Thursday, July 09, 2009
TRUE CONFESSIONS. [7-9-09]
Mets v Dodgers
7-9-09
We left the game at the stretch.
The last time we left a game early was June 10, 2008, when Shea was hit by a windstorm and then went into extended rain delay. The time before that was July 13, 2007, and TBF had a migraine. The time before that was September 10, 2006, and I had heat stroke.
You will likely note that the one thing all of those games also have in common is a nasty Mets defeat.
If you’ve followed the blog for any period of time, you know that We Do Not Leave Games Early. We frown at the people who start streaming towards the exits at the top of the 8th inning. We have murmured insults along the lines of “lightweights!” or “Gee, thanks for coming” or “Where are you all GOING?” in previous years as we would watch our section empty out. We have frozen through extra inning games that we have lost. We stay to the bitter end, unless one of us is sick, and even then, it generally takes the other person to insist that we are going RIGHT NOW two or three times before the sick person assents.
Tonight, TBF was the first one to say, “You know, if you want to leave early, just say the word.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, this kind of blows.”
“Because I was going to tell you that I was thinking about leaving but of course you didn’t need to come with.”
“Hell, I’ll go right now.”
Yep, it was that kind of game. But, of course you know that already.
The only good thing about the game tonight was the 11 year old girl sitting in front of us. She was super-excited, she was completely into everything that was going on on the field. She knew every single player on the Mets roster (when I couldn’t think of Pat Misch, she remembered immediately). She knew stats (reminding me that Tatis held the record in double plays). She had definite opinions (asking me why the Mets don’t just plunk the opposing team when they deserve it). She leapt to her feet and jumped up and down when we got that horrible call at second base.
I loved this girl. I wish she sat in front of me at every game. She does not need Jeanne Zelasko to explain anything especially for her. (One might argue that the opposite is probably more true.) She was not wearing anything pink; a black Johan Santana shirt was just fine for her. I hope I run into her again, soon.
I have nothing to say about the Mets right now. The most astute comment during the course of the evening was from one of the people behind us, who exclaimed, “Why is anybody sitting here expecting anything different to happen?” when boos or exclamations of dismay were expressed, loudly, at some other ridiculous something-or-other that happened on the field. This team is what it is. There is no white knight on a horse, there is no miracle coming, I am happy to just continue to watch Mets baseball for the rest of the season, and whatever happens, happens. There is no magic bat or arm out there that will change anything that is happening, and clearly, no one critical is coming back any time soon. There is nothing anyone can do to change that. Boo Jerry, fire Omar, whatever it is, it will be too little, too late, for 2009. I will still be there, but have taken the attitude of a zen monk high on a mountain.
At least until the next catastrophic loss.
Posted by Caryn at 10:17 PM
I was at that abomination too. Yes, I left early too. Don’t feel bad, it was brutally cold and unwatchable.
Jeanne Zelasco annoys me more than any other female broadcaster….oh wait. I forgot about Suzyn Waldman. Ick. Where’s baseball’s Pam Oliver?
I’m with you on the Zen mountain…no magic veteran for multiple million dollar contracts can save the bad luck of the Mets this season. Maybe the Wilpons destroyed any good mojo the team might have had by making Citi Field a generic park and not the home of our beloved Metsies.
I’m going Saturday night…add rain to the misery, and you’ve got an awesome date, no?
Timely post. I went Tuesday (my birthday) and seriously considered leaving early. I’ve never done it, so I stuck it out, but I wasn’t enjoying it. I have tickets for tonight’s game and I’m actually considering not going.
In defense of pink, if the anti-pink-in-sport people ever saw me playing in one of my softball games, I think they’d all pass out and die. I have black & pink glove & shoes (from the Jennie Finch Mizuno collection), and a pink bat bag. One of my volleyball teams has pink w/ black lettered shirts. I <3 pink and I know my baseball. Not everyone wearing pink is a dunce! I will say though as far as Mets gear goes I only have a pink giveaway hat & visor and a gray hat w/ pink lettering from spring training. All the other pink clothes are too frilly foo-foo for my liking. But if they weren’t so frilly foo-foo, believe me I’d own it!
Santos’s flyout in the 8th. I tried so hard but for some reason that out put me over the edge. I just couldn’t watch anymore and had to leave.
I went to this game as well, and I have to say, I had a great time. Of course I had zero expectations, but that actually increased my enjoyment…. when the Mets gave up hit after hit, or Sheffield horribly misplayed that fly ball, all I could say was, “Oh well—that’s our 2009 Mets!”
