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First Regular Season Trip to Citi Field

I’d have hoped the Mets would get off to a better start, but they had some bad breaks. Hopefully Pelfrey’s tendinitis isn’t a big deal. Once the weather warms up, and they shake off this spring rust, I’m expecting them to put together a nice little run.

Thursday I’m going to my first regular season game at Citi, since I couldn’t find even scalped tickets to the opener for less than $250. I’m going to go for batting practice, and roam around like crazy. I plan to check out views, and bounces, and try to catch a bp home run. Here’s a quick run down of some things I plan on doing. Feel free to comment/email me if you think of other things I should check out.

1.Views from all the seats I currently have tickets to.

2.Other views, last row behind the plate. Last sections in the promenade on both sides. View from the Left Field Landing under the Promenade. Many others.

3.See what type of ‘club access’ is available well before the game. Are all the clubs already locked down and checking tickets, or am I able to go inside and look at them?

4.Someone asked me about the veggie options at Citi Field. So I’m going to keep an eye out for that stuff. I know they have salads and such in the Worlds Fare Market. Veggie burgers?

5.If I’m feeling ambitious, maybe I’ll try to time how long it takes to get up from high in the promenade after an inning, walk down, go to the bathroom, and get a hot dog, and get back.

6.Shea always had ‘hidden’ food items, especially in the later years. Where were the knishes? You can get Killian’s and Blue Moon on the Mezz? Really? I’m going to keep an eye out for the odd kiosk that might be serving something less standard at Citi.

7.I really want to check out the standing room options from around the park. I know there are some amazing standing views up on the Promenade that are close, block no one’s view and block no one’s path.

8.How tight is security for the ‘roamers’. I’m planning on buying a cheap seat, but not sitting in it. Am I going to get harassed for grabbing a seat here and there during the game? Only on the field level? What about the Big Apple seats?

9.Of course I’m going to have a beer or two, to continue the Citi Field Beer Review.  First will be the exclusive Brooklyn Sabroso Ale.

I’m looking forward to a fun six hour day at the ballpark.

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Our Final Offseason Acquisition

Today is the day we’ve all been waiting for! The day our final off-season acquisition comes into play; Citi Field. Starting today, the Mets and Yankees no longer share the same “Place we played before this one.”

 

From Citifield

Just like a new player, we’ll be watching the game tonight to see how Citi does. We’ll want to watch balls off the walls, wind, home runs, foul territory, and many other things. We’ll be curious how “Lets Go Mets!” chants resonate. We’ll be curious how well we can hear Cow Bell Man.

 

We’ll be curious how the Mets in the Citi look on tv. How the cameras are set up, if we can see everything properly, including replays. We’ll also be looking for how the field plays, the balls in the gaps, how it plays to lefties and righties.

 

Opening Day should be a metro area-wide holiday, and even if schools are open or you have to work, today is a special day. There has only been one day like today in the last 85 years, a day when a New York baseball team moves into their very own stadium, and starts making memories there.

 

This will be our home for many years to come. Pop open a beer, pull up a chair, head to the park, flip on the tv, and take in the game, the park, the team. Let’s go Mets!

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First Thoughts

Thoughts after the first series.

 

I like how this team looks, even if Oliver Perez seems to still be three weeks behind and in Spring Training mode. They really lit him up by the second time through the lineup. I’m not worried though, I just think he really did get behind by pitching in the WBC without the oversight to stay in shape. Give him another three weeks with the Mets and I think we’ll see a pretty impressive post-April record for Perez.

 

The offense looks good, despite people trying to read into every failed opportunity with runners in scoring position. It’s going to be an awfully long season if you expect the Mets to hit .350 in those situations, every game. Sometimes it’ll be worse, and sometimes it’ll be better, but by the end of the season I suspect the numbers will be right around career averages and what not. Don’t worry about it right now, I’ve seen more good signs in this regard than bad ones.

 

The bullpen does in fact look revamped, and I’m happy for that. It’s still early though, and our bullpen was fairly decent in April last year too, behind Billy Wagner’s scoreless inning streak.

 

Since Manuel vocalizes every fleeting though, it’s necessary to analyze actions to try to get an understanding of how he feels about players. So far I get the feeling he doesn’t like Castillo much, because if it were me, I’d get Castillo as many at-bats and as many opportunities to succeed prior to coming home, not sit him yesterday. I think he buys into the Church can’t hit lefties thing, since he pinch hit for him yesterday when he was 2/3. I’m not sure if he likes Anderson too much, or is trying to give him every opportunity to come through and prove he could deserve to stay prior to his impending release. I just can’t believe they’d get rid of O’Day instead, because that just doesn’t make sense. Quality, or at least performing, relief help is a lot harder to come by than what Marlon brings to the table.

