I was at last nights game which pitted the New York Mets against the equally lousy Houston Astros. Needless to say, I am still numb over the outcome. So I leave you with these two pictures from the game.
These pictures were taken right about the start of first pitch ( 7:10 p.m). In my estimation maybe another 1,000 or so fans might have found their seats by the end of the first inning , but Citi was at about 20% capacity at best. Yes it was a cold April night, and yes we all know that demand for Mets tickets are almost non-existant, but all I can and – will say is if this kind of shoddy ball playing keeps up – well good old Bud Selig and the MLB might have to take over the Mets just like he did with Frank McCourt’s Los Angeles Dodgers yesterday. Do You agree or disagree ?
Mind you I am still confident about my team – but even that is as shaky as Scott Hairston’s defense !
And with that said… HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!
Mets alumni celebrating a birthday today include :
Late September call up from the ’73 season, Greg Harts is 61 (1950). He was used strictly as a pinch hitter in the three games that he appeared in as a Met.
Late September call up from the ’74 season, starting pitcher, Randy Sterling is 60 (1951) .
One of the most effective relief pitchers in Mets history , Jesse Orosco is 54 (1957).
Utility infielder from the ’91-’92 season, Chris Donnels is 45 (1966).
Back up second baseman from the ’04 season, Jeff Keppinger is 31 (1980) . Wouldn’t we love to have his bat and glove at second base right about now ?
Mo Vaughn enjoys having whole a whole section – including concession stands all to himself !!
25 comments
saltygary
4/21/2011-7:22am at 7:22 am (UTC -4)
I miss Shea. At least an empty Shea has a little history and romance for most of us. An empty Citi just looks like a failed dream.
metsfan4decades
4/21/2011-7:31am at 7:31 am (UTC -4)
Thought about you and Ceetar last night, Rusty. Going into the 8th was thinking you guys got lucky and picked a game they were actually going to win. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.
No, I don’t want MLB to take over baseball operations for the Mets. I commented on the last thread much the same. One of the reasons is the draft. There is virtually no chance MLB allows the Mets to go over slot and sign the best available, money be damned. Not going over slot is part of the reason this franchise is in the shape they’re in.
If the Wilpons can’t get it together $$ wise – with investors and an infusion of cash to get back on their feet – then just sell now. We need owners who will spend wisely. I’m not talking about going after every high priced FA available. We’ve seen how well that’s worked out.
I don’t trust Selig and I don’t think he’s very smart. He’s made some really poor decisions in the past ‘in the interest of baseball’. Nothing I’ve seen indicates he’d be any smarter running the Mets in the interim.
stickguy
4/21/2011-7:34am at 7:34 am (UTC -4)
yes about the sell now, but if they get taken over this summer, new owners will be in place before the end of the season.
stickguy
4/21/2011-7:33am at 7:33 am (UTC -4)
I spent many a wonderful evening at a nearly empty shea. No lines for beer (if they had a stand open), r the bathroom!
mentioned this in the post game thread, but this is a perfect time for the wilpons to sell out. they got a whole bunch or already approved buyers, and could start a nice little bidding war to get the rights for the whole team.
I think many people would be shocked by how quickly, and for how much, this team would sell if they offered 100% of it (SNY would have to be in the mix too).
gategem
4/21/2011-7:51am at 7:51 am (UTC -4)
Rusty sometimes you have to hit rock-bottom before you start that long climb to the top and I’m confident that with the present front office the team will ascend to the heights we all dream about. It took Frank Cashen approximately five years to rebuild the franchise so we all must be patient.
However, if attendance remains at about 20% of the Field’s capacity the ascension will probably have to continue without the Wilpon’s as owners.
rustyjr
4/21/2011-7:56am at 7:56 am (UTC -4)
No argument there – I have noted the parallel between the Cashen & Alderson regimes
ajgmets
4/21/2011-10:09am at 10:09 am (UTC -4)
Y’all know I’m a Mets fan first and foremost and will be forever.
Ed, your pictures of Citi Field depict a lifeless almost dreary image of nothingness. No offense is intended toward you, the pictures are fine, or the Mets faithful who continue paying to watch embarrassing “baseball”.
As many know, I live in St. Louis and as such attend many Cardinals games if only for the facts that
a. It’s BASEBALL
b. The Franchise treats its fans well
c. The ballpark is easily accessible for me
d. The home team normally plays “good” baseball and finally
Busch Stadium clad in mostly red with a determined effort to celebrate the franchise’s rich history is never as dreary looking as the views you presented (Even during the massive hail and rainstorm I encountered Tuesday night.
It’s just something about the way the ballpark and Cardinal Nation presents itself that always makes the atmosphere seem inviting even when there are only a few thousand in the seats as was the case for yesterdays make up game.
Another aspect of the Mets franchise and all of its misgivings is the fact that the ballpark just doesn’t seem METLIKE.
In my opinion, and I’ve only been to the new park twice, many more symbolic links to Shea Stadium and the history of the ball club would only serve to enhance the image and overall feeling of the tradition of Mets Baseball in Flushing.
I know many complain about Keith Hernandez when he refers to St. Louis as being the best baseball city but quite frankly I have little evidence to disprove his thoughts.
If your thinking “Traitor”, I do indeed wear my Mets gear to Busch Stadium and get nothing but good natured kidding. I doubt the reverse would be true in Citi Field.
I call myself a displaced NJ Mets fan, but honestly I’d be hard pressed to find a better BASEBALL town in which to be “forced” to live and attend MLB games.
It doesn’t hurt that the ticket prices are almost reasonable either.
