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Christening Citi Field

When will the Citi be ours?

As much as I’m looking forward to Citi Field, I’ll always miss Shea at least a little bit. Right now we’re in that limbo stage, where the Mets don’t actually have a ‘home’. Until mid-April when they actually settle into the new park, all my Mets thoughts still encircle Shea Stadium. Citi Field doesn’t feel like home quite yet. For many of us, I suspect that our first day walking into Citi Field will feel much like we’re on vacation checking out San Francisco’s, or Pittsburgh’s, or wherever you’ve gone’s new ballpark. This time it’s ours.

So what will it take for it to feel like home?

Will it be that first, “Now batting, number seven, Jo-se Reyes!”? (I’m not buying for a second that it won’t be Jose leading off.)

Will it be after seeing that Apple come up for the first time, watching whoever hit it turn third and step on the plate?

I know some of you less optimistic types are going to turn to whoever you came with the first time Castillo grounds out in a key spot and say, “Now it feels like Shea.”

Maybe it’s the first win? The first time we stand and cheer and get crazy for a 9th inning and a K-Rod save? The first walk-off?

Maybe some people will be a little more accepting. Will it be the first tailgate? The first time you sit in the new seats and take in the whole park? The first time you get up to go to the bathroom or concessions between innings and don’t miss an entire inning? The elevator ride up the Rotunda? (How can you not go into the park through the Rotunda the first time?)

I’m leaning towards the first ‘big game’ moment at the new park. This probably will be against the Phillies, walking out with all my fellow Mets fans, satisfied and high-fiving the Mets win.

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Shealogy

It’s over. Shea Stadium is officially demolished. We all want to equate the stadium to an old friend, maybe one that had seen better days, one that would be sorely missed. To me, the most chilling moment was that last game, that last walk out. All the pictures, all the drive-bys, all the reports since then have felt empty because without baseball Shea was just a building.

Shea Stadium died five months ago. That’s when it contracted that terminal illness that we all knew would take her life within months. Yesterday it finally happened; Shea Stadium took it’s last breath. To me, it was a relief. Finally she’d been put out of her misery, having her innards photographed and displayed for everyone to see, her illness discussed across the world.

I ask that you remember her as she was in her glory days, and not in her sickness. Don’t remember the final tumble of those ramps, or the demolition of the scoreboard. Remember the fans rushing the field after that first championship, even if you weren’t there. Remember Ventura’s Grand Single, Pratt’s home run, the glove that never came down, Seaver, Strawberry, That amazing June comeback against the Braves in the 8th, or whatever your favorite moments were.

She’s in a better place now, in our minds, on our blogs, on our highlight reels. Take a month, or 53 days, to mourn. A new friend waits on the horizon. One you don’t quite know yet, one you’ve only exchanged the briefest of words with. You may be skeptical you can ever get along, or that you’ll ever love again, but you will. It has tough foundations to fill, but rumor is it’s up to the task.

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How many more days?

Watched some football today. Giants look good.

I miss baseball.

Baseball.

Spring Training Yet?

Speaking of which, I got my letter for renewal of season plans. Thinking about whether I should get a 15 game package, or just try to get 15 games on my own. Of course, I can have 3 extra seats, so if anyone out there wants to join me/us..

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Banner

I hate the offseason.  Not just because there’s not baseball, but because all there is is rumor.  Rumors the Mets will get this player, or that player, or talk to this player, or this player wants this money, this many years…yawn.  It’s all useless conjecture.  I’d rather just read the news as it happens, not try to guess at it.  Otherwise I’d be a weatherman. (*snicker*).  

It’s a minor thing, but I’m debating when I should change the top rail image on the blog.  Right now it’s a random picture of the banners that were in right field.  But Shea is no longer the home of the Mets.  Should I post a picture of Citi from the outside, or wait until the first and post a picture from the game?  Decisions decisions..
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Citi Field: Home of the Mets, and only the Mets.

 News today confirms what has probably been the plan all along.  A shiny new Home Run Apple at the Citi.  This is just as it should be, I don’t understand those that want the same old decrepit apple from Shea.  It’s worn out and needs to be replaced anyway.  Moving it would be as silly as taking the seats from Shea to put in Citi Field.

