WFAN radio host Sal Licata has a message for superstitious New York Mets fans: Grimace is not responsible for the team’s surprising turnaround.
Many reasonable Mets fans would disagree. After all, the team was in a tailspin and going nowhere on June 12 when Grimace, the mascot best known as Ronald McDonald’s friend in an iconic series of commercials, threw out the first pitch before a game at Citi Field.
The Mets have not lost since, running off a seven-game winning streak. The cause-and-effect could not be clearer, at least for some fans (baseball analytics people might want to credit stuff like OPS, starter ERA, etc., but what do they know?).
For anyone who missed that seemingly unremarkable moment at the time, here’s a flashback.
Grimace threw out the first pitch tonight at Citi Field 🟣 pic.twitter.com/9i9vEWpDxz
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 12, 2024
The Mets have gone from potential sellers at the deadline to fans talking about the World Series. And many of them are thanking that lovable, purple character.
Not Licata, who called out Grimace’s “fat, purple a** on Tuesday’s midday show.
“I understand nobody really thinks Grimace is responsible for this but what you don’t understand is that everybody that references Grimace, it’s making a mockery for the Mets,” Licata said. “The Mets earned the credit here, not because of some goofball mascot Grimace. His fat, purple a**. I’m so tired of Grimace.”
Sal Licata is sick of “knuckleheads” crediting Grimace for the Mets’ hot streak.
(via @WFAN660)pic.twitter.com/dDwfrKWIRC https://t.co/I2TFUuXuWZ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 17, 2024
Licata also ranted against Grimace on Monday.
“The Mets finally are playing well, they go on a winning streak,” Licata said. “And yet you’ve got some knuckleheads on social media and elsewhere giving of all people credit for this run: Grimace. That fat McDonald’s mascot. That’s who’s going to get — Oh, the Grimace Mets. I even saw (Ed Arzooman, WFAN producer) tweet about this. ‘Oh, the Grimace Mets.’ It’s not just him, everybody’s doing this thing. ‘Oh, the Mets are 5-0 since Grimace threw out the first pitch.
“That’s really what we’re talking about? The Mets are actually playing well, they’ve won five in a row and it’s because Grimace threw out the first pitch?”
While the Mets’ bats have come alive, so has Grimace’s profile, as he’s become an unlikely social media sensation years after his supposed heyday.
The New York Mets have won SIX straight games since Grimace threw out the 1st pitch last week!
Social posts about the @McDonalds character from @MLB, the @mets and major sports media outlets have earned:
🟣 32.9M impressions
🟣 963K engagements
🟣 $1.2M in social value pic.twitter.com/dv1iDeIgLZ— Zoomph (@Zoomph) June 18, 2024
McDonald’s and franchise owners are certainly happy with the development.
the grimacee effectt im flattereddd https://t.co/eI4xdaCjsu
— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) June 18, 2024
Licata himself has felt the power of Grimace, as he pointed out on Tuesday’s show.
“Do you realize after yesterday’s little rant, that I’ve been getting texts and tweets nonstop from friends being like, ‘Oh, of course you hate Grimace.’ I’m like, ‘It’s stupid, come on, dude.’ Yeah, the Mets should build a statue of Grimace,” Licata said. “I’m getting texts last night, I’m fighting with my friends like, ‘What’s the big deal? Lighten up.’ I don’t want to lighten up. It’s not about Grimace. Give the Mets some damn credit for once.”
As long as the Mets keep winning, Grimace is not going anywhere.
