Renting the movie Schindler's List would be more uplifting than watching the 2009 New York Mets.
And to anyone who felt the Mets should have approved the proposed trade for Roy Halladay, the great Toronto pitcher, I say this. If he was pitching, would it have made any difference? Against John Lannan and the powerhouse Washington Nationals, this team managed six singles, 17 groundball outs, and as usual, zero runs in a 4-0 loss.
First, Oliver Perez. 3 years, $36 million. Perez has now walked 17 batters in 17 innings since returning from the disabled list, and on the year he has earned $155,454.55 per walk so far. At least when he gives up runs now, he is leaving it to two or three an inning as opposed to five or six. That's a step in the right direction!
And I am so tired of Fernando Tatis. As big as he was last year with so many big hits and clutch home runs, he has been that bad this year. He hit into another double play tonight, his 12th of 2009. And Jerry Manuel had the nerve to bat him in the fifth spot. Get him off the team right now. Let him go back to Latin America and build more churches.
Now to the news of Monday. Although there is a lot of mystery as to whether this trade was really offered or not, the news was the Mets had rejected a trade proposal from Toronto where they would have acquired Roy Halladay and they would have given up prospects Fernando Martinez, Bobby Parnell, Jon Niese, and Ruben Tejada. Many Mets fans initial reaction was anger and disbelief. How could Omar Minaya not pull the trigger to form the greatest 1-2 starting pitchers punch that baseball would have seen since Koufax and Drysdale?
I do not agree. I do not and did not want Roy Halladay. Not because he isn't capable, he is absolutely a splendid hurler. But if the Mets were to get Doc, it would be for the rest of this garbage year and next year before he becomes a free agent. And who's to say the 33-year old Cy Young Award winner would re-sign here? With his outstanding resume, he would want a 5-year contract for about $90-100 million. And since the Mets will never have a large enough payroll to where they would have to pay the luxury tax (I have no problem with that by the way), they would not be able to spend money to sign or trade for some bats that can breathe some life into this offense which is hooked up to the respirators as we speak.
Instead of heartbreak in September, it came in June and July this year. Meaningless August baseball begins in one week. Even I, at the beginning of April, would not have believed it was possible.
Song pick: "Time on His Hands" James Blundell
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Very little left to say, reaction to the trade
The New York Mets are staring at playing not only a meaningless September, but a meaningless August as well.
And I had no cell phone yesterday so between 5 and 8, I had no access to the news. I found out around 8:15 that three hours earlier, Mr. Full Autonomy made a trade. Ryan Church goes to Atlanta for Jeff Francoeur. First, Church. The first half of 2008 was awesome, he was arguably the Mets' best player. Then, Yunel Escobar knees him in the head and he gets his second concussion within three months. The Mets downplay the severity and promptly fly him to Colorado with the rest of the team. After he came back, he was never the same. Suffering from post-concussion syndrome, Church nonetheless was shut down for only three weeks in June. When symptoms resurfaced, Church again was shut down (this time for seven weeks) after a July 5 start in Philadelphia. He hit .219 with two homers and 13 RBI from August 22 to the close of the season, while still feeling concussion effects. The organization screwed his head up and he was never the same.
As for "Frenchy", I appear to be one of the few who does not like this trade at all. I like his outfield arm, that is a benefit. He's 25 years old, not bad. And he does not become a free agent for five years (same as Church). That's the upside. The downsides are these.
1. The reclamation project: The Mets love to get headcases or old guys and try to salvage their careers. Sheffield, Tatis, Ollie P, Kaz Ishii, Hidalgo, Derek Bell, Hershiser, on and on. If this guy could not turn it around in his hometown and in a place where no one gets booed and most of the fans don't pay much attention to the game, how can he ever handle New York City and a fanbase that has no patience?
2. Plate discipline: I cannot think of a player who has a poorer knowledge of the strike zone than this guy. The Braves could live with 132 strikeouts in 2006 and 129 in 2007 because he gave them power and production, but last year the production began to slip. They became so exasperated with his strikeouts that they sent him to the minors for a couple of weeks, a move that shocked Francoeur. He wound up hitting only .238 with 11 home runs and 71 RBI, and this year his power had fallen off more - five home runs and 35 RBI to go with a .250 average and 46 strikeouts. This season, he has walked just 12 times with 46 strikeouts. And most of all, I cannot think of a player who my father has bashed on the phone more than this guy.
3. No other choice: If anything, because of the lack of prospects in the upper levels of the Mets' farm system, it's about the only type of trade Minaya can make, major leaguer for major leaguer, gambling on unfulfilled potential.
And Frenchy would not have made a difference last night against the Cincinnati Reds. Last night, the Mets were shut out for the third time in five games and have now scored 10 runs in their last seven. That's their lowest total in any seven-game stretch since scoring nine from Sept. 16-23 in 2003. They also fell five games below .500 (40-45) for the first time since opening the 2005 season 0-5.
