SNY booth Monday night.
The Mets’ 4-3 win over the Pirates was largely uneventful; aside from a few decent defensive miscues, there wasn’t much in the form of controversy. But if you were tuned into the SNY broadcast, you might’ve had a “Wait, did he really just say that?” moment.
And no, it didn’t come from Keith. He wasn’t even there.
Gary Cohen and Ron Darling had the call instead, but we wouldn’t put it past him. Awful Announcing has an entire treasure trove of headlines from Hernandez, who has recently wondered aloud whether “drag bunt” is still an acceptable phrase and claimed MLB’s oversight of umpires is akin to George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four.”
Just like we wonder how Hernandez reacted to John Oliver’s SNY segment, we’re equally curious how he would’ve received a “Lucky Sperm Club,” being dropped on live television for all of those across the Tri-state area to hear.
That moment came courtesy of Scott Kiner, son of Pirates Hall of Famer and broadcasting legend Ralph Kiner, whom Steve Gelbs interviewed during the game. As the Mets’ sideline reporter asked about his father’s legacy, Scott quipped that he was part of the “Lucky Sperm Club.”
Ralph Kiner’s son, Scott, informs Steve Gelbs on live TV that he’s part of the “Lucky Sperm Club. ” pic.twitter.com/4u0MAXfLY3
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 13, 2025
“I would say that I’m in the Lucky Sperm Club because my dad is probably one of the greatest ambassadors of baseball that’s ever lived,” Scott Kiner told Gelbs. “Growing up with him, I was a very fortunate child. I got to see things that most people don’t get to see… I’m trying to keep his spirit and his incredible life alive.”
Scott was at the game not only to promote his new book but also because his second cousin, whom he had never met before, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, was in town. He got to meet his second cousin for the first time. And he wasn’t just in the company of family — he was proudly flying the flag for the Lucky Sperm Club.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.