2013 All-Star Game

[Ceetar]

seawolf17 wrote: Anyone else sign up for the volunteer thing? I got the e-mail yesterday.

my aunt.

[Guest themetfairy]

Wow! Not a huge amount of notice, but wow!

[metsmarathon]

Screw Jeffy for designing a baseball stadium that's not at all conducive to runni g a 5k throught the damned field.

Though I do think its a bit possible to run in the opposite way they route people for the kids run. Come in through that tunnel, then hang a right and finish next to the dugout. It'd be tight and twisty and less than ideal but totally worth it.

[TransMonk]

ASG batting practice jerseys are as gaudy as ever...but certainly Metly. If I was in charge, I would have given the NL the blue jerseys and the AL the orange, but what do I know.

[Ceetar]

metsmarathon wrote: Screw Jeffy for designing a baseball stadium that's not at all conducive to runni g a 5k throught the damned field. Though I do think its a bit possible to run in the opposite way they route people for the kids run. Come in through that tunnel, then hang a right and finish next to the dugout. It'd be tight and twisty and less than ideal but totally worth it.

I have no idea why they're not doing it. They've done a 5K there before haven't they? They certainly could if they wanted to. I have no idea where the kids run, but the LCF wall definitely opens up flat to the outside.

[Guest themetfairy]

They're going to have the run in Prospect Park.

Don't ask me why.

They used to have runs that ended at Shea, but not at Citi Field yet (although there was a Spartan Race there in April).

[Ceetar]

themetfairy wrote: They're going to have the run in Prospect Park. Don't ask me why. They used to have runs that ended at Shea, but not at Citi Field yet (although there was a Spartan Race there in April).

yeah, hell, if they can do the Spartan race..which looked cool..

At the very least you can end at the apple.

[metsmarathon]

with shea, the center field fences opened up to ground level - you'd just run right in. perfect.

with citi field, theplaying surface is elevated, at least it is relative to the street level on 126th. for the kid's races, you come in through the centerfield gate, go up a flight of stairs, go through a door or two, squeeze past the bullpen, and come onto the field just next to the mo's zone. that's no way to finish a 5k with a few thousand runners. or even a few hundred runners. stairs = no 5k course, as a general rule.

after the kids race, you leave through the tunnels under the stands, going in next to the third base dugout, down a slight ramp, and then come out i think at the seaver gate, next to will call. (as an aside, i still am frustrated that this routing takes you out of hte ballpark after the event, which prevents you from shopping in the clubhouse store after the game. whose genius idea was this!?) it would be feasible, though less than ideal, to use this routing as the finish for a citi field 5k, the issue would be a narrow hallway, a sharp turn, and a short ramp, and another sharp turn (and then finish at the plate) in the last 100 yards or so of a 5k. crowding would be a problem there at the last turn, for sure. i think it could be manageable, if clearly suboptimal.

barring that, a finish by the apple with post-run stuff on the field/ in the stadium would be more than adequate. prospect park? bullshit.

anyone doing the 5k?

i was ][ this close to signing up, but it looks like i might have some competing family things going on that weekend (grumble grumble)

[Guest themetfairy]

I'm doing the 5K.

I agree that Prospect Park is bullshit, but this is my one chance to do an All Star Game 5K and goddamit I'm going to do it!

[Ceetar]

those are the 'main' entrances, but what about the construction/groundscrew/delivery entrance in the LCF wall? I thought that was flat.

I was going to do it if it was at Citi Field, but probably won't at Prospect Park.

[Zvon]

TransMonk wrote: ASG batting practice jerseys are as gaudy as ever...but certainly Metly. If I was in charge, I would have given the NL the blue jerseys and the AL the orange, but what do I know.

Gaudy yes, and damn them for incorporating the Mets logo into it cuz now I have to have one. The hats-the big round A&N things in the Met circle....it don't look good on a hat imo but, damn, I have to have that too. I am playing right into their hands.

