You've got to be ecstatic after the opener. All spring the Mets couldn't hit, and kicked the ball around (45 errors in 35 games). Matsui who looked like Rey Ordonez all spring came out with guns blazing first pitch homer, two doubles, and two walks and looked great on the field too. Piazza hit a bomb which was great to see. Glavine started out struggling in the first, but pitched a nice game after that. Looper and Weathers looked great out of the bullpen. Guitterez has no range at all hopefully Reyes will be back soon. Wiggy layed off some bad pitches and Garcia made some nice plays, but Matsui was the star.

I remember, after his homer on the first major league pitch he saw, that I thought Kaz Matsui was some sort of an answer.

Trax didn't have it, and the bullpen was absolutely awful. Pretty much every pitcher was pulled way too late in the 4th. The bullpen lost thirty games last year and isn't any better this year. Stanton's done. He makes Franco look like he has a lot left. This game was painful to watch. Take a 6-run lead, and give up something like 14 unanswered runs. Piazza does look great though. The offense was great but the pitching really makes you worry.

Nice win by the team in spite of Howe he made some nonsensical moves. Howe could have had Yates come out in the 7th, and warm up Stanton then he took Stanton out too late. Also he pulled our two best offensive weapons Piazza okay because Wilson did a great job in calming down Moreno in the 11th, but Floyd? It luckily wasn't costly move. The bullpen is totally taxed, Matsui had a nice game today two hits two walks he has six walks already. Yates was dominant spotting his 95 fastball also had a good changup Stanton spit the bit, and cost the kid the win.

To my knowledge, I never scored a game on my birthday (41 and proud of it). For me, one of the busiest birthdays ever in terms of things to do was capped by this great victory.

Zeile's RBI double (BTW, when he swung he looked like he was swinging with a cricket bat instead of a Louisville Slugger) was a nice shot. I remember screaming "Run your ass" to Ty Wigginton on TV while the Expos were chasing the ball around.

Also being superstitious, I was walking over to my parents' cat George and scratching him on the head between extra innings. Sleepy kitty brought the Mets luck.

Additionally, the run the Mets scored was their first tally in extra frames since May, 2003 when Piazza hit a two-run homer to beat San Diego. I also scored that one too at Shea (for veteran Met posters/lookers, that was the game where I had to take a wicked whizz and came back in time to see that great ending).

What a great birthday present. Thank you, Mets!

Glavine pitched a masterpiece today as he looked as good as he ever has as a Met. This was a nice win, but a very costly one as the often injured Floyd sprained his quad . The bullpen did the job Stanton cleaned up Weathers' mess, and Looper was dominant in the ninth. Eric Valent had a big homer, but you can't expect much from a guy who hit 218 in the minors last year. Stanton needed just one pitch in the eight. Glavine only struck out one, but was dominant working the corners like the old days with Atlanta.

Ten runs against the Braves without Reyes, Piazza, and Floyd is very impressive. Mets just pummeled Hampton again who lasted two innings. Trax was terrific as he bounced back as usual. Zeile was a terrific pickup. Zeile had a couple big hits along with a great slide. Spencer looks really good a nice catch, and two hits. You gotta love Cameron couple big hits great catch in center. He's fun to watch. Matsui continues to impress. Two more hits, and a walk. Moreno looked good out of the pen, but Roberts whose velocity is way down got hammered. Wheeler imploded in the ninth giving up a run, and loaded the bases. Thankfully Looper saved the team by getting a much needed double play.

I was home for Easter Break from college when I went to see this game. I knew everyone was returning to the dorms that day, but I didn't have class the next day anyways, so I made sure I got tickets for the season opener at Shea. My short stay in NY definitely paid off at the end of it with the Atlanta Braves getting beaten silly in the first few innings of the game. To make it even more memorable, the "I need more money to play in NY, otherwise I'm outta here" Mike Hampton was on the mound getting slaughtered. The memories of chanting "HAMP-TON" and doing the Braves's tomahawk won't leave my mind for quite a while. Now I'm back at school with a Mets banner hung in the window with pride.

Leiter pitched a gem, but as he always does he threw a lot of pitches. The bullpen was tremendous as Weathers got a big double play in the 6th and the 7th. Moreno was dominant in the 8th. The Mets who all game had troubles getting guys in from scoring position finally got big hits from Garcia and Duncan. Looper was dominant in the ninth blowing away Chipper Jones and Julio Franco.

Glavine goes 7 scoreless only to see Orber Moreno and Mike Stanton combine to let the first 7 Pirate batters score in the 8th (single, single, single, walk, single, single, hit by pitch, single, sac fly, RBI grounder). Pirates went on to sweep that series at Shea putting an early damper on the year.

