(above : a rare photograph of Luis Castillo using two hands)

When I first read a bunch of decrepit softball players had offered to school the defensively-challenged New York Mets, my first thought was, “it’s rather sporting of David Wells to mentor the Amazins'”.  Alas, the seniors in question hail from a Long Island beer league, as the Newark Star-Ledger’s Brian Costa reports.

The Bristal All-Stars is creating a video to teach the Mets the basic fundamentals they have so often lacked this season. Think Tom Emanski video, but with your grandpa wearing that goofy cap instead of Fred McGriff. The video will be posted online and sent to the Mets.

I called the team’s manager, 78-year-old Harry Schwarzkopf. I introduced myself and told him I cover the Mets for The Star-Ledger, to which he responded, “Oh. I feel sorry for you.”

He then put me in touch with Howard Cannon, a spokesman for the assisted living company that sponsors the softball league. Cannon said the seniors got the idea after watching Luis Castillo’s drop at Yankee Stadium last month.

“Like any other players, the guys were moaning and groaning about the lack of fundamentals,” Cannon said. “They said we have to do something, and that’s what we ended up doing. Guys wanted to tutor players.”