centerfield maz

Sunday June 9th, 2024: Game Two of the 2024 London Series. The series marked the third time a two-game set of MLB teams played at London Stadium in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in the Stratford district of London, England. Usually a home to Soccer, special adjustments had to be made in order to have the stadium be suitable for MLB baseball play. Even a larger clubhouse was bult to accommodate the players since pro soccer clubhouses are smaller. A big crowd of 55,074 came out for the second game of the Mets Phillies matchup with Philadelphia being the home team. Pre Game Festivities: Both Countries Nation Anthems were sung before the game.  Instead of a ceremonial first pitch, Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney & his wife actress Kaitlin Olsen did a ceremonial double play as she rolled a ball to former Phillie & Mets nemesis Chase Utley who then threw to Bryce Harper at first. Also, the Phillie Phanatic dressed as a Beefeater serving tea to the ESPN crew. Former Mets Hall of F...

Saturday June 9th, 1973- Old Timers Day: A big Saturday afternoon crowd of 47,800 filled up Shea Stadium to first witness an Old Timers Day classic between former Brooklyn Dodgers & AL New York Players vs former New York Mets from the sixties. #14 Retired: It was on this day, the Mets officially retired Gil Hodges #14, as Mets GM Bob Scheffing presented Gil's widow, Joan Hodges with his Mets uniform. This was the just the second Mets uniform number to be retired. In 1965 Casey Stengel's #37 was the first to be retired. Both men were Mets managers & remain the only two managers numbers to be retired by the organization. Former Brooklyn Dodgers:  Carl Furillo, Pee Wee Reese, Ralph Branca, Carl Erskine, Sandy Amoros & Cal Abrams were all in attendance. A full cast of original 1962 Mets were on hand; Richie Ashburn, Ken MacKenzie, Jim Marshall, Rod Kanehl, Frank Thomas & Roger Craig. Other Mets on board included 1969 Mets Reliever Ron Taylor & pitcher Lar...

Tuesday June 7th, 2005: The 2005 Mets were playing well, it was their best baseball since the Pennant year of 2000.  In the off season the Mets brought in the top two free agents on the market in Carlos Beltran & Pedro Martinez. The two players brought excitement back to Shea Stadium. Tonight, Willie Randolph's second place Mets (31-27) were hosting Phil Garner's last place, Houston Astros (21-35).  Two big pitchers went at it tonight, Pedro Martinez (6-1) for the Mets, taking on a struggling Roy Oswalt (6-6) for Houston. Oswalt was in in his second straight twenty-win season & his second straight season of leading the league in starts. In 2006 he was the NL's ERA leader as well. But tonight, Pedro wowed the 39,953 fans at Shea Stadium, giving them a night full of thrills on the mound. I n the top of the 1st inning, Pedro retired the side in order.  In the home 1st, Mike Cameron hit a one out double & scored on Cliff Floyd's double to center field. I...

Friday June 6th, 1986:  It had been just eleven days since the last brawl the wild, fighting 1986 Mets had been in. That Brawl was at Shea Stadium against the Los Angeles Dodgers starring Ray Knight & L.A. pitcher Tom Niedenfuer. On this night, it would be the Mets cool hitting coach Bill Robinson, swinging away getting into it with Pirate's pitcher Rick Rhoden. Trivia: Robinson & Rhoden had been team mates in Pittsburgh from 1979-1982 including the 1979 Pirates "We Are Family" World Championship team. Davey Johnson's first place Mets (34-15) arrived in Pittsburgh for a twi-night doubleheader against Jim Leyland's fourth place Pirates (22-27). Ron Darling (6-1) took the mound against Rick Rhoden (4-3). After a quiet 1st inning, the Mets put up a run in the 2nd. Darryl Strawberry singled, George Foster doubled & Ray Knight followed with an RBI single bringing in Strawberry. In the 4th inning the Pirates hit got doubles from Joe Orsulak, RJ Reynolds ...

Sunday June 6th, 1999: In the wake of the Mets front office firing three of Bobby Valentine's coaches the Mets answered back. The team had lost eight in a row & were at their worst point. Bobby Valentine even told the media "I believe in the next 55 games, if we're not better, I shouldn't be the manager". The Mets went on that evening on Nation TV & beat their cross town A.L. New York rivals. Then went on to win forty of those next 55 games, tying for a wild card spot. Then they beat the Reds in Cincinnati in a one game playoff, defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS & went to six games of the NLCS before getting defeated by the Atlanta Braves. In this subway series matchup, the Mets Mike Piazza continued his dominance against known steroid user Roger Clemens. Piazza would bat .421 vs. Clemens with 4 HRs a double & 10 RBIs against him in 19 at bats over eight games. Tonight, Al Leiter (2-5) would go up against Joe Torre's A.L. Team. Aft...