April 18, 2011
Sunday, April 17 2011 – Mets 3, Braves 2
I hate flying. I hate everything about it. The long lines, taking off half my clothes in security, the ubiquitous airport terminals, the delays and suddenly switched gates, the bad food, the cramped seats, the stale air, and most of all the gut-wrenching fear of imminent death.
I know that statistically air travel is far safer than taking your car out on the interstate, but I also know that when a plane crashes all they have to do is add the number of crew to the number of passengers to get the death toll, statistically speaking. That and I know far too much about mechanical contraptions and the rate at which they are serviced and maintained properly. And I’ve had the personal experience of having to pull my car over to the shoulder when something went wrong. It was inconvenient at worst. There’s no pulling over in the friendly skies.
Click here to read the rest of: “Another Pleasant Valley Sunday”
Posts: Game Journals, From the Couch
April 14, 2011
Thursday, April 14 2011 – Mets 5, Rockies 6 & Mets 4, Rockies 9
When Tuesday night’s game against the Rockies was rained out and a single admission doubleheader (a real and true doubleheader) was announced for Thursday afternoon, which looked to be the first nice day all week, I immediately wanted to go. To the internet I flew like a flash! Tickets were both abundant and cheap and I was sorely tempted to channel my inner Ferris Bueller and play hooky from work.
Alas, after much internal debate I chose the more “adult” option of staying at my desk and getting my work done, clearing the decks in advance of my departure this Sunday afternoon for a week-long business trip in Chicago. I will however be seeing the Chicago Cubs take on the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field (where I’ve been dying to go for some time) so Ferris will be served in some small way.
Click here to read the rest of: “Radio Free Flushing”
Posts: Game Journals, From the Couch
April 11, 2011
Sunday, April 10 2011 – Mets 3, Nationals 7
Monday, April 11 2011 – Mets 6, Rockies 7
Well, you can’t win ‘em all. And I certainly don’t expect to, but when the bullpen blows up a game after a great start it’s a tough loss. Especially after a start like the one Chris Young gave on Sunday afternoon, going 7 full innings and allowing only a single hit and earned run. It seemed like just when you start thinking that the starting rotation might be working out the kinks, the bullpen shines a spotlight on the holes in the Mets’ pitching staff. At least Alderson took quick action and sent Boyer packing to make way for Izzy, who in my opinion should have claimed that final relief spot on day one. And he certainly demonstrated that last night when he shut down the rallying Rockies in the 7th, keeping the score tied in what had already been a rollercoaster game with the lead changing nearly every inning.
I think all Mets fans knew that this was not going to be an easy season by any stretch of the imagination, and that the wins would be hard fought for the most part and lucky for all the rest. But that managed to capture my interest and imagination far more than if they had set themselves up to be the pen and paper goliath the Red Sox were on March 31. It’s why I love the Mets, the victories are earned with blood and sweat and when they do come, they are all the sweeter for it.
Click here to read the rest of: “You Don’t Know Jack”
Posts: Game Journals, From the Couch, Personal History
April 9, 2011
Friday, April 8 2011 – Mets 2, Nationals 6
It wasn’t the coldest Opening Day I’ve been to, but it sure felt like it. That honor went to Opening Day 2007, where the sun was shining bright, but unfortunately much too far from the Northern Hemisphere to make much of a difference. Kate and I were there with a six-month-old Caelyn bundled up and inside Kate’s coat, with only her head sticking out like Quato in Total Recall. We didn’t make it through the whole game that time.
Yesterday was my fifth Opening Day with the Mets and my first at Citi Field. I took a half-day at work and Kate and I drove down with a cooler filled with my homebrewed “Regular Saison” a Petit (session strength) Belgian Saison, an Italian hero to share, and a few bags of pretzels. We “tailgated” beside the bay in the Marina parking lot and for the 100th time inhaled the smell of charcoal and slightly burnt hamburgers and wished we had brought a little grill with us. Next time, next time.
Click here to read the rest of: “Opening Day”
Posts: Game Journals, From the Ballpark
April 6, 2011
Tuesday, April 5 2011 – Mets 7, Phillies 1
Last night’s game has me questioning my principles. It didn’t help that I had just had a discussion about them with my brother-in-law Chris yesterday afternoon on my drive home from work. Chris is a bit older than me and a lifelong Yankee fan, the kind that I really respect, who stayed true to the team throughout the 80s and early 90s when they were nothing like the dynasty they are now. We were rehashing the weekend’s games from both sides of the New York fence, and when I was talking faster than usual – caught up in the joy of Sunday’s slaughter of the Marlins to win the series – he seized the opportunity to point out how I always say that I don’t like watching one-sided games, even when it’s my team that’s doing the slaughtering.
I countered by saying that my logic was sound and my principles unvarnished since this was the rubber game of a difficult series, coming off a devastating opening night loss and a hard fought win on Saturday night where the score was up and down like a rollercoaster and the game not decided until the 10th. After two games like that, a big win on Sunday still made for a good game, exciting in the context of the series if not the game. Besides, he’s also the kind of Yankee fan that admits that while the Yankees winning 162 games year in and year out would be boring, he’d be comforted by it. In the end he conceded my point and I felt the surge of confidence that comes with the sudden (but always fleeting) feeling of being right. And then came last night’s game.
Click here to read the rest of: “On Principles of Slaughter”
Posts: Game Journals, From the Couch
