I.G.T Mets at Boston 5/23/2009

[Gwreck]

This was a fantastic game to be in attendance. It's been quite a while since I've seen such a good game in person, and certainly not at a road game.

I'd conservatively estimate about 15% Mets fans in the park, but they were appropriately loud when called for and got some good "Let's Go Mets" chants going.

I thought we had a good chance of giving Papelbon a much-deserved comeuppance but after Wright struck out I'll admit to having thought that chance had passed. It was clearly a home run and the video review was perfunctory at best. Jerry was out of the dugout immediately and Joe West just put his hand up right away, clearly indicating that the review would be done.

Whole Mets dugout was out on the field as Santos and Sheffield came back.
Don't know what Francona was complaining about so much after the umps ruled it a homer.

Reyes was hitting and taking balls at shortstop in pregame warmups today and looked fine there -- I guess it's just the running that he can't do. Glad to see that Ramon Martinez looked a bit more like a major league-caliber player tonight.

The Red Sox have a nice little ballpark there in Boston -- I hadn't been in more than 10 years and they've certainly spruced the place up a bit. Food is nothing special but the atmosphere around the park is great. Somehow I managed to avoid heading to the Cask and Flagon for a post-game celebratory beverage though -- just didn't seem like the wise thing to do at that point.

Funny how we can have the worst loss of the year and the best win of the year in the same week.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Just finished watching on Sunday Morning Baseball. (Thanks, TiVo!)

What a fabulous game.

If that ninth inning happened in the postseason we'd still be talking about it 30 years from now.

[Guest Edgy DC]

With Boston out of that horrible getup they wore in game one, las night was an orgy of fine uniform tops.

In fact, Boston's home whites and the Mets' road grays is about as good as it gets.

[Frayed Knot]

="Gwreck"] It was clearly a home run and the video review was perfunctory at best. Jerry was out of the dugout immediately and Joe West just put his hand up right away, clearly indicating that the review would be done.

Or at least that they wanted to talk about it first - although I don't quite understand why the long discussion and then the video review.

]Don't know what Francona was complaining about so much after the umps ruled it a homer.

Speculation about what Francona was talking about after the decision (especially since the rules say you can't argue about a replay review) was about Shines making contact w/Sheffield as he rounded 3rd. That's not allowed if it's done to help hold up a runner although I'm not sure exactly how the rule reads and this one was more like Sheff running into Shines than it was a coach going over the line to keep his runner n the base.




P.S. anyone who hasn't seen the replay of Santos's face as he sprinted down to and around 1st needs to do so ASAP.

[metirish]

I loved when they showed a shot of Papelbon cooling his heals in the dugout Gary remarked that he has that " Calvin Schiraldi look about him"... So glad they they had this game and not FOX.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Linky?

[bmfc1]

As mentioned, I was lucky enough to be at Saturday's game. You saw it, and may never forget it, so I'll limit my comments to our trip to Fenway:

It was a fantastic evening. As the 9th started, I said to my son that this was great and he agreed. Of course, it got even better. We loved Fenway, the excitement of the crowd, the beauty of the ballpark, and, of course, a magnificent game.

Good trivia question on the scoreboard (I apologize if they used it on TV): name the only two pitchers to give up more than one homerun to both Carl Yastrzemski and Gary Sheffield. (The answer at the end of the post).

My son and I got to Fenway at 5--two hours before game time--and the streets, including Yawkey Way, were packed. People couldn't wait to get inside.

This is nice: if it's your first time at Fenway, you can go to an office and give them your name. In the fifth inning, they put our names on the scoreboard to "Welcome Fenway First Timers." They also gave us a coupon for a free Fanfoto (the same company you see at Mets games).

Between 5 and 6 PM , there were some food items at half-price. That's a nice touch. It made a slice of pizza, usually $4.50, more reasonable.

We were seated near Pesky's Pole. My son and I went over for a picture and there was a line. People were trading cameras to get a picture with the right field foul pole. I've never seen so many cameras at a game--it was like being in a museum (a museum that lets you take pictures).

What Gary Cohen said on Friday is correct: the Fenway crowd loves "Sweet Caroline." The woman next to me and her daughter were so into the song--making hand motions--that they were on the video board. I wasn't in the shot so people didn't see me staring at her in amazement. Shame on the Mets for copying this tradition. We should make our own traditions.

The seats are Shea seats (hard plastic). The rows are tight and cramped.

The crowd is into the game (not that every fan is a genius: every time Gary Sheffield got up, a guy near me yelled "499 Gary!").

They honor the team's history. Imagine that. There was a video tribute to Luis Tiant (to the sounds of "Louie, Louie"). He was also at the game.

When Paplebon came in, they played "Shipping Up To Boston." The crowd went nuts and it was a great moment. (It was even better a few minutes later.)

You heard the overlapping chants of "Lets Go Mets" and "Lets Go Red Sox." At one time, some guy yelled out "Yankees Suck" and everybody joined in. There are some things that we both agreed on.

Trivia answer: Dennis Martinez and Mike Morgan.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

[metirish]

Thanks for the repost bmfc.....what a moment it was for you and your son.