Time to turn the page and think about the Mets

I could give two shits about inter-league play, but god almighty I hope the Yanks get their stuff together and take at least two from the Mets- just so I don’t have to hear it from Mets fans. More importantly, it would be good to hop right back on the series winning train and start getting back to basics.

1. As a Mets fan, no matter what happens this weekend how does it feel to know that no matter what happens this weekend you still root for the least popular baseball team in New York City?

Somehow I find the strength to go on. Actually, I’m surprised the disparity is as small as it is. Considering all of the pink Jeter hats/jerseys I see around I would’ve expected bigger numbers for the Yanks. I suppose the pollsters simply — and wisely! — chose to avoid the city’s many dank, fetid and prostitute-laden bridge underpasses which much of the Yankee fanbase calls home.

2. The Yankees may have unintentionally turned the new Yankee Stadium into a bandbox. The Mets, though, seem to have intentionally built Citi Field into a place that resembles Yellowstone National Park. What’s the deal with that? Oh, and only 42,000 seats? Is that because they knew no one would come?/em>

Though it’s still too early to consider 2009 park factors entirely meaningful, Citi Field has been the fourth-easiest park in which to hit a homerun this season. Yankee Stadium III has been by far the most homer-friendly, but Citi Field seems to have been mis-labeled so far as a tough place out of which to hit balls.

The reduced seating capacity has more to do with supply-and-demand economics than anything, and it’s fine for regular season games, but if/when the Mets ever get back to the postseason it’ll be disappointing to have so few fans in attendance relative to Shea.

3. One serious question. If I offered you Joe Girardi as manager (no, I’m not taking Jerry Manuel) how quickly would you get him in a Mets’ uniform?

Not very. Manuel is comically bad at managing, but I’m not convinced Girardi is a whole lot better. If the question is, “Would you prefer Girardi to Manuel?”, I’d have to say yes, but I don’t know that I’d fall over myself to make that change.

somehow it gives off a feeling that they are the Yankees 2nd rival.

I know they’re not, but as a series following the last disaster, it really couldn’t be any better. The Mets are a good team, but they would still be battling it out with the Blue Jays for their spot in the AL East for eventual 4th place.

They’re better than the Orioles, but mainly cuz of Johan Santana. Their lineup is OK, but I wonder why that since Citi field is in actuality as much a bandbox as any NL east stadium, why does David Wright not have a whole bunch of dingers? Why is it not a bigger story?

and i like that the Yankees play them each year. some of the Interleague matchups (Yanks/Mets, Sox/Cubs) are good for baseball. every other matchup, especially fake rivalries like Reds/Indians, Rays/Marlins, Dodgers/Angels are annoying though.

i feel like Mets’ fans were far more obnoxious in the late 90’s that they are now. now that they’ve dealt with losing to the worst World Series-winning team in baseball history (’06 Cardinals) and the collapses of ’07, ’08, i feel like i can tolerate them more. the same fans that busted my chops about ’04, are the same ones that now know what it feels like.

i’m looking forward to this weekend.

because I married into a Mets household. I don’t believe the Yankee lefty hitters will have any more trouble hitting HRs at Citi Field than the Phillies lefty hitters did in the just completed series. Only time I truly root for the Mets is when they play the Red Sox. Other times when not playing the Yanks, I’m ambivilent to them. I just want the Yanks to sweep this series so I do not have to listen to My Father-in-Law and the rest of them for a while. I do agree that losing in September the las two seasons has taken most Mets fans down a peg or two. GO Yanks!