Welcome (Back) To (Not Such) New Times

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And you thought they knocked it down...

The luck, feel and outcome of the first ever game in Citi Field ended up with the same result as the last one in Shea. A new ball park, a new era and a new cat? Barring David Wright's game tying 3 run homer, the light colored cat running behind the backstop in middle of the game was the most exciting part of it all. If you're a Mets fan.

If you're a Padres fan then it probably made you giddy to watch...

-Jody Gerut hit the third pitch "ever in Citi Field" (these words are uttered way too much) for a line drive home run. This also happens to be, according to Elias Sports Bureau, the first time a ballpark opened (since the 1900's) with its first batter going yard.

-Two former Met pitchers, Duaner Suanchez and Heathe Belle, shut the door on the "first ever game" (there it is again) in the new ball park.

-Watch your team win 5 in a row...Jody Gerut throwing out Reyes who was going for second...Jody Gerut making a fine catch in Center to deny the Mets of more runs...

It was almost like Jody Gerut grew up in Flushing and knew all the ins and outs of the new park. It has to be! (At this point you think he actually grew up in Queens but nah, he was raised in Elmhurst, Illinois. Go figure).

But it wasn't as fun for the Met fan. Especially the one who paid 300 bucks to go and see it.

Getting off on a slight rant - wasn't it outrageous how people were asking for incredible amounts of money for just one ticket? On StubHub, a service which acts as an online marketplace for buyers and sellers, people were selling single tickets for over $325! Uh, recession anyone? And look at all those empty seats behind home plate. Where were all those people? Thankfully nobody was sitting there when Heathe Belle threw a high inside fastball which hit the backstop and, I believe, came through and hit the empty seat behind the netting. Mayor Bloomberg took the ball home as a souvenir.

But getting back to things that matter when all is said and done, let's just throw out a few things that happened, or didn't happen, in tonight's game (which was the first ever at Citi Field - okay, I just beat that line to death).

What To Complain About

• The announcer, Gary Cohen, said, "Citi Field will now take a special place in our heart." Um, no it will not. No stadium that's named after a bank or anything else for that matter will have a spot in my life-beater. Mets Field? Yes. Citi Field? Uh-uh.

• In baseball, a pitcher may commit a number of illegal motions or actions which constitute a balk. The balk is called "no pitch" and each runner is awarded one base. I don't mind being penalized for a balk but isn't it a bit much when a man on third is awarded home plate for it? Besides the fact that alot of us don't actually get the Balk Rule, as this survey suggests, but we do know that it truly stinks when your team loses because of it.

• Mike Pelfrey is looking more like the second coming of Pedro Martinez when he gives up more first inning runs than anyone else on the staff. Pull it together, Pelf.

• Uh, we lost. Again.

What To Smile About

• Despite giving up an unearned run in the sixth the Mets bullpen allowed one hit and three walks over their four innings pitched.

• David Wright proved to be clutch-like when he hit a 3 run bomb to tie the game up. He happens to be more clutch than people think and he let us get a first look at that shiny new apple with his shot to left. The House That Wright Built.

• It's over.