More From Citi Field

Citi Field is still very much a work in progress. They’ve already changed the green to black around the Apple, for batter’s eye reasons. I’m thoroughly enjoying it so far, and I can’t wait to get there when it counts. Of course, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t things that went wrong, or that don’t seem quite right. I’m not going to whine and cry and count Mets banners and complain when it doesn’t meet my internalized quota, but I’ll point out my observations from my second trip. (Read about my first trip)

 

From Citifield

While some people working their did seem friendlier, I did nearly get into a fight with the woman checking tickets at the Caesar’s club door. Stupidly of me, I let my hat blow off my head from the Promenade, and it landed one level down. I raced down the stairs to try to retrieve it, basically begged this woman to let me just grab my hat, and all she could do was utter variations of ‘No, go upstairs’. Eventually someone tossed the hat down the the field level, where the ushers were actually helpful.

 

Look! a Bottlecap!
From Citifield

Since the concourses are set back under the seats Cow-Bell Man’s normal style of walking around the stadium would keep him away from the action and mostly unheard.

 

I had to sign for my $23 purchase at Box Frites. At least the line moved, and they’re slowly learning how to swipe, fill up sodas, find the buttons on the register and move a line.

 

The Promenade Club is too low down/embedded into the stands, so that the rows of seats just in front of it actually blocks the view of home plate from inside. I don’t know if there is anything to be done about it though.

 

The Mets really should reconsider the contract with whatever escalator company they use.

From Citifield

There are more seats at Citi with small obstructions here and there. (Although none as bad as back rows of the Loge) I had to stand to see Wright make any catches along the dugout. It’s one of the drawbacks of not building huge dizzying grandstands and keeping fans closer to the field.

 

Some people expressed dislike for the black and orange walls and the green seats. I don’t think any choice would’ve made me unhappy here so I may be biased, but I kind of like that the Mets stadium is built on top of a Polo Grounds look, with a Ebbetts Field entrance. It’s certainly not any of those parks in any way, and it is where we came from. Especially the Polo Grounds. The line? I’m curious how it will play out. It might just work.

 

I’m suspecting ceremony the 13th, when I’m not there, with putting the flags up.

 

From Citifield

Blanche de Queens, one of the exclusive Citi Field beers out in the Taste of New York center field concourse, is excellent. As it’s name suggests, it’s kind of a white ale, similar to a Blue Moon. It was a full-bodied beer with plenty of flavor, while still being light and smooth. It was by far the best beer I’ve ever had at a sporting event. I can’t wait to try the Brooklyn Sabroso Ale next time. I tip my hat to Garrett Oliver and Brooklyn Brewery.

From Citifield

Mets Opening Day Pack

It appears that if you haven’t acquired tickets to Opening Day in some manor, the Mets are offering a 5-game pack that includes the game. However, it looks like these are games are slow-selling seats from the other packs. It’s only available for baseline box, and field box seats. This means you’re going to have to spend at least $400 a ticket, for five games, to buy this package. Chances are if you can afford this, you’ve already spent the money on a package for the season.

 

I’d love to do this, but at $75 a ticket++, I just can’t afford it. You can add any other four games from April and May, which could be two Phillies games if you so choose. You’d probably spend almost this much money buying similar seats on stubhub for just Opening Day.

 

However, it does mean that there are unsold tickets to Opening Day. If this package doesn’t finish them off, they’ll have to put these tickets out there somewhere. There is probably an outside chance that we can get lucky and get these tickets through some sort of second-chance lottery, or just dumb luck.

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.

Opening Day

BASEBALL! It’s begun, and so far Johan Santana appears to be the real thing. After watching the Nationals, and David Wright’s good pal Ryan Zimmerman, hand the Braves their first loss of the season last night it was a good feeling to watch the guys take the field for the first time and come through like they should. And the best part is we get to flip on the television and see them do it again tonight! That’s eight strike-outs for Santana, now lets see how many Pedro gets.

In other news, the biggest story in “Yankee Country” was again not baseball, but weather. The ghost of Babe Ruth is giving them grief, 86 years after he christened the structure with a home run, they’re knocking it down.

For an interesting article I wrote about why Opening Day should be a national holiday to celebrate our national pastime, click here.

Angel in the Outfield

Everyone else is doing it, so why not me?

I’m actually surprised that Angel Pagan, Joe Smith, and Mike Pelfrey made the team over the veterans that have a combined age approaching infinity. I hope it they made it for themselves, and not because of injuries or failures on the part of the older options. At least now we have an Angel in the outfield as well as a Church. (And as I’ve mentioned earlier, how many variations of those headlines do you think the papers are going to use?)

I liked Gotay, but truthfully he didn’t have a lot of places to play on this team. You can argue about sign Castillo, but they did so Gotay really was only going to be a pinch hitter and he didn’t do amazingly in that role last year. However I wish they could’ve traded him for something rather than gifting him to the Braves. I wonder what it says about the Braves confidence in their guys that they felt the need to pick up Gotay though?

I think Pelfrey will turn it around, maybe Perez can give him some head-case advice.

Only about 24 hours until this is all secondary stuff to the actual baseball anyway, and I can’t wait. I’m planning to attend the Metsblog.com happy hour in the city to watch the game, even though I expect it to be a zoo. If you come, look for me. I’ll be the one in the Santana shirt. Can’t miss me.

Look for my 5th “Letters to the NL East” letter late tonight or early tomorrow, which will basically be a rallying cry for the Mets.

Oh, and if you know anyone that is looking for a single ticket to all 13 home Saturday games..send them my way, I probably don’t need to spend $300 to have a seat to put my bag on.

Letters to the NL East

Baseball starts soon, and that means I’ll probably start updating with a little more regularity once there is actual content. For now I’m planning a 6 part series of “Letters to the NL East” which I’m envisioning as a sort of rally cry/smack talk analysis of what I think of those teams.

the 6th team being the Yankees, as they are close enough to warrant a little attention.

Letters to the NL East: Yankees

Letters to the NL East: Nationals

Letters to the NL East: Marlins

Letters to the NL East: Braves

Letters to the NL East: Phllies

Letters to the NL East: Mets

Opening Day, Closing Day, Subway Series lottery

I’m sure there will be emails going out and all that, but Registration for the Platinum Game lottery is underway through Feb 18th at http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/nym/ticketing/tixop_season08_form.jsp.

Good luck. The same 6 ticket allotment as last year.