We are starting to settle into the season and becoming more and more excited about what the 2009 campaign will be like for the Mets.  I am excited for the season to unfold and hope that the Mets offense can break out of its early slump and ugly production with men on base.  Each game you expect at least 10-15 men left on base.  They have to start clicking at some point, don't they?

I have been amazed that a blogger like myself who is simply a die hard Mets fan can all of a sudden cause such a stir online with the Mets ongoing issues with obstructions.  I have to smile just a bit when I see the referring pages and people reading about obstructions.  So first, thank you to those who have liked to my past articles about obstructions and thank you to those who have signed the petition I created.  Here is the problem I see.....the Mets, I am afraid, will continue to sweep these issues under the rug, dismissing this as a non-issue and never really making an effort to make the situation right. 

Let me be clear, I am a season ticket holder, but my seats are not affected by the LED obstruction.  My reasons for coming out and putting the petiton together and writing about it on my blog have been because I felt that luck was the only way I found out about the obstructions and luck that had my seats far enough down the line to not have an issue.  I feel very bad for the paying customers, whether season ticket holders or individual game buyers, who have obstructions and are unaware of them.  Nothing will be done unless we, the paying customers whether affected or not, create enough noise about it.  I just want to do my part.  I was sick to my stomach seeing some of the obstructions and early images online.  I was distressed to know that a father and son may not enjoy a game becasue they did not know about the obstructions.  I was pissed at the spin and rhetoric from Dave Howard, all of which is still happening. 

Newsday, New York Times, Daily News, New York Post help out us Mets fans.  MetsBlog, Baseball Prospectus, Mets Police, Baseball Fever, Queens Crap and other blogs/forums, let's continue to make noise and have people sign the petition.  Let's get enough feedback so we can take this to the organization.  I am sure in this economy the Mets do not need another reason (possible obstructions) for people to not buy tickets.  Right now we have 39 people, at 1000 we will take this to the Mets organization. 

So eveyone out there, keep up the talk.  Sign the petition.  Email me your frustrations. Talk to people about the issues. 

I want to end this on a positive note.  I do not want readers to think that I do not appreciate the new stadium or the workers who build the stadium or the money invested into it by the city of New York and the Mets organization. To not appreciate this would be a slap in their faces.  I do really, really love the new stadium and can't wait to one day take my family to a game.  However, this appreciation does not change the fact that there are obstructions and that people will spend their hard earned money to go to a game and may have an obstruction. The organization needs to address this head-on and inform the paying public of their solutions. 

If I was to tell you three months ago that the following would happen, you would have thought I was on crack:

First batter faced at CitiField would hit a home run.  A cat would run onto the field, 1969 style.  A balk would bring  home the deciding run.  Mike Pelfrey would trip and fall during his delivery.

New stadium, some of the same old tricks.  The Mets starting rotation needs to get its act together, the bullpen is getting too many innings and the offense is being put into holes early and often.  David Wright, fantastic game, you were the perfect person to hit the first home run at CitiField.  It was a big one, too.  A game tying three run home run bomb, and my goodness, that new home run applet is huge!  I mean, that is one big apple, I would say at least 3x's the size of the old one.  I am digging it.

CitiField on my second trip definitely grew on me a bit more.  I am getting more and more familiar with my surroundings and comfortable with the seats.  I do still feel very bad for the people in the first few rows who have LED obstructions, and equally as bad for the people who have to watch a game through the plexi glass staircases.  You can read my past blog entries to get my feelings and reviews about these horrible obstructions. 

I noticed that CitiField is about 40% less loud than Shea.  At certain points to the game my brother Jack and I noticed that it was much less noisy than Shea.  Was this the case because it is a more corporate crowd?  Is it because there is 10,000+ less fans in the stands?  Is it because fans don't know when to cheer because of their obstructions?  Is it less loud because of the new stadium layout?  I am sure all of the above is factoring into this, but one thing is 100% for sure, it is not as loud as Shea.  If D. Wright hits that same home run in Shea I would not have been able to hear myself think.  Last night, it was as if it was muted.  I don't know, something that I will definitely keep thinking and writing about.  Other than the Mets losing, overall on the whole, fantastic Opening Night.  The Seaver to Piazza first pitch was a great touch.  It was also nice to see that Tom got the ball over the plate, it looked like he had some late movement on the pitch.  The flyover is also a fan favorite and I happened to get it on tape.  I will be posting it when I download my pictures and movies. 

Come on Mets, let's start picking it up.  It is a simple game, you hit the ball, you catch the ball and you throw the ball.  It looks like the Mets fans and players are all trying to get comfortable with their new home. I know how everyone feels, I just moved into a new apartment and I am still trying to figure out my morning and evening agenda's. Hopefully, sooner rather than later, the Mets and their fans will be settled in to CitiField.

Recently I have been contacted by other Mets fans who are very unhappy and annoyed with the obstructions at Citi Field.  So, I have started a petition in the hopes that we will get some answers from the New York Mets, please read and sign by clicking HERE.

I was lucky enough to be down the line in section 427 and do not have an issue with LED obstructions, however, I feel that the Mets have not done a good job in communicating with paying customers and that eveyone should speak up.

I created three packs of tickets that I am selling on eBay at no reserve.  Check them out and bid if you want.  I am selling these regardless of price.  All packs are 2 tickets, Promenade Box 427, Row 1, no obstructions (see the picture), and is an aisle. 

