Stud Muffins among B-Mets' possibilities

BINGHAMTON, New York -- The New York Mets' Double-A affiliate reached another milestone Tuesday night as the top six finalists for the "Name the Team" contest were unveiled prior to the Binghamton Mets' game against the Altoona Curve. The six names were selected from a pool of more than 1,500 fan submissions.

"The submissions from the citizens of Binghamton and surrounding area speaks volumes about the passion and boundless creativity of our fan base," B-Mets president John Hughes said. "This really was a tough job. The spirit of the submissions only reaffirms the decision that the team name should be reflective of the community that we represent".

Submissions reflected a strong preference to maintaining identity with Binghamton, garnering nearly 80 percent of all submissions. The team will proudly maintain its Binghamton identity.

Fans are encouraged to vote for their favorite name from the group of finalists on BMETS.COM. The new team name will be revealed in October.

The top six finalists for the "Name the Team" contest, in alphabetical order, are:

• Binghamton Bullheads
• Binghamton Gobblers
• Binghamton Rocking Horses
• Binghamton Rumble Ponies
• Binghamton Stud Muffins
• Binghamton Timber Jockeys

Bullheads: A local inhabitant of the Susquehanna River, a Bullhead is a bullhead catfish. The bullhead displays a tough and resilient character such as the Binghamton community.

Gobblers: A symbol of the rich hunting culture of the area, the Gobblers honors the outdoorsman lifestyle and turkeys who call Binghamton home.

Rocking Horses: The Rocking Horses celebrates the Triple Cities' rich history as the "Carousel Capital of the World."

Rumble Ponies: A tribute to the Triple Cities' rich carousel heritage, the Rumble Ponies is a herd of fierce horses that no carousel center pole can contain.

Stud Muffins: While tipping a cap to the players on the field, the Stud Muffins celebrates the collection of carousel horses belonging to Binghamtonians.

Timber Jockeys: Combining the fun of Minor League Baseball with the rich carousel history of the Triple Cities, the Timber Jockeys pays homage to everyone that rides the carousels.

Be sure to follow the B-Mets on Facebook, Twitter and at the team's official website (www.bmets.com) for more team information. Fans also can stay up to date with all the action on the field by visiting "B-Mets Buzz with Tim Heiman" at bmets.mlblogs.com