Opening Day 2010: The First Fun Mets Game I've Attended In a Long Time

I am lucky enough to be a Mets fan living in Queens. I’m lucky enough to have the means to buy a nice ticket package every season. I’m lucky enough to work for a company that has season tickets to the Mets.

All those factors contribute to the fact that I go to a lot of Mets games every year.

I was at Opening Day last season, a game that was supposed to be fun. A new stadium, a new season. A chance to leave behind the bad taste we all had in our mouths following 2007 & 2008.

Unfortunately Jody Gerut of the Padres sucked the air out of the stadium in the first at bat ever in Citi Field, hitting a leadoff home run that in hindsight set the tone for what would be one of the worst seasons I can remember.

Sure there were injuries, unassisted triple plays, errors, slippery dugout stairs and game ending pop outs hitting the outfield grass all season. Murphy’s Law was in full effect for the New York Mets in 2009, and 2010 didn’t seem to be going any better.

Three starters on the DL to kick off the season, two of whom potential All-Stars in Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes, and this Mets fan was more disgruntled than ever.

Then it happened.

David Wright hit a home run on the first strike he saw in 2010, a feat that would parallel Tiger Woods knocking in an eagle from 185 on his first hole of the Masters.  The stadium shook with approval, as Mets fans everywhere remembered what a new baseball season really means.

This isn’t last year. It isn’t ‘08. It isn’t ‘07. Maybe it’s just the right mix of guys to make something magical happen.

Yesterday’s win showcased the style of game I’d always love to see the Mets play.

They played defense, they strung together hits, they made productive outs and Johan Santana reminded us that Spring Training is actually where he “works out some things”.

I’m not crazy enough to think about World Series Championships. After all, Johan can’t pitch every day.

The glaring weakness on this years Mets, the rotation between Johan and Johan hast to take the mound for the next four games. If the Mets win a few of those games, I’ll really start to get excited.

I’m doing everything I hate about baseball fans. I’m getting excited after the first game of 162, but I just can’t help it.

I love baseball, and I love when the Mets win.

To see pictures from my visit to Citi Field, check out my photo album at the bottom of this post.