This in my circles is the famous Moshe Laster $2 game. 10 years ago yesterday.

Seo made two mistakes, and it cost him the game. Other than that he pitched really well. The Mets are trying to bring back the dead ball era all by themselves. Piazza looks broken down bases loaded, and he grounds to Maddux for a back breaking double play, and that was it.

Nice win vs. a Bond-less Giants team. Trachsel went 8 and Jason Phillips & Mike Cameron provided some nice clutch offense.

Like everyone else, I was royally irked that Barry Bonds sat out with a "sinus infection." However there was some compensation (other than the win). Donald Trump was at the game. As soon as he sat down the shouts of "You're Fired!" started. The first 5 or 6 times were funny, but by the 7th inning it was getting to be annoying. I guess the poor guy, I mean VERY VERY wealthy guy hears it all the time. But Trump was very courteous when fans wanted to take his picture. I got one with him smiling with his very very eye delicious "significant other" sitting next to him. I bet Trump never let a "sinus infection" prevent him from becoming who he is. Maybe he told Barry Bonds "You're Fired" before the game.

Went to this game with my wife of 1 year. Our fisrt Met game together. We had great covered Loge seats, Which was big as there was a long rain delay. Barry Bonds didn't play as he was out with an illness. The fans were dissapointed, however the Mets played well and won the game after the long delay. We had a great time and came back to see Mike's record breaking homer against the Rockies.

This was the first game I attended in 2004. As has been the habit of my first game of each season, Mike Piazza has hit a Home Run. He successfully did this in 1999, 2000 and 2001 previously. In his defense, he did not play in my first game of 2003.

He would do it this year, in his first AB against Jerome Williams. however, and this one was memorable. This was #352.

Then the rains came, and some concern that the game would be called. My friend and I stood in the ramps and mused over, should the came be called, how many times we would have to hear Fran Healy say "He had to break the record...TWICE!"

But no, the game resumed, the Mets blasted the Giants pen in the 8th, and Mike did not have to break the record twice.

This is a game I will remember for a long time. Some dramatic moments that reminded me of the playoffs in 2000, when Weathers struck out Feliz with the bases loaded, and of course Piazza's dramatic game winning home run over the head of the best player in baseball.

Just a total pitching classic between two of the top pitchers. Leiter was much more efficent than he usually is. Leiter got Bonds out three times as the crowd was jacked. Schimdt was dominant for the Giants. Garcia hit a huge homer to tie it up. Weather came in the 11th , and got a huge out to end the inning with a 3-2 slider to Felix with the bases loaded. We saw by far the most emotion we've ever seen from Howe. Piazza hit the walk off homer in the 11th. Just a great great game.

Piazza walk-off HR to end it in the 11th.

Mets pitching got Bonds out the first 3 times, walked him intentionally in the 9th (no one on, 2 outs) and in the 11th (1 man on, 2 outs) and it worked both times.

Went back to NY after 13 years. Took our 8-month-old son to his first ever ball game. Watched Piazza win it in the 11th. Was surprised Leiter pitched 8 IP end gave up only 1 ER.

Of all the home runs that Metal Mike hit for the New York Mets, this one is 3rd best in my opinion right after the one he hit vs the Braves in Game 6 of the 1999 NLCS and of course the dinger he hit on that emotional night of Sept 21st of 2001. Still remember the back page of the next day's Daily News where Piazza is celebrating with the headline screaming: SHEA GOOD NIGHT!

This game has been immortalized forever courtesy of a Mets bottle opener that I now use as a good luck charm. Whenever you open a bottle with it, Gary Cohen's dramatic call plays out of a small speaker:

"Brower delivers. And a drive in the air to deep left field, back goes Bonds to the track, near the wall, jumping... IT'S OUTTA HERE!!! MIKE PIAZZA WINS THE GAME!!! A line drive homer over the left field wall, and the Mets win it in the bottom of the 11th inning!"

Will never forget this game because I sat right in front of the Mets on deck circle, and after getting Piazza’s attention I told him “Mikey’s gonna go Yard, Mikey’s going yard” in the 11th, and he smiled and tipped his cap at me. Then he went and hit the walk off home run, and told the usher to give his batting gloves to the kid who called the home run. Still have the glove till this day AND they have a video clip of me doing the Wayne’s World I’m not worthy bow, which has been in multiple Mets documentaries and is also in Piazza’s Hall of Fame documentary. Best Mets moment EVER!!

