O/T New Yorks other Ballpark

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Posted By: <b>CN</b><p> I know this is not vintage but tomorrow will be a sad day for me as I attend my last of over 500 regular season games at Shea since 1968. Shea has nowhere the history of Yankee Stadium but for millions of Met fans it has great memories. It had a great run of 44 years and lets hope tomorrow is not the last game there. CN

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Posted By: <b>Richard Simon</b><p>I too have attended hundreds of games in Shea Stadium and will be there tomorrow. <br />This week I was there on Thursday to see a stirring come from behind walk off win over the Cubs and I was there today to see Johan Santana pitch a great shutout. <br />We will miss this park. I can remember an interview with Chub Feeney (Giants exec at the time) in 1964 when the Giants came into Shea for the first time.<br />He looked at the park and said "if only you had built this for the Giants".<br />-<br><br>I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent.<br />Unknown author <br />--<br />We made a promise. We swore we'd always remember.<br />No retreat baby, no surrender.<br />The Boss

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Posted By: <b>Jim Thierfelder</b><p>I feel for you. I know I had a lot of fond memories of our old park and was a little sad to see it go. I saw a lot of games there as a kid and watched my heroes play great careers on their way to the HOF. Somehow, even after I grew up, the childhood memories of that ballpark alway came back as larger than life. Don't worry, you'll fall in love with the new park too. And after all, you will realize it isn't the place or even the players. It is the time spent with family and friends taking in a ballgame. In fact, I hope to take in at least a few more games at our new park, Miller Park, before our season is over. <img src="/images/wink.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>If the Mets and Brewers have to play sudden death on Monday, where will the game be played?<br /><br />My two favorite memories at Shea were seeing the Beatles in 1966, and being at Game 6 in 1986. Can't top those two.

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Posted By: <b>Jim Thierfelder</b><p>It will be played at Shea. The Mets won a coin toss.

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Thanks. It's starting to look like a possibility.

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Posted By: <b>Richard S. Simon</b><p>"It is the time spent with family and friends taking in a ballgame".<br />How right you are Jim. I have a Saturday plan and usually go to about 20 games a year, usually with my son, who travels 3 hours to get to Shea, or my daughter, who much to my surprise and enjoyment has become a huge Mets fan.<br />That is the best part about going and I still clearly remember the days when I was a kid and my dad taking me to the Polo Grounds to see Willie Mays.<br />=<br><br>I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent.<br />Unknown author <br />--<br />We made a promise. We swore we'd always remember.<br />No retreat baby, no surrender.<br />The Boss

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Posted By: <b>CN</b><p> Richard I totally agree with you. I am going to the game with my wife,2 daughters and my son. Especially after the playoff implications it will be an extra special day for the New York Baseball fan. CN

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Posted By: <b>Jeff Lichtman</b><p>I have a bad feeling about today -- too similar to last year's scenario: two must-win games, the second to last a pitching gem by the Mets (last year was Maine's).

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>You have to hand it to Johan Santana. What a mammoth performance on three days rest, and what a run he's had the last six weeks.<br /><br />I too have a bad feeling about today's game, and they will have to play it in a persistent rain. And C.C. is going for Milwaukee.

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Posted By: <b>Jeff Lichtman</b><p>I think yesterday's performance by Johan will ensure him the Cy Young. Had the Mets not blown 7 of his games he'd have over 20 wins along with the lowest ERA in the league -- plus the guttiest outing of the year yesterday.

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>You think he'll beat out Brandon Webb, who's 22-7?

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Posted By: <b>Jeff S.</b><p>Wondering if anyone knows where the home run apple is going? Are there plans to continue that tradition at the new park?

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Posted By: <b>jay wolt</b><p>Jeff - Barry Don't forget about Lincecum<br />although he lost his last 2 outings, he's 17-5<br />w/ a 2.66 ERA and leads the majors w/ 252 K's<br />And that # will increase as he's pitching today.<br />And he's pitching for a horrible team.<br />Johan is indeed the most valuable since the Mets wouldn't<br />be in the October hunt without him. But the Cy Young <br />award is for the best pitcher, not the most valuable.<br />It will be interesting to see what Lincecum does today<br />and how it will affect the Cy Young voting.

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Posted By: <b>Jeff Lichtman</b><p>Jay, Barry: Johan definitely beats out Webb whose era has really blown up lately. Linceum is obviously the only other competitor and until Santana's past two huge starts I'd agree that he deserved it. I think pitching a shutout on 3 days rest in the most important game of the year -- and after throwing his highest number of pitches in that pervious start -- I think Santana will get it. I'm rooting for the Dodgers today....

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>I agree Santana should be 20-7; he even lost a game recently where he had a 6-0 lead after seven innings and the bullpen threw it away. And Linceum has been amazing for a poor Giants team.<br /><br />Well, those guys are the top three, and it will be interesting to see who wins.<br /><br />I guess Cliff Lee is a no-brainer in the A.L. Had he not lost his last start, he would have been the only pitcher ever to win 20 or more games with a .900 winning percentage.

