I Really Should Have Written About This Game Ages Ago

It has been about two months since this Mets game and I've been to a couple other games since then, but this is the only one of the most recent three that is worth recapping.  For one thing, Mike Nickeas was still up at the time so that made batting practice and pregame 100% more interesting, and for another thing, the Mets actually won this game.



I got to Citi Field when the gates opened and was able to see the end of Mets batting practice.  It was just the last group of hitters but it was still cool.

Yup, Mie Nickeas was in the last BP group so I saw him finish hitting and head to the dugout.  He signed some autographs for fans near the dugout and once he was done I got his attention.  He waved and said he would be back later.  Just the fact that he acknowledged me made coming early worth it, he didn't need to come back later.

I had been planing on going over the D-Backs side of the field for their batting practice because I wanted to try to get an autograph from Xavier Nady but I decided to stay where I was.  Mike said he would come back so it would be wrong to leave.  Nady was taking grounders at first base anyway so I still got to see him.

The D-Backs continued to take batting practice and I watched with minimal interest in anyone besides Nady. Talking to my brother can only keep me occupied for so long so I was getting bored.  Luckily, the boredom did not last.  Caryn of metsgrrl.com fame was also at the game and she came down to where I was waiting.  It was awesome to meet her and hang out for a while.  Disclaimer: I would have gone to meet her somewhere else in the stadium (aka somewhere that wasn't directly in the sun and a bit too crowded) but if I had left I would not have been able to get back and see Mike Nickeas.  She understood this and it was all good.

And then I was bored again.  There was still a little bit of time before any players would be in the dugout so I waited . . . and waited.  Finally players started to make their way into the dugout.  I saw Nickeas and got his attention again.  I didn't have anything for him to sign but it was still cool that he was coming over.  Once he came over he signed autographs for other fans but he talked to me too.  I asked about hitting his first MLB home run, which he did just a few days before.  After that the real (shy) me took over and I couldn't think of anything else to say.  But, because he's awesome, he asked me about softball.  I said something or other about barely having a chance to get outside to play because of bad weather.  It wasn't much, but I was just surprised that he was the one asking me questions.  Oh yeah, and then he offered to take a picture with me.  

He continued to sign autographs for fans farther away from me.  I stayed in the section for a little while longer because it was just a better section than where my seats really were.  At one point right before the game Daniel Murphy was looking to throw with somebody so, of course, Mike Nickeas threw with him.

Once it was time for the game to actually start I made my way up to my seats.  It was time for Jon Niese to pitch and I was happy from all the pregame stuff so I don't think I paid too much attention to the first couple of innings.

David Wright hit two home runs.

And all my 2006 dreams came true.

Jason Pridie also hit his first MLB home run in the game.

The Mets won 8-4 and it was a fun day.  

Let's Go Mets!

P.S.  You can see more pictures from the game here.