A Game That Had Everything...But A Win

What a way to open a new stadium. Actually when you think about it, it was opened in typical Mets fashion.

The leadoff hitter for the other team gets a home run to open the game. The Mets starting pitcher struggles. Defensive errors score runs. The Mets come back but can't come back all the way. A balk drives in the winning run.

What other team does this kind of stuff happen to other than the Mets? It was a bizarre first game at Citi Field. Pelfrey struggled not only locating his pitches, but he even fell off the mound at one point. Feliciano's balk may have been the most subtle balk in major league history. I watched the replay at least 30 times and still couldn't understand why that's a balk.

There were two highlights tonight. The first being the pre-game festivities which included a ceremonial first pitch from legend Tom Seaver to future legend Mike Piazza.

The second highlight was David Wright's blast to left field. Wright was crushing the ball last night and hit another shot 405 feet to center, but the ball was caught against the wall. The best thing about Wright's homer was his reaction and intensity while running the bases. He wanted this game bad.

Many a Mets fan will comfort themselves by saying it was only one game. We can only hope it's not symbolic of how things will fare this year.

Hall of Famers

Other than a World Series celebration, this is possibly the most fitting way to close Shea Stadium. Cheers to placidian for the great shot.

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1.02.05

Blown Opportunity for Shea

from guest blogger, Siroty:

The Mets opened Shea Stadium known as the “loveable losers.” As a Mets Lifer, today I only put quotes around “losers.” Not because of the way the season ended. We could have predicted the bullpen would blow it. The Mets are “losers” because of the way they planned and carried off one of the worst ceremonies in the history of sports.

Love or hate Shea, it is a place where many of us first saw Major League Baseball. We remember driving in, passing Yankee Stadium, inching in traffic past LaGuardia knowing Shea would suddenly appear with its blue and orange squares or “The Magic is Back” banner visible from afar. As kids, we practically pulled our parents up the ramps so that we could see that burst of green and the scoreboard first visible from the concourse. And if you were lucky enough, you got to go to batting helmet day. Wow!

For me, I saw Tom’s Seaver near no-hitter. I still hate Leron Lee! I tried to change my birthday by a day so I could share Bud Harrelson’s birthday of June 6. I proudly wore my Tom Seaver jersey and my camp nickname was “Seaver.” Those were the seeds of memories. Then in adulthood we enjoyed more games, both live and in person, and we learned more about the game, the players, coaches, announcers. Shea became part of us and for some of us we were able to share this passion with our our kids.

So how the Mets close our memories. Like “Losers!” If you were to plan an event just days after Yankee Stadium closed, wouldn’t you bust your butt to have your ceremony come close to it? You couldn’t match the names or the events of Yankee Stadium, but you could sure try on the presentation.

So what do the Mets do to close their stadium?

1. Hold it after the final blown game, 30 minutes after Gary Cohen was forced to “throw it” from the press box to Maz in the parking lot! Classy! Maz was THE Mets. It’s like Michael Kay “throwing it” to Roy White at the Yankee Stadium bat. Not in a million years. And that is not even bashing the Mets for holding the ceremony after the game. Duke basketball holds Senior Day after their last home game. Maybe Coach K is a special assistant to the owners.
2. Then, from Maz in the parking lot, its back to Howie Rose who apparently is NOT ON THE FIELD. Who planned this?
3. Then, with the field lined with police and security and have seemingly hundreds milling about home plate, Howie starts by introducing longtime employees, Tommie Agee’s family, Bob Murphy’s wife and Ralph Kiner. Nice start. Except the event planners have them walk from behind home plate, along the stands behind all of the people milling about behind home plates to a chair in front of the Mets dugout. Invisible. Oh, the love of being a Mets VIP!
4. Now here come the players. First those who couldn’t be here. OK. But where was Ray Knight and how could he not be there? Bobby Valentine? How about those who passed away? We couldn’t have spared a moment of silence for those Mets?
5. Then the players we all have memories of. Howie introduces them with a short and eloquent into and they come in from either bullpen and disappear behind the wall of cops. Why not have them walk straight from the outfield to their designated position along the infield so we could really see them, cheer them one last time and let the memories flood our minds. Must have been because the outfield was reserved for cardboard displays no one could see. Who planned this?
6. The jerseys for each era was a nice touch, but did anyone ask for measurements of chest and waist sizes and then maybe add an inch or two. To say some of the jerseys were ill-fitting was an understatement. Who planned this?
7. Then they made Howie rush through the intros. My goodness, Mets heroes at Shea for one final time and all we can get is a minute or two of cheers? “Welcome Back Doc Gooden!” OK. Now onto the next guy. Drugs or no drugs, I have the right to fondly remember those days of Ks. This was MY stadium. MY memories. Why the rush? Who planned this?
8. Then let’s have each player touch home plate. Nice touch. Except couldn’t the organizers have allowed Howie to introduce each player again as he moved to the plate? One last ovation. And what about the pitchers? Guess Shea didn’t have a mound! And where did all of the players go after touching home plate?
9. Piazza and Seaver leaving together was AWESOME. Couldn’t the other players gone out that same way before the final two to a thunderous ovation with Seaver and Piazza last?

