First of I have to say yesterday was my first Opening Day that I ever attended and I had a blast. First off I met up with marathoner Sharon Chapman and her family, she’s running for the Tug Mcgraw foundation. To donate for her worthy cause please click here .I then Met up with author, and Mets fan since ’62, Dana Brand and we headed for the Mets Police meet-up by the newly moved Home Run Apple. We met Shannon and Dan from www.MetsPolice.comalong with On the Black blogger Kerel Cooper and the optimistic Mets fan ( and fellow TRDMB contributor) Ceetar. We toured the newly constructed Mets Museum and Hall of Fame, and  it was perfect in all aspects  . While perusing the adjacent team store , Shannon and I saw a rare Jeff Wilpon sighting ( he came through his secret entrance ala Dr. Evil)
The pre game ceremonies were excellent as was seeing the Mets clobber their seemingly invincible foe, Marlins pitcher Josh Johnson, via a great pitching performance by Johan along with a psyche soothing home-run by David Wright.
But I must admit that I have a bone to pick. It is not with ownership or the front office, nor does it have to do with Jerry’s managerial decisions . I have a bone to pick with the fans that came to Citi Field and were overtly negative, booing Ray Ramirez and his training staff, players, Sean Green, Oliver Perez and manager Jerry Manuel. Look I am not a General Jerry supporter either and I disagreed with the Olilie Perez re-signing last year as I was scratching my head why Sean Green made the 25 man roster this year. But you know what ? These are the guys that are going to be on the team for the next six months for all intensive purposes, and to get on their cases before the season is to start is just wrong. It upsets the fragile psyche that is Perez, who is unfortunately a important cog to this rotation, and you know what ? It does make the players feel they have no home team advantage. I know the rational is ” I paid good money for my ticket , and I have every right to boo !” and that is true but you know something , why don’t you wait a month or two once the players have had enough time to show if they are going to excel or suck turds. I mean does it have to happen before the first pitch of the season is even thrown? Think about it …
“PLAY BALL !!!!!! “
And with that said…… HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!!!
Happy Birthday wishes go out to back up third baseman from the ”64 team,Wayne Graham. (1936)
Reserve infielder/ outfielder from ”08, Andy Phillips is 33.(1977)
New York Mets traded third baseman,Tim Foli, outfielder, Ken Singleton and first baseman, Mike Jorgensen to the Montreal Expos for La Grande L’Orange himself -Rusty Staub on April 6, 1972. This was a win win deal for both teams. The Expos got three strong rookies (a bonifide star in Singleton) while the Mets got a established outfielder that could hit for power and average in Staub.
New York Mets released outfielder Rich Chiles on April 6, 1974.
New York Mets tradedreliever (Â and pride of Flushing )Â Ed Glynn to the Cleveland Indians for Dominick Bullinger on April 6, 1981.
New York Mets traded pitcher Mark “Bombs Away” Bomback to the Toronto Blue Jays for decent starting pitcher, Â Charlie Puleo on April 6, 1981. Puleo would last two seasons as a Met before being the main trade chip that brought Tom Seaver back to the Mets.
New York Mets sold catcher, Butch Benton to the Chicago Cubs on April 6, 1981.
Don’t forget today is a off day, but you still might find Mo Vaughn trying to raid the Blue Smoke refrigerators at Citi Field !
12 comments
metsfan4decades
4/6/2010-8:26am at 8:26 am (UTC -4)
I don’t understand the mindset of booing our team at all, but especially not on Opening Day. They want us to put 09 behind us, clean slate, yet some fans insist on booing just to remind all of how bad it was? What’s up with that?
And booing Castillo? That’s really poor. I know most think that was a bad contract and for too many years but that’s not Castillo’s fault. If someone offered you that money to play for 4 years, wouldn’t you sign on the dotted line? And he was one of the only ones left standing last year and had a pretty good season for himself.
Now booing Hanley – well, that’s acceptable, by all means….
sharonc
4/6/2010-9:02am at 9:02 am (UTC -4)
Hi Ed,
It was great meeting you. Thank you so much for your generous donation to the Tug McGraw Foundation, and for mentioning my fundraising efforts
I hope you don’t mind – the link above wasn’t working, so I’m going to re-post it here – http://www.active.com/donate/teammcgrawnyc2010/tmnycm10SChapma
It was a wonderful day – let’s hope for a lot more like these this season
Ya Gotta Believe!
rustyjr
4/6/2010-9:24am at 9:24 am (UTC -4)
The pleasure was all mine Sharon hope to meet up with you & your family at future games to come
trs86
4/6/2010-9:52am at 9:52 am (UTC -4)
Hope you don’t mind Rusty, I fixed the link.
sharonc
4/6/2010-11:31am at 11:31 am (UTC -4)
Rusty – I’ll be there most Sundays and for some other assorted games. Looking forward to seeing you again
Trs86 – thanks
trs86
4/6/2010-11:36am at 11:36 am (UTC -4)
No problem thanks for all you do.
Kingman 26
4/6/2010-9:10am at 9:10 am (UTC -4)
Rusty–
I could not agree with you any more! (As usual!)
People who boo on Opening Day, especially when it is the first game of the season, when it is 75 degrees and sunny, are rude loser jackasses.
Paying doesn’t give a fan a right to boo….do that at a golf or tennis match and you get the boot. Do it at a baseball game and it just makes you an idiot.
To me, lack of effort (or being a scumbag off the field like many of the 1993 Mets) is the only really reasonable reason to boo.
And if people were really booing Castillo, well, I am just glad I wasn’t there in their vicinity.
OK, we knew we would win yesterday, now let’s see what we can achieve in the rest of the 161 remaining games!
CaseStreet
4/6/2010-10:35am at 10:35 am (UTC -4)
Support your second baseman!
Kingman 26
4/6/2010-10:45am at 10:45 am (UTC -4)
YES!!
Support your second baseman and training staff in Queens!
GravediggerHebner
4/6/2010-11:13am at 11:13 am (UTC -4)
Agreed Rusty, I’m not into the Opening Day booing. I was actually worried about Sean Green’s mental state while I was waiting for the team introductions. On TV I didn’t hear any particular sound during his intro, although I know people who were there have already listed who got booed and apparently he was in the group. I guess I’ll take some satisfaction in the idea that the booing didn’t translate to the broadcast, so it couldn’t have been that significant a group doing it. I’ll never forget Johan Santana being booed as he was leaving the mound during his first ever home start for the Mets. Ridiculous.
Ahh Mark Bomback. His name was my first screen name at the old place. Memories…
darknova306
4/6/2010-12:20pm at 12:20 pm (UTC -4)
I’ll say this, I only booed a little for Jerry, and was just silent for the players I really wanted to boo. I was too excited to really be negative. I was pissed at the idiots booing Castillo, so I cheered him more.
gategem
4/6/2010-7:14pm at 7:14 pm (UTC -4)
Perhaps in Castillo’s case they were just yelling Looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo……………………..