An important game for not only the road trip, but maybe the entire season for this team. Glavine and Johnson hooked up in an incredible pitching duel and Kaz Matsui's leadoff HR winds up being the ONLY run. After two straight losses, the Mets right the ship, sparking them to four wins in the next five games on the trip. After the downers of the last week, when the Mets looked DEAD, this was one of the early season's highlights.

Huge clutch performance by Glavine. After the first two nights in Arizona all the newspapers and radio shows said we were done. Glavine pitches a beaut of a game giving the taxed bullpen rest. Matsui hit a leadoff homer which was all we got or needed vs Randy Johnson.

Joe McEwing had a single off Randy Johnson leading off the sixth inning. Johnson retired the next six batters before leaving the game.

In his next outing, Randy Johnson pitched a perfect game, and in the outing after that, he retired the first six batters he faced. So over three appearances, Johnson retired 39 consecutive batters.

Went to this one with a bunch of friends. I remember Matsui hitting the leadoff HR on the second pitch of the game, I believe. Most of my friends thought it was the most boring game they've ever been to, but I enjoyed the pitching matchup.

Floyd returns, and hits a granny off of Oswalt as the Mets continue to roll another great start from Trax who has become an elite starter.

The man the myth the legend James Baldwin gets another start, and yet again stinks it up barely getting out of the 4th. The Mets make a valiant comeback as Phillips had a couple of doubles, but the Astros got a couple tack on runs against Moreno and Stanton.

Matt Ginter gets his first start, and pitches 5 and two thirds of impressive baseball as he keeps the Mets in the game while Clemens dominates the Mets. Ginter actually got the first hit for the Mets. The ump blows a call in the 6th as Ensberg was off the bag by a huge margain. Looper came into the ninth loaded the bases, but brilliantly got out of the jam. Valent doubled to start the ninth , and Piazza hit a bomb off of Dotel to tie it up. The Mets bullpen did a great job in , and in the 13th Phillips hits the game winning homer.

It was Pepsi can free bleacher admission night. We had a share in season tickets behind third base until this season. We had to give them up because of the price increases and my dad's disappointment with Fred Wilpon. So, this was a first for me sitting in the bleachers. I went with my friends Billy and Angela. There were some rowdy people such as a guy taunting Jim Edmonds and even a few Yankee's fans rowdying up the Met's fans. One even flipped everyone off (errrr). It turned out to be a pitching matchup between Steve Trachsel and Jeff Suppan. The Cardinals finally went up 1-0 in the eighth off of Mike Stanton and another who I cannot remember. Unfortunately, it stayed that way. But, we still had an awesome time.

This was my 2 kids' first Mets game. It was also my daughter's birthday, and I wrote in to have her name put up on the scoreboard during the birthday announcements. It was a fabulous day, weather-wise and baseball-wise. We almost saw the first Mets no-hitter. I really wanted it more for them than for anything. I could have told them one day down the road that they saw a piece of history.

Todd Zeile hit a 3 Run Home Run to tie the game and hit a go ahead Home Run in the 10th to account for all 5 of the Mets runs in this 5-3 win over the Phillies.

Zeile comes up huge again first hitting a three run homer to tie it then hitting a two run homer to win it. Quite a week for Zeile. Glavine was pretty solid for the Mets.

This was an ugly game to score and an ugly game to witness at Shea Stadium.

Everything that went wrong did. First, my friend Jordan decided not to show up for the game because he thought the weather was going to be bad. It was overcast, but it did not rain.

Second, I had to sit amongst MARLINS fans. That's right... Marlins fans were at the game. There were two little brats behind me who constantly kept clapping and saying "Luis Castillo, yay!" (clap, clap, clap) or "Hee Seop Choi, yay!" (clap, clap, clap). To my left were about six Marlins fans wearing out-of-date teal jerseys and batting helmets screaming their lungs out and berating the Mets.

Normally, I don't give any overzealous fan who roots for the road team the business at the game. However, when the Mets went up 5-2, I flashed dirty looks at those little punks behind me and shook my fist menacingly at the Marlins fans, who were literally shrinking in their seats.

Unfortunately, that didn't last long because of Damien Easley's three-run pinch home run. When they started screaming again, I yelled over, "HEY! YOU DIDN"T GO AHEAD! WHAT"RE YOU CHEERING FOR?" That sort of worked. They shut up until they got the lead again.

In the bottom of the ninth, Piazza led off against Benitez. And if you posters/readers read my comments from the 9 May 2003 game against SD, then you will recall about how I took a piss just before Mike won the game in extra frames. Well, guess what? I had to take a wicked whizz, so after I relieved myself, guess what? Piazza homered to bring the Mets within one. However, Dan #$%@!@ Wheeler gave up a tack-on run in the top of the frame for a tough loss. I never left the ballpark so humiliated.

