centerfield maz

Wednesday May 28th, 1969: A small crowd of 11,860 came out to Shea Stadium as Gil Hodges' Mets (19-23) hosted a new NL Western team, the San Diego Padres (18-30).  The Padres were one of four new expansion teams in 1969, the first year of divisional play. The Padres joined the Montreal Expos in the NL. The AL got the Kansas City Royals & the Seattle Pilots. It was the Padres first trip to New York, they had beaten the Mets in the series opener the previous night. The Mets were on a five-game losing streak, t heir longest losing streak of the 1969 season.  On this night the Mets young left hander, Jerry Koosman took the mound on just three days rest.  Koosman had missed a month of action from April 29th to May 24th, with a shoulder issue. This was his second start after his return.   On May 24th, although he had only given up two runs, he took a 3-1 loss to the Astros. Tonight, his opponent was the friars, Clay Kirby. In the top if the 1st, Koosman start...

Monday May 27th 2013: This years version of the subway series began on Memorial Day at Citi Field. Starting this year for the first time, the cross town match ups would be played in two separate two game weeknight series rather than on the weekend. Through the years the subway series hype had died down & fans have become a lot less interested than they once were.  In the first game Mets manager Terry Collins sent Jonathon Niese to the mound against New York's Philip Hughes in front of 32,000 at Citi Field. Tonight the Mets donned their dessert camouflage caps & uniforms. Both pitchers pitched well, holding each other scoreless through the first five innings, scattering a few harmless hits along the way.  In the top of the 6th Bret Gardner, tripled down the left field line then scored on a Jayson Nix base hit.  In the home 7th, Mets Captain David Wright took things into his own hands, blasting a long HR to left center field, a solo shot for his seventh of th...

Tuesday May 26th, 1998:  Bobby Valentines New York Mets (26-20) were improving each season. They entered tonight's game on a four-game win streak, winning seven of their last nine games. The win streak would go nine games ending on May 31st. The 1998 Mets won 88 games going 88-74 the same record they had posted the previous year. The next two seasons they would make the playoffs getting to the 1999 NLCS & 2000 World Series. In tonight's matchup they visited South Florida to face the reigning World Champion Marlins (17-33). After winning the World Series the Marlins had a fire sale, selling off their top players getting them to a last-place finish in 1998 losing 108 games.  Tonight, the Mets Dave Mlicki (1-3) went up against the Fish's Andy Larkin (2-4). Piazza Trivia: Mike Piazza returned to Pro Player Stadium wearing his third different uniform in the past 17 days as he's been with the Dodgers, Marlins & now the Mets all in that time. In the top of the 1st inn...