And last night was more of the same old, same old. Once again, the Mets make Bronson Arroyo look like Christy Matthewson, Sandy Koufax, and Bob Gibson rolled into one. A three hit, complete game shutout for a No. 3 caliber starter.
I should be numb by this point. I wish I was. I really do.
And I had no cell phone yesterday so between 5 and 8, I had no access to the news. I found out around 8:15 that three hours earlier, Mr. Full Autonomy made a trade. Ryan Church goes to Atlanta for Jeff Francoeur. First, Church. The first half of 2008 was awesome, he was arguably the Mets' best player. Then, Yunel Escobar knees him in the head and he gets his second concussion within three months. The Mets downplay the severity and promptly fly him to Colorado with the rest of the team. After he came back, he was never the same. Suffering from post-concussion syndrome, Church nonetheless was shut down for only three weeks in June. When symptoms resurfaced, Church again was shut down (this time for seven weeks) after a July 5 start in Philadelphia. He hit .219 with two homers and 13 RBI from August 22 to the close of the season, while still feeling concussion effects. The organization screwed his head up and he was never the same.
As for "Frenchy", I appear to be one of the few who does not like this trade at all. I like his outfield arm, that is a benefit. He's 25 years old, not bad. And he does not become a free agent for five years (same as Church). That's the upside. The downsides are these.
1. The reclamation project: The Mets love to get headcases or old guys and try to salvage their careers. Sheffield, Tatis, Ollie P, Kaz Ishii, Hidalgo, Derek Bell, Hershiser, on and on. If this guy could not turn it around in his hometown and in a place where no one gets booed and most of the fans don't pay much attention to the game, how can he ever handle New York City and a fanbase that has no patience?
2. Plate discipline: I cannot think of a player who has a poorer knowledge of the strike zone than this guy. The Braves could live with 132 strikeouts in 2006 and 129 in 2007 because he gave them power and production, but last year the production began to slip. They became so exasperated with his strikeouts that they sent him to the minors for a couple of weeks, a move that shocked Francoeur. He wound up hitting only .238 with 11 home runs and 71 RBI, and this year his power had fallen off more - five home runs and 35 RBI to go with a .250 average and 46 strikeouts. This season, he has walked just 12 times with 46 strikeouts. And most of all, I cannot think of a player who my father has bashed on the phone more than this guy.
3. No other choice: If anything, because of the lack of prospects in the upper levels of the Mets' farm system, it's about the only type of trade Minaya can make, major leaguer for major leaguer, gambling on unfulfilled potential.
And Frenchy would not have made a difference last night against the Cincinnati Reds. Last night, the Mets were shut out for the third time in five games and have now scored 10 runs in their last seven. That's their lowest total in any seven-game stretch since scoring nine from Sept. 16-23 in 2003. They also fell five games below .500 (40-45) for the first time since opening the 2005 season 0-5.
And last night was more of the same old, same old. Once again, the Mets make Bronson Arroyo look like Christy Matthewson, Sandy Koufax, and Bob Gibson rolled into one. A three hit, complete game shutout for a No. 3 caliber starter.
I should be numb by this point. I wish I was. I really do.
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Road trip
This is the smallest keyboard I have ever used. This post is taking twice as long as normal because of the all of the editing I have to do. Well the plane ride to Newark was uneventful. This is stunning, but there were no problems. Actually, one complaint. I got the aisle seat of the first row of coach. Thus, I had a perfect view of the flight attendants catering to the first class passengers.
Then we began a two-mile drive to Pat's Steaks. And I was a little surprised how narrow and tight the streets are. Philly combines the blue collar aspect and tight feeling of Brooklyn with the close proximity of Boston. We pulled in around 9:15, and decided to pass on Geno's, which is their "rival" right across the street. Pat's gets slightly better reviews from what I have seen, so that is what I decided on. We both got steaks wit (not a type-o, that refers to fried onions), provolone, and mushrooms. Wow. Incredible meat that I could really chew into, excellent onions, and served on one of the best rolls I have ever had. If anyone knows a roll in Chicago that is that good, please let me know.
We planned to drive five hours straight west to Pittsburgh, but when we realized Lancaster wasn't far away, we headed southwest towards Amish Country. Now I started driving my car for first time just after we left Philly. The pickup is amazing and it is great to hear music out of both speakers instead of just the passenger side like I had to do. The one drawback is there is no moonroof.
But back to Amish Country. Horse and buggies, produce stands, quilt shops, everything was there. And I had to notice the intense green color of the land. It was quite a treat to see. A lot of people in the area however, are not Amish. I started wondering how well the Amish and non-Amish communicate. So anyway, I'm driving around these curvy two-lane roads and on the shoulder, horses are transporting families. At a farmer's market, I had my first taste of shoo-fly pie and it was really good. And their apple cider has the most intense apple flavor I've ever tasted. Awesome.
