Twitter Poll: Will you still go to Citi Field in 2009?

In an column in the New York Post, Mike Vaccaro writes, in reference to fans still going out to Citi Field, “The remarkable part, in just about every way, is that you may be sabotaging yourselves, and your baseball team, and that part of you that so fiercely  believes that but for the dark cloud permanently hovering above Flushing Bay this could all have been different this year. And will be different next year.”

So I asked my Twitter followers if they will still go out to Citi Field this year.  Here are some responses…

ToneRome1 said: I will go if the tickets are free and beer is at least half price

DonCheech said: Yes.. because I enjoy going to games and i still have tickets for a few more

gmo418 said: Sure, September 6th Krod Bobble head day. Other than that, nope

Gscott1847 said: No because all I have is a Triple A team that reminds me more of the Durham Bulls than a professional baseball team!

benbarbato said: Probably not, unless someone buys for me. Not worth shelling out the $ in hopes they'll have a rare good day.

daICJs said: I'd go cuz I love baseball; but can I get in for free?

harrycalat said: Yep, cuz lots $5-$25 tix in the 400/500s avail on StubHub, plus I still support Johan/Pelf/Murph/Krod & I guess Ollie too.

Mets411Blog said: For the stadium, yes. For the games, no.

maggie162 said: Of course I'm going. Baseball is baseball and the Mets are my team. Plus, with all the whiners gone, the lines will be short

metschick28 said: yes i will. i have tickets i like Citi Field and the wins are still fun. i was there tuesday night and it was alot of fun

dtmfr said: i'll still be going! Have about 7 games left, and until hockey season starts, what other entertainment is there?

dtmfr continued: one other thing - you go for love of the game!

tfc3rid said: I have to, I have Full Season Tickets

TheRealSoxy said: Yes. Because that is where the Mets play and I am a Mets fan.

cutiepie0319k said: yea because i already paid too much money for season tickets not to use them and i'm still a fan regardless.

kdoster said: if I could go to Citi I would still go... This whole Cincinnati thing kinda gets in the way...

rhythmdev9 said: if i was in the tri-sate i'd be there once a week. headed to CHI next weekend, its still baseball and its still my mets

keithmace said: have tickets for sunday but even if I can't sell em not going, don't wanna waste $ @ the field to watch them play

sweetcarolynne said: Yeah I will be going in a couple of weeks! No Rain Please!

Wagner to Putz to K-Rod

Back in April, if you told me the Mets would be sporting Billy Wagner, J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez in the same bullpen in August, I would have danced a jig and bought everyone a round.

Now that the Mets are days away from having this become a reality, I’m barely entertained by the idea.

K-Rod, as of late, has been all over the place.  One day he’s great, the other, not so much.  Putz and Wagner are coming back from long stints on the DL after surgery, so their ability is entirely a crapshoot.

Sitting in 4th place in late August, the idea of these three in the pen is more of a novelty and an audition.

Wagner has already been placed on waivers and Putz is going to try and show the Mets if they should pick up the option on the relief pitcher.

Wagner-to-Putz-to-K-Rod were the things Mets fans dreams were made of before the 2009 season began.  Now, it’s nothing more than an amusing storyline in a dismal season.

Manuel’s Musing

“I want us to pitch well.  Hitting comes and goes.”

-Jerry Manuel on pitching and hitting

Discussion with Kerel Cooper on the additions to Citi Field

Recently, Kerel Cooper of On The Black contacted me for a little Q&A over the new things the Mets have installed in Citi Field.

Here’s the interview…

Thanks again to Kerel for putting this together. Head over to OnTheBlack.com for more great videos about the Mets.

Report: Billy Wagner placed on waivers

In the first move in a process of trading a player this late in the season, the Mets have put Billy Wagner on waivers, reports Adam Rubin and Jayson Stark.

From here, a team can claim Wagner and the Mets can either pull him back or work out a deal.  If a trade is put through, the claiming team will be responsible for some of Wagner’s contract and his buyout for 2010.

“It's unlikely Wagner would be claimed,” Stark wrote.  “Any team claiming him would be on the hook for approximately $2.7 million of his $8.5 million salary for this year, plus a $1 million buyout of his option for 2010. So if, as expected, he goes unclaimed, the Mets would be able to trade him to any interested club.”

Wagner expects to be activated on Thursday, Rubin reported.

Beyond stinker

Revenge, I guess, is a dish best served on a hot Wednesday night in August.

Bobby Parnell made his third start for the Mets and surrendered eight runs in the second inning, just like the Mets did to the Braves the night before.

I called Monday’s game a “stinker.”  Thursday night’s game was so much worse.

Parnell ended up allowing nine hits and nine earned runs, walking two and striking out one in three innings.  Parnell was going to be limited to 100 or so pitches, but was only around to throw 72, 40 for strikes.

The offense pounded out 10 hits, but were only able to plate two runs.  Luis Castillo, Daniel Murphy and Wilson Valdez each picked up two hits, with Murphy knocking a triple in the sixth inning.

Castillo and Angel Pagan drove in the Mets only runs with RBI hits in the third and fifth innings.

Overall, a miserable game.  The highlight may have come when my girlfriends parents appeared on the Kiss Cam at Citi Field.  What a thrill.

A huge tip of the cap to anyone that stayed at Citi Field for the entire thing.  True fans.

Lineup for Game 120

The Mets are hoping yesterday’s fourth inning wasn’t just a one-time deal.  Here’s the lineup that will take the field tonight…

1. Angel Pagan – CF
2. Luis Castillo – 2B
3. Gary Sheffield – LF
4. Daniel Murphy – 1B
5. Jeff Francoeur – RF
6. Fernando Tatis – 3B
7. Omir Santos – C
8. Anderson Hernandez – SS
9. Bobby Parnell – RHP

Hit the comments to discuss the game.

New Shirt: STOP THE WAVE

The Wave is one of the worst things to ever happen to a sporting event.  It’s silly, stupid and bothersome to other fans that might want to …ya know… watch the game.

So, I mocked up these simple shirts.  They’re fairly brash, so wear them proudly.  We must band together to stomp out this evil. 

Please, if you’re heading out to Citi Field (or anywhere else where they play sports and The Wave is popular), buy one and wear it.  Please.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT.  STOP THE WAVE.

This is comical

Each year, three members of each team are selected as nominees for the annual Hank Aaron Award.

Players from the Mets you would expect to be on the list: David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, possibly Gary Sheffield and maybe Jose Reyes.

Players actually on the short list this year: David Wright, Luis Castillo and Angel Pagan.

Wright, Castillo and Pagan are the three Mets selected for the Hank Aaron Award, given “awarded annually to the best overall offensive performer in each league, with each club having three nominees. This is the seventh consecutive year that fans have had a voice in selecting the award winners.”

Says a lot about 2009, doesn’t it?

Sheffield thinks he’s a goner

Gary Sheffield, a brash player who has flown pretty much under the radar this season, is starting to stir the pot a bit.

Sheffield, whom the Mets are paying only $400,000 this year, thinks his days as a Met are numbered.  Sheffield told Larry Brooks on the NY Post that, “Based on what I know now, no, I do not think I will be here.”

He was already placed on waivers and pulled back this season, meaning if the Mets were to dump him, they would not, as Brooks wrote, “be able to negate a claim.”

Sheffield leads the Mets in home runs with 10.

I don’t think there’s a future for Sheffield with the Mets.  He’s getting older when the Mets really need to be getting younger.  He’s 40 and has provided some surprise power that the Mets would otherwise not have.  He was a smart pickup at the time, but there’s no need to hold on to him with a tight fist.