I did get a measure of revenge the next day, because the Amazin's skinned the fish and I was there at Shea to see it. Happily, there was one Marlins fan amongst a sea of happy Mets fans who went home disappointed.

A breeze of a game for the Mets until the 9th when Braden Looper came in with a 5-0 lead to close it out and almost coughed it up. I remember standing outside the center field gate with my son waiting for the game to end so we could walk in and run the bases after it ended. The wait seemed like an eternity as we heard lots of boos and groans going on inside. No one in line with us had a radio or cell phone to see what was happening, but then we finally heard the final cheer and knew the Mets had escaped with a victory.

Cameron missed two cutoff men by 40 feet, allowing Matthew Lecroy, one of the slowest men in the league, to score from first on a double by Jose Offerman in the bottom of the 9th. An absolutely horrendous play by Cameron, which wasted a pretty good outing by Matt Ginter.

What I remember about this game was this: It was weird to see the Mets play in Kansas City (an AL town) and that Ch. 11 which broadcast the game was the only VHF channel in New York NOT to cover the funeral of Ronald Reagan. If you didn't have cable in NYC that night there was the Mets, PAX- TV and the 2 local Spanish stations with their programming and little else.

The culimation of an awful week. The Mets couldn't do anything right. They botched a couple of bunts. Bad baserunning as Matsui rounded second and was thrown out with two outs, and Piazza on deck. Weathers as usual stinks it up giving up a run in the eighth. The Mets tie it upon a big hit by Zeile, but he undoes his good deeds by running from second and being doubled up on a Matsui liner. Howe for some reason sent Weathers out for the ninth, and typically he lost the game.

This was the infamous game where either David Weathers or Art Howe threw a trash can in the clubhouse after the loss.

I remember this game well because it was one of the final games that I took my dad to before he passed with cancer. It was a Sunday, "Salute to the Negro Leagues" game, that had the Royals wearing their Home Kansas City Monarchs unis while the Mets wore uniforms of the New York Cubans. Tom Glavine pitched a fantastic seven innings, which was needed after the Royals took the first two of the three game, weekend series. One play I remember vividly was when Mike Piazza hit a home run out to straight-away center field, which Carlos Beltran (still with the Royals) chased and collided with the CF wall, injuring himself.

I was at this game and it was great! It was Mike Piazza night and they were celebrating Mike Piazza and all the famous catchers were there like Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra, Carlton Fisk, and, of course, they were playing the Tigers so Lance Parrish was a coach and Pudge Rodriguez is their catcher so they were there too. It was 2-0 Tigers because of a base hit and a home run by Dmitri Young but then it was second and third for Tom Glavine and he got a 2-run base hit. Then it was another Mike who ended it in the bottom of the ninth: Mike Cameron, who drove one into the seats in left and the Mets won.

I was at that game with my dad my uncle and my cousin and it was great throughout the game. Mike Cameron hit the game winning home run and that's when he started to do the Sammy Sosa trot when he hits home runs. Also all the great catchers were there due to Mike Piazza night. It was so cool. Also I caught a foul ball by the Tigers' Omar Infante.

Mike Cameron did it again. Another game-winning hit! Bottom of the 10th, Cameron steps up and hits it into left and it ends like that again.

This was Jose Reyes' first appearance of 2004. He tripled in the 10th but was forced out at home after the Tigers walked the bases loaded. But Mike Cameron saved the day with a walkoff single.

Also Jose Parra's Mets debut, my scorecard says.

6-1 Mets! A clearly smooth game. Hidalgo earned his $12 million with a homer today!

Great Game! Had great seats to the game and in the 1st inning Richard Hidalgo made a great play to get the lead off man out at second. Casey was a monster hitting 2 home runs and getting 5 hits. Kaz was getting booed almost every at bat. Fun game to watch and the longest game I have attended so far.

Not a bad game until Cameron forgot how to catch. Stanton actually does what is needed of him and gets Junior to fly out to center, but not if Mike Cameron has anything to say about it. Was at this game with my friend. I've never seen so many people mad at one person.

Great Mets-Yankees game. I went to this game and I had great seats (right behind home plate) and it was Steve Trachsel vs. Mike Mussina but the park was invaded by Yankee fans so I was screaming at them for the entire game.

