Checked my DVR of last night's postgame show this morning to find this gem involving JJ Putz "congratulating" Omir Santos on his monster grand slam. How's that taste, Omir? Good, good, good!

If you've been reading this blog for the past year, you know I've been working closely with Mets announcers' charity foundation GaryKeithandRon.com and loving it every step of the way! Much of the credit for that goes to Lynn Cohen, who attends to every single detail of the operation personally--right down to shipping!--and always with a smile, a laugh, and a fun story at the ready. GKR just plain has fun, and I think that's one of the reasons fans have become so devoted to the foundation--they have fun too!

That was the prevailing spirit at the first GKR Citi Field event last night--an evening of pure fun, with Johan on the mound, Gary Cohen, Ron Darling, Kevin Burkhardt, and Mr. Met in the suite, and the GKR supporters all enjoying the fancy-pants digs of the new Empire Party Suites. This is one photo album you won't want to miss! Browse all the pictures here. 

The evening started with the suite buffet (though I can't lie, Shake Shack and Blue Smoke are tastier) and, in truth, a lot of gawping. Whether or not you think a ballpark should be so luxurious, I will tell you, this is a fine place for a party. Unlike at Shea, there aren't glass doors separating the suite from the view of the ballpark. You can move back and forth from game to suite with ease, and there are TVs everywhere--even for the seats outside--to ensure you don't lose a single moment of play.

[An aside? Less than an hour before the game began, I checked out the party suite bathrooms where I was tickled to see yet another TV. Until I realized it was tuned into the YES network. Yes. It was YES. I told the bathroom attendant--who didn't disagree--"Even porn would be more appropriate."]

The party really got started when Gary stopped by to pose, chat, and sign for every single fan who asked. We GKR fans know how lucky we are to have the best play-by-play man in all of sports! Not to mention how swell Gary and Lynn look together :-)

Have you been following GoodenGate? Ugh, so Dwight Gooden takes a Sharpie to the precious Ebbet's Club wall and the Mets brass gets up in arms. In the end, sounds like they're moving the signature to a different location, where more autographs from Mets greats can be added--and that's cool--but to have even considered wiping it clean in the first place just feels...cold. Let's warm up our new ballpark, people.

Here's something fun, though. The organizers of the Mo's Zone promotional event were able to send me a Doc quote exclusively for Pick Me Up Some Mets readers. Nothing too deep, but I'm glad to hear that we'll have this fan favorite around a lot this season.

Zoë: Will you be a regular at Citi Field now that your nephew is on the team?
Doc: Yeah, you'll see me a lot, and it's great to be back, and the camaraderie with the fans, and sharing baseball memories with them as well, I'll enjoy that.

Looks like Modell's sponsored the fan-created K-counter I saw at the ballpark that night, which is fun and all, but I confess I'd rather have the actual K-Counter back somewhere on or around the scoreboard. Heck, let Mo's sponsor it--then you can still cram as much advertising in as possible. Did you notice even the on deck circle has advertising on it? It's now the New Era On Deck Circle. I'm not whining--just having a cranky corporate-is-annoying moment, so forgive.

I'm definitely hoping for a good series off in St. Louis starting tonight, but for now I thought I'd share some of the great pics I got during Saturday's game, featuring a few blog friends too, like Coop, Kranepool Society's Stephen, and Danielle from The Wright Stuff.



Before we check out Santana, take a look at this shot of the promenade level--after waiting on line for Blue Smoke to get my deeeeeeelicious pulled pork sandwich, I headed up to my seats, and lo and behold, on that gorgeous, sunny Saturday, fans were lounging in the wide concourse of the promenade's main food court area, where picnic tables and actual space make for a much comfier concessions experience. Alas, the food isn't as good, but if you're more interested in sitting and hanging than waiting on line for the good stuff, consider a trip upstairs at Citi. And they've got their very own Mama's of Corona!

Now how much do we love Johan Santana's pre-game handshake ritual? I'm gonna say lots. Here's my attempt to use my 40x digital zoom to get shots of it from across the field in upper promenade. Cilck the pics to enlarge and find Johan (who is way cooler than Waldo).

