When I was in NY last weekend, I got the opportunity to see two stadium construction sites in one 24-hour period. Of course, I was at Shea on Saturday and you can't miss the lumbering new monstrosity that is literally ten feet away from the current outfield wall. I was amazed to see how much progress had been made there since I was last on the site in mid-May.
The following day, I drove by the old Yankee Stadium which is now buttressed by the burgeoning New Yankee Stadium. The Little League ball fields next door have been replaced by concrete and cranes, all designed to bring Lord Steinbrenner the 200 or so luxury suites he has been lusting for since the days when he had real hair.
It's going to be a glorious two baseball seasons for New Yorkers starting in 2008. Since both parks are scheduled to open in April of 2009, that means next season will mark the tearful closing days of both Shea Stadium and the Urinal Also Known as Yankee Stadium. It will be a completely simultaneous event.
Yep, the Mets blew it again. When it comes to all things away from the ballfield, the Mets never ever can get out of their own way, especially when it comes to the organization on 161st Street and River Avenue. The Metsies have always been played for patsies by the Pinstripe crew and this construction timeline is just one more black mark on their souls. Of course, this time around, the big ole raspberry goes to Met COO Jeff Wilpon, who has never struck me as being a rocket scientist. The hard hat he is wearing in the photo above is essentially a useless tool. In my opinion, it protects nothing vital. Of course, Junior Wilpon and I have a past ugly history from some nasty correspondence a few seasons back. He proved to me in those dialogues that he was a jerk. Point reinforced.
The Mets and Yankees have been clamoring for new ballparks since the 90's. Shea has been held together structurally with Krazy Glue. The place has been a dump that even Fred Sanford wouldn't live in. Indeed, it probably only had about ten good years in it. The stadium is 44 years old, but it looks twice its years. Yankee Stadium had its big makeover in 1976 and it really resembles nothing of the column-laden palace that was erected in the 20s. They talk about it as being hallowed ground, but the current Yankee Stadium has virtually nothing in common with the House That Ruth Built, except for the dirt where Derek Jeter regularly spits. It is still outdated and there is a nursing home-like urine in all the bathrooms. And Fat George, of course, has long craved those big corporate spenders who buy luxury boxes and frequent the seventh inning dessert cart.
Had it not been for 9/11, both clubs would probably have gotten their new ballparks by now. But, that national calamity very appropriately upended those plans for a while. It's tough to build a couple of moneymakers while construction workers are busy picking through bone fragments in another part of the city. But, obviously, enough mourning time has elapsed.
And the question bears asking. Since the Mets announced their Citi Field plans first, weren't they essentially trumped by the Yankees' later announcement to open their new park in the exact same month of the exact same year? Of course, they were. And, given the current rotation of opening days in New York, the team having the first home opener in 2009 would be....the Yankees. By opening new ballparks in the same season, the Yankees once again steal the Mets' thunder.
Moreover, closing seasons of old ballparks tend to be quite ceremonious and often poignant. The climactic days of Shea will now be in the shadows of the waning sun of Yankee Stadium, which, as I remarked above, is still revered even though it is a mere shell of its original incarnation. To boot, the Yankees in 2008 will give their grand old stadium one last big hoopla by hosting the All Star Game. Meanwhile, the Mets haven't hosted the Midsummer Classic since its inaugural season in 1964. The Mets once again get played.
It happens over and over and over. Heck, the Mets' closer, Billy Wagner, even copied Mariano Rivera's entrance song. As much as they try on the field, they can never get out of the way of the speeding bus. No matter what they do, the Yankees are always Wally and the Mets are always the Beaver. The latest boob to let this trend continue is the screwball up above wearing a helmet that is protecting essentially nothing.
Dinner last night: BBQ pork and fried rice at the Century City food court.
3 comments:
BTW---has Young Chris ever taken the Dodger Stadium tour? I'd be up for that. Also, the Griffith Observatory is on my list. Wear fire-retardant clothing.
Len: Billy Wagner has used "Enter Sandman" throughout his long career, in Houston, Philly and here.
And I made an amazing discovery at Shea this week: draft beer can still be found (at least above the field boxes). A 12-ounce Grolsch is $7 - a better buy than the Godawful 16-ounce aluminum Bud bottles.
Making my first visit in two years to the Bronx on Monday. You're right about one thing: It doesn't look like the Stadium of my youth. And it was a dump 2 years ago, so I doubt anything has changed in that regard.
I stand corrected. Didn't realize that about Wagner's song. You would think, even still, these guys wouldn't copy each other. Sort of like the way a lot of teams (including the Mets) are doing this Sweet Caroline nonsense now.
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