90 minutes later, we arrived in Pittsburgh. The city is a little bit of a tease. As we drove down 376, there were a lot of signs marking the distance to the Steel City. 15 miles, 10 miles, 5 miles. We saw nothing but hills and trees. Finally, the city appeared out of nowhere. I know they are doing a lot of renovations, but it is always going to be a blue collar town. I was a little surprised how small it seemed though. We drive by the Mellon Arena, where the Penguins play hockey. The thing looks like the globe at Epcot Center. Looks like half a golf ball was embedded in the ground. But right next door, they are constructing their new arena and it looks magnificent. But there is so little room around that arena. Less than Wrigley Field. And like coffee shops conquered Seattle and cowboy hats dominate Dallas, bridges rule Pittsburgh. There are more bridges in this city than there are traffic jams in LA. With all these rivers, there have to be a dozen bridges. We traveled over two of them and didn't have to pay for either.
We ate dinner at Nadine's from DDD. It's just this tiny neighborhood bar in a quiet section of downtown. One guy was working and he had the jobs of bartender, cook, waiter, and cashier. There was a husband and wife sitting next to us at the bar from New Jersey (of course) in town for the Mensa Convention. Pretty small menu. Thought about getting the deep fried mac and cheese or garlic-butter chicken wings. We both had Nadine's special pastas, which we saw on TV. It's got Italian meats and veggies in it and was really hearty. For two beers, two glasses of wine, and two pastas, we paid $30. Not the best meal ever, but good atmosphere and value. Felt like Cheers, where everybody knows your name. Unfortunately, I found out in that bar that Steve McNair was killed. What a shame.
By this time, we were wearing down. We drove another hour to Youngstown, OH where we got the last room at the Fairfield Inn around 7 p.m. This may be the only hotel I have ever seen with a pool and no gym. Anyway, Akron, Canton, Cleveland are all options for Sunday morning. And Pastor Ortberg will be keeping us company.
Dad picked Mom and I up and we headed west in his car, the 4-door silver 2006 Honda Accord, soon to be mine, to Bridgewater Honda. Of course, it was my job to find a lunch spot on Rt. 22. We were driving in the left lane on the four lane road and I looked to my right. There was a strip mall up a hill and just off the road, I saw the signs for the stores. One said "Five Guys." I suddenly remembered Barack Obama ate at this burgers and fries joint in Washington D.C. I had no clue it was in Jersey as well. I told Dad to shift across two lanes and make a right turn up into the mall. Took about 20 seconds, but we made it. Incredibly juicy burgers and the fries are as fresh as can be. Great grease.
Next door was Toys R Us and we brought Sequence and Rummikub. And then to the dealership where Dad picked up his newest leased Honda. He drove to his place while Mom and I drove by our old house. The conditions of that neighborhood used to be so-so. Now they are just horrific. Several houses on our street have Christmas lights hanging. Plenty of litter. The lawns have not been mowed in maybe 3 or 4 years. But the best part was when we drove by the main street and saw what we thought were a pair of roosters in the street. On our way back through the main road of the complex, we realized they were actually two vultures eating a carcass. I was ready to throw up. Thank God I am out of there.
For dinner, we drove up towards the Meadowlands to Jerry's, a great Italian joint we had not been to in maybe ten years. On the way, we saw the new football stadium which is being built. Right next to that is the disastrous Xanadu project, which is no longer being built. The outdoor ski jump which will never be used looks like the old Partridge Family bus. Any eyesore of the highest level. Anyway, we split a few dishes and the chicken scarpariello with sausage, potatoes, and roasted peppers was incredible. Unfortunately, the portions are so large, I had to throw out half of my rigatoni and sausage. Not a pleasant experience. But Dad can't eat cheese, so....
Got on the road around 7:30 a.m. As we entered the Pennsylvania Turnpike, I was struck by the green trees lining the roads and the hilly terrains. Northeast Philly reminded me of Brooklyn with the parks and the brick flats. Our first stop was a little personal for me. Swanson and Ritner on the southeast side. Formerly a bingo hall, formerly the ECW arena, and currently the Philly homes of ROH and CZW. This dilapidated barn is attached to a $25.00 sneaker outlet. There are barely any parking spaces to speak of, it is in the middle of a lot of industrial sites, the roads are not marked at all, and we had to drive through a couple of rain puddles on Swanson. The catch? There hasn't been any rain in PA in several days. But it was a thrill to see the Arena as it known now. So many legendary moments in that little place and I hope many more good ones down the road.Then we began a two-mile drive to Pat's Steaks. And I was a little surprised how narrow and tight the streets are. Philly combines the blue collar aspect and tight feeling of Brooklyn with the close proximity of Boston. We pulled in around 9:15, and decided to pass on Geno's, which is their "rival" right across the street. Pat's gets slightly better reviews from what I have seen, so that is what I decided on. We both got steaks wit (not a type-o, that refers to fried onions), provolone, and mushrooms. Wow. Incredible meat that I could really chew into, excellent onions, and served on one of the best rolls I have ever had. If anyone knows a roll in Chicago that is that good, please let me know.
