New York Yankees play-by-play man Michael Kay isn’t apprehensive about how his New York Mets counterparts Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez or Ron Darling would possibly react if he runs into them Wednesday night time at Citi Subject in the course of the Subway Collection.
“I’ll go up there and I’ll give them a hug, possibly a kiss as we speak,” Kay stated by cellphone Wednesday afternoon. “I don’t suppose it’d be awkward in any respect, as a result of I’m not saying they’re dangerous. I’m simply saying that, to say that they’re the perfect — properly, who says?”
A day earlier — earlier than the primary of two video games between the Mets and Yankees this week — the Mets’ station, SNY, ran an advert touting the Mets’ TV sales space as the perfect on the town. Kay was significantly irked that the advert ran throughout his program, The Michael Kay Present, a radio program that’s simulcast on YES.
Kay introduced up the industrial on his program, noting that his phrases would possibly get him in bother.
“I’m sorry, I believe we’re the perfect sales space in baseball,” Kay said on the air Tuesday.
Reached by The Athletic on Wednesday, Kay known as the section lighthearted and praised the Mets’ sales space — however he additionally doubled down on what he believes is an open-ended query as to New York’s greatest behind the mic.
“It takes plenty of hubris for SNY to run that advert,” Kay stated. “For them simply to return out and say, ‘Go take heed to the perfect sales space in baseball,’ promoting it on my present, I assumed was just a little odd, so I assumed I’d poke enjoyable at it. I believe it’s subjective. I believe that they’re a terrific sales space. I actually do. Yeah, I believe they’re nice. And I believe that we’re a terrific sales space.
“I obtained a textual content from Paul O’Neill who was listening to the present driving in and he stated, ‘I couldn’t imagine that they ran that advert in your present, I’m glad you stated one thing.’ Not that it’s combative in any respect.”
Cohen and SNY declined remark.
Ron Darling, Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez pose with Jerry Seinfeld at Citi Subject on Sept. 29, 2021. (Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Pictures for Netflix)
This isn’t the primary time Kay has heard the Mets’ trio known as the perfect. A GQ.com headline in 2023 learn, “Gary, Keith, and Ron Are Nonetheless the Finest Sales space in Baseball.” A headline from the sports activities media web site Terrible Saying earlier this yr carried the identical sentiment. A 2018 New York Occasions Journal piece famous Gary, Keith and Ron as “the one factor” Mets followers “get to lord over Yankee followers,” and a reader survey finished by The Athletic in 2020 resulted within the Mets’ broadcast crew incomes the highest spot.
“I’ve by no means needed to handle it, as a result of they’re a terrific sales space, so who am I to say they’re not?” Kay stated when requested if the subject had simmered over time. “I simply really feel like that through the years, it’s gained an excessive amount of traction, that they’re the perfect group in baseball. Nicely, OK, in keeping with whom? I imply, is it a panel of specialists? Did Bob Costas say that?
“Who precisely has stated that?” Kay continued. “Mets followers love their sales space. I believe that Gary, Ron and Keith are in all probability extra beloved than any Met participant. I actually do imagine that. And their fan base may be very protecting of the announcers, so I believe it’s gained traction through the years. And once more, it’s arduous to argue, as a result of they’re terrific. However , to say that they’re the perfect sales space in baseball, take heed to them as an alternative of YES, I assumed I’d stick up for my guys just a little bit.”
Kay stated he thinks that most individuals imagine the San Francisco Giants’ duo of Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper are baseball’s prime sales space.
“It’s not an actual science,” he stated. “Most individuals say it’s Kruk and Kuip. So who is aware of?”
As of Wednesday afternoon, Kay stated he hadn’t heard something from his Mets counterparts. He noticed them on Tuesday out at Citi Subject, however his feedback didn’t come up.
“Yesterday, after I completed my present, I walked upstairs, I talked with Keith for like 5 minutes, after which I went within the sales space and me and Gary hugged,” Kay stated. “I actually like these guys. I wouldn’t say they’re shut buddies, as a result of after they’re house, I’m on the highway, regardless of the case could also be. However I believe now we have an incredible quantity of respect for one another. And once more, Gary’s not a hugger, however me and him hugged yesterday.”
Kay stated the hug was about one thing unrelated.
“They in all probability didn’t even know that I stated that,” Kay stated.
(Prime picture of Michael Kay: Mary Altaffer / Related Press)