There was a rain delay and some ceremonies and stuff and the game started late and, when the Mets took the field, Bernie Williams and Derek Jeter came up to the on-deck circle and, because I was right there, I got to see Derek Jeter's face up close the day after he dove into the stands at Yankee Stadium against the Red Sox and got all banged up and let me tell you, he looked like an ape.

Anyway, the Mets ended up bashing Mussina, especially Kaz Matsui, who hit 2 homers and Richard Hidalgo, who hit one. The Mets won the game 11-2 and I was so happy the Mets won and we came out of the stadium jumping up and down and taunting all the Yankee fans.

Quite possibly the greatest Met-Yankee game of all-time and it was exactly like another one that occured 5 years ago: second game of the series at Shea stadium, see-saw battle, lots of homers, it's got all of that! Anyway, the Yankees and Mets kept on sending back and forth and then in the seventh, Shane Spencer doubled in the go- ahead run for the Mets to make it 9-8 but then the Yankees tied it with a sac fly and then John Franco came in and the bases were loaded and a 3- 0 count to Jorge Posada, but then Franco threw a strike on the outside corner, a strike on the inside corner, and then froze him with strike 3 and then, in the bottom of the ninth, with the bases loaded, Shane Spencer steps up and hits a weak grounder and the pitcher picks it up and throws it away and the METS WIN!

The Wigginton homer got me a free beer from my friend Jay. Thanks Wiggy!

How sweep it is. Finally the Mets sweep the evil empire. It felt so good to see all the Yankees fans cry.

Great game-- all I really remember is we were all hoping for a sweep and Wigginton homered, Hidalgo extended his homer streak to 4, and then, when it was tied 5-5, Wigginton stepped up and hit a no-doubter, and, when Looper came in and struck out Giambi, the Mets had swept and I came out with my broom and taunted all the Yankee fans everywhere!

It was the 4th of July and it was great when the Amazin's beat the Bronx Evil Empire. I was on cloud nine and the Yankee fans were NOT happy to see me taunt them because they can dish it out but can't take it. I wish I was at this game but I watched on TV. The next day, me and a friend went to see Spiderman 2 and while waiting on line to get into the theater (I was wearing my black Piazza #31 shirt). A creepy looking guy in Yankee hat saw my Mets shirt and told me "To Take Shirt Off". I told him "I'm NOT Taking **** Off, Pal".

Ty gives Steinbrenner a very unhappy birthday

I can't remember what I had for breakfast last week but I can still remember that creepy Yankees fan telling me to take off my METS shirt and hat. He was TOTALLY CREEPY, we're talking "DATELINE NBC-TO CATCH A PREDATOR" creepy and another thing, it's guys like him and many other Stankee fans make me say this all the time "THANK GOD, I'M A METS FAN"!!!!!

Nice game, at a point in time where the Mets were still in the thick of things, and there was a certain Buzz in the air in what was the first game of the second half of the season.

Trachsel and Milton dueled it out early on. Neither team had a hit through 3 innings. Reyes and Matsui had back to back doubles to start the 4th though, and then Trachsel himself singled home a run in the 5th.

Trachsel had his good stuff this night. Had a no-hitter into the 5th inning, but he ran out of steam quickly, and was gone after Abreu hit a 2-run HR in the 6th to tie the game up.

And so it went. Zeroes through the late innings as each team's bullpen did an admirable job. Looper got out of a couple of jams in the 9th and 10th, but the Mets couldn't break through against Madson in their half of those innings.

Meanwhile, in the Upper Deck, the Philly fans surrounding me began to get more and more annoying, as they nicknamed all of their players.

"LET'S GO, LIE-BEE!"

Lie-bee?

"TAKE HIM OUT, J-ROL!"

J-Rol?

Philly put Roberto Hernandez in to start the 11th. He walked Piazza, followed by Uncle Art pinch running for him with Vance Wilson. This prompted my friend to turn into John McEnroe. "YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!" he yelled.

After a Floyd single and a walk to Spencer, the bases were loaded for Wigginton. 1 out.

"COME ON, MADSON, LET'S GET OUT OF IT!" the Philly fans yelled.

Some fans. They didn't even pay attention to who was pitching.

Wiggy lined a comebacker that Hernandez made a kick save on, picked it up, and threw a palm ball home which "Lie-bee" couldn't handle. Vance scored, and the Mets had a niifty little win, and I got to whoop it up in front of the Philly fans.

How fleeting it would be...

Ugh... I was at this game.

Down 6-0 before we get our first at bat, it looked pretty grim. Then to be up 7-6 by the end of 3rd, simply amazin!

Then, of course, the Mets lost anyway.

Thinking back to those days makes me SOOO happy to have Willie Randolph managing the Mets. He makes some bonehead moves here and there, but I still accept it graciously. Why? Because he's not Art Howe!