We planned to drive five hours straight west to Pittsburgh, but when we realized Lancaster wasn't far away, we headed southwest towards Amish Country. Now I started driving my car for first time just after we left Philly. The pickup is amazing and it is great to hear music out of both speakers instead of just the passenger side like I had to do. The one drawback is there is no moonroof.
But back to Amish Country. Horse and buggies, produce stands, quilt shops, everything was there. And I had to notice the intense green color of the land. It was quite a treat to see. A lot of people in the area however, are not Amish. I started wondering how well the Amish and non-Amish communicate. So anyway, I'm driving around these curvy two-lane roads and on the shoulder, horses are transporting families. At a farmer's market, I had my first taste of shoo-fly pie and it was really good. And their apple cider has the most intense apple flavor I've ever tasted. Awesome.
The two big Amish towns there are named Bird in Hand and Intercourse. I am not making up. It took a long time to get there, but I did finally get to Intercourse. What did I think of Intercourse? It was as beautiful as I imagined it would be, but it was over really quickly. 30 seconds and I had already passed it by. That was it!
After getting past Harrisburg, we checked our atlas. And we discovered that the memorial for Flight 93 was located in rural southwest Pennsylvania. Since it was July 4, we knew it was a great day to head up there. One hour and a ton of backroads later, we found a small, simple outdoor tribute site in a huge grass field elevated in the Appalachians. There were very few trees nearby which indicated to me that the passengers must have gained most of the control of that fateful flight on September 11. Otherwise, how would it have landed in a field with so few houses or businesses around? There were benches and crosses for each person on the plane as well as numerous dedications. I'm glad I got up there to pay my respects. And can NYC get going on their memorial already?90 minutes later, we arrived in Pittsburgh. The city is a little bit of a tease. As we drove down 376, there were a lot of signs marking the distance to the Steel City. 15 miles, 10 miles, 5 miles. We saw nothing but hills and trees. Finally, the city appeared out of nowhere. I know they are doing a lot of renovations, but it is always going to be a blue collar town. I was a little surprised how small it seemed though. We drive by the Mellon Arena, where the Penguins play hockey. The thing looks like the globe at Epcot Center. Looks like half a golf ball was embedded in the ground. But right next door, they are constructing their new arena and it looks magnificent. But there is so little room around that arena. Less than Wrigley Field. And like coffee shops conquered Seattle and cowboy hats dominate Dallas, bridges rule Pittsburgh. There are more bridges in this city than there are traffic jams in LA. With all these rivers, there have to be a dozen bridges. We traveled over two of them and didn't have to pay for either.
We ate dinner at Nadine's from DDD. It's just this tiny neighborhood bar in a quiet section of downtown. One guy was working and he had the jobs of bartender, cook, waiter, and cashier. There was a husband and wife sitting next to us at the bar from New Jersey (of course) in town for the Mensa Convention. Pretty small menu. Thought about getting the deep fried mac and cheese or garlic-butter chicken wings. We both had Nadine's special pastas, which we saw on TV. It's got Italian meats and veggies in it and was really hearty. For two beers, two glasses of wine, and two pastas, we paid $30. Not the best meal ever, but good atmosphere and value. Felt like Cheers, where everybody knows your name. Unfortunately, I found out in that bar that Steve McNair was killed. What a shame.
By this time, we were wearing down. We drove another hour to Youngstown, OH where we got the last room at the Fairfield Inn around 7 p.m. This may be the only hotel I have ever seen with a pool and no gym. Anyway, Akron, Canton, Cleveland are all options for Sunday morning. And Pastor Ortberg will be keeping us company.
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
NY: 6/21 & 6/22
1) Thank goodness for Ipods. Since I couldn't get to church, I listened to an Ortberg sermon on Saturday night. So the next morning, Dad and I played some Rummikub, then watched ROH Take No Prisoners. The Austin Aries/Nakajima vs. Tyler Black/KENTA match was remarkable. I also like this Alex Kozlov, who had a really good match with Roderick Strong.
2) We took the train into the city for Ben and Jack's. Now in Penn Station, which is right below Madison Square Garden, there are not many TV's or places to stay informed about whatever was going on. There was, however, an overpriced Houlihan's that we visited a lot. Well, now it's closed. And replacing it? Friday's. And they already have a Friday's on the other side of the station. Embarrassing. Instead, we went into Tracks, a clam bar for a drink. Saw the Mets give up a few runs too.
