And then there was one.
With the fate of the 7-Packs and the Mets’ postseason hanging in the balance, the 7-packers ventured to Shea for the final time as a group. Mike, due to his work travel schedule, could not attend this one, so in his place was my father. Big Bruce had approached me at the Braves game and said, “Michael can’t go to the last game, I have his ticket, so if you want to invite your father, it’s all yours.” I think you know it became a forgone conclusion that Dad would be making his last appearance at Shea and it’s only fitting that I took my father to see his last game in Shea Stadium on
We got there a little late because I was held up at work, and although the traffic wasn’t too bad, we ended up getting there in the top of the first. Somehow, however, we were able to park away from the tailgate about 6 or 7 spots away despite parking security yelling at me that I wasn’t allowed to go right. “What’s that? Oh, I can’t hear you.”
X-factor, being the great sport that he is, awaited our arrival at Gate D with Mike’s ticket for Dad. Then, it was on.
1) Here is the homerun game picks with help from Laura who was there early enough to get the picks started: Laura-Delgado, Tara-Wright, Rich-Wright, Bruce-Church, J-Vowelz-Delgado, Chris-Tatis, Melissa-Church, Me-Beltran, Dad-Beltran, X-factor-Reyes and Schneider (“Unorthodox, but it’s the last game!”), C-ron-Tatis, J-Nic-Easley. (Putting our heads together, Laura and I didn’t screw it up this time! Phew!)
2) Big Pelf has a solid first and looked strong. (We need this!)
3) After a walk to Reyes and a double play by the Struggling Ryan Church, (yeah I went there.) D-Wright blasts a double and is brought home on a single by Beltran. 1-0 Mets. (This was big for David’s confidence, he had been in a slump to this point.)
4) Fernando Tatis just showed why he’s not an outfielder by trade, making a leaping catch on a ball he clearly misjudged. (Whoops!)
5) Elijah Dukes just jacked one. (Is it me, or does this guy just look dangerous and I don’t mean on the field. 1-1.)
6) Jose just stole his 282nd career base, passing Mookie Wilson for first all time on the Mets’ list. (What an ovation he got and deservedly so. Congratulations, Jose.)
7) I just had a jelly donut and washed it down with a beer. (Beauty, eh?!)
8) Nats score 1 in the second, we score 6 in the third! (EVERYBODY’S GETTIN IN ON THE ACTION!)
9) FIIIIIIIIIIGHT!!!! FIIIIIIIIIGHT!!! Awwww, poor Elijah. Big Pelfie welfie threw inside and you didn’t like it? Aww, poor baby. Get over it you, bum. (Seriously, what is with these guys getting all upset when a pitcher comes inside. This has happened a couple of times to Pelf this year, yet I love how he handles it. Basically he tells them to shut up and play, then continues to throw inside, that’s what I like to see.)
10) And because of Dukes’ unnecessary tirade, both benches just got warned. (What a bogus call.)
11) The “Any day now” chant didn’t fly. Sorry folks, I botched that one.
12) “I would have gone with “Change your dia-per!”~Laura. (Well then. I stand corrected.)
13) Nice tribute for 9/11. You know, I wish they did a little more though. I mean, it was the day before and the Mets were off on 9/11 this year. But hey, at least they did something.
14) You know what I noticed? We come to a lot of games and usually have to do with fans from every opposing team. There are really no traveling Nationals fans. I know, why, but it’s just strange. (Why? Because there aren’t enough of them to care.)
15) “Come on 3-4!! Oh $hit, they’re both wearing #34”~Me. (I’m having an off night.)
16) Around the fifth, I turned the book over to X-factor, who handed it off to C-ron. This was just after Dukes was plunked by Pelf and everyone in the ballpark waited for the explosion. (Dukes was steaming here and you could tell it took every ounce of energy not to explode towards Pelfrey.)
