Chris Russo fumes over Pete Alonso Mets record hoopla — and Gary Cohen’s call
The Mets were barking up the wrong tree.
ESPN personality and former WFAN host Chris “Mad Dog” Russo went off about the celebration following Pete Alonso breaking Darryl Strawberry’s franchise home run record Tuesday with No. 253.
“I cannot believe the big deal people are making about Pete Alonso being the franchise record-holder now for home runs,” Russo said on ESPN’s “First Take” on Wednesday morning.
“Nobody in Metville that I know, and I know a lot of Met fans, after a stretch where they’ve lost 11 of 12 and allowed the Phillies to bury them in the NL East. Now, we’re going to make a big deal about Alonso’s home run?”
Russo continued by criticizing Mets announcer Gary Cohen for his boisterous reaction to Alonso’s 253rd career home run.
“And I love Gary Cohen, but did you hear his call? This is a little over the top,” Russo continued before impatiently pleading with show producers to play the video.
Cohen gave a double “Outta here” call when Alonso flicked the ball the opposite way for a home run in the third inning of a 13-5 win.
“You can’t even tell me what the home run record was before this nonsense,” a furious Russo yelled.
“This is ridiculous, and by the way, if the Mets love Alonso so much, why didn’t they pay him in the offseason for crying out loud?”
He added:”254 homers? That’s ridiculously low.”
Alonso signed a two-year contract worth $54 million last offseason, although there is an opt-out after this season, which he likely will exercise after posting strong numbers this year.
Even with Tuesday’s win, the Mets are in a brutal stretch that has them now five games behind the Phillies in the NL East and only two games clear of a postseason berth.
Alonso hit two home runs Tuesday to push the new record to 254.
Credit to Nypost AND Peoples