3) We walked into the restaurant and the waiter was quickly annoyed when we refused the wine list and Dad explained he could not eat any butter. Already on the table was their steak sauce, which is lighter than an A1. It is a brighter red, and does not have as bold a flavor. It's closer in flavor to a spicy cocktail sauce. We started with the jumbo crabmeat cocktail and one slice each of sizzling Canadian bacon. This is very large, thick bacon that we went a little too heavy on last time. The crab was so fresh and the bacon flavor was incredibly bright, especially dipped in the sauce. After some more waiting, which Dad was not at all keen on, they brought out a small plate they turned upside down. Then came two large hot dinner plates that had just come out of the oven. Then the T-bone steak for two, German potatoes/onions, and sauteed spinach with roasted garlic. They rested the steak plate on the small plate on an angle, allowing the steak juice to collect at the bottom. Thankfully, I had a side of drawn butter and the steak sauce to go with it. Wow. Just wow. But by the end, I was feeling pretty uncomfortable. And I had made sure to skip breakfast that morning as well. But, I still had some cheesecake with homemade schlag, or German whipped cream. Awesome. And Dad had his macadamia nut ice cream from Haagen Dasz. He did not know they still made that flavor. Did what I could to calm him down.
4) The 20 or so minute walk back to Penn Station was needed. And I saw a ton of Mets fans in there and they all wore the same sullen, blank expression on their face that I and so many others had worn the day before. Another loss. Back home we went. More Rummikub and Boomer and Carton clips. As big a douche as Carton can be, hearing him impersonate Suzyn Waldman and Chris Russo is outstanding.
5) For Monday, I planned to take the 10:30 flight from Newark, the second of five flights from Newark to O'Hare. There was no line to check in or at security so I went through the terminal feeling pretty relaxed. Then I saw how full the seating area was and I knew something was wrong. Apparently, the 6:30 am flight never took off. They put everyone on the plane, discovered an A/C problem, and took everyone off. So all those people were now on the 10:30 flight. And for the standby passengers like me, well, unless that plane could get fixed, we were screwed. As expected, I missed the next flight. As the plane was being fixed, the third flight to Chicago as boarding as well. But I could not get on that one, since I was on the list for the first flight. I got on. We boarded, and the pilot backed away from the jetway and headed toward the runway.
6) Then we stopped. After ten minutes, he comes on and says the problem still was not fixed. We headed back to the gate and got off. We started to re-book and the news tricked through the line of 150 or so people (I was at the end) that the fight was cancelled. So now there are four flights. And the 3:30 was filled up quickly with confirmed passengers who had to re-book. So it's 2:30 and I knew I had one more flight left from Newark. If that's not enough, my cell phone quit working. Dad had changed his phone and had a new charger and I could no longer use his. After consulting with a gate agent I knew, we discovered I might have a better chance in LaGuardia. There were hourly flights, but early in the day, they all looked full. But that was the only way I was getting out of New York that day. After five hours and four failed flights, I decided to leave Newark.
7) I ran through the terminal and then downstairs to ground transportation. Rodney, the very slick , slow-moving dude behind the counter, arranged me to take a shuttle to LGA for $32. He advised me to get a cab to get there quicker, but that would have cost close to $100. We confirmed it at 2:45 and the shuttle was supposed to arrive at 3:30. Now I had been told that these shuttles left every 30 minutes and cost $22. But I was in no mood to argue, just to travel. I really had little confidence that they would arrive promptly. But the guy did ok, he arrived at 3:40 and took me to his van. My flight I wanted was at 5 p.m. with the next one leaving at 6:15. We sat in the van for five minutes while he ate Chinese food. I wanted to tell him to haul ass, but he explained he wanted to wait for any more possible passengers. Five minutes later, nobody else had showed. We left for NYC.
8) The Holland Tunnel was clear, and then he drove up Canal St and through Chinatown, which is on the West Side of Manhattan. This is during rush hour. Simply put, the traffic picked up. Took the Manhattan Bridge to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway which moved around 10 MPH. I actually fell asleep in the van. We wound up arriving right at 5 p.m. I knew I was not making the flight I wanted and I could only get the 6:15. First I stopped at Famiglia to get some pizza because I hadn't eaten all day. Told the guy about my day and he actually gave me a discount. I don't know how big it was, but he said he had given me one. I just took him at his word.
9) Got to the gate around 5:45 and took a look at the standby list. My mouth dropped. The list was 65 people long. And since it uses abbreviated names, I didn't know if I was number 21 or 40! Eventually, I was called and got a seat in the last row. Took eight hours, and a different airport, but I got out. I wound up sitting right next to a pair of Mets fans who were on their way to Iowa. And I had a Mets hat on and before we took off, the flight attendant (female, around 50, definitely from the northeast) asked me who my favorite Yankee was. Wasn't sure the best way to answer that question, but I asked her if she knew I was wearing a Mets hat. She didn't have a clue. That's fair, but nevertheless, I answered Matt Nokes. I actually got that blue hat at the game, as it was the promotion item. Of course, I didn't expect to walk out with three of them. Funny thing is on the plane, I read an article in American Way on Billy Mays, the outgoing salesman. It was about his history, his place in pop culture, and his plans for the future. How could I know he would be dead just six days later?