[G-Fafif]

Your all-important ASG coaches:

American -- ex-Met Robin Ventura, ex-Met John Gibbons

National -- ex-Met Davey Johnson, future ex-Met Terry Collins

[Edgy MD]

Ex-Met Clint Hurdle hosed!

Ex Met Ron Gardenhire gardenhosed!

[metirish]

WTF does the HR Derby captain do?, utter nonsence.

[Edgy MD]

I'm sure Wright will take the responsibility seriously.

[metirish]

Edgy MD wrote: I'm sure Wright will take the responsibility seriously.

I bet he will, gosh , what a captain he will be....lots of hugs and high fives....can't wait to hear him up there with Berman and crew.

[G-Fafif]

David will homer in a home run exhibition, refuse to emote out of respect for BP pitcher.

He used to be more fun. Before all the losing.

[youtube:2hahkuy1]_vtNAa154ZU[/youtube:2hahkuy1]

[metirish]

This is hilarious......someone in the Mets PR department reached out to Cougar Life in an attempt to get them to push a #VoteWright campaign , David had beat out Hamels and Kemp in a Cougar Life survey for hottest cub

http://deadspin.com/mets-approached-cougar-site-about-stuffing-ballot-box-f-512966052

[Zvon]

Get voting folks! I was going to vote a bunch just now and they cut me off with a limit. Im kinda pissed about that. I voted a shit load of times in one visit to the webpage last week. Well, I added 10 more votes. Takes a minute. Come on, Wright deserves to be the #1 third baseman!

[Zvon]

LISTEN UP my friends.
Wrights app. 150,000 votes behind Sandoval. We are really going to have to go out of our way to make this happen. And anyone here that doesn't, shame on you. And if all Met fans can't get enough votes together to make Wright the starter, then shame on us all.
It's really up to us.
MAKE IT HAPPEN!


http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/all_star/y2013/index.jsp

[Guest themetfairy]

Wright is ahead of Sandoval right now. But don't stop voting - we want to keep it this way!

[Benjamin Grimm]

Wait... what? Wright gained 150,000 votes in twelve minutes? Wow!

[Guest themetfairy]

He leads in the latest results that have been released.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Nice going, all you cougars out there!

[Guest themetfairy]

I do my best.

[Zvon]

themetfairy wrote: Wright is ahead of Sandoval right now. But don't stop voting - we want to keep it this way!

Kool beans. Yea, the info I had was from a few days ago. He so deserves it. We pull this off and I will be so proud that I'm a Met fan.

[Ceetar]

Speaking of which, does anyone want a ticket strip to the games? I originally only found two separately, but then found two together so bought those, so looking to offload my two unused strips (They're $650) I've got one up on Stubhub, but fees are even more ridiculous on prices this high so for me to get my money back is basically sending Stubhub's entire family to college. So reselling at face via word of mouth seems the way to go.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Citi Field All Star Menu unveiled!
By Rob Castellano on Jun 27 2013, 12:00p ? @_robcast


The Mets held a media event on Wednesday to unveil their specially-crafted All Star game menu...and I was lucky
enough to be in attendance.

