This year marks the 40th Anniversary of the Miracle Mets championship of 1969. To commemorate the franchise’s first World Series win, the Mets are giving away 25,000 t-shirts at the August 22nd game versus the Philadelphia Phillies. Which sounds great.

But these t-shirts look like this.

I swear to Jehovah, this is not a joke. I got this photo directly from the team website. Men, women, and children will receive t-shirts numbered 69. Not only that, there will no doubt be thousands of Phillies fans in attendance who will also be getting this t-shirt, which they will be bringing back to Philadelphia. Imagine the fun they’re gonna have at the expense of Mets fans for the rest of their lives.

So to the Mets’ Marketing Department – what the hell?

Right around this time last year, the New York Mets were in first place in the NL East. They were struggling, to be sure, but they were still in first with a “healthy lead”. And then MLB.com began selling this – a 2007 NY Mets NL East Championship T-Shirt. Now I don’t believe in jinxes or anything of the sort. But it did seem presumptuous at best.

But at least they were in first place.

MetsBlog.com has a link to a website belonging to Joe’s Sports, which is a sporting goods chain located in the Pacific Northwest. And they’re selling 2008 NL East Championship T-Shirts. For the Phillies.

Now I can’t blame the Phillies on this one. As far as I know, they’re not the ones promoting this. Joe’s doesn’t even have any stores east of Idaho. But as a Mets fan, it’s still kind of funny…

I’m not sure who’s responsible for this. I don’t know if it was a Mets employee or someone from MLB. But if the Mets fail to hold onto their 2.5 game lead over Philadelphia, I think this becomes the proof that may actually convince me of the existence of a god, and that he/she/it has a sense of humor.

That’s right, Mets fans! You can purchase your 2007 Mets NL East Championship T-Shirt right now before it actually happens! Because here in NYC, if you’re not ahead of the fashion trend, then you’re treated like a piece of crap (as a caveat to this rule, if the Phillies overtake the Mets, then the “ironically historical” nature of this shirt will inevitably become chic among the hipsters of the Lower East Side – or the “LES” of Manhattan and Williamsburg - or ”Billysburg” – in Brooklyn. It’s just the way it is.).

Hat tip to MetsBlog for their post.