Here's one of the reasons you gotta love our Mets: They're a team. An actual team that supports each other and has the next guy's back and seems to genuinely want its teammates to succeed. Few moments better exemplify that than when the new guy--the big shot new guy--goes yard for the 500th time, and his teammates are there at the finish with huge smiles and bracing hugs. Jose Reyes is there with the first embrace, but David Wright's is the longest. Looks like Sheffield says something into his ear while they hug. Wish I knew what it was!

I'm off later to an event at the Time Square Modells (42nd and 7th) to launch the "Mo's Zone" at Citi Field. If you're in the neighborhood, stop by the Times Square Modells from 3:30 to 4:45. Modell's president Seth Horowitz and the CEO Mitchell Modell will both be there, as will Doc Gooden!

From Modells: "The Mo's Zone area is led-off by a 72 foot span across the outfield warning track where the traditional padded outfield wall is replaced by a chain link fence. The Modell's Clubhouse is set behind the chain link fence and will consist of dugout-style benches backed by five full sized garage-style overhead doors. Those doors open up to a private fan hospitality area which can accommodate up to 70 fans.  The only thing that will separate fans in the Modell's Clubhouse from the playing field is the chain link fence.  Fans attending a game inside the Modell's Clubhouse will be as close to the playing field during the game as you can get without being one of the players!"

I will say that often when I see an awesome piece of Mets gear and ask where it's from, it's Modells. Maybe I'll be able to pick up something Metsy to keep me warm tonight at the ballpark!

The day started sunny, and not at all as cold as I expected. Things got a bit dimmer and colder--in more ways than one--as the hours wore on, but the night still had its great moments and photo ops. And though it was my 3rd game at Citi, now I continue to learn more with every journey. Click here for the full photo album, and here, for you, are some more bullet points.

• For the first time, I entered from the Left Field gate, which opens at 4:40PM, before the rotunda. I would say if you're going for your first Citi Field experience, go through the rotunda. Even if it's more crowded by the time you arrive, there's something special about entering the ballpark from the grand entrance. I felt butterflies the first two times I scanned my ticket at the rotunda. Left field gate has way fewer butterflies.

• Shake Shack now has shakes. Oh my God. I wished my black and white shake would never end, and it took some self-control when I was done not to take the top off and lick it clean.

• The sound system has been adjusted since the Mets-Sox exhibition games, and it's much better. However, now they are playing the 8th inning sing-along, "Sweet Caroline," which was greeted by a resounding chorus of boos the likes of which probably haunt Luis Castillo's nightmares.
  

• Got a couple shots of "Pick Me Up Some Mets" friend Adam Schein (who waved and mouthed "Hi Zoë") broadcasting from the field before the game. I'm holding my tongue before passing judgment on Chris Carlin for the pre- and postgame shows, just to give him a fair chance, but I think it's a safe bet you'll see a post from me in the future beseeching SNY to bring back Yallof or replace Carlin with Schein...But not yet. To be fair. 

• Johan Santana was not on hand for the opening day festivities so he could be at his wife's side for the impending birth of their first son, Johan Alexander Santana, Jr. Congrats to our beloved ace!

• Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza, you are Mets heroes, and I do not deny that. I enjoy clapping for you. I took many pictures of you. But when you meet in tandem on important game days, things do not end well. So forgive me if I don't hold my breath in anticipation for your next joint appearance.

• The big old Domino Pizza style Citi Field patch on the arm of all the players? Yeah, it still sucks, even from upper promenade.

• The fans felt bizarrely quiet overall for this game, at least where we were sitting. I'm chalking it up to Pelf starting the game by giving up a home run on the 3rd pitch. It's harder to get loud when you're behind from the get-go.

• When David Wright stepped to the plate with 2 men on base, I yelled out "Now would be a good time to get hot, David." And we went wild for him! He raised the new home run apple! I'm glad it was David who got our first home run. I'm also glad we have proof that the Mets can actually hit home runs in the new ballpark. Even if ultimately we still lost (so annoyingly!), he tied up the game and gave us hope and something to cheer about. 

I can think of nothing except getting to Citi Field for opening day-night. Left field gate opens at 4:40, other gates 5:40. I plan to be on line at the LF gate by 4:15 latest. Like Daniel Murphy (who I'm sure will be error free this opener!), I mean business.

