If ever there was one game I could pick to attend this year based on entertainment value alone, Saturday’s game was the one I wanted to see. Johan Santana against Carl Pavano. Interleague play. So I packed up my bag, hit stubhub and went down the block for a visit. Here’s what I saw…
Old Ace Against Former Team
There were quite a few Minnesota fans wearing Santana’s Jersey from his Twins days. They were there to see their team take on their old Ace. I’m sure all Twins fans are secretly laughing at how this deal turned out, especially after the first inning.
Pavano Comes Back to NY
Pavano had always been my favorite target when bringing up “great” Yankees. Carl Pavano is one huge sore spot for any Yankee fan and I remind Yankee fans of this fact whenever I can. Now my gut feeling was he would turn around and show NY just what they were missing. He will always have something to prove when coming to NY. He did just that with a 3 hit, complete game shutout and also went 2 for 3 at the plate.
There were also plenty of Minnesota fans who were sporting the new “stache” that Pavano has grown a la Keith Hernandez.
Prince Harry Throws Out The First Pitch
This one was so sudden and unexpected I didn’t even have time to get out the camera.
Prince Harry throws a strike for the first pitch. I was wondering if the Mets could sign him. He’s a lefty to boot!
After the first inning with the Mets down 4-0 many fans were wondering if Prince Harry could come back out and replace Santana. I have to admit I was thinking the same thing.
’69 Mets in Attendance
In the middle of the 3rd and 5th innings the Mets had trivia questions about the ’69 Mets. Two lucky attendees who looked like they lived through the ’69 Met days were put up on the big screen. After both people correctly answered their respective questions the Mets who were the subject of those questions then came out and shook hands and gave the winner an autographed baseball.
I like the way the Mets are mixing up the old and the new. It’s a great way to introduce new and current fans like myself to the ’69 Mets. The ’69 Mets that were in attendance were Felix Milan and Cleon Jones.
Nathan’s Mets Hat Day
The day was not a total loss as I did get a bright Met Orange Nathan’s Mets hat that came in handy since I had forgot my own at home. That’s it being mugged in the picture.
It was Nathan’s hat day as there was also a Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest just out front from the old apple. I don’t have the stomach to watch but I hear the guy who won managed to eat 27 hot dogs in 10 minutes.
Bottom Line: Santana has another rough outing, Pavano performs well under the NY spotlight and I got a free bright Orange Mets hat. So win or Lose, don’t let that stop you from going to the park and having a good time. There is so much going on.
The Mets Report 