 

I’m happy with 2-1 for now, but I think it’s important they win this series from the Marlins and come home above .500 with the clubhouse smelling of wins, not of mediocrity.

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Worst Day of the Year

Today is the worst day of the baseball season. We get that teaser game yesterday, only to be followed by a day off and no baseball. So I’ll bore you with the bets I made this off season. Feel free to mock and ridicule.

 

2009 MLB Regular Season Wins – Team Must Play 160 Games

Atlanta Braves

Over 84.5

 

I think the Braves are more talented than people think. Barring injury.

 

2009 MLB Regular Season Wins – Team Must Play 160 Games

New York Mets

Over 89.5

 

This should be an easy one. The Mets are obviously seriously talented.

 

2009 MLB Regular Season Wins – Team Must Play 160 Games

New York Yankees

Under 95.5

 

I think the Yankees have a lot of issues, especially if Pettitte is old and wears down, Joba is restricted, Wang is not quite back to form and A.J. Is the new Pavano. Especially if A-Rod isn’t fully recovered.

 

2009 MLB Regular Season Wins – Team Must Play 160 Games

Philadelphia Phillies

Under 88.5

 

The Phillies got lucky with their bullpen and had a dozen guys over perform last year. They’re a pretty soft team in general and I think they mail it in early this year.

 

Cole Hamels – Total Regular Season Wins

Regular Season Wins

Under 15.5 (-135)

 

Hamels has already started injured. 16 is a lot of wins, especially for a team that won’t top 85 wins.

 

Jose Reyes – Total Regular Season Hits

Regular Season Hits

Over 188.5 (-115)

 

This might be the easiest bet. Reyes is only getting better.

 

2009 World Series Championship

New York Mets

6 – 1

 

Because I had to.

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Opening Day

Opening Day.

The day we’ve all been waiting for.

It’s such a relief to see the Mets finally playing meaningful baseball again, and finally it’s time to put aside conjecture and projections for real stats and concrete results. Citi Field is nice and all, but now the focus can be on David Wright’s batting average, Jose Reyes’ range, or Beltran’s shear awesomeness instead of tacos or exclusive beers (as great as those things may be).

I seem to get more and more excited for baseball every spring, and this year was no exception. I even went to seven baseball games already. Four spring training games plus an exhibition as well as the St. Johns game at Citi Field and a World Baseball Classic match-up. It’ll be nice to sit down, crack open a beer, and root for the Mets on the same team and really care about the outcome.

Thanks to the Braves, the Mets are already a half game ahead of the Phillies (one in the loss column.) However, they’re behind the Braves by a half game(tied in the loss column.) There is a lot to look forward to this year, and it all starts today. It’s great that the Phillies lost, but you can’t scoreboard watch in April anyway(I won’t tell you that the Phillies elimination number is 162). It’s about the Mets going out there, game after game, and taking care of business. Putting up Ws.

You can find something to complain about and be nervous about later. For now, let’s sit down with our empty slate and enjoy some baseball. Collapses or Championships from last year don’t count in this years win total. Let’s Go Mets!

 

Edit:  And the Mets win! Good Start to the Season.  Woo!

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Letters to the NL East, Part 5/5

Letters to the NL East, Part 5 of 5 (part 0, part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 )

 

 

Dear New York Mets,

 

New Stadium, Fresh look. Let’s forget these so-called collapses, and focus on 2009. Games from 2008 don’t count, and teams don’t get handicaps for being defending champs. This division is ripe for the picking.

 

Braves look stronger, Phillies look weaker, but you still look like the best team on paper. It’s time to make that stand up. The bullpen changes should be enough to give you enough confidence to finish off these teams, win these games, and have an excellent season. As usual, health plays an issue. You need to make sure guys like Delgado, Church, Castillo and Maine all stay healthy. One benefit this year is that you seem to have a ton of outfield depth in Sullivan, Reed, Kielty and Evans. More so if you do acquire Gary Sheffield today, although I think he’s a washed up cheater if anything.

 

We’re all excited for this season, and hopefully you’ll give us something more to enjoy than a new ballpark. We’re all curious how Citi Field will feel in those rowdy, anxious playoff moments. Lets get us there to find out. Many have reservations about the park and how it stands up to Shea Stadium, but this season has the potential to get to put Shea behind us. Give us a new crop of highlights in the new park, and we’ll all love it.