 

A lot of stuff about Citi Field hasn’t been decided or released yet.  There will be plenty of Shea mementos, and plenty of references to the Mets, despite what some people like to think.  For example, the neon guys from the outside of Shea will be featured in one of the clubhouses somewhere, and while we can’t see them, they’ll be there.  I’m sure other things will as well.  Citi Field is not some Dodger tribute either.  The façade of the rotunda will resemble Ebbett’s Field, which I think is a nice touch for the part of the stadium that will be named one of the few baseball players that actually transcends the sport.  There are a couple of names for landings and areas that are tributes to old Dodgers and Giants, and you might say it’s a bit too much, and maybe it is.  However, there will be plenty of Mets stuff all around, as well as any new memories and additions that happen will likely to Mets related.  These Dodger/Giant references are merely the way to recognize and remember the past that led to the creation of the Mets.  It’s a way for Mets fans and the next generation to not forget the roots of the team, while we move into a new state of the art facility designed specifically for the New York Mets.  Next summer, when the Mets are making memories and leaving their mark all over the place, no one will be thinking about the Dodgers. 

 

Another misconception is that the average fan is being priced out of Citi Field.  This is just people overreacting to little snippets of news and expectation.  The facts are that there will be plenty of affordable seating at the Citi, and the concessions are likely to be on par with Shea, just with more options and better quality.  I’ve heard from a variety of season ticket holders, and while the top prices for the very best seats are obscene, some people are actually paying less than they are this year.  There are definitely reasonable priced tickets, and it will be possible for everyone to see a game at the Field next year.  I believe the cheapest ticket is going to be $12, compared to $5 this year.  There will probably be the occasional special and discount too.  And this doesn’t include the Standing Room Only tickets, which they haven’t discussed yet. 

 

Of course, there are some things about the new stadium that aren’t perfect.  Despite the ‘good views everywhere’ philosophy, I don’t like the limited seating.  Financially I understand why it was done; it would probably take decades to replace the cost of building those extra 10k charging what they’d be worth.  While more legroom and closer seats is important, those next 10 thousand people that get left out of the big game would rather be inside than out.  However, the Mets rarely average more than the capacity of Citi Field, and the only reason they did this year is because it’s the last year at Shea. 

 

All in all, I’m looking forward to Citi Field a lot.  Shea Stadium has a lot of memories, but just like everyone eventually moves out of their first apartment that was falling apart but fun nonetheless, it’s time for the Mets and the fans to move to a better home.

 

 

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All-Star Guide

I wrote a sort of guide to the All-Star game, of what to expect, which i’m pasting below. I also created a drinking game, if anyone is interested in that.

Tuesday is the Major League Baseball All-Star game. It’s being played this year in Yankee Stadium, in it’s final season before being knocked down. This is, quite understandably, going to create a feeling of nostalgia around the broadcasts and events involved in this game. From clips of past All-Star games at Yankee Stadium and other memorable moments to discussions about Yankees from Babe Ruth to Derek Jeter, there is going to be a lot of talk about the Yankees and Yankee Stadium during these festivities.

Things to expect on Tuesday for the All-Star game

Players:
-I expect plenty of coverage of Goose Gossage, a Yankee who played in the 1977 All-Star game at Yankee Stadium and is being inducted into the Hall of Fame.

-Thurman Munson also played in that game, and is a much beloved Yankee that will get plenty of discussion.

-The other Yankees to play in the 1977 All-Star game; Reggie Jackson, Sparky Lyle, Graig Nettles and Willie Randolph will get some mention.

-It’ll be mentioned that Randolph managed the Mets and got fired, but other than that I’m sure it’ll be all Yankee references.

-Probably at least some discussion of the other Yankees to play in All-Star games at Yankee Stadium over the years.

-Especially on ESPN, Joe Morgan will talk about, or be talked about, since he was at the game in 1977. If we don’t see a clip of the home run he hit in the game, I’ll be shocked.

-I don’t expect a lot of talk about the Yankees citymates, the New York Mets. David Wright and Billy Wagner will get mentioned since they’re on the team, but even though this isn’t the only stadium closing in the city, not much will be made of the 1964 All-Star game at Shea Stadium. John Sterns was the only Met representative at the 1977 All-Star game, but Tom Seaver was also on the roster for the Reds before being traded back to the Mets, as was former Met Nolan Ryan.

Stadium:
-An overabundance of Yankee Stadium goodbyes. All sorts of people will be asked about their first and last moments in Yankee Stadium and what it means to them.

-Plenty of talk about when Yankee Stadium was built, about Babe Ruth’s career helping to make it what it is today.

-Repeated shots of Monument Park and all the plaques and statues enclosed within. Also discussions about how it’s going to be moved to the new stadium.

-Plenty of overhead shots of the new Yankee Stadium being build, and the comparisons and similarities between the two stadiums.

-I’d be shocked if they showed Shea Stadium at all. Despite there being another stadium in New York that housed plenty of baseball’s history as well as an All-Star game, it won’t get more than a passing mention. At best I’d expect a quick aerial shot of it and Citi Field, the Mets home from 2009 and beyond.