And if you didn’t think the ceremony was important, ask Hernandez and Darling. They were caught up in the same emotion we all were. Like the place, hate the place. It’s our Shea. Our memories. The Mets failed miserably.

Glutton for Punishment

I know I'm asking for it, but I'm headed to Shea Stadium for the game tonight. I'm still hurt from last night's loss. I have zero confidence in Pedro Martinez (can you imagine saying that 7 years ago?). And it's cold, going to rain, and the game will probably be delayed.

But it's my last trip to Shea Stadium, for better or worse. I'm wearing my Tom Seaver jersey, hoping that Tom's spirit will inhabit Pedro (or the bullpen) for just one night. So if you see a guy with a Tom Seaver jersey praying for a win in the Loge section, it's me.

For better or worse, although it's more likely worse, lets' go Mets.

Players I Want Invited Back to Commemorate Shea Stadium

While listening to Boomer & Cartin on WFAN this morning, the discussion was brought up about who to invite back to Shea Stadium the final week of the season now that Mike Piazza and Tom Seaver have been officially invited.

Do you bring back only high profile players? Do you invite everyone who's ever played? The debate is open for discussion, but here's my take on who I'd like to see at Shea Stadium before it's doors are officially closed.

1. Anyone on the 1986 team - It's the marquee season for Shea Stadium so anyone who was on that championship team is welcomed back. You too, George Foser.
2. Anyone on the 1969 team - No brainer here as well.
3. Former Mets All Stars not named Armando Benitez or Bobby Bonilla- If you were an All Star as a Mets player, it's safe to say you were someone we'd like to remember, except for Armando Benitez. He can stay home.
4. Some select few from the 1999-2001 seasons - This short list would include the likes of Robin Ventura, Todd Zeile, John Olerud, and let's see if we can get Benny Agbayani to fly in from Japan.

I know this list encompasses a lot of players, but this is something that only happens once in a lifetime and I think it'd be a nice homage to Shea Stadium to have this type of crowd show up for the last games at Shea.

What's Your Shea Memory?

from guest poster, Siroty

Baseball is not just about the games, it is about memories.

Young and old, we all have a first memory of the Mets and the great ballpark by the LaGuardia Marriott. Those blue and orange squares on the stadium façade, the "Magic is Back" sign, the woman with the straw hat who sat behind home plate and rolled her arms before every pitch, the sign man, cowbell man.

What's your memory? I have a few.

My dad taking me to a nightgame and we got stuck on the GW Bridge listening to the traffic reports saying we were basically screwed. We eventually made it only to later have my dad slip on someone's spilled beer and break his finger.

The greatest game I ever attended was Tom Seaver's almost no-hitter against the Padres when Leron Lee broke it up in the ninth. I always hated Leron Lee and tore up every baseball card I ever had of him. And, he was always the guy that I got 15 cards per year. Lots of ripped up cards.

So what's your memory? I wonder how we all first felt and still feel after walking up those ridiculous ramps at Shea like gerbels getting exercise and then hitting your gate. Remember that first view of the field and the scoreboard?

That is what the Mets and Shea are all about.