Pack 1, Four Games:
April 27 vs. the Marlins
May 25 vs. the Nats
June 28th vs. the Yankees
August 3rd vs. the DBacks

Pack 2, Three Games:
April 15th vs. the Padres (2nd game at CitiField)
June 24th vs. the Cardinals
August 4 vs. the Cardinals

Pack 3, Four Games:
April 16th vs. the Padres (3rd game at CitiField)
May 11th vs. the Braves
June 25th vs. the Cardinals
August 17th vs. the Giants

If you are interested, click on the blue link to view the listing. 

Opening Day 2009.  I can't believe that it is here already.  It has been another long off-season, and just when you think you couldn't take the cold weather, same story lines, WBC games or spring training games, Opening Day sneaks up on you and is here. 

This will be my fourth year following the season on Section Six.  It is funny, the name Section Six comes from my first section I had a ticket package in, Section 6 of the Mezzaine at old Shea.  So much has happened since that first year, I found it funny to go back and read past entries about the Mets.  Each Opening Day I treat like the start of the new year, where I reflect on the past season and what I hope to happen the upcoming one.  No doubt 2009 is going to be a fun year with CitiField open and hype around this 2009 Mets team.  Everywhere I read there are bold predictions for this 2009 team.  World Series winners here, NL East champs there.  I will stick to what I said in my Spring Training entry, if the Mets play hard, team, inspired baseball then we will part of a special season.  Manuel brought team baseball back to the Mets this preseason and it certainly feels like this 2009 team is on the brink of something special.  I am a bit concerned with the depth of the rotation.  I am concerned with what Sheffield will bring to the Mets, even though it is a low risk/high reward opportunity.  But hey, every team has concerns and soft spots now. 

If the formula is correct I expect the Mets to make up a lot of those 29 blown saves from 2008.  I expect them to play inspired, team baseball every inning of each game, and if they do this, I feel confident that this 2009 Mets team will put to bed the deamons from 2006 and 2007.

A new year.  A new stadium.  A differnt approach. A fresh beginning.  If only life was like the baseball season where you could start 0-0 each year.  It is going to be an eventful season. 

On a cold Saturday, April 4, 2009, I went to my very first game at CitiField.  Mark it in the books, my first ever game.  I had been so excited to see the new stadium I didn't know what I was most excited for.  Arriving at CitiField was a bit strange, walking towards the stadium there is such a void where Shea once stood.  I think I was so familiar with seeing the big blue eyesore that I was half expecting it to still be there.  My first thought was how CitiField didn't dominate the skyline like Shea once did. 

I went to the game with Jack.  He made a comment as we were approaching the stadium that was right on the mark.  He said that he felt like it was Disney World as we were approaching the stadium.  With a combination of the music, the clean grounds, flower beds, the jolly PA announcer on a loop welcoming you to CitiField, it all did feel like walking into the Magic Kingdom.  I felt excited and like a kid again, I couldn't believe that this was actually where I will be coming to watch the Mets play for now on.  The entrance to the Rotunda was absolutely jammed, so we decided to enter at the Left Field gate, but not before finding our brick.  We went to the section and searched and searched.  We thought we found it but realized that it was another from Wyckoff, NJ.  Finally, we found it, snapped a picture as my mind wandered.  I kept thinking, wow, one day my kids kids will be coming  here and seeing this.  It was a very strange feeling. 

We got the the Left Field gate and the entrance is fantastic, a silhouette of Endy Chavez making "The Catch".  Just above on the stadium are banners from the past years of Mets history.  Even though it is an Ebbets field throwback, it absolutely is a Mets stadium. 

Once we got off the first escalator and around the corner we had our first glimpse of the stadium.  From the Left Field gate you wind up in the concourse with an open view to the field.  I tell you, I am amazed with how beautiful this stadium is.  We went up to our seats in the Promenade, section 427 first row, and we have a fantastic view of the field.  The LED is not an issue from our section.  I feel like the actual seats are higher taking the LED out of the view, seems like this was the solution.  You feel as if you are sitting on top of the field, unlike Shea where you were set back. Our seats are definitely higher than the first row of the Mezzanine, I'd say about 20-30 feet higher.  The view of the field is the same as before and from our seats we have a great view of both scoreboards and the out of town scoreboard.  The outfield is HUGE! Unbelievable how big this park is, it is definitely a pitchers park.  One thing I noticed was that the PA announcer is not loud at all, we could barely hear it.  Also, we couldn't hear the music very well either.  I hope they decide to turn up the volume a bit, this made Shea so much fun. 

We watched Ollie walk three guys and a run home and decided to take a walk around the stadium.  Let me say that every seat in this place is awesome, except for the ones obstructed by the stairs.  The outfield seats are so cool, regardless of level or section.  Center field concessions are fantastic and just walking around the park you get a sense for how amazing this place is.  One of my thoughts was that since there is so much more to do at CitiField that even during a sold out game the stadium will be 3/4 full.  Most people will be out and about checking out the stadium like we did.  It will be interesting to see opening day and if people continue to walk around and not paying attention to the game. 

Other interesting parts of the park:  The apple, the Hells Gate bridge, The Sky Line above Shake Shack, the Rotunda, concession stands everywhere, bathrooms everywhere, the Pepsi Porch.  This stadium is awesome.  It will be a fun year of Mets baseball at CitiField. 

Today was all about the stadium.  Let's not forget that there was a game taking place.  This game was OVER after 2/3 of an inning.  Ollie let up a hit, walked three batters, made a throwing error and let up a Grand Slam.  Unreal that we paid this guy $12 million per year.