Piazza got hurt on a play at 1B (ironically one of his worries about moving to the position) and this game was really the beginning of the end for him.

David Wright made his debut that game, and in his first at bat, he popped out to the catcher who caught the ball half way in the dugout.

The very 1st game David Wright and Jose Reyes played together :)

David Wright's first MLB hit was a double inb the 5th inning off Zach Day.

So I take my wife to this game. It is a beautiful late summer Saturday evening and we have decent seats in the mezzanine section behind home plate. I'm telling my wife that the last time I sat here was back in 1977 and Steve Garvey hit a foul ball that I just missed off the tip of my glove and watched someone else get. Annoyed me for years. I tell her that maybe we'll get another chance tonight as this is good foul ball territory. We have aisle seats as that is her preference. Couple of innings into the game Andruw Jones fouls one off and in an instant, I know it is on a direct trajectory for us! I've got two options, 1. push her out into the aisle so I can reach the ball or 2. stretch for it and hope I can snag it away from the guy sitting in front of us. I glance at her, she glares back, option 2. I try to straddle her and reach for it but the guy sitting in front of me wearing a Mets jersey with WEINSTEIN emblazoned on the back simply remains sitting in his chair and makes a lazy basket catch into his mitt. The fans cheer and several off duty NYC Fireman even begin chanting his name! I don't know what happened the rest of the night. Didn't care either.

David Wright's first major league homer was in this game. Anybody recall which Expo pitcher it came off?

I was at that game. Uggh. I can't remember who Wright hit that home run off, but I remember thinking as he was circling the bases that it was the first of many we'd enjoy.

The only pitcher I remember clearly is Todd Zeile, who pitched late in the game. A disgrace.

Ed K--Expo hurler John Patterson was the one who served up Wright's first dinger.

I can't believe no one has commented on this game. This is the one where Eric Valent hit for the cycle and where that guy at Olympic Stadium was made the bet with Mike Cameron that he would leave his seat if he hit a home run. He had been riding Mike since the game started, and while he never left his seat, he finally stopped talking after Mike hit his second homer of the game.

Black Friday. The day the Mets traded away three of the gems in their farm system (Huber,Peterson and the big one, Kazmir). They entered the day six games out, destined to end the weekend nine out and the season over. This is the day hope died for not just 2004, but the foreseeable future. If perception is everything, then these moves underlined a permanency of an era. For most of the 60's they were laughable. Then they were Amazin' and contenders. They fell into cheapness and mismanagement, but after three bad years began a gradual resurrection. They were glorious and yet underachieving in the late 80's. But since? Doomed.

That afternoon we heard of Bob Murphy's passing, he gave us a happy recap from heaven. Mets thumped the Brewers.

This game was the start of Yadier Molina killing the Mets.

I was at this game. It was miserable. Rained steadily throughout most of the game. I don't know what the announced attendance was for this one, but I can tell you there looked to be about 143 people in attendance. The only good thing that happened was the Mets offered free tickets to anyone who actually came to the game, and the free tickets I ended up with turned out to be Kris Benson's shutout of the Braves.

Vance Wilson finally gets some real playing time and proves that he should be the regular catcher. Vance goes 3 for 5 with two doubles, a single and drives in 2 RBI, besides providing the usual outstanding defense.

A bittersweet day for Mets fans: they sweep a doubleheader from the Rockies, however in the second game the Rockies backup catcher (Closser?) takes out poor Joe McEwing at secondbase in an attempt to breakup a double play. The slide looked dirty, as the catcher clearly overslid the bag and seemed to be aiming for Joey Mac. McEwing ended up heaped in a painful pile - suffering a broken leg and ending his season. Strangely enough, the very next inning, Braden Looper beans Closser in the leg on the first pitch of his at bat. . . and Looper is given the ol' heave-ho from the ump. . . A great game.

Three-hit shutout for Cory Lidle, who also hit a bases-clearing double off Al Leiter in the second inning.

The day started on an emotional note with a touching pre-game ceremony acknowledging the third anniversary of the dreadful terror attacks. For a long time it looked as if the Mets were going to coast to a rare and easy victory, holding a 6-2 lead through the sixth inning. Then the Phillies began scoring off the belaguered bullpen (WHY would Looper be brought out for a five-inning save?!) but the Mets kept tying the score. The crowd, frustrated by the home team's inability to put away the game, was energized by Billy Wagner's ejection for brushing back Cliff Floyd in the bottom on the ninth. Then the Mets tied the score at 9, forcing extra innings. Unfortunately, the Mets' momentum was shot after that; they got on base numerous times in the tenth through twelfth innings to no avail. Tired, hungry and fed up with the many time-consuming pitching changes, we left at the end of the twelfth with the score still tied. As soon as we got the car and turned on the radio, the Phillies had an 11-9 lead. At least we got to see Victor Diaz's first hit and RBIs.