As for the game itself, I suspect it’ll be a fairly decent game this year. There are a great amount of young players on the rosters that are fun to watch, as well as some terrific pitchers. I think the National League will finally prevail this year, after failing in a close comeback last year and Trevor Hoffman blowing the save in 2006. This means Yankees closer Mariano Rivera will not get to close out the final All-Star game in Yankee Stadium for the American League, but he can still pitch the ninth inning if Terry Francona was inclined to do so.

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Prices for next year?

I saw this column by Phil Muschnick (Someone pointed it out to me, I wouldn’t read him on a regular basis) about his friend’s invoice for season tickets next year, and wrote up a reply. I tried sending it to him, but his mailbox is full. (Can the Post not afford adaquate storage or just Muschnick just not know how to use email?)
So I’m posting it here. While there is some disappointment involving rising prices of tickets, and really everything in life, most of Muschnick’s points don’t really translate well. (What do you expect? He’s writing for the New York Post) Here’s his article, and my response. Real brilliant ‘Citi Slickers’ headline too..

It’s a capitalist society and baseball is a business. Sorry, that’s just how it is, and I probably couldn’t afford to buy those season tickets for 1993 even if I was purchasing them today.
The Sunday night thing is a non-issue, and you should know it. It has nothing at all to do with the Mets, and is solely between ESPN and MLB. A baseball season is a grind and if someone can’t handle staying up late to watch a game, oh well. Sure, he’d rather be home by 8pm on a Sunday, but that’s exactly why the game is at 8; National TV ratings, which are higher when everyone is home. And you get a couple of weeks warning, and if you’re really a season ticket holder and follow the team, you’d have to be pretty daft not to notice the change.
You’re talking about virtually the tip of the iceberg in seating too. You don’t walk into Applebees, look at the exclusive steak special and declare the whole restaurant too expensive, because it’s not true. Sure, it’s going to be expensive, sure even the ‘cheap seats’ will be overpriced, but to go to every game and sit in the top deck is probably going to be less than $4000. You’ll still be getting the same ballpark experience, the ability to walk around and see the sights, get to most of the restaurants and food stands, and see the same players play the same game. You won’t get into the Sterling Club or the waiter service type stuff, and if you argued that _that_ upgrade wasn’t worth $50000 I’d agree with you. The Yankee comparison is valid, because it’s the ‘competition’ in terms of going to a ballpark to see baseball. There are a lot, and probably way too many in my eyes, of fans that easily flipflop between the teams and would use financial excuses to determine where to see games.
Is it a worsening deal? A lot of that depends on the team. But a deal is what people will pay for it, and people will pay for season tickets next year. If it was really a worsening deal, you and he wouldn’t be bent out of shape about it because you’d figure it wasn’t going to be as good as in the past. Shea is a leaky dump, and Citi Field will be a nice place to see a game, plus the revenue streams created help the Mets compete and put a better team, or deal, on the field. The issue here isn’t about the rich folk who are suddenly having to pay more money for the product, ti’s the average working class family that will struggle to afford to get to any but the games against the worst opponents and maybe even struggle to do that.
If your friend is really that concerned about it, and he’s obviously high on the priority list of ticket holders, he should call the ticket agent and negotiate for a lower priced ticket somewhere else. I’m sure there are excellent box seats for half that price in a different part of the stadium.
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Last True Doubleheader

This very well could be the last true doubleheader ever at Shea Stadium. It’s also on Fathers Day, which seems rather fitting.

I was ‘at’ the game Saturday Night, and I got quite a few interesting pictures. The Field was an absolute wreck by the time they called the game. There were puddles everywhere, including a lake on the warning track in center field. I didn’t take any pictures of the inside as I was leaving, but all I could think was “Is it time to go to the Citi yet?” As I waded through stagnant puddles of water and dodging raindrops somehow leaking through the ceiling.

Before the game, during the brief non-rainy period they were holding a Nathan’s hot dog eating contest. The winner ate 42 hot dogs, which was rather disturbing, but it was kind of interesting too.

Also, I’m in the process of uploading a video of the Texas Rangers playing Slip N Slide on the trap as the game was being called. I assume the Mets were either already dressing to go home, already on their way home, or not in a jovial mood the way they’ve been playing. Either way, there were still fans that managed to criticize them for not being out there on the tarp, and it almost seemed like there were callers to WFAN blaming Willie for the rain out. Probably a bit much, but I was disappointed Trot Nixon wasn’t in the lineup, and Easley was supposed to be playing left field. I suppose we’ll see them all tomorrow.

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Home Opener 2008

Now that was a rather depressing game. My camera died before the game even started and the spare batteries I brought were duds, and then the Mets were duds. The game pivoted on that double play ball that Delgado field and hit Utley in the back with.