10) Got in to O'Hare around 8:30 p.m. My bag was already gone, so I claimed it at lost luggage. I started to take it, so I lifted it onto my right shoulder. The little girl working there asked me to stop. She removed two tags, or she struggled to remove two tags off the bag, while I was still holding it. Not very enjoyable. Waited 45 minutes outside in heat (I was amazed when I walked outside that it was actually warm) for Mom to arrive and we headed home, which took another 45 or so. Quick stop at St. Charles Place for a half-price burger. I had one with sauteed mushrooms, cognac sauce, and Caesar salad (no joke) served on French bread along with about four iced teas. So I guess I got home around 10:30. I knew I would have to wake up for work in less than eight hours.
2) We took the train into the city for Ben and Jack's. Now in Penn Station, which is right below Madison Square Garden, there are not many TV's or places to stay informed about whatever was going on. There was, however, an overpriced Houlihan's that we visited a lot. Well, now it's closed. And replacing it? Friday's. And they already have a Friday's on the other side of the station. Embarrassing. Instead, we went into Tracks, a clam bar for a drink. Saw the Mets give up a few runs too.
3) We walked into the restaurant and the waiter was quickly annoyed when we refused the wine list and Dad explained he could not eat any butter. Already on the table was their steak sauce, which is lighter than an A1. It is a brighter red, and does not have as bold a flavor. It's closer in flavor to a spicy cocktail sauce. We started with the jumbo crabmeat cocktail and one slice each of sizzling Canadian bacon. This is very large, thick bacon that we went a little too heavy on last time. The crab was so fresh and the bacon flavor was incredibly bright, especially dipped in the sauce. After some more waiting, which Dad was not at all keen on, they brought out a small plate they turned upside down. Then came two large hot dinner plates that had just come out of the oven. Then the T-bone steak for two, German potatoes/onions, and sauteed spinach with roasted garlic. They rested the steak plate on the small plate on an angle, allowing the steak juice to collect at the bottom. Thankfully, I had a side of drawn butter and the steak sauce to go with it. Wow. Just wow. But by the end, I was feeling pretty uncomfortable. And I had made sure to skip breakfast that morning as well. But, I still had some cheesecake with homemade schlag, or German whipped cream. Awesome. And Dad had his macadamia nut ice cream from Haagen Dasz. He did not know they still made that flavor. Did what I could to calm him down.
4) The 20 or so minute walk back to Penn Station was needed. And I saw a ton of Mets fans in there and they all wore the same sullen, blank expression on their face that I and so many others had worn the day before. Another loss. Back home we went. More Rummikub and Boomer and Carton clips. As big a douche as Carton can be, hearing him impersonate Suzyn Waldman and Chris Russo is outstanding.
5) For Monday, I planned to take the 10:30 flight from Newark, the second of five flights from Newark to O'Hare. There was no line to check in or at security so I went through the terminal feeling pretty relaxed. Then I saw how full the seating area was and I knew something was wrong. Apparently, the 6:30 am flight never took off. They put everyone on the plane, discovered an A/C problem, and took everyone off. So all those people were now on the 10:30 flight. And for the standby passengers like me, well, unless that plane could get fixed, we were screwed. As expected, I missed the next flight. As the plane was being fixed, the third flight to Chicago as boarding as well. But I could not get on that one, since I was on the list for the first flight. I got on. We boarded, and the pilot backed away from the jetway and headed toward the runway.
6) Then we stopped. After ten minutes, he comes on and says the problem still was not fixed. We headed back to the gate and got off. We started to re-book and the news tricked through the line of 150 or so people (I was at the end) that the fight was cancelled. So now there are four flights. And the 3:30 was filled up quickly with confirmed passengers who had to re-book. So it's 2:30 and I knew I had one more flight left from Newark. If that's not enough, my cell phone quit working. Dad had changed his phone and had a new charger and I could no longer use his. After consulting with a gate agent I knew, we discovered I might have a better chance in LaGuardia. There were hourly flights, but early in the day, they all looked full. But that was the only way I was getting out of New York that day. After five hours and four failed flights, I decided to leave Newark.
7) I ran through the terminal and then downstairs to ground transportation. Rodney, the very slick , slow-moving dude behind the counter, arranged me to take a shuttle to LGA for $32. He advised me to get a cab to get there quicker, but that would have cost close to $100. We confirmed it at 2:45 and the shuttle was supposed to arrive at 3:30. Now I had been told that these shuttles left every 30 minutes and cost $22. But I was in no mood to argue, just to travel. I really had little confidence that they would arrive promptly. But the guy did ok, he arrived at 3:40 and took me to his van. My flight I wanted was at 5 p.m. with the next one leaving at 6:15. We sat in the van for five minutes while he ate Chinese food. I wanted to tell him to haul ass, but he explained he wanted to wait for any more possible passengers. Five minutes later, nobody else had showed. We left for NYC.