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Posted By: <b>MVSNYC</b><p><a href="http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/nym/ballpark/save_a_piece.jsp" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/nym/ballpark/save_a_piece.jsp</a><br /><br />i've been debating whether or not to buy a pair of shea seats...seems cheap to me.<br /><br />here's the link.

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Posted By: <b>Jeff Lichtman</b><p>Oh well, I guess if the season would end this way it should be the Mets' bullpen that coughed up another win.

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Looks like the Mets are done.<br /><br />Delgado just missed a three run homer by a few feet, but it is his base running gaffe from Wednesday that will cost them their season. He was on second and didn't score on a single; the game went into extra innings and they lost. If he scored they win in regulation. That close.

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Posted By: <b>MVSNYC</b><p>yeah, but Barry, don't forget that Delgado has also won a bunch of games for the Mets as well, due to his bat...<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>But it boils down to "what have you done for me lately."<br /><br />Edited to add of course he had a sensational second half. It just is amazing that the Mets could be eliminated in the last game of the season two years in a row.

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Posted By: <b>MVSNYC</b><p>game, set, match...<br /><br />what a dissapointment.

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>End of the season and the end of Shea. The ceremony that is about to begin is not going down under the best of circumstances.

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Posted By: <b>Steve</b><p>Barry I agree that he could have scored the other night but I'm not sure it was his gaffe.<br /><br />The 3rd base coach held him at 3rd. The gaffe here are the bullpen guys that can't get anyone out.<br /><br /><br />Sigh.<br /><br /><br />Steve

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Posted By: <b>Jeff Lichtman</b><p>Steve, agreed. Great offense, very good starting pitching (despite subpar years from Maine, Perez and Martinez), good fielding. Everything on this team works except for one huge area: relief pitching. In the end, I'm not that disappointed because there is no way this team could have gone very far in the postseason with that bullpen. Alas, the game would have been 'perfect' had Heilman gotten in there and served up a couple runs.

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Posted By: <b>MVSNYC</b><p>somehow, much like during the Yankee Stadium closing celebration, the fact that they didn't make the playoffs seems to shrink alittle, as they parade-in past players, and celebrate their accomplishments.

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>At least Mussina won his 20th game today. That's about the only good news (as well as Favre's 6 touchdown passes).

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Posted By: <b>CN</b><p> It felt like a funeral today. At least we were in it past 1/3 of an inning unlike last year. As I look back at Shea I only have fond memories and wonder if any other stadium hosted 2 baseball and 2 football teams at the same time like Shea did in 1975. Of all the so called Amazing feats I think that will never be topped. RIP my beloved Shea Stadium, my palace of the last 40 years which I have been heard quoted as a dump but at least is was our Dump. CN

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Posted By: <b>Richard S. Simon</b><p>Barry - Delgado did not score on the single because the coach held him up, however he did score later in the inning on a bases loaded walk, so his not scoring on the hit actually did not alter the outcome of the game at all.<br />--<br><br>I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent.<br />Unknown author <br />--<br />We made a promise. We swore we'd always remember.<br />No retreat baby, no surrender.<br />The Boss

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Richard- I thought he was left on the third when the inning ended. If I am wrong, then my statement is of no consequence.

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Posted By: <b>Pennsylvania Ted</b><p>It's sad day for all you Mets fans....very sad. Perhaps, dumping Willie Randolph was not the solution ?<br /><br />My wife is an avid Phillies fan; so, I'll be rooting for the Phillies this October. But, I don't get too excited about<br /> their chances......I still remember 1964.<br /><br /><br />What would be "sweet-sweet" justice....is if the Dodgers go all the way and win the World Series.<br /><br />As a Yankees fan since 1947, I will be rooting for the Dodgers....why ? I am disgusted with the Yankees for not<br />even acknowledging Joe Torre in their celebratory event a week ago. It is the most shameful omission in recent <br />history of major sports events.<br /><br />TED Z<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>MVSNYC</b><p>Hi Ted! how are you?<br /><br />i completely agree...i hope Torre & the Dodgers go all the way...he is a real class act, and one of the greatest managers of all time...it's really embarrassing how he was (mis)handled. <br /><br />MS

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>I wouldn't mind seeing the Cubs take it all on the 100th anniversary of their last championship. And how can you root against Tampa Bay?<br /><br />But what I always root for in the end is exciting baseball. I can't sit through too many of these tedious four hour games, that end too late anway.<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Jeff Lichtman</b><p>Ted, two thoughts: dumping Randolph was a necessity as the team was just not competing while he was in charge; that being said, same result as last year--with the addition of Santana. <br /><br />As for what the Yankees did to Torre, it was unforgiveable in my eyes. Seemed like a petty Hank Steinbrenner move. I can understand (at least theoretically) ignoring Clemens (while I hate him, I think it was wrong to ignore him nonetheless) but what did Torre do to deserve that? Look at how well the team did without him this year. Disgusting omission.