Saturday, June 17, 2006

the boys are back in town

First Friday after the roadtrip. The clock ticked ever so slowly towards the end of the day and at 5 I changed into game gear, waved at my manager (who is also a Mets fan… our server nominclature is, I have just discovered, current and former Mets. Although I have to question the decision to have named a former server Ishii). Everyone is in good spirits. The parking lot is full. The ticket lines are long. The rest of the Tuesday-Friday group in my section are bright-eyed and we talk through the Greek Heritage dancing pre-game about Arizona and LA and Philly.

So this game was not what we wanted it to be and not what we expected it to be but since when do we start booing AARON HEILMAN? Since the start of the season everyone was campaigning as hard as tobacco lobbyists for him to be in the starting rotation.  Willie should have pulled him out ASAP and we could see Bradford warming up out in the bullpen.  Heilman needs a break, but let’s not boo him.

Christ, in my section they were booing everyone, including David Wright and Jose Reyes. I know, Friday night bandwagoneers, Fathers Day folk, but SINCE WHEN DO WE BOO OUR OWN PEOPLE for no good reason? Maybe they weren’t as good as they were in Arizona or Philly but aside from one fly ball I didn’t think Lastings Milledge particularly hustled to get, NO ONE on that field did (or didn’t) do anything worth BOOING.

I am not anti-boo. I lived in a Western city in which, if you booed, security would come and tell you that it was against stadium policy because it was considered non-sportsman-like. Please, boo IF THEY DESERVE IT. Not just because you can. Not because of one game or one failed save on Heilman’s part.

This team is LEADING not just the division, but the LEAGUE and has one of the best records in baseball and your idea of a good time is to come to Shea and boo them.

Morons.

Quote: “You mean I almost killed myself driving here for this?”—guy coming in Gate B in reference to the commemorative QUARTER - not coin, which made it sound distinguished, of substance, all Franklin Mint-like - handed out last night.

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