The Buzz: Mitts and hisses for off-the-field festivities
Mr. Met greets fans before the first inning of Game One of the NL Wild Card Series between the San Diego Padres and the New York Mets at Citi Field on October 07, 2022. Credit: Getty Images/Sarah Stier
The Mets tried to glam it up for the playoffs at Citi Field, with very mixed results for Friday’s Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series.
Instead of their usual kitschy between-innings trivia games, kids “stealing” third base and running up the leftfield line and other fan activities, the Mets had a DJ spinning tunes from the Shea Bridge and showed celebrities on the big centerfield screen like it was a Knicks game.
It did not go well, especially when DJ J Star played Queen’s “We Are the Champions” followed by DJ Khaled’s “All I Do Is Win” with the Mets trailing 3-0 en route to a 7-1 loss to the Padres.
“Read the room, buddy,” one fan at the game wrote on Twitter as fans booed. They also booed later in the game when the DJ was shown on the video board with the Mets losing 7-1.
Also booed when shown on the big board: Oscar-winning actress Emma Stone, who was shown wearing a Padres jacket.
Stone, who was sitting in the front row near the Padres' on-deck circle with her husband, Dave McCary, shrugged when she was booed and took a sip of her drink.
The scoreboard then cut to a male fan wearing three Mets hats.
There were also some hits in the Mets’ attempt to create a fun atmosphere for the first playoff game at Citi Field since 2016.
Beloved mascot Mr. Met sported one blue eye and one brown eye, just like Mets Game 1 starter Max Scherzer. It was adorable. Mr. Met probably covered both eyes, though, when Scherzer gave up four home runs.
Bobby Ojeda, a key member of the Mets’ 1986 World Series-winning club, threw his first ceremonial first pitch.
Man, the place was jazzed up at the start. Until the Padres took control of the game, forcing the Mets to play an elimination game on Saturday night.
“It was awesome,” Ojeda said on Saturday morning in a telephone interview. “I was back in time. I felt like I was 28 again. I was at home. I wish I could move in and build a condo on the mound. In front of all those Mets fans, it was electric. The stadium was electric. They want it so bad. And I want it for the Mets fans.”
The Mets used a different DJ before Saturday’s Game 2. His name was Deejay Lomo.
‘These Mets’ are here
The Mets gave out orange rally towels to fans at the first two games of the series at Citi Field. Fans dutifully waved them whenever the Mets tried to rally against the Padres.
The towels say “These Mets,” which the club is apparently hoping will become some sort of signature phrase around the 2022 team.
These Mets launched a “These Mets” branding campaign on Thursday in spots around New York City, including subway trains (featuring the No. 7 line to Citi Field, of course).
According to a news release, “The integrated campaign, running over the next few weeks, celebrates the 2022 New York Mets as a talented, spirited, and different breed of New York baseball.”
The “integrated campaign” was so important that it included a quote from team owner Steve Cohen on the eve of the playoff opener.
“These Mets have captured the spirit of New York through this historic 101-win regular season, and we’re so grateful to our loyal fans who have been with us on this journey since day one. I am proud of this team. Heading into the Postseason, we are seizing this moment to turn up the volume and energy to rally around These Mets.”
— Anthony Rieber
Remember Endy?
The last time Endy Chavez was in the bright spot in Flushing, it didn’t go all that great, all things considered. Chavez, known for his sterling home run-preventing catch in leftfield in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS, threw the ceremonial first pitch before Game 2 on Saturday night. He was cheered loudly.
— Laura Albanese
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
