Over on NY Sports Day, I posted a photo gallery and video of Shea Stadium, which I took with my son yesterday.

Here’s the link.

Posted under Shea Stadium

Now that it looks like Citi will survive, the angry columns will probably cease, but here are a few final thoughts before I put this to rest [hopefully].

1. The deal was cut two years ago, so if either side wanted to walk away from a $400 million deal, there will be more involved than just a handshake. There are probably poison pills in the contract where it will cost either side millions to cancel the deal. And of course both sides will say everything is normal, because there’s probably a clause in the language not to speak against the other company involved.
2. Although the stadium has not opened, Citi and the Mets have been working together for the past two years with branding throughout Shea Stadium [i.e ATMs, ect...]. So this is an active deal already.
3. Politicians from both sides of the aisle should think before they speak. If they want the Mets to cancel the deal, then every company that took TARP money should have their stadium naming deals canceled. That means JP Morgan [Chase Field], Bank of America, Wells Fargo [Wachovia Center], PNC and Comerica should have their deals recinded, which will cause more legal issues than need be.
4. It’s easy for Newsday to pick on the Mets, but their parent comapny Cablevision, has a naming deal with Washington Mutual at the Garden, so why not speak up there? WaMu won’t survive, since it’s not a shell company with all the good assets going to JP Morgan.

Posted under Citi Field

In an article published by the NY Daily News, Mets reliever Aaron Heilman said – through his agent – he wants to start or be traded.

“The object the entire time has never been to get out of New York,” Heilman’s agent Mark Rodgers told the Daily News. “The object is to get out of the bullpen. The most success he’s ever had as a pitcher has been as a starting pitcher. He was drafted by the Mets as a starting pitcher.”

Now, Heilman has made it no secret he wants to start and the Mets do have room in the rotation. But after last season where the righthander was one of the more ineffective relievers, which made him a Shea Stadium pariah, I don’t see how the team should reward him with a spot in the rotation.

Fortunately, he still has value and the Mets can get some quality back for the 30 year-old, so I think it’s time for him to move on.

Posted under New York Mets

One of my favorite sites, which I added to the side, is the Stadium Page. The owner posted pictures of Citi Field’s construction and Shea’s demolition over the past few years.

So please visit the site and you will have a real nice archive of the changes in Queens.

Posted under Citi Field, Shea Stadium

I actually love these from 88 WCBS-AM. You can see Shea is now a shell of itself, while Citi Field is ready for the field part.

Also some Yankee Stadium pictures thrown in. Click here to see them.

Posted under Citi Field, Shea Stadium

Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog.com posted a photo essay today about the dismantling of Shea Stadium. You really should take a look.

Posted under New York Mets

In early June there was no way Carlos Delgado would return to the Mets. The team would undoubtedly give him a $4 million buyout as opposed to picking up his $12 million option.

Then he had a week in one afternoon at Yankee Stadium and never looked back. While the Mets floundered in September, Delgado sizzled, hitting .340 with eight homers and 22 RBI. He finished the season batting .271 with 38 homers and 115 RBI.

Those numbers warrant a return for 2009.

“I’d like to be back. I like this group of guys,” Delgado said. “I think they’re a great team. There’s a lot of talent here. In my stage, you don’t want to be bouncing around any more than you absolutely have to. The decision is in their hands.”

Since the Mets would pay Delgado $4 million regardless because of the buyout, it’s really only an $8 million investment they would be making. That’s not much in the grand scheme of things. The Mets have five days after the World Series to make a decision.

Delgado said he’d like to play several more years, but considering his off-year in 2007 and how long it took for him to get started this season, the Mets would be wise to make him earn the extension and not do anything until the end of 2009.

Should the Mets go the buyout route, there aren’t many appealing options in the free-agent market. Here’s what’s available:

Rich Aurilia (37)
Hank Blalock (28) – $6.2MM club option for ‘09 with a $0.25MM buyout
Sean Casey (34)
Tony Clark (37)
Carlos Delgado (37) – $12MM club option for ‘09 with a $4MM buyout
Nomar Garciaparra (35)
Jason Giambi (38) – $22MM club option for ‘09 with a $5MM buyout
Wes Helms (33) – $3.75MM club option for ‘09 with a $0.75MM buyout
Eric Hinske (31)
Doug Mientkiewicz (35)
Kevin Millar (37)
Richie Sexson (34)
Mark Teixeira (29)
Daryle Ward (34)

Should the Mets bring him back or not?

Posted under New York Mets

Have been walking around the stands and listening to people. Mixed feelings. Shea has never been state-of-the-art, even from the beginning. But, it has been home to many of you. A place to escape a bad day, a play to dream, a place to shed tears, and most of all, a place to dream.

It’s always sad to say goodbye to a ballpark, because it is the site of so many memories. But, where blacktop will cover what is now the outfield. But, you can’t build over memories, just as you can’t build over dreams.

We say good bye to Shea Stadium today, but not really because there is still the dream of playoff baseball, and with it maybe more memories.

Now, wouldn’t that be something?

For you trivia buffs, here are the lineups, the answer to a future question.

Florida Marlins

CF Cameron Maybin
C John Baker
3B Jorge Cantu
1B Mike Jacobs
LF Josh Willingham
2B Dan Uggla
RF Cody Ross
SS Alfedo Amezaga
LH Scott Olsen

METS

SS Jose Reyes
CF Carlos Beltran
1B Carlos Delgado
3B David Wright
LF Nick Evans
2B Ramon Martinez
RF Ryan Church
C Ramon Castro
LH Oliver Perez

Posted under New York Mets

The Mets announced today the top ten moments at Shea Stadium:

1. Game Six of the 1986 World Series highlighted by the Bill Buckner team.
2. Mike Mike Piazza’s dramatic two-run home run in the eighth inning, Sept. 21, 2001, to beat the Braves in New York City’s first sporting event after the 9-11 attacks on America.
3. The Mets beat the heavily-favored Baltimore Orioles, 5-3, in Game Five of the 1969 World Series.
4. Endy Chavez’ Game Seven 2006 NLCS catch.
5. The Mets 7 1986 World Series victory.
6. Robin Ventura’s “Grand Slam Single” in Game Five of the 1999 NLCS.
7. The Beatles play Shea, Aug. 15, 1965.
8. The Mets, on June 30, 2000, scored 10 runs in the eighth inning vs. Atlanta.
9. Tom Seaver’s one-hitter against Chicago.
10. Todd Pratt’s walk-off home run in Game Four of the NLDS vs. Arizona.

Let’s talk about them during the game, if there is a game. For the second straight season the Mets’ last hurdle to October are the Florida Marlins.

“We have three games left and it’s going to be hard,” said Carlos Beltran, who is hitting .315 (17-for-54) with three home runs and 12 RBIs against Florida this season.

The Mets are 9-6 against the Marlins this season, including 4-2 at Shea. None of that success is by Mike Pelfrey, who is 0-3 with a 7.91 ERA in four starts against the Marlins this season and 1-4 lifetime in seven appearances.

Posted under New York Mets

A lot of you have mentioned your favorite Shea Stadium memories. But, what about the ones you missed. Tell me the one moment in Shea Stadium you would have liked to have witnessed live, but didn’t.

Tom Seaver? Tom Agee’s homer into the upper deck? The 1969 World Series? The Beatles? The Stones? The Spiderman Wedding?

Posted under New York Mets