Carlos the First Time

[G-Fafif]

This from Newsday regarding the home opener of 2005, Carlos Beltran's first game in a Mets home uniform:

They were the stars of the offseason, but [Pedro, Martinez] and Carlos Beltran were not the main attractions at Monday's Mets home opener. Like the rock star he is, Martinez commanded attention just by his presence and was genuinely surprised by the loving reception he got from Mets fans. Beltran glided quietly but effectively through his Shea Stadium debut, almost going unnoticed. Martinez had pitched the day before, throwing a compete game for the Mets' first victory. Beltran was in his customary spot in centerfield Monday and went 1-for-3 with two walks and a run scored in the Mets' 8-4 victory over the Astros.

I'm sure there's more that I'm not paying for, but headline seems to express the vibe well:

Shea opens heart to Beltran, Pedro Martinez has bigger reception, but greeting by fans touches both new Mets and leaves them feeling at home

I was there that day and I seem to recall substantial standing and applauding, typical, I guess, of welcomes to the big names of a new season. There was also the heat (on a chilly day) from Carlos having struck the big blow the day before in Atlanta, helping Pedro break the Mets' 0-5 skid.

Three ex-Mets played for the Astros that day: Jose Vizcaino, Dan Wheeler and a vaguely familiar lefthanded reliever from Brooklyn. Small fellow. First pitcher Beltran faced at Shea as a Met was Andy Pettitte.

Time has flown.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Really has.

My earliest association of Beltran being a Met was when the Mets turned his stammering introductory presser into an advertising campaign. The New Mets!

Really great player, definitely overshadowed by Pedro in 05, needlessly piled onto by haters, but also, a guy who was kinda hard to warm to. A lukewarm first season and frustrating injury issues will do that to a guy.

[metirish]

Really time has flown by , it's looked back on by some as a bit of an Omar joke those Mets but damn it was a fun time , hard to believe the shit storm caused in some quarters by Los Mets.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Really has. My earliest association of Beltran being a Met was when the Mets turned his stammering introductory presser into an advertising campaign. The New Mets! Really great player, definitely overshadowed by Pedro in 05, needlessly piled onto by haters, but also, a guy who was kinda hard to warm to. A lukewarm first season and frustrating injury issues will do that to a guy.

He doesn't beat you over the head with his awesomeness (well, not often), but you look up and do a double take when you realize just how good he is.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Reading that made me think more about how I felt the sky was falling after that 0-5 start. Seemed like Willie would never get that first W.