There’s really not much I can say in regards to this game. It’s a tough pill to swallow. When I found out that Claudio Vargas was pitching, I had pretty much locked it in as a loss. I was prepared for the nice first inning, scary second inning and 6-run third inning. As annoyed as I would have been with that, it was what I had expected. What I didn’t expect was Vargas to go 6.2 with 6 K’s and only allowing 2 runs, one of which was a BOMB by Zimmerman and the other was an inherited runner allowed to score by the human white flag that Aaron Heilman has become. The Mets, as a team and an organization, did so many things wrong in this game, I can’t even begin to count, but I guess I’ll try….
1) Hearing that the wait to get across the
2) Upon hitting the traffic, the sign says 45 Minutes Upper Deck, 25 Minutes Lower Deck. It then switched to 50 and 30 respectively. It’s now 5:50. Let’s test this. (Frank’s already been at Shea for almost an hour.)
3) Frank walked over to the
4) 6:10 and I’m just approaching the tolls. (20 minutes to go about half a mile.)
5) 6:20 and I’m getting on the
6) CRACK IS WACK!!! (I’m flying now.)
7) After a slight slow down on the
8) We basically have mirror image seats from last year’s Astros game: Field Box 225, Row G. (Once again, we can order food, it doesn’t really feel like baseball, but why not?)
9) Boomer and Carton, who in my opinion are tearing up the morning ride radio block right now, are here to pull down the countdown from 63 games to 62 games. (That makes 2 days in a in a row that I have been in or around the same venue as them in that they were at MSG for the Kanye West show the night before, while I was at the Joseph Abboud sale around the corner. Why does this matter? It doesn’t. I’m just logging memories. That’s what this is all about, remember?)
10) Throwing out tonight’s ceremonial first pitch is none other than Peter Marketos. Yeah, I don’t know who he is either. All I know is my man strolled out to the mound, looked in for a sign from Schneider while pitching out of the stretch. He looked at second, where nobody was, then delivered a 40-footer. He was HEAVILY booed. (If you’re gonna do that, at least throw a strike.)
11) I’m making it official, Momma’s of
12) Let it be known that ordering of wine at a baseball game should NOT be permitted. (Why is this even on the menu?)
13) Not that it matters, but our homerun game for the night called for us to each pick two players and cost $5. I took Wright and Church. Frank took Delgado and Alou.
14) Here’s an interesting bit of info: Elijah Dukes went to the same high school as Doc Gooden. (Well at least we know he has strong roots.)
15) More useless info: Tim Redding’s great aunt was Joyce Randolph, who played Trixie on “The Honeymooners.” (I KNOW you all now have “The Honeymooners” theme song in your head. If not…Daaaaaa DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA da da dadada Jackie Gleason…..the HONEYmooners…..with the stars Art Carney….Audrey Meadows….and Joyce Randolph…..daaaaa….daaaaaaaaaaa DAAAAAAAAAAA)
16) So apparently Claudio Vargas’ warmup and walkup song tonight is “Tonight, Tonight” by Smashing Pumpkins. Seems appropriate. Great song that NEEDS to by on my iPod. (Meanwhile, someone behind me yells, ‘what the hell is this music?’ Pshhh, so uneducated.)
17) Well, there that goes for Frank, as Alou gets tossed. (He now must play the rest of the game with Endy Chavez. By the way, BAD job by Alou.)
18) SCHNEIDER WITH A SHOT as Little D texts, “Holy crap! Schiender homerun? Soulja boy Superman YOUUUUUUUUU” (1-0 Mets)
19) Frank and I are in total agreement that Wayne Hagin is not good. (I think I touched a nerve.)
20) Ryan Zimmerman hit one that hasn’t landed yet. It hit the front row of the Mezzanine and bounced into the Nats’ bullpen. (I swear it was still going.)
21) During the 7th, Frank went and got his ice cream in a helmet cup. There is a story behind this as years ago, he was at a game with some friends and a pop foul was hit right at him. Unfortunately, he had ice cream in his hand with no time to put it down, although he tried feverishly, by the time he did put it down, the ball bounced off the sit next to him and back three rows. Needless to say, he never finished the ice cream. (Of course, he ate the ice cream behind home plate this time, where there was no possibility of a foul ball screaming at us.)
22) I’ll tell you what, Kevin Burkhardt is good people. While standing behind home plate, he took the time to chat with me during a pitching change after #48 making him one less than Benitez surrendered 4 runs. He doesn’t understand White Flag’s problem either. I was going to offer to buy him a beer, but I didn’t want him to feel bad. So I shook his head, said he does a kick ass job and to keep up the good work. He thanked me very pleasantly and we went our separate ways. (He’s a good guy, that Kevin B.)
23) Mike called: “Zimmerman got good wood.” (That’s what she said.)
24) Yes, there was a tool wearing a Glavine t-shirt sitting behind home plate. (I’m just not going to go there.)
25) You know the game has gotten enough out of hand and the fans have really lost interest when there is a cowbell duel. (Cowbell Man absolutely embarrassed his opponent. I didn’t think he had it in him. By the way, it’s 5-2
26) To follow up on my comment about Alou’s ejection. He needs to keep his cool there. The Mets got a run back in the 8th, but with Endy Chavez up with runners on first and second with two out, batting in Alou’s spot, he flied out to center. I don’t know if Alou would have done better, but he’s definitely the guy you want up in that spot. (Bad form. Sorry Endy.)
27) Okay, if you read my article from Yankee Stadium you would know how I feel about Yankee Stadium Security’s handling of open seats down low late in the game as compared to Shea’s Security. My point was proven PERFECTLY during this game. During the top of the 9th, security gathered at the bottom of our section and started waving two guys down. Apparently, they hopped over the railing and tried to sit on the field level. So they got tossed. My question is, does it really matter? Who cares if they paid for the seats? I’m sure they paid for theirs, paid for travel, paid for food and drink and had to sit through this awful performance by the Mets. Now you’re gonna bust their bawls about moving up a couple of rows to seats that either were not occupied all game or were abandoned by fans who left early? What a joke. Let them stay! (Jerks.)
28) “Slam” by Onyx is apparently our 9th inning comeback song. Really? No wonder we can’t come back! Ulch! (WHO??? WHA?? I hate these people)
Well Frank wished me a happy birthday and apologized that he couldn’t get me a win. No apologies necessary, Big Bro. I had a great time bonding with you. It’s the Mets that should be apologizing to all of us for how they handled EVERYTHING on this night.
Next week, I’ll take my 1-2 record to Shea Monday and Thursday. At least the 7-Pack remains undefeated right now, but let’s see how long that lasts. Oh by the way, I watched “The Zen of Bobby V.” I’m ashamed to call myself a fan. Plain and simple, Japanese fans understand what the game is all about. American fans are spoiled rotten.
(I wrote this article following the Mets 6-1 loss in Game 1 of a Day/Night doubleheader in