If you haven�t noticed, the Mets are pretty excited about hosting this year�s All Star Game. From patches on their uniforms, to commemorative bobblehead giveaways, to more than a couple of commercials on SNY, they�re pretty much putting on the full-court press. So naturally as part of their all-encompassing build-up to July�s festivities, the Mets have revamped the culinary experience at Citi Field as well. To be precise, it�s not as much a revamp as it is a shot in the arm for an already excellent example of ballpark fare. In short, Aramark and the executive chef at the stadium, Robert Flowers, have worked to supplement the existing options with dozens more interesting offerings. Beyond just creating a number of new dishes/sandwiches/snacks, they�ve also reached out to several restaurants and caterers from all five boroughs to help create a menu in the image of New York City. As you can probably tell, I was genuinely impressed with their efforts. First and foremost, the sheer volume of different options that they�re going to be churning out is astounding. Including the items on their regular menu, there will be somewhere around 50 different options for diners at the ballpark that day. If big numbers don�t impress you, the quality most definitely will. Most of us know from past endeavors that from day one Citi Field has raised the bar when it comes to eating out at the ballgame. In that respect, they�ve outdone themselves almost without exception. My strategy going into each of these culinary events has been and will always be to try everything � in order to best inform you, the reader, of course. However, with the sheer number of options, I must say that I didn�t quite hit that lofty goal (though, let's just say I had more than my fair share). Instead, I�ve included photo-documentation of nearly everything on display at yesterday�s event while relaying a handful of my favorites -- in no particular order -- from the gastrointestinal carnage that ensued. The All-Star Meatball Hero This limited edition sandwich -- yes, it's a limited edition sandwich -- was the star of the show as the recipe comes from the family of the executive chef of Citi Field -- a recipe which purportedly dates back three hundred years. The meatballs themselves are a blend of ground beef, pork, and veal, simmered in red sauce for three hours. They�re served with buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil on a crisp sesame roll. Nothing too tricky here, just a damn, damn good meatball sandwich. Although I must say, I�ve never been one to call tomato sauce �gravy� � I suppose I�m just not Italian enough. This offering will be available at the Section 138 concessions outlet. Mama's of Corona Italian Special Hero An oldie, but a goodie. Mama�s of Corona is a classic option, long before Mets fans knew the words Blue Smoke. Mama�s was one of the few specialty purveyors back in the non-descript days of Shea, and they�re still going strong. The Italian Special Hero features pepper ham, salami, sliced fresh mozzarella, topped with mushrooms and peppers on a fresh sesame, roll. The amount of options may be growing but this sandwich always seems to find itself at the top of my list. This offering will be available at the Section 104 concessions outlet. Trio Mac & Cheeses The trio was made up of a Pancetta-Mac, Lobster-Mac, and a Three-Cheese option. My only qualm was that the extreme creaminess factor, especially with the three-cheese, might not necessarily lend itself to a hot, summer day in the ballpark. That being said, this is more of a formal, sit-down option anyway � as opposed to eating it in the comfort of your seat � and in that regard it�s spectacular. This offering will be available in the Citi Field suites. Catch of the Day Lobster Roll The Catch of the Day Lobster Roll is notorious for its lofty price � usually around $14 for a single roll. However, if you can stomach the price tag, the Lobster Roll itself is a thing of beauty. Fresh, poached Maine lobster salad on a split served on a toasted, split-top bun, this is pretty much the epitome of a classic, delicious New England lobster roll. This offering will be available at the Section 102 concessions outlet. Major League Grilled Cheese With the culinary options at Citi Field getting more and more extravagant, I found myself more impressed by some of the simpler options � and this grilled cheese sandwich was a great example of a modest idea executed to perfection. It featured a trio of Swiss, Gouda, and Cheddar cheese, topped with a layer of crispy bacon on buttered white toast. The cheese-to-bread ratio was spot on, the bacon had just the right amount of crunch, and despite the lack of some of the bells and whistles of other offerings, one of the best sandwiches I ate all day. This offering will be available in the Caesars Club. Honorable Mention goes to the Raspberry Cheesecake Doughnuts (Acela Club), Daruma�s Sashimi (Section 104), Blue Smoke's Beef Brisket Slider (Section 139, and if you can stand the wait of course, Shake Shack's Shackburger (Section 139). For the rest of the myriad options available to fans at this year's All Star festivities, browse through the gallery below!

[Guest themetfairy]

I was lucky enough to be there. Excellent recap, and excellent pictures under the circumstances (the backlighting at the Caesar's Club makes photography there challenging - I'm only going to have a couple of decent pictures when I finally get through the editing process).

It was like the best bar mitzvah reception ever - fantastic food everywhere and no service required! Seriously - the variety and quality of the food was spectacular. One can't normally eat like that though, simply because of the price tag. But yesterday one could sample freely, and the choices were incredible.

[TransMonk]

That ALL looks great!

Yum.