Florida-Day 7 (Sun.Apr12th) Let's Go Mets, Marlins, Mets, Marlins...

What is the next best thing to going to CitiField to see the Mets inaugural home game?

What about the game the day before, with your parents who are Marlins fans, in Miami?

My son was all smiles today because he knew he was going to go see his first game of the year between the Mets and the Marlins at Dolphin Stadium (formerly ProPlayer Park, formerly Joe Robbie Stadium). The weather outside was a hot and humid 88 degrees, and not many clouds as you can see below.
Ticket prices for Dolphin Stadium were not too bad. I was able to muster 25th row from the Mets dugout for about $30 dollars per seat. This was my treat as a way of saying "Thank You" to my parents for having us over and saving us $$$, as well as it was for my kids (and me too!)

We got there rather quickly, arriving at about 11:20 for a 1:10pm game. We parked in the handicap lot, less than 100 yards from Gate B entrance, and were escorted to the elevator for Cristina. Since Cristina has MS, she usually travels by wheelchair outside of the house.

Only one level up, we got out. Section 101 was our designated area, but we saw Section 149 right over us. "Ugh" we all thought, "Here comes a long walk". Scene below on YouTube....




In the end, if anyone of us had bothered to turn around and take a good look, we would have noticed that Section 101 was actually right behind Section 151. We even had maps, but none of us looked. We sucked bad on this one. LOL.
When we did get to our seats, we quickly found out that there was no way to be able to sit in that row, but saw a handicap section behind us. So we sat there for awhile.
Eventually though, we were asked to go inside to Public Relations to formalize the changing of our seats. Fortunately, we got back the same seats.

The Mets were still taking BP, so I ran down to the front, camera in hand, and got to snap up a few shots of David Wright. He has got to be one of the nicest people in the game, as he signed autographs before going into the locker room. Jose Reyes ran into the locker room next. I like Jose, but Jose did not sign anyone's autograph.

.............This was the view of left field that we had from our seats along the third-base line.

The stadium itself is more intimate than what Shea was, and fairly small for a football stadium if you ask me. They are building a new stadium in downtown Miami, which should be ready for the 2012 season. Retractable roof and all too. That means no more rain outs, and no more mother-natured sabotages of the Major League Baseball schedule either. Jeff Loria got what he wanted for his fans and I'm sure there will be a lot of exciting baseball to be played there once their new stadium is operational (and I write this now as Tom Seaver is throwing the first pitch to Mike Piazza to open up CitiField tonight, Monday.)

A nice large scoreboard dead ahead of us in right-center....

General view of the field.

The game got underway, and true to form, this would be a pitcher's duel. Johann Santana versus Josh Johnson. two power pitchers.

Of course, one of the "highlights" was seeing my father and his objectionable behavior over the "7th inning stretch". The last time he was at a game was back in 1997. Cristina said that he refused to stand for the 7th inning stretch. "Where does it say that I have to stand? What? Are we all sheep here? Bahh-h-h-h-h-h? Bah-h-h-h-h-hh?"

Instead he stood and stretched in the 6th inning.

Here is a recap of what took place, courtesy again of my camera and of YouTube.

Santana was amazing this afternoon, striking out 13 batters until he was lifted in the 7th.

Unfortunately, and in usual Met fashion, he lost the game. In a pitcher's duel, all it takes is one mistake to give the game away and that is exactly what Daniel Murphy did when he lost a ball that went in and out of his mitt. The Mets ruined Johnson's no-hitter in the fifth thanks to Ryan Church, and then ruined their shutout bid when Carlos Beltran followed Carlos Delgado's two-out double with an RBI single. Church lined out to left to end the two-hour, four-minute game.

I would have been grateful for the shortness of the game due to the heat, but we started sitting in the shade by the 7th, and all I was hoping for then was a tie game.

Santana did not give up any earned runs, but the Mets lost a brutal game in the brutal heat.

Of course, the game wasn't ALL brutal. Their team have cheerleaders!!!

How I wish that hand was mine. LOL.

Though the Mets did lose, Cristina was so grateful for being able to go to another game. And I was very happy to see what great spirits she was before, during and after the game!

After the game, we went home showered, and packed for my reluctant trip back home. Before that, we decided to do one more photo shoot....

Matthew, is squeezing out another one of his typical smiles with extra cheese on it.


Bugged-eyed Matthew. Man, he's almost as bad as someone else I know when it comes to being serious in a picture.....

Bah humbug....the three of us fly home tomorrow......