The answers you have all been waiting for:
First hit ever at
Citi Field - Jody Gerut
First home run ever at Citi Field - same guy
First Met hit ever in Citi Field -
David Wright
First Met home run ever in Citi Field - same guy
Mets home opening day record: 29 and 19 (0-1 at Citi Field) after a 6-5 loss to the Padres.
And
so Citi Field opened its doors officially April 13, 2009 and began
writing its history. Loge13 was there, in Promenade 427 to witness
history with the same familiar faces from Shea - Kingman Sr, Ron Hunt
and daughter (flying in from college for the pageantry), the Bayside
contingent - all together in this strange new world of Citi.
I
arrived early, on the 4:43 LIRR out of Penn. I wondered how the fan
experience might be different in the new ballpark and got some early
answers on the train. These three buffoons standing with me were
bankers, attending the game through the generosity of one of the dudes,
who had bought season tickets with a "consortium" and was selling off
much of his inventory through secondary markets (sounded both sinister
and smug the way he spun it).
As our train slowed into the
Shea Stadium
stop, my travel companions all rushed to the eastern windows of the
train to get a glimpse of the new stadium, punching each other with
glee as they oogled the arena arising before them. Sadly though, Citi
Field was on the WEST side of the train, conveniently marked "Citi
Field" to avoid any confusion with the two tennis stadiums that only
knuckleheads or bankers might confuse with the Mets new home. Fantastic.
Citi Field - Opening Day 2009
Shea Stadium - Opening Day 2009
Once
inside, I had plenty of time to walk around the new ballpark and try
to get and know it a little better. In some ways, meeting Citi Field is
like meeting your in-laws the first few times. The in-laws come along with someone you love so you look for common ground and interests to
build the relationship on. One key difference: at least with my
in-laws, they didn't first reduce to rubble my previous girlfriends.
Our
seats in Prom 427 are interesting.
As previously mentioned, we are in
the last row of our box. Unlike the other rows, our seats are on the
same level as the concourse. Behind us, there is no wall, just the
concourse. That was bad at moments, when suddenly folks were standing
behind us talking loud and drunkenly about the game or anything else
but the game.
On the other hand, we often found ourselves standing back there too, as if it was our own private patio. We may smuggle in an inflatable pool and hibatchi at some point to really achieve that cozy atmosphere the Wilpons are aiming for in
Shea field.
But
the standoffish locale of the seats seems appropriate for the new
Loge13. This oddly placed row feels noncommital; we're kind of in the
stadium, but detached from any formal section. It lacks the permanance
of Loge13 but Prom 427 has its charms. And we have a good view to see
the game.
Oh yeah the game. The Mets looked terrible. Really
terrible. Pelfrey was largely ineffective. Hitters seemed to be tense
at the plate. Wright's'three-run homer to tie it in the 5th was the
highlight of the night, next to the cat that briefly scrambled onto the
field in the 3rd during Daniel Murphy's'at-bat.
The Mets went
down quietly in their home opener. It's not the end of the world. Losing 4 of the last 5 is more of an issue. The 4 through 8 hitters in tonight's lineup went a combined 2 - 17. This offense is in mid-September form already.
More pics and video to come later...
Comments
Sounds like you didn't experience some of the low points I heard people complaining about today. Bad sight-lines being most notable. Along with the cattle-herding exit scenario they've got going from the upper sections in left field.
For me the highlight was Tom Seaver throwing a strike to Mike Piazza with the ceremonial first pitch. Great picture of that in Newsday today.
My own first visit to the new Shea Stadium - I refuse to go along with the corporate welfare king known as Citibank's desired nomenclature - will be later this summer.
It remains to be seen how much of an ambiance the place develops. Still, it would have been nice to say, "I was there."