In the days before the new season begins is as good a time as any to reflect back on summers at the ballpark. Looking back on the 2016 season I did not get to that many games at Citi Field, but I did see some epic moments, even if they were more epic for the other team. I did not see the season kick off in New York, but I was there when it ended. I heard the “thunk” of the ball landing on the met bullpen roof from my perch from the 7-Line seats. I sat there twice in 2016 after never getting out there before. I also made my Citi party deck debut in 2016. Not featured on my Citi roll call was my visit to Marlins Parks, where I saw the game Jose Fernandez was supposed to pitch, but tragically did not.
My record may not be so great this year, but I really enjoyed every game. Living 100+ minutes away makes you appreciate the journey as well as the game. And as things turned out I went to the same series once and back-to-back games another time. So it came in bunches. Like runs sometimes do. But not wins. I only saw the Mets win once in 2016, but it was against the Nats, who beat them like a drum. If you look at their home record overall, the Mets enter 2017 at exactly .500 at home since Citi Field opened. A nice recovery for a team that couldn’t win at home for several years and couldn’t beat anybody at all for several more. I am still under .500, but that’s just me.
Here is the log of my games at Citi Field, which I do annually so I never have to say I think I’ve been to so and so many games at the park. This also does not include the 30+ games I worked at “The Joe” in Troy for the Tri-City Valley Cats. My major league scorecard may be shrinking, but I am still seeing plenty of baseball. And talking about it now and again (thanks to Media Goon and Greg Prince for providing video of the panel discussion I was in on Tom Seaver at QBC ’17.). Thank you very much.
Captain’s Log 2016 Citi Field
| Date | Foe, Result | Mets Rec, Pos | MS Rec | Win | Loss | Save | HRs /by NYM | Who hit the HRs | Note |
| 10-Ap | Phi, 5-2 L | 2-3, 2nd | 0-1 | Hellickson | Harvey | Gomez | 2/1 | Herrera, Cespedes | Saw only Mets HR of first homestand while dropping rubber game to bad Phils team. |
| 11-Ap | Mia, 10-3 L | 2-4, 3rd | 0-2 | Narveson | Matz | 2 | Stanton, Osuna | Absolute bomb by Stanton in absolute bombing of Matz. Seven in second knocked him out. Had fun on party deck, though. | |
| 17-May | Was, 2-0 W | 22-16, 2nd | 1-2 | Syndergaard | Scherzer | Familia | 2/2 | Granderson, Conforto | Conforto HR and Grandy leadoff blast, but pitching and emotion ruled in Murph return. Mets only 1/2-game back. Never got closer. |
| 19-Sep | Atl, 7-3 L | 80-70, 2nd | 1-3 | Blair | Syndergaard | 2/1 | Freeman, T.J. Rivera | 0-6 pitcher vs. Thor seems automatic, but Blair had first MLB win; Braves battered Noah. | |
| 21-Sep | Atl, 4-3 L | 80-72 | 1-4 | Krol | Familia | Johnson | 3/2 | Cabrera, R. Rivera, Recker | Thought this would be the day Mets went in September crapper. Blow lead and then Cespedes HR stolen by Inciarte, but… |
| 5-Oct. | SF, 3-0 L | WC, 0-1 | 1-5 | Baumgarner | Familia | 1 | Gillaspie | …Mets grabbed playoff spot and homefield in WC (BS) Game. Heck of a year, heck of a game, unfortunate ending vs. NL ace. | |
| 2016 | 1-5 | Syndergaard | Familia 2 | Familia | 12/6 | Six games, six different Mets homer, but no repeat–for HRs or NL flag. | |||
| Since ’09 opening | 324-324 | 47-53 | Dickey & Santana 4 | Pelfrey 3 | K-Rod 7 | 138/72 | Wright 8 | Counting postseason, Mets are 284-290 at Citi. A winning record at the place isn’t far |