Saturday, June 02, 2007

READ AND WEEP.

It is not even worth typing word one about this game. Not about the cute “MISTER DELGADO” video set to “Mr. Roboto,” not “Mr. Endy’s Neighborhood” (both jokes neither gentleman will understand). Not the weather, not the crowd, not nothin’.

This wasn’t even the B lineup. This was the Bizarro Mets.

So, to distract you, I would like to point you to this act of civil generosity created by Deanna from Marinerds, where she went around Safeco Field and catalogued every single food item and listed its price. Read and weep. Or, read and get ready for the delights waiting for us at Citi Field.

(Bubble tea? They now have BUBBLE TEA at Safeco??!)

Friday, June 01, 2007

MG IN ENEMY TERRITORY.

Last night, I was waiting for TBF in front of Town Hall, where we were going to see Bright Eyes perform night six of a seven-night stand. As I was waiting for him to arrive, I noticed Steve Earle walking down the street toward the theater. There’s been a special guest every night of the stand, and my first thought was, “Well, now I know who tonight’s special guest is. Cool.”

My second thought was, “Do I taunt him because his favorite baseball team is in the toilet?” This is the guy who wore a Yankees jersey when he was featured in a Johnny Cash documentary.  I decided not to, only because I couldn’t come up with anything intelligent enough to taunt Steve Earle with. Aside from his (imho, unfathomable) baseball allegiance, he’s a smart guy who writes good songs and I think he’s pretty cool.

Luckily, TBF arrived a few minutes later. We had an hour before the openers, and two hours before the headliner. What should we do?
“Let’s find somewhere we can watch the game,” was the response I of course expected.

“Alex, I’ll take ‘Places I never thought I’d go in my life’ for $300.”
“What Times Square establishment, featuring multiple television screens in varying sizes, broadcasting every single baseball game on at that given moment, sits at the corner of 7th Avenue and 42nd St?”
“That would be ESPN SportsZone.”
“Correct!”

It would have had to have been TBF who first educated me as to what this place was, exactly, because otherwise, how on earth would I have ever known? Not that I’m in a habit of going anywhere in that area, especially in the Disney-fied Deuce, but I would have probably been more likely to walk into a dive bar on 8th Avenue and feel comfortable before voluntarily entering anything that started with the letters ESPN. This should have been enemy territory.

My my, how things have changed. Not only did we go, but it was my idea.

I guess I should have, or could have, felt vaguely uncomfortable, and it’s not like anyone was going to talk to me about the game, but I didn’t feel uncomfortable - solely because BASEBALL was on. And BASEBALL is a friend. In fact, to my sheer delight and wonder, there was baseball on at least 6 screens, not including the Mets game on one of the big screens.  I am sure if we had stayed past the beginning of the basketball game (we left around 8:30), it might have gotten a little drunker and a little more testosterone-filled, and a lot more uncomfortable. But the beer was cold and the food was good and the Mets were winning, so everything was great.

“They had televisions in the bathrooms,” I said, as we walked back towards Town Hall.
“Well, of course.”
“No,” I insist. “The televisions were angled.”
TBF nodded. “You haven’t been to very many sports bars. The really good places have televisions so you can watch while you’re waiting in line.”
What will they think of next?? (Wait, don’t tell me. I honestly don’t want to know.)

It *was* fun, and I’m glad we went, instead of sitting around inside the theater (we got back in time to see just enough of Gillian Welsh and David Rawlings) for an hour or so, playing with my newly web-enabled phone to keep up with the game. But if I want to watch the game somewhere over a beer sometime, I think I still prefer the two regular-sized tv’s hanging in the Turkey’s Nest.

Thursday, May 31, 2007

LOLYankees

First, we had the wonder that is LOLCats.

Now LOLYankees, courtesy east village idiot.

MUST see. Do not view with liquids in your mouth.

“DOWN BY THE BAY, THE FOLKS ALL SAY… [5-29-07]

...Love that Crazy Crab!”

I will begin by apologizing in advance for my obsession with the former San Francisco Giants anti-mascot, the Crazy Crab. My delight in anthropomorphism in baseball mascots would better suit a three-year-old, I realize. But, if you are not familiar with the Crab, I urge you to follow the link and edify yourself. If nothing else, it will distract you from Wedneday night’s massacre, and explain the headlines for the last two days.