This game, played on the third anniversary of 9-11, saw a final score of 11-9.

After nine innings, both teams had 9 runs and 11 hits.

I attended this double-dip only hoping for 1 thing out of it: to see Heliman give up 3 or less runs (win or lose). Well, I saw him pitch pretty good, except for the inning when he gave up 4 runs. He did receive credit for the win when the Mets rallied for some runs after he was pinch-hit for. So I guess it was a positive trip for me in the end. The night-cap was as dreary as most of the season has been. {Is anyone else out there happy that Kazmir out-pitched Pedro Martinez at Fenway? This should prove once again to the Mets to stop listening to 'The Commitee', & start doing what should be done. "He will not be major league ready until 2005 or 2006"- The LawGiver, Rick Peterson}

Attended this game by virtue of some freebies given out unceremoniously by Freddie and the gang for sitting through a miserable, soggy night at Shea in August. Little do I realize the treat I was in for.

Wright smoked a HR off Ortiz to lead off the 2nd. A beauty off the Loge seats in LF. Valent and Floyd added HRs later on in the game. Wright added a double and single, but fell short of the cycle in his last AB. I don't think triples are his forte.

Our old pal Mr. Chips was booed lustily throughout, as per usual.

But this night belonged to Kris Benson, who tossed his 2nd ML Shutout in this one. His one previous was also against Atlanta, in June, 2000. Benson had his stuff from the first inning on, was perfect into the 5th, didn't walk anyone, 7Ks, didn't allow a runner past 2nd and, thankfully, was able to talk Uncle Art into letting him finish.

Fortunately, Benson has been locked up for a few seasons, so let's hope he can deliver some more games like this one. He simply dominated in this game.

I shlepped up to Montreal for my 2nd annual final trip to Montreal (and unfortunately my last). Other than Piazza hitting a moon shot over the centerfield wall, nothing exciting about this game.

Steve Trachsel scored from first on a triple by Gerald Williams. I met Steve the following day and told him how I was impressed with his base running skills. He said he was still huffing and puffing when he took the mound the following inning. After he got that single he held up the game for a couple of minutes so he could get his jacket. Which is silly, because the game was indoors. The Expos fans booed him for the rest of the game.

The afternoon before this game, Major League Baseball had a big meeting in Montreal to determine if the Expos would stay in Montreal for another season. Jean-Luc, my "French Connection" up there said he saw this big newspaper reporter who only covers the Expos when something REALLY big is going down. The next day it was announced that this would be the last season for the Expos and that they were moving to Washington DC in 2O05.

Which was even more weird 'coz the NHL lockout began a couple of days before so Montreal must have been this big ghost town that winter. Which sucks 'coz Montreal is a great baseball town (obviously taking a big back seat to hockey).

Anyway Glavine pitched a gem and I felt a bit sad afterwards thinking that this would be it for Les Expos.

0ddly enough I ran into Jean-Luc at Shea for the final game of the year vs. Les Expos. He and 2 buses of "Habitants" came down to bid adieu to Les Expos. He told me that a few days after the Mets game up there when the Expos played their last game, Stade Olympic became the biggest funeral home in Canada with just about everyone, including him, crying their eyes out after the game.

This was a game that the Cubs needed to stay in the wild-card chase; the game was moved to a 1:20 start for Fox Network and they were so many Cubs fans in the stands that it looked like Wrigley East (sans the ivy-covered wall). Craig Brazell (thanks for stopping by) hit one out and then Victor Diaz, who was a Cubs fan growing up, smacking the game-winning home run to put a dent in the Cubs post-season plans.

Only game I've ever seen from a Shea luxury box and it was a Met come-from-behind victory.

Yes, I was one of the few that even bothered to go to this game. They went through the motions, pretty much as they did the entire second half. The highlight of the evening was the $2.00 Ball Park hot dogs. Great job, Fred!

This would be the last year that the Mets had Ballpark as their official hot dogs when in 2005 they wisely replaced BP with the wonderful Nathan's Famous which is still with the Mets!!