CaseStreet
4/21/2011-11:26am at 11:26 am (UTC -4)
rusty, I haven’t been to a game this year and didn’t go last year even though I was a Sunday plan holder until two years ago.
I’ll probably go in the summer, when weather’s nice, but really, who wants to pay to see your team lose embarrasingly?
somone on twitter the other day said they got field level seats for $5 and still felt cheated. I wouldn’t go that far, but you get where they’re coming from, especially if they’re paying for parking, food, and tix for the family.
Until this team shows it is for real and gets out of the gutter, then sadly, Citi Field will remain empty.
saltygary
4/21/2011-11:32am at 11:32 am (UTC -4)
Supposedly really good seats are going for pennies on the dollar at Stub-Hub right now.
If I still lived in the area buying a seat for $10 and moving down to a better section with a cold beer still doesn’t sound so bad.
kingman 26
4/21/2011-11:36am at 11:36 am (UTC -4)
“If I still lived in the area buying a seat for $10 and moving down to a better section with a cold beer still doesn’t sound so bad.”
I could not agree more.
kingman 26
4/21/2011-11:35am at 11:35 am (UTC -4)
I am too busy and live too far to go to more than one or two games a year.
I wish the team was in first place.
But I will enjoy a day or two with my family at Citi late this summer.
An empty stadium means great seats in the uncrowded Acela Club with an amazing view of BP, and a very pleasant experience at the game, without huge crowds and long lines, and very possibly with even better seats than usual at great prices on Stub Hub.
Do I wish it was like the late 80s when the place was packed and full of energy? Of course. But I love the team and love baseball and have been going with my Dad for 35 years.
I hate when people say “Boycott!!” If fans had done that in the late 1970s, maybe my Dad never would have started taking me, maybe I would not have the Mets as a great part of my life, and maybe I would not have one of the best things I relate with my Dad about.
Bottom line—it is just baseball. Just a sport. Just entertainment.
———————————————
And I too am more confident about this team than I have been in three years at least–I am confident they absolutely suck, and while this does suck, I am relieved that people will stop acting as though players like Pagan and Niese and Parnell are future all-stars.
This teams sucks rocks, and does it excruciatingly well.
saltygary
4/21/2011-11:43am at 11:43 am (UTC -4)
I’ve technically been on a boycott but it’s mostly due to distance.
Since I moved away in 2000 I’ve averaged 3 games a season. To drive 4 hours just to get to southern CT the night before and to then pay for tickets, parking and food beer adds up whether it’s 2-4 of us. The last game I was at was early ’08 and I refused to go when I was in town the last home game before Willie got fired due to all the drama. Now I feel the is money better spent other places especially since I get the MLB package.
Since that time I’ve been to the metro-dome, citizens Petco and Fenway a bunch of times, so I at least get a minor fix. Will be in Fenway in June.
saltygary
4/21/2011-11:46am at 11:46 am (UTC -4)
I’m way more positive about the team then I have been for the last 2 years. There are no more excuses, what if’s and maybe’s. The new coarse started when Alderson and Co’ came in and I am sure that soon we will start seeing evidence of the plan. Once financial issues are finalized then they can go into 5th gear.
kingman 26
4/21/2011-12:16pm at 12:16 pm (UTC -4)
I actually feel the same. We KNOW massive change is coming.
No more waiting for this group to magically re-create 2006.
I live 3 hours away and now go once a year basically; I am 2-0 at Citi, which is pretty amazing!
rustyjr
4/21/2011-12:46pm at 12:46 pm (UTC -4)
Any idea when you are making your yearly excursion to tge big bad city ?
kingman 26
4/21/2011-12:57pm at 12:57 pm (UTC -4)
Not yet—probably not until August or Sept, but I will definitely let you know, as I really want to get together for a beer or six this time!
rustyjr
4/21/2011-12:58pm at 12:58 pm (UTC -4)
I agree then I can admonish you for not commenting on my columns
kingman 26
4/21/2011-12:59pm at 12:59 pm (UTC -4)
Ouch! Sorry man; promise to get back on that trail right away! I do read them, I swear!
rustyjr
4/21/2011-1:08pm at 1:08 pm (UTC -4)
im kidding – good to see you back – for some reason I can’t access my google message board account
kingman 26
4/21/2011-1:31pm at 1:31 pm (UTC -4)
Thanks–I couldn’t stay away.
You can email me through the Google thing the authors use, or anytime at scdoug@sprint.blackberry.net.
saltygary
4/21/2011-12:54pm at 12:54 pm (UTC -4)
If there was a RDM field trip put together for mid-late summer I would probably be motivated to come down.
kingman 26
4/21/2011-12:58pm at 12:58 pm (UTC -4)
I have been thinking of asking the powers-that-be if we can organize that. I would absolutely go if it was on a Saturday; we could get together for a Saturday night home game.
Many of us could and would go.
saltygary
4/21/2011-1:11pm at 1:11 pm (UTC -4)
“Powers that Be” First round is on me and I promise I am not a serial killer. Now take that motivation and get something planned.
saltygary
4/21/2011-1:13pm at 1:13 pm (UTC -4)
August has 2 Saturday night games and one late afternoon game. 2 against the Braves and one against the Brew-crew. Looks good to me.
Also none in July and September would probably be wayyy to depressing.
kingman 26
4/21/2011-1:25pm at 1:25 pm (UTC -4)
Gary, I am going to take the bull by the horns here.
I am out of town Sat Aug 6, and probably the 27th, but am going to talk to the bosses behind the curtain about Saturday August 20 against the Brewers. We could all meet somewhere to eat and drink before the game when the stadium opens–or somewhere in Manhattan late afternoon–and enjoy great seats in an empty ballpark.
WILL be in touch about this.