It's always fun to see the Mets win a game in person, and since the Yankee game last month was such a debacle, last night was the first time this season I sat in the big ballpark from beginning to end. Back in Section 24 of the Upper Deck we were, thanks to the Seven Pack, but I was the only member of the ticket-buying crew to actually show up at Shea. Angst needed a night off after working two straight weeks, Freddie Mercury was probably preparing for the weekend of debauchery in Philadelphia and WJS simply never showed. I grabbed Angst's ticket earlier in the week and offered it to T-Bone, who was happy to accept.
(Oh yeah, no more real names on here, unless specifically requested by that person. Angst will probably ask to be called Joey Walnuts instead, but I won't give him the satisfaction. If I'm going to hide behind my Judge Roughneck moniker, might as well give everyone else a nickname too.)
We got to the park right before first pitch and settled into our seats with a Brooklyn Lager in hand. T-Bone is getting snooty about his beer in his old age and we had to walk halfway around the Upper Deck just to satisfy his alcohol needs. All matter of conversation ensued, so much so that I looked up and it was already the bottom of the second inning. I was pleasantly surprised that the Mets had toned down the white noise from the PA system a little bit last night; the usual noise assault was much more muted. Merengue Night every night, I say!
Sometime around the fifth inning T-Bone and I decided to go back to the Brooklyn Lager stand and ran into The Swedish Chef, who has actually called me earlier that night to see if I wanted to go to the game with him. He was sitting alone, so we offered him one of Freddie Mercury's/WJS's seats and he joined us for the rest of the game. The Administrator texted me to tell me he was in the park too, but never came by to say hello.
The Swedish Chef is not a particularly fervent baseball fan and enjoys going to games more for the spectacle then anything else. Predictably, he is excited about Citi Field and the many food options that will be available to the casual baseball fan. He is also looking to buy his first personalized Mets jersey and offered to buy the black Piazza jersey from me. No dice, my man - but I'm sure you can easily get one personalized at your local sporting goods store.
Other highlights? Pelfrey was super sharp again and T-Bone is so proud of himself for plucking Pelf off the waiver wire of our fantasy league in mid-May. Merengue Night brought a surprising amount of energy to the proceedings; in past years, the park would be half-full into the seventh inning when the Puerto Rican and Dominican flags would suddenly arrive en masse awaiting the postgame concert. Oh, and some day when I'm old and gray(er), I'll be able to tell my kids I saw Argenis Reyes's first career home run.
Manuel's bullpen management in the eighth and ninth innings left something to be desired. Pelfrey couldn't start the eighth with only 103 pitches under his belt? Feliciano couldn't have pitched the last two innings of what was ultimately a blowout? Whatever.
Another postgame trip to the Pines ensued, although T-Bone and I were very close to hitting the links in Flushing Meadows instead. Maybe next time. Angst decided to meet us there and we took over a back booth, yapping the night away while fending off the commercial advances of the Presidente girls. ($20 for a bucket of Presidentes!? Not after having bought a bucket of Yuenglings for $6.75 the night before!)
11 comments:
Straw poll: Brooklyn lager or Bud/Bud Light?
Haven't checked in in a while, but I see I'm still being feverently mocked on this page. It's alrming the animosity that seeps into your otherwise insightful and entertaining ramblings. Angst? Aren't you the lap top tough guy. Why do you insist on provoking me while hiding behind a key board? But I'm gonna take the high road here Gangly, cause I'm sure its all in good fun.
Watching the Met's bullpen experience China Syndrome yet again, I'm left to wonder if Omar owns a calender. Is he at all aware that the deadline is less than 75 hours away? We've seen the Phils, Cubs, Brewers, Dodgers, and Yanks all make signifigant moves, while the D-Backs are poised to land Teixeira after already plucking Jon Rauch from the Nats, a PS2 personal favorite. And Heyman today quotes a Met's official as saying Brians Giles is not on the Flushing radar. Well why the fuck not?
This may well be a defining week in how Omar's stewardship of this club is remembered. The needs are glaring, time is short and in year 4, its time to put some salsa on that taco. Hey, teenage angst has paid off well...
In fairness to Omar, we made our big deal over the winter, remember? Who is going to take any of the middle of the road to lower tier prospects we have to offer at this point? Whoever does, mark down that name, because they will be fired soon enough. We're basically stuck with what we have unless we pull the wool over some dude's eyes.
Over three day's without a post Flynn, nice work. I guess your next post will be the idea you are stealing from me.
Joe: No one is mocking you. "Angst" was the first thing that jumped to mind and I think it fits you well. And how can you claim to take the high road when you called me "gangly?"
I must say I'm a little surprised that Giles is not on the radar, but since nobody's mentioning him, I'm beginning to think the Padres just aren't interested in trading him. I don't think anything major is going to happen, because there are no obvious targets out there.
Tim: Shut up. Daily updates aren't easy. Gotta write the column tonight, so maybe something new here tomorrow. I called you during your golf game to tell you my AWESOME new movie idea. Now I don't know if I want to cut you in on the profits.
I'm not asking for daily updates,it's been three and half days! And I called you back that evening but apparently it wasn't awesome enough to pick up. I mean, you are probably stealing the idea from me anyway.
What do the Pods need with a 37 year old outfielder whose due $9 million next year when they are more than 20 games under .500? Its an indictment on Omar if the minors are so barren that he can't get this guy. He walks, doesn't strike out, gives you professional at bats, a true "gamer".
By the way, Starman with Karen Allen and Jeff Bridges will celebrate its 25th anniversary next year, making Allen's alien son 25 years old as well. you want a movie? there's a movie...
I hear you about Giles; he would fit very nicely between Reyes and Wright in the lineup. The problem is exactly what you said - if you were Padres' GM Kevin Towers, who in the Mets' farm system would you want?
See, I think the who is entierly insignifigant. The Pods next year can either pick up his $9 mil option, buy him out at $3 mil or pick up two young bodies now in return for an old man. I'm not going to take the time but I would imagine that somewhere in our many minor league affiliates we have excess depth at at least one of 8 everyday positions where the Padres are in need. Throw in a young arm with that from one of our 9 minor league teams. Thats at least 90 pitchers? Widdle it down, find one, save some money. This can't really be that hard.
But it's not insignificant. There are 28 other teams in baseball. If the going rate for Brian Giles is simply a pitcher and a position player who fill out uniforms, then 28 other teams are in a position to give the Padres the same thing. Why should Kevin Towers take two warm bodies from the Mets when any number of teams can give him two warmer bodies?
28 other teams? I'm sorry, are the Royals, Nats and O's lining up for his services? I barely hear this guys name mentioned. There are maybe 15 teams still in contention that could use him, of those how many really need him or would make a play for him? Its more like 5 teams at the most. And that number is generous. If the deadline passes and he's still a Pod then Omar fucked up.
Karen Allen's alien son is only half alien.
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