17) That’s the last of my notes that I wrote down, let’s see what C-ron had to say…
a. On the Nationals Side of the Scorebook:
i. Stew my coo
ii. Wright my wrongs
iii. Shake my shorts
iv. Suck my seed
v. Salt my dog
vi. Carlos me up
vii. Murph my turf
viii. Where’s my money?
ix. “It’s like going to the dentist”~Rich
b. On the Mets Side of the Scorebook:
i. Hayness my reyass
ii. Fa-Tatties
iii. Eres a qui!!
iv. Eat my Church
v. Time to pray to
vi. Pelt my fry
vii. Slap my bunt J
viii. Belt his bat
ix. Cookie my lookie
x. Beat my traffic
(Okay, I think it’s safe to say that the allowing of C-ron to do the book will cease. Granted, she did a great job of scoring, but the notes were just, well, you read them.)
18) My my, look at that, the score is 7-7. The Mets had a 7-1 lead and blew it all away. “We’ve seen this game before, it happened last year, in September, against the Nats.”~Me (No joke, it’s almost exactly the same: http://viewfromthegreenseats.metsblog.com/blog/_archives/2007/10/23/3309670.html)
19) Holy crap, Ryan Church had a huge role in that game last year, only for the other team.
20) I just hope it will be a different outcome this time.
21) Tired of having a lack of confidence, I made the bold statement once again that the bottom of the 7th was our inning and then proceeded to get loud, getting Section 11 fired up one last time. I was right. 4 Runs later, it’s 11-7. (Please hold on bullpen.)
22) Of course they don’t and now it’s 11-10.
23) D-WRIGHT!!!!!! You know, off that bat and judging by the sound, I never thought that was going out. I thought he got it just off the end of the bat. Boy was I wrong!
24) Takin’ Care of Business!
25) I gotta give it up to Section 11. Once again, they put up a hell of a fight and stayed positive as always. The electricity in our section resonated throughout the Mezzanine.
And so a big win for the Mets to take the quick two game series with the Nats on a night when Big Pelf didn’t have his good stuff. What a perfect way for the 2008 7-Pack to end, with a win in a game that the 2007 Mets would have lost. As a 7-Packer, I feel somewhat vindicated for what they did to us in our last game last year. Our only two losses this year were to the Marlins on Memorial Day and the Yankees after we had swept them out of Yankee Stadium earlier in the day. A 5-2 record is a great record for us.
As far my Dad, for him to see his last game at Shea so late in the year, I think really meant a lot to him. He was so excited when he found out I had an extra ticket that he dug out his old Mets Piazza 31 t-shirt. It was like I was the father and he was the little kid. I guess that’s what happens when you grow up, roles reverse and it’s a way for me to say thank you to him for all that he does/did for me.
As a side note, last night was Dad’s retirement party thrown by his old work group on the Fire Department. I was amazed to see him in his element again. Joking around with the guys, laughing and telling stories definitely made him miss the old days, but it also put them in perspective. He said he never realized the effect he had on all those men, especially the ones telling him stories about when he was their captain that he doesn’t even remember. I told him that considering the fact that he was a captain for 20 years, he had a major effect on a lot of lives. He can’t even count the amount of men who worked under him and eventually became captains themselves, and that alone is a testament to the job he did. But the fact that he didn’t understand the great impact he had on these men is the reason why they have nights like that.
It’s also why I love going to games with him. This is my way of saying thank you to all the games he took me to. I’m 27 years old now. My dad was 27 when he joined the fire department with a wife and two kids at home. I can’t imagine if I were living that lifestyle right now. I’m proud of my father and try to make sure that that he knows that by doing the best I can to live up to and beyond his standards every day. The ball games are a way to just enjoy life together. It takes us away from the world that is work and life and hardships at times and reminds us that there are great things in this world, even when the Mets bullpen blows the lead, because that’s the beauty of sports and life. You just never know.
To be at the ballpark with your father is one of life’s great treasures and something that I plan to continue doing in Citi Field.
And since the game was the night before the greatest tragedy in the history of the United States of America, in honor of all of those who lost their lives on that fateful day including the firemen, police and EMS that sacrificed it to save as many as they possibly could and those who gave their lives to defend our freedom a moment to reflect their memories…………………………………………………………………………….
For those overseas still fighting for us, be safe, and may God watch over you.
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