 

Your lifelong fan,

 

Optimistic Mets Fan

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Letters to the NL East 4/5

Letters to the NL East, Part 4 of 5 (part 0, part 1, part 2, part 3, )

 

Dear Philadelphia Phillies,

 

Every dog has it’s day. You’ve gotten your ring for the century, and I suspect you’ll drift back into mediocrity pretty soon. When do the Eagles kick off again? Many of your players last year, particularly in that bullpen, over performed last season. This means that when they fall back to earth, even a little bit, you’re in for a rocky summer.

 

Will any of your fans show up at Citi Field this year, or will most of you stay away unless you have the upper hand in some way? You can count on a bunch of us coming down there as often as possible, turning your stadium into Citi Field south, as usual.

 

Maybe I’m wrong and you’ll compete again this year. The Mets are the better team on paper, but that hasn’t stopped them from giving it up two years in a row. Will you hold up your end of the rivalry and start developing this into something that could surpass Yankees/Red Sox? If the Yankees continue to falter that rivalry could take a step down in intensity behind the closer Mets/Phillies. On the other hand, Phillies fans have never shown up to Shea with the commitment of Red Sox fans at Yankee Stadium, and the Phillies aren’t even half the club the Red Sox are. You’ll probably finish third.

 

Your hated rival,

 

Optimistic Mets Fan

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Letters to the NL East 3/5

Letters to the NL East, Part 3 of 5 (part 0, part 1, part 2)

 

Dear Atlanta Braves,

 

Could it be that you’re relevant again? Barring injuries, you just might have a shot at sticking around this year. Last year it seemed like you had some good stretches, but injuries got the better of your team. We’ll see how you stand this year. Acquiring Derek Lowe certainly helps the pitching rotation, and there are some young arms there that look pretty good too.

 

Somehow my hatred for you has ebbed, and you’ve risen to my 28th favorite baseball team. The challenge is on, can you get back down to 29th or 30th? Do you have the manpower in the lineup to compete for this division, or are you going to wallow away and fight with the Phillies for second place? Currently I expect you to beat them, and for at least that first night of baseball before the Mets have a chance to play, I’ll be rooting for you.

 

Your longtime enemy,

 

Optimistic Mets Fan

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Letters to the NL East 2/5

Letters to the NL East, Part 2 of 5 (part 0, part 1)

 

Dear Washington Nationals,

 

Ooo, A shiny new ballpark! I challenged you to use the revenue from the new ballpark to make yourself relevant again. You haven’t done that yet, but you’ve started to show signs of it. Adam Dunn is one step, and the supposed contract offer to Teixeira is another. You appear to have shades of potential and talent on the team this year. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if you moved up one place and finish fourth ahead of the Marlins.

 

Still, it appears the biggest story concerning the Nationals is the prospect of drafting Steven Strasburg, who throws 102 consistently and also has a nasty curve. From what everyone says, this kid appears to be the real deal. Drafting him would be a no-brainer if it wasn’t for his agent. Scott Boras is set to test how serious you guys are, throwing out numbers like 50 million as a signing bonus. It looks like the biggest game you’ll play this season will be a numbers battle with Boras.

 

 

-Optimistic Mets Fan

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Letters to the NL East 1/5

Part 1 of the 5 part series, “Letters to the NL East” (Part 0)

 

Letters to the NL East, Part 1 of 5

 

Dear Florida Marlins,

 

I don’t have much to say to you, except shame on you! I can’t take you seriously or give you any respect, even for your two World Championships, while you still are so obviously profiting off your team. Between licensing money and luxury tax money, you could probably pay all your ushers the same as the players and still make money. When Babe Ruth hit more home runs than some teams, it was a great thing for baseball. When Alex Rodriguez makes more money than your entire roster, it’s not a good thing. I know this is the same paragraph from last year, but that’s how useless you’ve been.

 

I think the Nationals may even finish ahead of you guys this year. That’s sad. Your claim to fame the last two years has been being on the field when the Mets were eliminated. This year you won’t even have that.

 

Hope may be on the horizon. I’ve heard that you’re getting, finally, a new ballpark. This is good news, and hopefully it’ll provoke you to spend some money and have a real team on the field when it opens. Maybe you can even convince Hanley Ramirez he wants to stay, because I’m sure he’s drooling over the stories in NY about the Yankees moving Jeter in a couple of years from shortstop. We all know up here about Hanley’s New York fetish.

 

Sincerely yours from the other side of the division,

 

Optimistic Mets Fan