8) The Holland Tunnel was clear, and then he drove up Canal St and through Chinatown, which is on the West Side of Manhattan. This is during rush hour. Simply put, the traffic picked up. Took the Manhattan Bridge to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway which moved around 10 MPH. I actually fell asleep in the van. We wound up arriving right at 5 p.m. I knew I was not making the flight I wanted and I could only get the 6:15. First I stopped at Famiglia to get some pizza because I hadn't eaten all day. Told the guy about my day and he actually gave me a discount. I don't know how big it was, but he said he had given me one. I just took him at his word.
9) Got to the gate around 5:45 and took a look at the standby list. My mouth dropped. The list was 65 people long. And since it uses abbreviated names, I didn't know if I was number 21 or 40! Eventually, I was called and got a seat in the last row. Took eight hours, and a different airport, but I got out. I wound up sitting right next to a pair of Mets fans who were on their way to Iowa. And I had a Mets hat on and before we took off, the flight attendant (female, around 50, definitely from the northeast) asked me who my favorite Yankee was. Wasn't sure the best way to answer that question, but I asked her if she knew I was wearing a Mets hat. She didn't have a clue. That's fair, but nevertheless, I answered Matt Nokes. I actually got that blue hat at the game, as it was the promotion item. Of course, I didn't expect to walk out with three of them. Funny thing is on the plane, I read an article in American Way on Billy Mays, the outgoing salesman. It was about his history, his place in pop culture, and his plans for the future. How could I know he would be dead just six days later?
10) Got in to O'Hare around 8:30 p.m. My bag was already gone, so I claimed it at lost luggage. I started to take it, so I lifted it onto my right shoulder. The little girl working there asked me to stop. She removed two tags, or she struggled to remove two tags off the bag, while I was still holding it. Not very enjoyable. Waited 45 minutes outside in heat (I was amazed when I walked outside that it was actually warm) for Mom to arrive and we headed home, which took another 45 or so. Quick stop at St. Charles Place for a half-price burger. I had one with sauteed mushrooms, cognac sauce, and Caesar salad (no joke) served on French bread along with about four iced teas. So I guess I got home around 10:30. I knew I would have to wake up for work in less than eight hours.
NY 6/20
For some reason, June has never been my favorite month. Can't really think of a good reason why. Just a decision I made when I was a kid. When I was a kid. The key word there is "was." My parents would benefit from understanding that. My goal is to keep their time with me this weekend as brief as possible. Anyway, let's look back at June. Plenty has happened, some good, some bad.
1) Blues on the Fox. I left work at 5 on Friday and drove down 59 to Aurora, which is about 45 minutes without traffic. This time, it took me an hour and ten minutes. The skies were very gray, but we were holding out hope that the rain would pass through and we could enjoy the music. No such luck. The festival was cancelled at 6:15 as was Naper Days and the Elgin Beerfest. So I drove to Real Time in a monsoon, in a Honda, in a rush, so I could watch the Mets. And it turned out well, they beat Tampa. Went home, packed, and got ready for my 6:30 flight the next morning.
2) I only made the flight to Newark because I dressed nice. That got me into first class, arrived right on time. After getting to Dad's place, we headed out to Citi Field. Skies were gray in New York too. One of my favorite parts of the new ballpark is they marked home plate, the pitcher's mound, and the other three bases in the parking lot. Thought of the guys who established the Mets franchise: Seaver, Koosman, Matlack, Agee, Cleon, Kranepool. My heroes when I was just learning the game: Darryl, Doc, Keith, Gary, Coney. My guys as grew up and learned the game: My twin Piazza, Hundley, Fonzie, Benny, Leiter, Reed. The new era: Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Johan.
3) We stood outside the Jackie Robinson Rotunda and thankfully, Dad and I were able to shelter ourselves from the buckets of water that were falling from the dark gray sky. Nef showed up about an hour before game time and we headed in. We all walked around the field level concourse. It's amazing how much wider they are compared to Shea Stadium. The space behind center field is awesome. Shake Shack, Blue Smoque BBQ, Box Frites, Carrascino's pizza, Big Apple Brews, El Verano Taqueria, Kid's games, the dunk tank, the team store marketed specifically to kids. Nef and I kept going until we got to Fares of the City around right field. I walked through the glass doors and inside to my left was the sushi. This is not Seattle. Moving on, to my right was Mama's of Corona. I had to have my Mama's Special, which simply cannot be found in Chicago. Semolina bread stuffed with salami, peppered ham, and homemade mozzarella with side of marinated mushrooms and roasted red peppers. Incredible. Meanwhile, Dad was salivating over Shake Shack. Nef settled for tiramisu.