First time they’ve ever lost to Philadelphia on opening day. I was really hoping that we could put last year behind us, but with losing to Atlanta and Philly so far and the poor bullpen, it feels like last year.

It seems like they need some time to really mesh well with each other, the way one screaming fan was pointing out as he stormed out of the building after the 8th inning because no one was standing in the bullpen clapping or cheering for Church to get a hit. You could see it in Sunday’s game where David Wright was surprised by Santana fielding a bunt, and wasn’t at third to field a throw. Little things like this that they’ll hopefully fade away as they get comfortable with each other and really click.

It’s Reyes and Castillo offensively that have been having the biggest problems, but once the lineup balances out a little more with slumps and streaks, things should be fine. The Mets are very much like Mike Pelfrey right now; They can be great, but they need to find their confidence.

All the pre-game stuff was pretty cool, with them unveiling the retired Shea in left field, or the game countdown. It was very neat seeing Citi Field so nice looking in the beginning, sort of a window into next year’s Opening Day. There was a lot of curiosity about how it may affect wind patterns in Shea and make it more hitter friendly, but judging by the way Easley’s and Wright’s long fly balls flew, I’d say it’s much the same.

Opening Day jitters out of the way, I can’t wait for tomorrow. Hopefully the Mets find their strike, and start mashing this poor pitching team that Philly has.

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A trip to Yankee Stadium

Yankee Stadium

I told myself I would go to Yankee Stadium one more time before it closes. I barely remember my previous visits, and I figured I should have some memories of a stadium that’s been around in some form for over 80 years and hosted players like Babe Ruth. I had free tickets from a friend, so I decided to take advantage. Of course, I neglected to look at the tickets, and they were bleacher seats. The bleacher’s aren’t attached, and staying way out there didn’t sound like a fun way to watch the Mariners. I hung out for batting practice leaning on the wall over Monument Park, and debated climbing over the wall and down the side of the Mariners bullpen into Monument Park to sneak into the main part of the stadium. I decided that my bright orange shirt under my Wright jersey with my Mets hat would make it hard for me to jump down and blend into the crowd, so I didn’t do that. Eventually I walked out, an decided I’d just fork over the money to enter the main part of the stadium. Standing on line I actually ended up buying a scalped ticket, I paid $20 for a $60 ticket that I didn’t end up sitting in anyway.

You’re not allowed bags in Yankee stadium, but they didn’t actually pat me down or anything. I had to show them my cellphone and remove my cap, but If I’d had a gun in my pocket they’d never have known. I brought plastic bags and used them to hold my stuff and started walking around. I spent most of my time in fair home run territory, and it was a nice change to be able to be in fair territory where home runs can actually reach.

There wasn’t really any aggression towards my choice of attire. The phrase of choice was “You’re in the wrong stadium.” There weren’t many Mariner fans, and I only saw a handful of Mets fans.

First the negative. It’s probably mostly biased, but the new Yankee stadium just looks boring and plain. The concourses make Shea look spacious, but I guess that’s the difference of 40 years in design. If possible, the prices are actually more expensive for food. (Not to mention seating) I’ll skip the obvious in that we all know the Mets don’t play there, so that’s a big minus. Plenty of people complain about Sweet Caroline at Shea, but it’s nothing to complain about next to the grounds crew singing “YMCA”. The Yankees still feel the need to play God Bless America during the 7th inning stretch, which also annoys me.

I like being able to be in fair territory with the possibility of catching a home run. There are probably only a dozen home run balls at Shea that land in the seats, but there were a couple Tuesday night. A-Rod’s went soaring over my head and landed in the upper deck. It was definitely on it’s way down, but it was certainly impressive. Abreu’s later landed in the seats about 10 feet to my left. Staring out at the outfield, imagining that Monument Park and the bullpens aren’t there, it’s amazing to think Babe Ruth hit 60 home runs playing in this ballpark. Posada’s home run that easily cleared the fence in left-center would’ve been an out. The new Yankee mascot, the squirrel that hangs out on top of the right foul pole made an appearance, which was more interesting than the Mariners. One thing the Yankees have right is the merchandise. I saw shirts for Jobu Chamberlain, and Phil Hughes. At Shea you can’t buy a shirt for Oliver Perez, John Maine, Mike Pelfrey or Joe Smith. The Endy Chavez catch bobble head came out before the Mets were selling Chavez shirts.

The Mets salvaged a split of the road trip after dropping the first four, which is cool. The division is all but wrapped up, the magic number is 19 and I’ve been to 26 (22 Mets) games this year. I have tickets to four more so far, and I’m thinking about adding another to make it 27 Mets games, officially 1/3rd of all home games. I think the Mets have turned the corner on their lackluster season, and I expect them to play well, and win well, on this long homestand.