But let's take a look meanwhile at some of the new amenities that the players are enjoying at Citi Field. It's a quick clip, but I'm loving the extra rehab facilities, and I'm wondering how much playing time the arcade video games and pool table will get. Hmmm, might have to suggest that Julie Alexandria play some pool with our Metsies for Mets Weekly!

What an outing from Johan. 13 strikes, no earned runs. And then to rally in the 9th--when down to the last strike!--to avoid the shut-out, our Carloses coming through...It's unfortunate, yes, a real shame to lose this series. But it would have been much worse if we'd just given it away. Man, Daniel Murphy looked near tears during his post-game interview. Still, if anyone's going to learn from a game-losing error and never do it again...it's our D-Murph.

Back track a game, and we get a superb outing from our #5 starter as Livan Hernandez continues what he's done all spring. Consistency in a starter is nothing to undervalue, and if that's what we're getting from Livan, then I'm thrilled about it. Not to mention a game where Castillo manages 4 hits. Whatever you did yesterday, Luis, bottle that stuff and drink it down. Often. Coat your pillow in it.

Yet even more encouraging, in my opinion, was John Maine's outing Friday night. He's been wonky all spring, and then in his first regular season start, he gives up only 2 hits. Okay, sure, those were both home runs. And yeah, that sucks. But look at Johnny's face there after his outing--he's smiling. Our John Maine. I don't think I saw him smile once after pitching last year. Perhaps it's because he finally kept his pitch count down. If Jerry didn't need to pinch hit for him, he could have gone longer. He's feeling good, he's getting his command under control, he's not getting fouled off a million times, and I hope we continue to see him only get better.

So now it's Big Pelf's turn tomorrow. I'll be there as soon as gates open for batting practice. I will eat another Shackburger. I will drink something girly out of a bottle (I can't help that I hate beer, can I?), and dang it, we will have an awesome first home opener at Citi Field.


 

With Passover on its way this eve, what better day to review The New York Observer's Howard Megdal's new comprehensive evaluation of all things Jewy in baseball, The Baseball Talmud: The Definitive Position-By-Position Ranking of Baseball's Chosen Players.

If there's one thing we Chosen Ones look out for, it's other Jewish folks. Whether in movies, politics, social circles, or yes, even sports. (My parents, Jeopardy fanatics, always root for the contestant with the Jewish last name. Either that, or the one from Brooklyn.) We even have a term for our brethren: "Members of the Tribe." Well, here in Howard's new book, you'll find every single Member who ever made an appearance in the big leagues. Ever. Even if only for one at bat. Almost 300 pages of Jews in baseball. You will either think, "Every single one and only 300 pages?" or "Really, 300 pages of Jews in baseball?"

Using a granted somewhat subjective, but really more objective, stat-based approach, Medgal ranks each player within his position, even breaking pitchers down to right or left-handed starters and right or left-handed relievers. The list runs the gamut from obvious historic heroes (I won't say which between Sandy Koufax and Hank Greenberg he ranks #1 of all time--no spoilers!) to current major talents like Kevin Youkilis and Ryan Braun (both whom I loved watching during the WBC), with all the most obscure players in between. Norm Sherry, for instance, sneaks in at #8 among catchers mostly for his greatest contribution to Jewish baseball, advising Sandy Koufax how to improve his fastball. Our own former outfielder Shawn Green ranks #1 among right fielders, and #4 of all time. Of course I wish he'd had his most chosen years with the NY Mets, but oy, what are you gonna do?

Though not a history book really, there are some priceless bits of trivia, quirky facts, and enough stats to satisfy even the pickiest of number junkies, all combined with Megdal's Jewish-grandfather type sense of humor. If you know Jews who love baseball, this is the perfect gift for them. I anticipate it being a Father's Day favorite. Plus, Howard's a huge Mets fan. So no matter what your religious background, we're supporting one of our own.  

And in the spirit of Chosen baseball, even if not about the Mets, this clip below can't help but make you laugh. It's not new...but I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's friggin' timeless.




