Mets’ Bo Bichette feels wrath from spurned Phillies fanbase
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PHILADELPHIA — Bo Bichette braced for a rude reception Thursday from a fanbase that almost became his this season.
“If you know anything about Philly, nothing will surprise me,” Bichette said before the Mets beat the Phillies 6-4 at Citizens Bank Park.
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Bichette was booed each time he walked to the plate in his 0-for-5 performance, which snapped his streak of multihit games at six.
Last January the Mets, after learning that free agent Kyle Tucker had chosen the Dodgers, pivoted toward Bichette — who was deep into negotiations with the Phillies.
Bichette took the Mets offer of $126 million over three years — with opt-outs after 2026 and ’27 — preventing the Phillies from adding another key bat. Earlier in the offseason, the defending NL East champions had re-signed Kyle Schwarber to a five-year contract worth $150 million.
“We were definitely talking, but there were a few things that were unfinished, so I wouldn’t say necessarily that we were at the finish line,” Bichette said.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Phillies’ reported offer for Bichette was $200 million over seven years. Dave Dombrowski, the team’s president of baseball operations, described losing Bichette as a “gut punch.”
Bichette, who helped the Blue Jays reach the World Series last season, isn’t looking back.
“[The Phillies] are a great team that I was interested in being part of, but I wouldn’t say I think too much of what could have been,” Bichette said.
Bichette reiterated factors that attracted him when he selected the Mets.
“Ownership is doing their best to get a team of talent on the field to win and the team has a ton of talent,” Bichette said. “Playing in New York, the market here, all that was important to me — we have the opportunity to win, with talent, in a place that fans care about the team.”
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The Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson following a slow start — replacing him with bench coach Don Mattingly — and have surged into wild-card contention. They began play 40-34, ahead by 1 ½ games for the second wild card.
It has been a different story for the Mets, who haven’t recovered from their 12-game losing streak in April, despite improved play in recent weeks.
They are 34-41, last in the NL East.
“We have played better for a decent stretch of time,” Bichette said, referring to the team’s 25-20 record since May 1. “Probably not to our capabilities, but we just have to continue to keep on grinding, putting up wins however we can. Most teams have that little hot stretch that kind of evens out the cold stretch and hopefully we have that soon.”
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
