Safeco, Citi and the New Yankee Stadium

I have to admit it; I'm really looking forward to the new stadium. I'm a bit (ok, a big bit, a bit large enough to be called a lot) disgusted that it's being financed in large part by a bank that's received an enormous amount of taxpayer dollars to be bailed out of their financial mess. That aside-- and I will leave it aside, because I'm not going to let it cloud my enjoyment of going to a ballgame-- I'm really excited to go to games at Citi Field. A while back, I went to Seattle and saw a Mariners game. The Mariners play in one of the first of the new-style stadiums, and the architects on Citi Field were the same ones who worked on Safeco. I loved Safeco. There wasn't a bad seat in the house, and the food options were plentiful and-- best of all-- afforded a view of the field while waiting on line for beer or other refreshments. And as a personal favorite feature, they piped in the radio coverage of the game into the restrooms, meaning that one didn't have to gamble on missing what happened while standing on line for the loo. In short, I loved Safeco.

And that got me excited about Citi. It's going to be a great place to watch a ballgame, and there really will be no bad seats in the house. Moreover, there's going to be a Shake Shack at the park. Does it get better than that?! It's also just going to be a beautiful stadium, a place designed for the enjoyment of watching a baseball game. Though I don't expect to get to as many games as I've been able to in the last couple of years (there are nearly 15,000 fewer seats a Citi than there were at Shea, and they'll definitely be more expensive, and I've just moved to Brooklyn, so my disposable income may be a prohibitive factor), I know I'll really dig the experience every time I go tot a game. I just hope that they pipe the radio coverage of the game into the restrooms at Citi.




Interestingly, I haven't heard nearly as much excitement about the New Yankee Stadium from my friends who are fans of the team from the Bronx. I'm not actually sure why this is, and it may be a flaw of sampling; I talk to a lot more Mets fans than Yanks fans, though I do talk to Yanks fans, too (Hi, Rica!). So, people who route for the team in the Bronx: how do you feel about the new stadium? Am I wrong that y'all don't seem all that pumped about your new stadium? Does anyone else find it bordering on obsessive to re-create a stadium in exactly the same dimensions, just newer? Are Yankees against progress?

Like I said...

Game 30: Mets 1, Diamondbacks 3
19-11 for the season

teams don't often win four-game series, even the Mets in Arizona. The game started 20 minutes before my class started tonight, and was over by the time I was done. I'm just happy to see in the box score that Delgado hit again today.

Congratulations, EPK and JLK!

Game 29: Mets 6, Diamondbacks 2
19-10 for the season

I was too tired from drinking and dancing at EPK and JLK's fabulous wedding to stay awake during the late game, but there is nothing but good news out of Phoenix today-- Shawn Green drove in three of the six runs, and even better, his good friend Carlos Delgado had two hits (one a double) and two walks, and Jorge Sosa pitched very, very well.

I'm expecting them to lose today, because who sweeps a 4-game series, even in Arizona?

The Oldest Man in Baseball Rides Again

Game 28: Mets 5, Diamondbacks 3
18-10 for the season

Last night in Arizona, a 48 year old man hit a home run, and became the oldest man ever to do so in the majors. Later, that same 48 year old man stole second base. The Legend of Julius grows ever stronger.

John Maine didn't have his best stuff last night, but that didn't keep him from striking out 7 in the 6 innings he threw and holding the D'backs to 1 run (the other two were scored off of Burgos after Maine came out of the game). What I found fascinating was how obviously pissed off at himself Maine was throughout the game, not to be pitching as well as he had in his first four outings. Its good to hold yourself to high standards, but goodness-- the kid is 5-0 with a 1.37 ERA after 39.1 innings pitched. He's doing pretty well by any standard.

Remember when Randy Johnson was a scary pitcher instead of just a whiny prima donna? The roof was closed over the stadium in Phoenix last night, ostensibly because there was a dust problem, really because Johnson prefers it that way, but it didn't help him-- the Mets have taken him for a ride in recent years, and last night was just another notch on the belt.

Sosa makes his first start tomorrow. Fingers crossed he does better than our last effort from a recently-called-up pitcher.

now that's Mets baseball

Game 27: Mets 9, Diamondbacks 3
17-10 for the season

Damion Easley hit a 3-run homer.
David Wright hit a 3-run homer.
my father believes that Easley has the ability to hit a home run whenever the special time when he's "supposed to" happens.

I'm working extremely hard not to believe him.

More to come.