Here's a list of Howard's upcoming readings and signings:

Tuesday April 7, 7 p.m. Suffern Free Library, Suffern, NY
Thursday April 16, 7 p.m., Book Revue, Huntington, NY
Wednesday April 22, 7 p.m., Cherry Hill Library, Cherry Hill, NJ
Sunday April 26, 9 a.m. Temple Beth Torah, Nyack, NY
Tuesday April 28, 7 p.m., BU Hillel House, 213 Bay State Rd., Boston, MA
Saturday May 2, 3 p.m. Merritt Books, Red Hook (Dutchess County), NY
Tuesday, May 5, 7 p.m., Barnes and Noble, Colonie, NY

Despite weather woes in Cincinnati and a whole morning spent thinking opening day wouldn't happen, it's official. We have baseball, people! And we had revelry as well. Matty's opening day party at Public House was a blast. We cheered on Johan and D-Murph (how 'bout that bat, eh?). And then--oh man! We collectively held our breaths when Santana was pulled after 5 and 2/3 innings...and then we watched something extraordinary happen. The bullpen...our bullpen!....actually held a one-run lead for over 3 innings, giving Johan the win. Remember that word, Johan? Win!

Instead of counting how many men we left on base throughout, I will share with you some pics of our bloggerati gang. You'll see Metsie, Coop of My Summer Family, Will of Smear the Q.u.e.e.r (ugh, obscenity filter, really?), Dykstraw of our Divas and Dykstraw, and of course "TV's Matt Cerrone" as we affectionately call him--and a guest appearance by SNY.tv's own Ted Berg. Make sure to check out their links on the right sidebar!

Frustrating computer problems--an almost crash!--delayed my report, and alas now I'm exhausted from a busy weekend! But I will do my best to jot down some thoughts from Friday night's exhibition opener against the Red Sox. Seeing our boys at Citi for the first time was a huge treat, even with the rain that poured down and caused about an hour and a half delay. The full album can be found here!

Some brief thoughts:

1) Hmmm, the sound system. I'm not sure what the sound is like all over the ballpark, but Rob and I had trouble hearing the announcer--and even at times the music--in the upper promenade. There's a reverb, too, that I'm not especially fond of.

2) Tacos! Yum, I tried the triple taco option and was not disappointed (though make sure you get lots of napkins!). The salsas are an extra flavorful addition, but still, I must say I prefer the Shackburger overall. Unfortunately the corn on the cob wasn't yet available; I'm dying for it! Also the publicized "Bayside fries" were not yet on the menu at the "Catch of the Day," despite some media coverage featuring them as possibly the best fries at Citi.

3) On the SNY broadcast during the rain delay (yes I DVR when I'm at the game!), Gary Cohen mentioned Citi's "state of the art drainage system." I'm guessing that's just on the field itself. Because the rest of the ballpark collects some monster puddles. Lakes, really. There was one by our seats, and a giant one on the walkway toward the Pepsi Porch. I wonder if they'll do any tinkering with the drains after that game-time downpour.

4) Ok, let's not get our boys hurt. No, really, let's keep 'em safe. It seems that the outfield walls have a lot less padding than the ones at Shea did. And during the very first inning, Castillo did a nose dive over a concrete wall in right foul territory. I predict there will soon be more padding at Citi. I certainly hope there will be.

5) At least in the upper promenade, where my seats will be for most games, there's not all that much extra leg room. But the seats are comfy, and the cup holders are welcome.

6) No "Sweet Caroline!" Yay!! There wasn't any sing-along at all, in fact, which I find perfectly fine. One musical new addition seems to be "We Built this City," to which I happily sang along even without the words on the jumbotron. But come on, how completely funny is it that they're playing a song that derides "Corporation names" at Citi Field...

7) The 2nd inning had some awesome highlights--first Livan Hernandez retired the Sox with about 7 pitches (any successful starting pitching has been a welcome sight lately!). Then Fernando Tatis took the gold ring as the first Met to get a hit at Citi--a double, no less.

8) Ran into the delightful Mets Weekly boys, Max and Darin 'round the food courty area. They were as pleased with the grub as I've been, it seemed! I'm guessing I'll gain 5 lbs at Citi this season. You wanna take the over on that or the under? ;-) 

Enjoy this video of our first win at Citi Field. Even if it doesn't exactly "count," I think you can hear (oyyyyy my voice) that I was very excited that we won our very first game there--and with our new Frankie Rodriguez on the mound no less!