But we are here to discuss Tuesday night’s jubiliation. More, including photos, after the jump.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

LOVE THAT CRAZY CRAB. [5-29-07]

Well, crap. Flickr is down and it’s late and I can’t write and edit photos and get to bed at a decent hour, plus there’s nowhere to upload the photos anyway - so here are some shots I took tonight that will have to hold you over until tomorrow:

As much as I wanna see Zito pitch, ain’t gonna happen. This grrl is way too tired.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

ANOTHER YEAR WITH NOTHIN’ TO DO.

Game 3 of the 1969 World Series. I might have been just old enough to remember this game on tv. Surely, my father watched it.

I asked TBF to record it, even though he is not a big guy for historical games: “I care about what the Mets are doing now,” is his usual response. It is curious because it’s not like he’s ignorant of baseball history or couldn’t tell you the Mets lineup for just about any year you could choose. At least now I recognize the names, not just of the Mets but even some of the Orioles.

I will be honest and say my curiosity wasn’t just about watching the game (although I am incredibly eager to watch a game where Seaver is pitching), it was seeing shea, how it has changed (and not changed). The people in the crowd. Men wearing suits and ties (and hats!) women in dresses. The size and openness of the bullpen. THe open fences at the back of the stadium, which, while following a fly ball, allow you to see the cars in the parking lot. The ushers, wearing bright red uniforms and formal, bus-driver-style hats. The sign guy, putting every lame-o at Shea this year (or any year, likely) to shame (how is it that his signs look so much better in 1969, when everything had to be done by hand, than in 2006, when things can be programmed and printed for pennies?). The scoreboard. The sponsors. The lack of sponsors. The VIP’s in the VIP boxes (former Chief Justice Warren made TBF very happy, although seeing Joe DiMaggio is unquestionably cool).

And yes, the baseball, how it has changed and not changed. How 38 years have gone by and I can still follow and understand the game.

We watched about five innings and then saved it for later. I really do want to watch the whole thing from start to finish, especially to watch Nolan Ryan come out in the 7th inning. And then maybe I can talk to my dad about it the next time I see him.

Saturday, May 26, 2007

WE INTERRUPT YOU FOR A VERY SPECIAL BULLETIN.

WE INTERRUPT THIS EPISODE OF “SLOPPY BASEBALL TONIGHT” FOR A VERY SPECIAL BULLETIN!

THIS HAS BEEN A VERY SPECIAL BULLETIN. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON YET ANOTHER EVENING OF “SLOPPY BASEBALL TONIGHT”.
We hope to fucking hell there isn’t a repeat tomorrow.

Friday, May 25, 2007

GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS

As I walked down Third Avenue towards The Back Page and the SNY viewing party, I passed a nail salon. I looked at my nails, sighed, and reached a conclusion.
Zoe was waiting for me out front, pink cap and all.
“I have a brilliant idea,” I announced.
“Yes?”
“A nail salon with big screen tv’s… showing the baseball game. Or the football game. Or the basketball game.”
Zoe gave me her adorable frown.
“It’s a bar?”
“We could also serve drinks.”
“Guys can come too?”
“They could, but it’s more of a chick place.”
“You want to open a salon?”
“No, I want *someone else* to open it so I can go there. I need a manicure, but I hate girlie crap and want to watch the damn game. Can’t I multi-task?”
Luckily, Coop showed up a few minutes later, someone bought me a beer, and the game started shortly after that.

FRIDAY PHOTO.

Shawn Green with hair! Shawn Green batting #2 in the lineup. Shawn Green hitting! And mostly, Shawn Green with hair.

Bat Girl retires

This has nothing to do with the Mets, but it has everything to do with this blog, and how and why I started writing a baseball blog. I stumbled onto Bat Girl a few years ago - back in 2004 - when she began the innovation known as “Legovision” - TBF having a soft spot in his heart for Legos, and add baseball - well, there you go.

She announced today that she is shutting the blog down, due to many circumstances, foremost of which is the birth of her son.

If you’ve never read her site before, now is the time. Her writing about baseball is everything I aspire to be, and everything I am not - yet.