4) The tarp was already covering the infield when we arrived. Can they put a Mets logo on it? It's just plain white. God knows they can afford it. The game started basically on time and the less said the better. The Mets showed offense in exactly one inning, where they scored twice. There was also a 90-minute rain delay that we somehow chose to stick through. It was actually good there was a delay. Because when they game is delayed, the home run apple emerges in center field. And it was obvious that was the only way we were going to see it rise that day. Eventually, I made my way to the taqueria. I got a three taco combo platter with a steak, pork, and chicken taco and a local Brooklyn beer. Awesome stuff. And good job with the lime wedge for the tacos.
5) A few things I noticed. These are the complaints: It is sick how many suites are in this park. Sitting in the left field stands, we could not see the out-of-town scoreboard. And it bothers me that every weekend summer home game is priced in the Gold level. So during the time that it is most convenient for families to go to the ball park, that's the time that tickets are most expensive. And with 15,000 fewer seats than there were in Shea, that makes the situation even worse. That said, if you can get in, it is very fan friendly. Every seat is two inches wider than it was in Shea and they all have cupholders. Plenty of bathrooms, consessions and shops, great audio systems.
6) I missed the old Home Run apple and taking my picture with the big blue 42 in the background. And amongst all the bricks on the fanwalk in front of the park, I could not locate the Benigno brick.
1) Blues on the Fox. I left work at 5 on Friday and drove down 59 to Aurora, which is about 45 minutes without traffic. This time, it took me an hour and ten minutes. The skies were very gray, but we were holding out hope that the rain would pass through and we could enjoy the music. No such luck. The festival was cancelled at 6:15 as was Naper Days and the Elgin Beerfest. So I drove to Real Time in a monsoon, in a Honda, in a rush, so I could watch the Mets. And it turned out well, they beat Tampa. Went home, packed, and got ready for my 6:30 flight the next morning.
2) I only made the flight to Newark because I dressed nice. That got me into first class, arrived right on time. After getting to Dad's place, we headed out to Citi Field. Skies were gray in New York too. One of my favorite parts of the new ballpark is they marked home plate, the pitcher's mound, and the other three bases in the parking lot. Thought of the guys who established the Mets franchise: Seaver, Koosman, Matlack, Agee, Cleon, Kranepool. My heroes when I was just learning the game: Darryl, Doc, Keith, Gary, Coney. My guys as grew up and learned the game: My twin Piazza, Hundley, Fonzie, Benny, Leiter, Reed. The new era: Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Johan.
3) We stood outside the Jackie Robinson Rotunda and thankfully, Dad and I were able to shelter ourselves from the buckets of water that were falling from the dark gray sky. Nef showed up about an hour before game time and we headed in. We all walked around the field level concourse. It's amazing how much wider they are compared to Shea Stadium. The space behind center field is awesome. Shake Shack, Blue Smoque BBQ, Box Frites, Carrascino's pizza, Big Apple Brews, El Verano Taqueria, Kid's games, the dunk tank, the team store marketed specifically to kids. Nef and I kept going until we got to Fares of the City around right field. I walked through the glass doors and inside to my left was the sushi. This is not Seattle. Moving on, to my right was Mama's of Corona. I had to have my Mama's Special, which simply cannot be found in Chicago. Semolina bread stuffed with salami, peppered ham, and homemade mozzarella with side of marinated mushrooms and roasted red peppers. Incredible. Meanwhile, Dad was salivating over Shake Shack. Nef settled for tiramisu.
4) The tarp was already covering the infield when we arrived. Can they put a Mets logo on it? It's just plain white. God knows they can afford it. The game started basically on time and the less said the better. The Mets showed offense in exactly one inning, where they scored twice. There was also a 90-minute rain delay that we somehow chose to stick through. It was actually good there was a delay. Because when they game is delayed, the home run apple emerges in center field. And it was obvious that was the only way we were going to see it rise that day. Eventually, I made my way to the taqueria. I got a three taco combo platter with a steak, pork, and chicken taco and a local Brooklyn beer. Awesome stuff. And good job with the lime wedge for the tacos.
5) A few things I noticed. These are the complaints: It is sick how many suites are in this park. Sitting in the left field stands, we could not see the out-of-town scoreboard. And it bothers me that every weekend summer home game is priced in the Gold level. So during the time that it is most convenient for families to go to the ball park, that's the time that tickets are most expensive. And with 15,000 fewer seats than there were in Shea, that makes the situation even worse. That said, if you can get in, it is very fan friendly. Every seat is two inches wider than it was in Shea and they all have cupholders. Plenty of bathrooms, consessions and shops, great audio systems.
6) I missed the old Home Run apple and taking my picture with the big blue 42 in the background. And amongst all the bricks on the fanwalk in front of the park, I could not locate the Benigno brick.
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