Attended this game, primarily for the esoteric value of seeing the last game in the history of Les Expos. Additionally, there was all sorts of hoopla surrounding the retirement of Todd Zeile, which was nice, Zeile was certainly a consummate professional and a great team guy, but odd considering he spent a small percentage of his career as a Met. The team played well, mostly spurred by David Wright. Zeile went out in style, smashing a 3-run HR in his last AB. Many Expos fans were present, which is sad, because there were probably more of them in attendance at Shea this day than at any game in Montreal in the last 10 years. It's disheartening to think about what the franchise could have been, and how they never recovered at all from the strike in 94. It was over once they were bought out by MLB, who did nothing whatsoever to try to save Baseball in Montreal, and never gave them a chance to be fully competitive over a full season (low budget, inability to call up minor-leaguers in September, etc.) Baseball in Montreal will be missed, and it remains to be seen whether or not the Washington franchise (Senators? Congressmen? Lobbyists? Patriots? Flash? Obscurity?) can turn the corner of what was once a successful franchise that never put it together.

Overall, a nice game, good sendoffs for Zeile and probably Franco as well, and a victory to send Howe off into the sunset.

So the Expos lose to the Mets in their last game in history.

Well, the Expos won their first game in history when they beat the Mets on Opening Day 1969. I've been waiting for this one ever since!

The Mets bid farewell on (another) disappointing season and they bid farewell to fan favorite Todd Zeile. Now that Todd is part of the Hollywood community, in his farewell speech he started off by plugging his upcoming movie that he's producing and co-starring. And in "Hollywood" fashion, he hit a home run in his final at bat. How ironic that he ended his career with 2,004 hits.

The Mets possibly bid farewell to (Brooklyn's own) John Franco. Again the irony was he retired his final batter by having him pop out to catcher Todd Zeile.

And finally, the Mets bid adieu to the Montreal Expos, as they played their final game as the Montreal Expos. A great deal of Habitants came down from Quebec to say au revior to Les Expos. Some were glad to be part of history, some were irate, yet all were sad to see their Expos go, some even broke down. Even I, a staunch Mets fans who never liked the Expos felt a lump in my throat.

It's a shame that a nice city like Montreal is losing their baseball team. I went a couple of times to Montreal and had a blast at Stade Olympique (Olympic Stadium), except when the Mets lost. Nevertheless it was a thrill to see baseball history, a dark chapter, but still baseball history.

Game 162 of 2004. This looked like THE SEASON for the Mets- the season that would change it all. The Mets were going to be World Champs for a third time. The Mets had swept the Yankees and had gone on a streak and, now, it was all over.

This game was also special for three other reasons:

• I went to this game and it was the 5 year anniversary of the Mets win over the Pirates to bring them to game 163 against the Reds that would catapult them to the playoffs in 1999.
• It was the Expos' last game as the Montreal Expos. (They're going to be the Washington Nationals.)
• It was Todd Zeile's last game.

With all that in mind, I went to the game and watched the Mets destroy the Expos, including Todd Zeile hitting a HR in the last at bat of his career.

I felt a little bad for the Expos because I looked around the stadium and I realized the Expos had never had that many fans and maybe they would've if there was no strike in '94 and they had actually gone to the series. Oh well, the whole Washington thing won't work out and they'll end up going to Las Vegas.

If this was any other game on the last day of the season, and the Expos, Todd Zeile, and John Franco weren't playing thier last games, I probably would have declined to go and watched football that Sunday instead. But since I had waited about 3 years for Franco and the inexplicable control that he had on the front office when they made decisions to pack up and leave, I wanted desperately to go.

The Mets downed the Expos, and Todd Zeile had a homer in his last at-bat. Zeile isn't exactly my favorite Met of all time, but I always appreciated him since he was the only guy that stepped it up in that 2000 Subway Series. It was sad to see him go. He was a good clubhouse guy, unlike Franco. Don't let the door hit you in the rear on the way out Johnny! You did some great things for this team, but you more than wore out your welcome! See ya!

Zeile was not the first player to hit a homer for the Mets in his final MLB at-bat. Mike Cubbage did it at the end of the 1981 season, and Chris Jelic did it in his brief MLB career in 1990. I don't know about Cubbage, but in Jelic's case, he probably did not know it was his final MLB game.

Went to this game because I went to the first Expo game in 1969. Still have the tickets for both games. Left the first game when the Mets fell behind 11-6 and missed Duffy Dyer's pinch hit blast. Stayed for the entire last game and saw Zeile go out in style. Felt bad for the truly loyal Expo fans who travelled far to see the finale.

Can the SNY people find a copy of this historic game and show it as a METS CLASSIC as they have in recent weeks re-aired the 1988 NL East clincher, Piazza's Mets debut, and the '05 walk off win vs the Angels etc.....