I used to be that 11-year-old girl. [wistful sigh] Perhaps if she grows up holding onto her enthusiasm, she might replace the current crop of female broadcasters that folks don’t like.
Me, I have to go and scarf up some bleacher seats before the hordes hit (there’s a ceremony coming up).
i hear ya. i went to the first game on Tuesday where we also got destroyed by the Dodgers. Besides the team looking so bad on the field, I was most upset with the fans. I was sitting behind Manny and nobody even made a steroid joke or anything! I thought I was going to get kicked out because what started as me heckling manny turned into me questioning all of the fans’ dedication. I argue that if we were still at Shea, people would have cared. It’s one thing to have a bad game with more than half of your players being minor leaguers, it’s another thing to look around and see bored, lifeless faces, like you’re at a Nationals game. Needless to say, I too left early.
There have been Met teams that were way worse, but at least we knew that. Met teams in the past usually showed that fight to come from behind, usually it would be heart-breaking in the end. This team when it falls behind on the scoreboard it is out for the count.
Ya Gotta Believe feels more like Ya Gotta Bereave with the lineup that is currently wearing orange and blue.
I was at the game on Wednesday, the enthusiasm in the stands has diminished. I only remember one or two “Let’s Go Mets” chants and we WON that night.
I do not blame you for leaving early. I think the Mets left after the top of the first last night.
I typically leave early, unless the game is close. or important. I do this for a number of reasons: often I am with one of my daughters (ages 6 and 8) and in conjunction with that, we live up in CT, so we’re looking at a 2 hour trip home (including the time to get from the seats to the car), and that only goes up if I leave with the masses when the game ends. I would like them to be in bed by 11 (they usually go to bed between 8 and 9), especially on school nights (fortunately it’s now Summer break).
I even leave at times when I am with other Mets fans. It’s really become more of a habit to avoid and beat traffic, which can be unbearable. If I lived closer to the stadium, I doubt I would ever leave, but a 2 hour commute is already hellish at 10:30 PM. If that turns into 3 hours ... well, it just makes the experience that much less enjoyable.
If the game is close and the Mets are in contention, I’m usually staying though. I usually leave somewhere around the middle of the 8th to beat the crowds. I’m about as hardcore and purist a baseball fan as they come ... I’m just also chemically balanced and enjoy comfort.
I have tickets for tonight’s game, and I went on Tuesday as well. Left in the 6th on Tuesday, which is by far the earliest I ever left. Mainly because my 6 year old daughter was going to pieces that late at night, but the abomination on the field didn’t help.
I too ‘was once that 11 year old girl’ but 6 years later, I’ve lost my enthusiaism.I went to the game on Tuesday and as much as I wanted to leave, I didn’t want it to be the first game I left early- I wanted to be there when the Mets ended their streak of innings without scoring a run. I can’t even tell you how bored I was sitting there. Torture. Of course they didn’t score in that game and I felt like kicking myself for sitting through that whole game.
The Mets drive me crazy.
I never leave early, unless the obvious reasons that you mentioned, or if I’m in danger of missing the last train back to NJ (and that’s pretty late). One of my friends actually has a chant (in the tune of “Lets Go Rangers” or “Lets Go Devils”) “Lea-ving Ear-ly” mocking those that head out before the game is finished.
But I was watching the game on TV last night and thinking what I’d do if I had gone (which I almost did), because i would have gotten that same feeling you described.
When I went to Citi Field I had to explain to some guy that the Mets logo on the jacket I was getting was the retro logo (with the more rounded edges on the NY). He was talking to his (I assume) girlfriend saying it was counterfeit. I mean, I’m not 11, I’m a teenager, but that made me feel good.
The Real Resons To Leave Early….
1) The Place is NOT HOME!
2) The Views Suck!!!
3) The tickets are OVERPRICED!!!
4) All they want is our MONEY!!!!
sorry Paul - those are reasons NOT to go in the first place, not reasons to leave a game early that you already paid for.
Sorry I abandoned you all today. The one thing I can’t do on my new iPhone is comment on the blog (something I’ll work on in the offseason, getting some kind of mobile version). Not much I can add, clearly, everyone needed to vent.
and tonight wasn’t any better.
I have a feeling we’re going to go on a 7 or 8 game streak and the 1st half will be all but forgotton! A man can hope at least…
I was at that abomination too. Yes, I left early too. Don’t feel bad, it was brutally cold and unwatchable.