This Friday will be the Mets' first game at Citi Field, and even if it doesn't count for the regular season, I'm still psyched as heck. I plan to get there early enough for BP, to take a picture with the Old Apple, and to get a few more things done that I didn't get to do last Sunday at Citi Field (tacos, anyone?)

What's that you say? Last Sunday at Citi FIeld? Why yes, hadn't you heard? There was this college ball game there, and some folks got to roam the stadium for the first time. But I'm sure this is the first you're reading of it. So enjoy my photo album, 193 pics worth, over at facebook. Or just wait 'til the end of the post for some highlights. In my album, you'll see fellow bloggers Jason from Faith and Fear, Corey from Metsie, Coop from My Summer Family, SNK from You Can't Script Baseball, and Tracy from CrazyMetGirl. Check out their links over at the right there!

Here are some initial somewhat ineloquent thoughts about Citi Field, in no particular order:

• I got to hang at the Caesars Club, on the Excelsior level, and I was a little underwhelmed--it was crowded and noisy, there were lines for food (which I didn't try), and why are the sofas in such a random area? Plus, there's no window looking out onto the field. I enjoyed hanging at the bar with Coop, and I think the bar would be a good place to wait out a rain delay, but the place just didn't scream luxury to me. That said, Caesars Club seats are really good--about the same as loge was at Shea, but somehow better. And I do still wonder, even though I wasn't blown away, will I feel all left out in my seats in upper promenade with no club at all?
  

• I very much like that field level isn't all guarded and "you're not welcome here" now. I can see myself strolling around--from the rotunda, into the main store (why don't they have mirrors in the main team store!? I tried on a sweatshirt, but there was no place to look at it. I hope that was just a not-yet-ready detail that will change), and all around the length of the field to look at the different angles of play. If the bridge to the food court area weren't so very crowded, it would be a fun place to stop, hang over the railing, and watch some ball from the outfield. If you can snag a spot hanging over the bridge, that'd be a cool place to chomp your Shackburger.

• The security staff are in burgundy. Ew. Reminds me of either Phillies or Harvard.

• Um, here's how far my new camera zooms in from Rob's (meaning my usual) seats in upper promenade, the highest deck. Pictured: the pitcher's mound, and where home plate would be (it hadn't yet been situated). Sick, no?

• You may be kicking yourself if you didn't get a brick outside the rotunda. I'm kicking myself that I didn't get a brick outside the rotunda. The Wilpons have a couple--here's a shot of the one honoring Fred and his wife's parents.
  

• In terms of the crowds, even though it was a sell-out game, I hear the weather kept many away. Estimates put Sunday's attendance at 22,000 to 23,000, and that felt perfect. It was lively and crowded, but not too crowded, with food lines short enough to be absolutely bearable. On the one hand, I worry what the ballpark will feel like with almost 20,000 more people there. On the other hand, I figure that at actual Mets games there will be more people in their seats watching the game than wandering around the entirety of Citi Field. So...I have hope for manageable crowds!

• The bullpen gate ROCKS. First of all, that's where the Old Apple is. The longest line at Citi on Sunday was to take a photo with the Apple. You could even jump on top of it and pose! I want to do that this Friday. I wonder how long they'll let you... What's more? The visitor's bullpen is riiiiiight there, fully within heckling distance. Have at the other team's pitchers, my friends. Have at them.

• My favorite of the various team stores around the ballpark is the "Forty Seven" store, which carries my favorite Mets gear brand, Banner Supply Co. If you like a more retro Mets look, this is absolutely the place for you to check out the merch. You know what else is cool? You get these awesome tote bag-like shopping bags from the team stores that you can absolutely re-use to bring stuff to the ballpark. Look how happy I am about my new almost tote bag!
  

• THERE ARE TOPPINGS! And yeah, I took that to all caps. I used to bring my own little relish packets for my hotdogs. Now you can find readily available onions, relish, and jalapenos. Hungry just thinking 'bout it...

• Speaking of! New facebook friend "NYC Food Guy" sent me pics from yesterday's Citi Field culinary press tasting. Are those cannolis with blue and orange sprinkles I see? Yes, please! His blog entry from the tasting is a MUST-SEE, so don't miss it! Oh, it all looks so very, very, very good!

And here are some picture highlights for you to enjoy!