Although the Mets’ performance on Wednesday may not have offered many highlights, fans got some levity via their broadcast booth.
With the team trailing the Twins by five in the underside of the sixth inning of an eventual 8-3 loss, SNY play-by-play man Gary Cohen and analyst Keith Hernandez lightheartedly argued in regards to the nickname that Hernandez used — “Twinkies.”
“I’m not convinced that the Twins like being known as the ‘Twinkies,’” Cohen countered, alluding to Twinkie the Kid. “Just saying, feels a little bit derogatory.”
“No! No! I mean it very compassionately,” Hernandez offered. “Nothing but positive waves on that. We used to call them the Twinkies. I at all times thought it was a cool name. I’ll call them the Twins.”
Cohen then continued to play intermediator.
“That’s OK. You possibly can call them whoever you would like,” the veteran announcer said. “I just, I don’t want you to boost any ire on the opposite side. I mean, we don’t see them that usually.”
Afterward, Hernandez quipped that he would never use the moniker “Twinkies” when talking to Minnesota legends like Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew or Cesar Tovar.
“Perhaps that ought to let you know exactly where we’re at,” Cohen mused.
The controversy can have distracted Mets fans temporarily, however the team ultimately lost to the Twins.
Starter Luis Severino proved ineffective, surrendering six runs and 6 hits in just three innings.
Meanwhile, Minnesota salvaged the ultimate matchup of the three-game set due to home runs from Byron Buxton and Matt Wallner.
Twins starter Pablo Lopez also turned in a powerful outing, giving up two runs and striking out seven over six innings.
In consequence of the defeat, the Mets moved to 57-51 and a 1/2 game behind the red-hot Padres for the ultimate NL wild-card spot.
The team’s SNY booth has provided several memorable moments throughout the team’s 2024 campaign, including their trolling of Yankees announcer Michael Kay and Ron Darling scolding Severino for not backing up on throws to 3rd base earlier in July.
The Mets will look to get back on the right track during a lengthy 10-game, four-city road trip which begins in Los Angeles against the Angels on Friday at 9:38 p.m. ET.
